Variable distance angular symbology reader
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
InventorsHarry F. Schramm, Jr., Eric L. Corder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A variable distance angular symbology reader utilizes at least one light source to direct light through a beam splitter and onto a target. A target may be angled relative to the impinging light beam up to and maybe even greater than 45°. A reflected beam from the target passes through the beam splitter and is preferably directed 90° relative to the light source through a telecentric lens to a scanner which records an image of the target such as a direct part marking code.
Claims19
A symbol reader for reading marked regions on a substrate comprising:
- at least one light source providing an impingement beam;
- a beam splitter receiving the impingement beam from the at least one light source and splitting the impingement beam emitted from the at least one light source to allow some light from the impingement beam to contact the substrate as a contact beam while allowing some light to proceed in a first direction to not contact the substrate;
- a reflected beam proceeding one hundred and eighty degrees relative to the contact beam returned from the substrate, said reflected beam proceeding into the beam splitter where a first portion of the reflected beam is directed in a second direction 180 degrees relative to the first direction, and a second portion of the reflected beam passes through the beam splitter;
- a telecentric lens positioned relative to the beam splitter to receive one of the first and second portions of the reflected beam after passing through the beam splitter;
- a sensor located opposite of the telecentric lens from the beam splitter, said sensor receiving the portion of the reflected beam after it passes through the telecentric lens.
A symbol reader for reading marked regions on a substrate comprising:
- at least one light source providing an impingement beam;
- a first beam splitter receiving the impingement beam from the at least one light source and splitting the impingement beam emitted from the at least one light source to allow some light from the impingement beam to contact the substrate as a first contact beam while allowing some light to proceed in a first direction to not contact the substrate, said first direction ninety degrees relative to the first contact beam;
- a reflected beam proceeding one hundred and eighty degrees relative to the first contact beam returned from a contact area on the substrate, said reflected beam proceeding into the first beam splitter where a first portion of the reflected beam is directed in a second direction 180 degrees relative to the first direction, and a second portion of the reflected beam passes through the beam splitter;
- a telecentric lens positioned relative to the first beam splitter to receive one of the first and second portions of the reflected beam after passing through the beam splitter;
- a sensor located opposite of the telecentric lens from the first beam splitter, said sensor receiving the portion of the reflected beam after it passes through the telecentric lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.