Indicia reading terminal including focus element with expanded range of focus distances

A hand held indicia reading terminal for use in reading of decodable indicia, said hand held indicia reading terminal comprising:

• an image sensor;
• an optical system for use in focusing an image onto the image sensor, the optical system comprising a first optical element having an optical axis and a focal length, the first optical element comprising a deformable element, and a second optical element aligned with the optical axis and having a ring shaped end, the second optical element having a plurality of positions along the optical axis, the positions comprising a first position, and a second position having a separation distance that is different from the first position, the separation distance measuring the position of the first optical element relative to the second optical element, wherein the second optical element includes a lens assembly having a lens element, wherein a position of lens element changes with a position of the second optical element, and
• a hand held housing in surrounding relation to one or more of the image sensor, and the optical system,
• wherein the second position on the optical axis locates the ring shaped end of the second optical element in communication with the deformable element so as to cause the deformable element to deform in a manner that changes the focal length of the first optical element from a first focal length to a second focal length that is different from the first focal length.

A method of focusing an image of a decodable indicia on an image capture device, said method comprising:

• securing on an optical axis a variable form element having a focal length, the variable form element comprising a deformable element;
• aligning on the optical axis a variable position element at a separation distance measuring the position of the variable position element relative to the variable form element, the variable position element comprising an elongated barrel, having a ring shaped end for use in deforming the deformable element, and a lens assembly having a lens element disposed in the elongated barrel, the lens assembly having a fixed focal length, wherein a position of the lens element changes with a position of the variable position element;
• and
• setting the separation distance for attempting to decode a decodable indicia located at a focus distance from the variable form element by correlating the focus distance to the separation distance.