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Claims  |
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What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set
forth in the appended claims:
1. In a scanning system for reading bar code symbols, a scanning head
comprising:
(a) a housing having an elongated body portion including a front region, a
rear region, and an intermediate body region extending between the front
and rear regions, and having side walls spaced transversely apart of each
other by a predetermined width;
(b) light source means mounted within the housing, for generating an
incident light beam;
(c) optic means mounted within the housing, for directing the incident beam
along a light path towards a reference plane located exteriorly of the
housing in the vicinity of the front region thereof, and towards a bar
code symbol located in the vicinity of the reference plane to thereby
generate a reflected light beam which is directed along a light path away
from the reference plane and back towards the housing;
(d) scanning means mounted within the housing at the rear region thereof,
for sweeping at least one of said beams over a field of view across the
bar code symbol;
(e) sensor means mounted within the housing, for detecting the light
intensity in the reflected beam over a field of view across the bar code
symbol, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the detected
light intensity;
(f) signal processing means mounted within the housing, for processing the
electrical signal to generate therefrom data descriptive of the bar code
symbol; and
(g) window means mounted on the housing, and having a light-transmissive
window at the rear region in close adjacent confronting relationship with
the scanning means thereat, said window being configured and positioned in
the light path of said at least one swept beam to permit the latter to
pass through the window and unobstructedly travel exteriorly of and past
the front and intermediate body regions of the housing,
whereby the field of view of the swept beam is substantially independent of
the predetermined width of the housing due to its exterior transmission
outside of the front and intermediate body regions of the housing.
2. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the scanning means is
operative to sweep said at least one beam over a field of view which is
larger than the predetermined width of the housing when said at least one
beam passes the front region of the housing during said exterior
transmission.
3. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the scanning means is
operative for sweeping the incident beam across the bar code symbol for
reflection therefrom, and wherein the window is operative for transmitting
the incident beam therethrough.
4. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the scanning means is
operative for sweeping the reflected beam from the bar code symbol for
detection therefrom, and wherein the window is operative for transmitting
the reflected beam therethrough.
5. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the scanning means is
operative for sweeping both the incident and reflected beams, and wherein
the window is operative for transmitting both the incident and reflected
beams therethrough.
6. The scanning head as defined in claim 3, wherein the window constitutes
a scan window for transmitting the incident beam therethrough; and wherein
the window means also includes another window constituting a non-scan
window mounted at the front region of the housing in close adjacent
confronting relationship with the sensor means also located thereat, said
non-scan window being configured and light-transmissive to permit the
reflected beam to pass therethrough to the sensor means.
7. The scanning head as defined in claim 6, wherein the scan window is
located rearwardly of the non-scan window as considered along the light
path of the incident beam, each window being at a different distance from
the reference plane.
8. The scanning head as defined in claim 6, wherein the rear region of the
housing projects above the front region and the intermediate body region
thereof, and wherein the scan window is mounted on the projecting rear
region of the housing at an elevation above the non-scan window and the
intermediate body region to permit an overhead unobstructed transmission
of the incident beam above and exteriorly of the front and intermediate
body regions of the housing.
9. The scanning head as defined in claim 6, wherein the elongated body
portion has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the non-scan window includes
a pair of non-scan window portions each located at an opposite side of the
longitudinal axis, for increasing the field of view of the sensor means,
and wherein the scan window is located on the longitudinal axis.
10. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the light source means
constitutes a laser tube for generating an incident laser light beam; and
further comprising replacement means for mounting the laser tube in a
non-soldered, automatically optically-aligned relationship with the optic
means to permit quick and easy tube replacement for field maintenance.
11. The scanning head as defined in claim 10, wherein the optic means
includes an optical bench having a bore, and wherein the laser tube
includes an output end received with slight clearance in the bore; and
wherein the optical bench includes a recess concentric with the bore, and
wherein the replacement means includes a sleeve in which the laser tube is
received, said sleeve being snugly received in the recess to support the
tube and its output end in an optically-aligned relationship with the
optic means.
12. The scanning head as defined in claim 11, wherein the replacement means
includes an electrically conductive washer in the recess, said output end
of the laser tube being in electro-mechanical non-soldered contact with
the washer; and wherein the laser tube includes a non-output end, and
wherein the replacement means includes biasing means at the non-output end
in non-soldered contact therewith, for urging the output end of the laser
tube into affirmative electro-mechanical contact with the washer.
13. The scanning head as defined in claim 12, wherein the replacement means
includes a removable cap operatively associated with the biasing means.
14. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the light source means
constitutes a laser tube for generating an incident laser light beam, and
wherein the optic means includes an optical bench having a bore in which
an output end of the tube is concentrically received in optically-aligned
relationship; and wherein the optic means includes an optical train having
a negative lens and a positive lens, the position of at least one of said
lenses being non-adjustable, and the position of the other of said lenses
being adjustable.
15. The scanning head as defined in claim 14, wherein the optical train
includes a plurality of light-reflecting mirrors, the position of at least
one of the mirrors being non-adjustably mounted on the optical bench, and
the position of at least another of the mirrors being adjustably mounted
on the optical bench.
16. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the light source means
includes a modified laser tube, and means for modifying the tube to
generate an incident laser light beam which diverges in a direction away
from the tube.
17. The scanning head as defined in claim 16, wherein the laser tube
includes a substantially flat mirror having an inner and an outer surface
at one end region of the tube, and a concave mirror having an inner and an
outer surface at the opposite end region of the tube, and wherein the
laser tube further includes a light-reflective coating of high
predetermined reflectivity at the inner surface of the flat mirror, and a
light-reflective coating having a reflectivity less than said high
predetermined reflectivity at the inner surface of the concave mirror,
said coated inner surfaces of the mirrors facing each other; and wherein
the modifying means includes a ground outer surface for the concave
mirror, said ground outer surface having a radius of curvature different
from the inner surface of the concave mirror to modify the laser beam
passing through the ground outer surface to diverge outwardly as the laser
beam exits said opposite end region of the tube.
18. The scanning head as defined in claim 16, wherein the laser tube
includes a substantially flat mirror having an inner and an outer surface
at one end region of the tube, and a concave mirror having an inner and an
outer surface at the opposite end region of the tube, and wherein the
modifying means includes a light-reflective coating of high predetermined
reflectivity at the inner surface of the concave mirror, and a
light-reflective coating having a reflectivity less than said high
predetermined reflectivity at the inner surface of the flat mirror, said
inner surfaces of the mirrors facing each other; and wherein the coated
inner surface of the flat mirror modifies the laser beam passing
therethrough to diverge outwardly as the laser beam exits said one end
region of the tube.
19. The scanning head as defined in claim 18, wherein the modifying means
includes a ground outer surface for the flat mirror, said ground outer
surface having a curvature different from the inner coated surface of the
flat mirror to modify the laser beam passing through the ground outer
surface to diverge to a greater extent as the laser beam exits said one
end region of the tube.
20. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the scanning means
includes a light-weight, high-speed, scanner motor having an output shaft,
motor control means for driving the motor to reciprocally oscillate the
shaft in alternate circumferential directions over arc lengths which are
less than 360.degree. and at a rate of speed on the order of a plurality
of oscillations per second, and light-reflecting means mounted on the
shaft for joint oscillating movement therewith.
21. The scanning head as defined in claim 20; and further comprising stop
means mounted in the path of oscillating movement of the light-reflecting
means, for preventing the same and the shaft from moving through an arc
greater than 360.degree..
22. The scanning head as defined in claim 20, wherein the shaft and the
light-reflecting means on the scanner motor are jointly and repetitively
oscillated through arc lengths on the order of 25.degree..
23. The scanning head as defined in claim 14, wherein the reference plane
is located on the order of 2" from the non-scan window, and approximately
91/2" from the positive lens; and wherein the field of view at the
reference plane is on the order of 31/2", and wherein the predetermined
width of the housing is on the order of 13/4"; and wherein the depth of
field at the reference plane lies in the range from about 3" to about 6".
24. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the elongated body
portion has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the sensor means includes a
pair of sensor elements each located at an opposite side of the
longitudinal axis and each lying in intersecting planes and facing in
different directions to either side of the housing.
25. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is formed
of a light-weight resilient plastic material; and further comprising shock
mounting means at the front and rear regions of the housing, for shock
mounting the light source means, the optic means, and the scanning means
relative to the plastic housing.
26. The scanning head as defined in claim 25, wherein the light source
means constitutes a laser tube, and wherein the optic means includes an
optical bench; and wherein the shock mounting means includes a shock
collar surrounding the tube, and a pair of shock mounts on opposite sides
of the optical bench, said shock mounts and said collar being spaced
longitudinally apart of each other to isolate twisting of the housing from
the laser tube and the optic means.
27. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the housing is
generally gun-shaped and has a handle portion of a size dimensioned to be
gripped by the hand of a user, and wherein in the body portion is
connected to the handle portion; and wherein the hand-held housing is
light-in-weight weighing on the order of one pound, easy-to-minipulate,
non-arm-and-wrist fatiguing, and supportable entirely by the user
throughout the reading of the bar code symbols.
28. The scanning head as defined in claim 27, wherein the handle portion is
mounted below the body portion for convenient manual support of the head
from below the body portion; and further comprising power supply means
operatively connected to, and supplying power for, the light source means,
scanning means, sensor means and signal processing means, said power
supply means including a power supply component mounted within the handle
portion for better balance of the head.
29. The scanning head as defined in claim 28, wherein the power supply
means further includes a non-bulky, collapsible coil-type cable connecting
the head to the system, said non-bulky cable being readily flexible to
permit user manipulation of the head with multiple freedoms of movement
from one bar code symbol to the next without requiring excessive strength
by the user.
30. The scanning head as defined in claim 29, wherein the power supply
means includes a direct current power supply component mounted in the
handle portion, and wherein the cable includes thin conductor wires for
carrying low voltage direct current signals; and wherein the sensor means
is operative for generating an analog electrical signal, and wherein the
signal processing means converts the analog signal to a digitalized
electrical signal, and wherein the cable includes a
non-radio-frequency-shielded conductor wire for conducting the digitized
signal to the system; and wherein the wires are connected to a common
plug-type connector; and further comprising a mating connector mounted
within the housing and adapted to receive the plug-type connector in
mating relationship to thereby permit rapid replacement of the cable for
on-site repairs.
31. The scanning head as defined in claim 1; and further comprising control
means for selectively controlling the operation of the light source means,
scanning means, sensor means and signal processing means, said control
means including a microprocessor remote from the head, and operative for
directly controlling the light source means, scanning means, sensor means
and signal processing means therein; said control means also including a
manually-actuatable trigger means for activating and deactivating the
microprocessor and, in turn, the light source means, scanning means,
sensor means and signal processing means controlled by the microprocessor.
32. The scanning head as defined in claim 31, wherein the control means
also includes a computer remote from the head and operatively connected to
the same via the microprocessor, said computer being operative for
activating and deactivating the microprocessor and, in turn, the light
source means, scanning means, sensor means and signal processing means
controlled by the microprocessor; said computer and said trigger means
each being independently operative to control the microprocessor.
33. The scanning head as defined in claim 1, wherein the light source means
constitutes a semiconductor laser diode for generating a laser light beam;
and further comprising a low voltage power supply mounted within the
housing, for energizing the laser diode.
34. The scanning head as defined in claim 33; and further comprising means
on the housing for selecting a characteristic of the symbol, and wherein
the signal processing means is responsive to selection of the
characteristic; and also comprising means on the housing for displaying
the data descriptive of the selected characteristic, whereby the mounting
of the displaying means and the selecting means on the housing facilitates
data reading and characteristic selection at the site of the symbol to be
read.
35. The scanning head as defined in claim 1; and further comprising means
for transmitting the data generated in the head through the air by
electromagnetic wave transmission to the scanning system to thereby
eliminate the prior art requirement of power cables for connecting the
head to the scanning system.
36. The scanning head as defined in claim 35, wherein the transmitting
means is a transmitter antenna mounted on the housing.
37. The scanning head as defined in claim 4, wherein the window constitutes
a scan window for transmitting the reflected beam therethrough; and
wherein the window means also includes another window constituting a
non-scan window mounted at the front region of the housing in close
adjacent confronting relationship with the light source means also located
thereat, said non-scan window being configured and light-transmissive to
permit the incident beam to pass therethrough towards the reference plane
and the bar code symbol.
38. The scanning head as defined in claim 37, wherein the elongated body
portion has a longitudinal axis, and wherein the light source means
includes a pair of light source elements each located at an opposite side
of the longitudinal axis at the front region of the housing, and facing in
different directions to illuminate the bar code symbol over a broad zone
of coverage.
39. The scanning head as defined in claim 5, wherein the sensor means
includes sensor optics and a sensor mirror having a hole through which the
incident beam passes to the scanning means, and wherein the sensor mirror
has light-reflecting mirror portions bounding the hole to direct the
reflected beam to the sensor optics.
40. In a scanning system for reading bar code symbols, a light-weight,
easy-to-manipulate, non-arm-and-wrist-fatiguing laser scanning head
supportable entirely by a user throughout the reading of the symbols, said
laser scanning head comprising:
(a) a hand-held housing having an elongated body portion including a front
region, a rear region, and an intermediate body region extending between
the front and rear regions, and having side walls spaced transversely
apart of each other by a predetermined width;
(b) light source means mounted within the housing, for generating an
incident laser beam;
(c) optic means mounted within the housing, for directing the incident
laser beam along a light path towards a reference plane located exteriorly
of the housing in the vicinity of the front region thereof, and towards a
bar code symbol located in the vicinity of the reference plane;
(d) scanning means mounted in the light path and within the housing at the
rear region thereof, for sweeping the incident laser beam over a field of
view across the bar code symbol for reflection therefrom to generate a
reflected laser beam which is directed along a light path away from the
reference plane and back towards the housing;
(e) sensor means mounted within the housing at the front region thereof,
for detecting the light intensity of the reflected beam over a field of
view across the bar code symbol, and for generating an electrical signal
indicative of the detected light intensity;
(f) signal processing means mounted within the housing, for processing the
electrical signal to generate therefrom data descriptive of the bar code
symbol; and
(g) window means mounted on the housing, and having a light-transmissive
scan window at the rear region in close adjacent confronting relationship
with the scanning means thereat, and a light-transmissive non-scan window
at the front region in close adjacent confronting relationship with the
sensor means thereat, said scan window being configured and positioned in
the light path of the incident laser beam to permit the latter to pass
through the scan window and unobstructedly be transmitted exteriorly of
and past the front and intermediate body regions of the housing, said
non-scan window being configured and positioned in the light path of the
reflected laser beam to permit the latter to pass therethrough to the
sensor means,
whereby the field of view of the swept incident laser beam is substantially
independent of the predetermined width of the housing due to the exterior
transmission of the incident laser beam outside of the front and
intermediate body regions of the housing.
41. The scanning head as defined in claim 40, wherein the housing is
gun-shaped, and includes a handle portion of a size adapted to be gripped
by the user, said handle portion being connected to and mounted below the
body portion.
42. The scanning head as defined in claim 40, wherein the scan window is
located rearwardly of the non-scan window as considered along the light
path of the incident beam, each window being located at a dif | | |
