EP0085804A2 — Narrow-bodied, single-and twin-windowed portable …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 338 words

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; and f) signal processing means mounted within the housing, for processing the electrical signal to generate therefrom data descriptive of the bar code symbol, the improvement being characterised by: 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 bein$.,.configured and positioned in the light path of said at least one swept beam to permit the latter to pass through the 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.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 338 words

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; and f) signal processing means mounted within the housing, for processing the electrical signal to generate therefrom data descriptive of the bar code symbol, the improvement being characterised by: 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 bein$.,.configured and positioned in the light path of said at least one swept beam to permit the latter to pass through the 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.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 53 words

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.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

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.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 39 words

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.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 37 words

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.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 73 words

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.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 40 words

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.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 76 words

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.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 60 words

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.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 54 words

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.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 86 words

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.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 89 words

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.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 51 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 12, 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.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 75 words

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 0 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.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 39 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 14; 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°.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 14, 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°.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 83 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 12, wherein the reference plane is located on the order of 2" from the non-scan window, and approximately 9 1/2" from the positive lens; and wherein the field of view at the reference plane is on the order of 3 1/2", and wherein the predetermined width of the housing is on the order of 1 3/4"; and wherein the depth of field at the reference plane lies in the range from about 3" to about 6".

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 55 words

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.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 53 words

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.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 79 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 19, 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.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 73 words

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 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-manipulate,non-arm-and-wrist fatiguing, and supportable entirely by the user throughout the reading of the bar code symbols.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 75 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 21, 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.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 58 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 22, 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.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 127 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 23, 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 digitized 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.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 93 words

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.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 72 words

The scanning head as defined in claim 25, 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.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 41 words

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.

Narrow-bodied, single-and twin-windowed portable laser scanning head for reading bar code symbols

Abstract

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

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