Mirrorless scanners with movable laser, optical and sensor components

Claim 2

A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for manually entering data includes a keyboard, and said scanning light beam emitting unit emits a laser beam.

Claim 3

A system as defined in claim 2 wherein said laser beam emitting unit is mountable on said terminal unit in two positions to direct the laser beam either to one side of the housing, or to a direction 180° from said one side.

Claim 4

A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said terminal unit includes laser beam generating means for generating a laser beam.

Claim 5

A system as defined in claim 4 wherein said terminal unit includes photodetector means for detecting at least a portion of the light variable intensity of a scanning beam reflected from a symbol.

Claim 6

A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said terminal unit includes scanning means for producing a scanning beam.

Claim 7

A system as defined in claim 1 wherein said beam directing means is a mirror.

Claim 8

A scanning arrangement in a light scanning system for reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, comprising; (a) a light source component for emitting a light beam; (b) an optical component for optically modifying and directing the light beam along an optical path toward indicia located in the vicinity of a reference plane exteriorly of the system; (c) a photodetector component having a field of view and operative for detecting at least a portion of light of variable intensity reflected off the indicia, and for generating an electrical signal indicative of the detected light intensity; (d) a scanning component for scanning at least one of the light beam and the field of view. (e) an electrical connecting component for conducting the electrical signal away from the photodetector component; (f) all of said components being mounted together in a common assembly to constitute a compact, lightweight scan module; (g) means for mounting the scan module in an interchangeable, modular manner in housings of different configurations; and (h) means for converting one of the housings for use by a specific hand of a user, said converting means including means for steering the light beam to one of two courses.

Claim 9

An arrangement as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for converting comprises a superstructure portion which is mounted on the body of the housing containing the scan module.

Claim 10

An arrangement as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing is of rectangular cross-section and said superstructure is detachable mounted at one end of the housing.

Claim 11

An arrangement as defined in claim 9 wherein said superstructure includes a reflecting mirror for directing the light beam.

Claim 12

An arrangement as defined in claim 9 wherein said superstructure is rotatable mounted on the housing.

Claim 13

The arrangement as recited in claim 9 wherein said housing is a hand-held terminal having a keyboard and a display.

Claim 14

The arrangement as recited in claim 9 wherein one of the housing includes a read-control component for initiating scanning.

Claim 15

The arrangement as recited in claim 9 wherein one of the housing has a cylindrical shape and is sized to be held in a user's hand.

Claim 17

A system as defined in claim 16 wherein said symbol-detection means includes scanning means for repetitively scanning said laser beam over at least a portion of a symbol to be read.

Claim 18

A system as defined in claim 16 wherein said symbol-detection means includes photodetector means for detecting at least a portion of the light variable intensity of each scanned laser beam reflected from each symbol.

Claim 20

A system as defined in claim 19 where said laser beam emitting unit is mountable on said terminal in two positions to direct the laser beam either to one side of the housing, or to a direction 180° from said one side.

Claim 21

A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said terminal unit includes laser beam generating means for generating laser beam, and said laser beam emitting unit.

Claim 22

A system as defined in claim 21 wherein said terminal unit includes photodetector means for detecting at least a portion of the light variable intensity of each scanned laser beam reflected from each symbol.

Claim 23

A system as defined in claim 19 wherein said terminal unit includes photodetector means for detecting at least a portion of the light variable intensity of each scanned laser beam reflected from each symbol.

Claim 24

In a bar code reader in which a light beam is emitted from a housing toward a bar code to be read, the improvement which comprises means for changing the overall direction of the emitted beam with respect to the housing by relatively rotating the housing and a beam directing portion of the housing.

Claim 25

The improvement according to claim 24 wherein said means for changing the overall direction includes means for changing the direction of the light beam from one side of the housing to the opposite side of the housing.

Claim 26

The improvement according to claim 25 in which said housing is a small, hand-held housing.

Claim 27

The improvement according to claim 26 in which said means for changing the overall direction includes a superstructure with a reflective mirror for the beam, said superstructure being adjustably mounted on the housing, so that the beam reflected from the mirror will be directed out from different side positions of the housing, depending on the adjusted position of the superstructure.