US3737629A — Optical code reader

Claim 1

Independent Claim 340 words

In a data sensing machine having a machine bed and a scan head with drive means for providing relative transporting movement of a code member on said bed and said scan head along a path, said drive means operable through a fixed cycle; a code member having at least one row of indicia arranged transverse to said scan path; an illuminating means for projecting radiant energy onto a field of said path at a predetermined relationship to said scan head; the improvement comprising: means for transmitting light so as to impinge upon a laterally extending single strip surface area extending in a transverse direction to said path in said field with the strip area defined by two parallel boundary lines of light, and said strip area being of sufficient length and width to illuminate a plurality of laterally spaced code areas on a said code member; a plurality of light conveying means, each having one end positioned for sensing the light intensity reflected from an associated one of said laterally spaced code areas and to convey any light received therefrom to an opposite end positioned at a location remote from said code member, said opposite ends being spaced from each other to provide at said remote location a pattern of light and no light in dependence upon a pattern of code areas illuminated on said code member; a lesser plurality of light sensors proximate to said remote location and associated with a selected group of said opposite ends for receiving any light therefrom in a coded pattern in dependence upon said coded pattern of a like group of said illuminated code areas; and means for adjustably positioning said light sensors relative to said opposite ends to sense different groups of said code areas; whereby a data sensing machine may be set to interpret simultaneously plural sets of coded information represented by the row of indicia positioned within said single strip area, the location of said plurality of light sensors being optionally positioned at any location transversely of the scan path.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 340 words

In a data sensing machine having a machine bed and a scan head with drive means for providing relative transporting movement of a code member on said bed and said scan head along a path, said drive means operable through a fixed cycle; a code member having at least one row of indicia arranged transverse to said scan path; an illuminating means for projecting radiant energy onto a field of said path at a predetermined relationship to said scan head; the improvement comprising: means for transmitting light so as to impinge upon a laterally extending single strip surface area extending in a transverse direction to said path in said field with the strip area defined by two parallel boundary lines of light, and said strip area being of sufficient length and width to illuminate a plurality of laterally spaced code areas on a said code member; a plurality of light conveying means, each having one end positioned for sensing the light intensity reflected from an associated one of said laterally spaced code areas and to convey any light received therefrom to an opposite end positioned at a location remote from said code member, said opposite ends being spaced from each other to provide at said remote location a pattern of light and no light in dependence upon a pattern of code areas illuminated on said code member; a lesser plurality of light sensors proximate to said remote location and associated with a selected group of said opposite ends for receiving any light therefrom in a coded pattern in dependence upon said coded pattern of a like group of said illuminated code areas; and means for adjustably positioning said light sensors relative to said opposite ends to sense different groups of said code areas; whereby a data sensing machine may be set to interpret simultaneously plural sets of coded information represented by the row of indicia positioned within said single strip area, the location of said plurality of light sensors being optionally positioned at any location transversely of the scan path.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 46 words

An improvement in a data sensing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said one end of said conveying means are uniformly spaced from each other by a distance dependent upon a distance between adjacent ones of said codes areas on a said code member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 47 words

An improvement in a data sensing machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opposite ends of said conveying means are uniformly spaced from each other and light sensors uniformly spaced from each other by a distance dependent upon the distance between adjacent said opposite ends.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

An improvement in a data sensing machine as set forth in claim 1 further including a second said plurality of light conveying means, and a second said plurality of light sensors and a second said adjustable positioning means for positioning said second plurality of light sensors.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 231 words

In a data sensing machine having a machine bed with a document guide defining a document path; a document drive member having a peripheral surface which is mounted to intersect said guide path, means to move a known surface length of said member past a given line across said path in one cycle of operation; and means to hold a document in driven contact with said drive member surface for movement of a document length equal to said surface length; the improvement comprising: means for transmitting a laterally extending light beam to impinge upon a said document to illuminate a laterally extending surface area on said document, said surface area comprising a single strip area extending transverse to said path with the strip area being defined by two parallel boundary lines of light so that a plurality of laterally arranged code groups may be illuminated by said light beam; a first plurality of light conveying members each associated with one of said code areas having one end positioned to receive light from said associated code area and an opposite end located at a remote position; and a lesser plurality of light sensors held together in spaced apart relation and adapted to be displaced relative to said opposite ends to receive light from only a selected group of said opposite ends to thereby respond to a selected one of said code groups.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 231 words

In a data sensing machine having a machine bed with a document guide defining a document path; a document drive member having a peripheral surface which is mounted to intersect said guide path, means to move a known surface length of said member past a given line across said path in one cycle of operation; and means to hold a document in driven contact with said drive member surface for movement of a document length equal to said surface length; the improvement comprising: means for transmitting a laterally extending light beam to impinge upon a said document to illuminate a laterally extending surface area on said document, said surface area comprising a single strip area extending transverse to said path with the strip area being defined by two parallel boundary lines of light so that a plurality of laterally arranged code groups may be illuminated by said light beam; a first plurality of light conveying members each associated with one of said code areas having one end positioned to receive light from said associated code area and an opposite end located at a remote position; and a lesser plurality of light sensors held together in spaced apart relation and adapted to be displaced relative to said opposite ends to receive light from only a selected group of said opposite ends to thereby respond to a selected one of said code groups.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

A data sensing machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein said opposite ends of said conveying members are arranged in uniformly spaced apart relationship and said light sensors are spaced apart by distances dependent upon the distances between the associated ones of said opposite ends.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 74 words

A data sensing as set forth in claim 5 including a first support member for supporting said conveying members so that said opposite ends are aligned and uniformly spaced apart, and a second support member for supporting said light sensors aligned in spaced apart relationship, said support members having cooperating means so that said members may be adjustably secured together whereby said sensors may be associated with selected different ones of said opposite ends.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 176 words

An optical read head for sensing varying patterns of data comprising: means for transmitting light through said optical read head to a plurality of apertures at a read station; a plurality of light conveying members for carrying light to a remote position which is reflected at a read station from said transmitting means; a lesser plurality of light sensors held together in spaced apart relation and positioned to receive light from a selected group of said plurality of light conveying members; a first support means for supporting said plurality of conveying means; a second support means for supporting said plurality of light sensors; said first support means including an elongated protuberance having a terminating surface; said second support means including walls therein defining a channel adapted to slidably receive said protuberance so that said second support means may be positioned at selected locations; said second support means having apertures defined therein extending inwardly toward selected ones of said light conveying members; said light sensors each mounted in one of the apertures of said second support means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 176 words

An optical read head for sensing varying patterns of data comprising: means for transmitting light through said optical read head to a plurality of apertures at a read station; a plurality of light conveying members for carrying light to a remote position which is reflected at a read station from said transmitting means; a lesser plurality of light sensors held together in spaced apart relation and positioned to receive light from a selected group of said plurality of light conveying members; a first support means for supporting said plurality of conveying means; a second support means for supporting said plurality of light sensors; said first support means including an elongated protuberance having a terminating surface; said second support means including walls therein defining a channel adapted to slidably receive said protuberance so that said second support means may be positioned at selected locations; said second support means having apertures defined therein extending inwardly toward selected ones of said light conveying members; said light sensors each mounted in one of the apertures of said second support means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 29 words

An optical read head as set in claim 8 wherein said conveying means extend through said first support means into said protuberance and terminate along a substantially flat surface.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 35 words

An optical read head as set forth in claim 8 including means for conveying light in the openings of said apertures of said second support means to said sensors supported by said second support means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 22 words

An optical read head as set forth in claim 8 wherein said light transmitting means is carried by said first support means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-06-04	1976-12-04	1977-06-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-06-04	1980-12-04	1981-06-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-06-04	1984-12-04	1985-06-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Optical code reader

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