Scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters

Claim 2

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an article about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first cylindrical lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first cylindrical lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first cylindrical lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, the beam of light arriving at said movable component or transmitted therefrom encloses together with the axis of movement of said movable component an angle which deviates by about 0.5* from 90*.

Claim 3

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an article about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first cylindrical lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first cylindrical lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first cylindrical lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, a laser forming a light source, a base plate, said base having mounted thereat said laser, a 90*-deflecting mirror, a third cylindrical lens member having an axis disposed essentially perpendicular to said base plate, a further 90*-deflecting mirror, a second cylindrical lens member having an axis extending parallel to said third cylindrical lens member, and said beam deflecting mechanism, and wherein said first cylindrical lens member is secured to an edge of the base plate which is perpendicular to the laser axis and opposite said beam deflecting mechanism.

Claim 4

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an article about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first cylindrical lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first cylindrical lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first cylindrical lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, a laser forming a light source, a base plate, said base having mounted thereat said laser, a 90*-deflecting mirror, a third cylindrical lens member having an axis disposed essentially perpendicular to said base plate, a further 90*-deflecting mirror, a second cylindrical lens member having an axis extending parallel to said third cylindrical lens member, and said beam deflecting mechanism, and wherein said first cylindrical lens member is secured to an edge of the base plate which is perpendicular to the laser axis and opposite said beam deflecting mechanism.

Claim 5

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an article about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first cylindrical lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first cylindrical lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first cylindrical lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, and wherein said first cylindrical lens member is curved for the purpose of compensating non-linearity of the path of the scanning point along the scanning track with respect to the associated angular range of the deflection of the transmitted light beam upon fan-like deflection of such transmitted light beam in the direction of the scanning track.

Claim 6

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an article about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first cylindrical lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first cylindrical lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first cylindrical lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, and wherein said first cylindrical lens member is curved for the purpose of compensating non-linearity of the path of the scanning point along the scanning track with respect to the associated angular range of the deflection of the transmitted light beam upon fan-like deflection of such transmitted light beam in the direction of the scanning track.

Claim 7

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an articLe about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, and wherein said first lens member possesses a substantially torus configuration for the purpose of compensating non-linearity of the path of the scanning point along the scanning track with respect to the associated angular range of the deflection of the transmitted light beam upon fan-like deflection of such transmitted light beam in the direction of the scanning track.

Claim 8

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an articLe about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, and wherein said first lens member possesses a substantially torus configuration for the purpose of compensating non-linearity of the path of the scanning point along the scanning track with respect to the associated angular range of the deflection of the transmitted light beam upon fan-like deflection of such transmitted light beam in the direction of the scanning track.

Claim 9

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an article about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first cylindrical lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first cylindrical lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first cylindrical lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, and wherein the light beam arriving at said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism is formed by a second cylindrical lens member, the axis of which is disposed perpendicular to the axis of said first cylindrical lens-member.

Claim 10

A scanner apparatus for optically discernible characters, especially characters associated with an article and applied thereat or thereto, comprising a beam deflecting mechanism incorporating a movable component for projecting a transmitted light beam along a scanning track so as to scan an article about an axis of a reference plane, means for producing a transmitted light beam which is delivered to said beam deflecting mechanism, a first cylindrical lens member arranged between the reference plane and said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism, said first cylindrical lens member extending in the direction of scanning, said first cylindrical lens member images at least that portion of that surface of the beam deflecting member which transmits the transmitted light beam within a definition depth containing the reference plane during such time at least when the transmitted light beam impinges perpendicularly upon the scanning track, and wherein the light beam arriving at said movable component of said beam deflecting mechanism is formed by a second cylindrical lens member, the axis of which is disposed perpendicular to the axis of said first cylindrical lens-member.

Claim 11

The scanner apparatus as defined in claim 5, further including a third cylindrical lens member, said second cylindrical lens member together with said third cylindrical lens member forming an image-reproduction system which consolidates a laser beam at the region of the reference plane into a point.

Claim 12

The scanner apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the transmitted light beam lies in a plane which together with the perpendicular taken with regard to the reference plane encloses an angle which differs from 0*, said angle which differs from 0* is in a range between 10* and 45*.