Scanner and method for sweeping a beam across a target
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A scanner such as a bar-code scanner includes a scan-beam generator, a beam reflector having a first magnet, and a beam-sweep mechanism having a second magnet. The beam-sweep mechanism causes the reflector to sweep the scan beam across a target such as a bar-code symbol by exerting a force on the first magnet with the second magnet. In one example, attraction between the magnets holds the reflector steady in a non-sweep position. Conversely, in a sweep position, repulsion between the magnets causes the reflector to oscillate and sweep the scan beam across a target such as a bar-code symbol. Because it does not include a motor for rotating a beam-sweep mirror, the scanner is often smaller and uses less electrical energy than motorized bar-code scanners.
24 Citations
49 Claims
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1-29. -29. (canceled)
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30. A hand-held bar code scanner comprising:
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a planar circuit board having a scan engine and electronic circuitry mounted thereon;
a housing comprising a top cover and a bottom cover configured to internally mount the planar circuit board substantially at a plane defining the half thickness of the housing;
a window configured to allow the passage of a laser beam and scattered light from the laser beam respectively from and to the inside of the housing to and from an external scan field, the window being formed at a front end of the housing; and
a scan button positioned in the top cover approximately one-third of the length from the front end of the housing to the back end of the housing, closer to the front end of the housing; and
wherein the housing has a first length region with a tapering width between the mid-point of its length and the back end of the housing, a second length region with a convexly varying width wider than the width of the first region between the scan button and the front end of the housing, and a tapering transition length region between first and second regions smoothly transitioning from the first tapering width to the second convexly varying width. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A housing for a portable bar code scanner comprising:
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a bottom cover; and
a top cover having a scan button aperture formed therein;
wherein the bottom cover and the top cover are configured to join along a substantially planar midline having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having greater lateral extent than the rear portion. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A portable bar code scanner having a flattened body for gripping with a hand comprising:
a bilaterally symmetric housing having top and bottom surfaces with a scan button formed in the top surface, configured for holding in the hand of a user with fingers wrapped around the bottom surface and a thumb resting on the scan button in the top surface, the housing forming concave and convex curved sides along a length of the housing relative to a plane of symmetry in vertical and longitudinal dimensions, wherein the convex curvature forms a widened region corresponding to the position of the thumb and the concave curvature forms a narrowed region corresponding to a heal of the hand. - View Dependent Claims (49)
Specification