COMPONENT FOR AND METHOD OF SEALING AN INTERNAL OPTICAL COMPARTMENT, AND SHOCK MOUNTING A WINDOW, OF AN IMAGING READER

• US 20120049052A1
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: HANDSHAW, Darran, MITELMAN, Yuly, TRONGONE, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,368,007 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/239
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10831 Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms optical elements per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An imaging reader for electro-optically reading a target by image capture includes a window supported by a housing, a chassis mounted in the housing and having chassis walls bounding an optical compartment, and an imaging module in the optical compartment for capturing return light from the target through the window. A component seals the optical compartment and protects the window from shock forces. The component is mounted between the window and the chassis walls bounding an opening into the optical compartment, and surrounds a periphery of the window. The component is constituted of a compressible material that is compressed between the window and the chassis walls to isolate and seal the optical compartment from the housing.

Claims

1. In an imaging reader for electro-optically reading a target by image capture, the reader including a housing, a window supported by the housing, a chassis mounted in the housing and having chassis walls bounding an optical compartment, and an imaging module in the optical compartment for capturing return light from the target through the window, a component for sealing the optical compartment, the component comprising:

a component body mounted between the window and the chassis walls bounding an opening into the optical compartment, the component body surrounding a periphery of the window and being constituted of a compressible material that is compressed between the window and the chassis walls to isolate and seal the optical compartment from the housing.

2. The component of claim 1, wherein the component body has integral mounting projections that are received in mounting recesses in the chassis to fixedly position the component body relative to the chassis.

3. The component of claim 1, wherein the component body has integral shock-absorbing projections that are received in shock-absorbing recesses in the window to protect the window from shock forces.

4. The component of claim 1, wherein the component body has integral locating guides for orienting the window relative to the component body.

5. The component of claim 1, wherein the component body has a generally rectangular shape with corner regions, wherein the component body has integral mounting projections at one side of the corner regions for receipt in mounting recesses in the chassis, and wherein the component body has integral shock-absorbing projections at an opposite side of the corner regions for receipt in shock-absorbing recesses in the window.

6. An imaging reader for electro-optically reading a target by image capture, comprising:

a housing;

a window supported by the housing;

a chassis mounted in the housing and having chassis walls bounding an opening into an optical compartment;

an imaging module in the optical compartment for capturing return light from the target through the window; and

a component for sealing the optical compartment, the component having a component body mounted between the window and the chassis walls, the component body surrounding a periphery of the window and being constituted of a compressible material that is compressed between the window and the chassis walls to isolate and seal the optical compartment from the housing.

7. The reader of claim 6, wherein the chassis has mounting recesses, and wherein the component body has integral mounting projections that are received in the mounting recesses to fixedly position the component body relative to the chassis.

8. The reader of claim 6, wherein the window has shock-absorbing recesses, and wherein the component body has integral shock-absorbing projections that are received in the shock-absorbing recesses to protect the window from shock forces.

9. The reader of claim 6, wherein the component body has integral locating guides for orienting the window relative to the component body.

10. The reader of claim 6, wherein the component body has a generally rectangular shape with corner regions, wherein the chassis has mounting recesses, wherein the component body has integral mounting projections at one side of the corner regions for receipt in the mounting recesses, wherein the window has shock-absorbing recesses, and wherein the component body has integral shock-absorbing projections at an opposite side of the corner regions for receipt in the shock-absorbing recesses.

11. The reader of claim 6, and a field mirror in the chassis for folding a path of the return light, and wherein the component isolates and seals the field minor from the housing.

12. The reader of claim 6, and a bumper between the window and the housing for protecting the window from shock forces.

13. A method of sealing an optical compartment bounded by chassis walls of a chassis mounted in a housing of an imaging reader for electro-optically reading a target by capturing return light from the target through a window supported by the housing, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting a component having a component body between the window and the chassis walls, surrounding a periphery of the window with the component body, constituting the component body of a compressible material, and compressing the compressible material between the window and the chassis walls to isolate and seal the optical compartment from the housing.

14. The method of claim 13, and fixedly positioning the component body relative to the chassis by forming the chassis with mounting recesses, by forming the component body with integral mounting projections, and by receiving the mounting projections in the mounting recesses.

15. The method of claim 13, and protecting the window from shock forces by forming the window with shock-absorbing recesses, by forming the component body with integral shock-absorbing projections, and by receiving the shock-absorbing projections in the shock-absorbing recesses.

16. The method of claim 13, and orienting the window relative to the component body by forming integral locating guides on the component body.

17. The method of claim 13, and configuring the component body as a generally rectangular shape with corner regions, and forming the chassis with mounting recesses, and forming the component body with integral mounting projections at one side of the corner regions for receipt in the mounting recesses, and forming the window with shock-absorbing recesses, and forming the component body with integral shock-absorbing projections at an opposite side of the corner regions for receipt in the shock-absorbing recesses.

18. The method of claim 13, and injection molding the window with the shock-absorbing recesses.

19. The method of claim 13, and injection molding the window with a spherical configuration.