Optical label scanning

• US 3,899,687 A
• Filed: 08/09/1973
• Issued: 08/12/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vertex Industries Incorporated (Cape Systems Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Paul W. Jones
• Inventors: Jones, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stolwein, Walter
• Application Number:
  US05/386,957
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 250/223,568,569,225,570,555,216 350/156 235/61.11E 198/38
• US Class Current: 250/568
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/493 by use of light responsive means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/12 using multifaceted mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/28 for polarising used in stereoscopes G02B30/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48

Abstract

A scanning optical reader illuminates and reads data from labels of items on a conveyor. The optical reader is aligned within the extended vertical envelope of the conveyor. The reader comprises a polarized light source for illuminating the label and a detector which is cross-polarized with respect to the light source polarization.

Claims

1. Label reading apparatus comprising, scanning means having a field of view for scanning along a first direction a label carrying a bar code and including detecting means responsive to radiant energy from said label for providing a signal representative of the bar code when the label is within said field of view, means for supporting an item carrying said label and relatively displacing said scanning means and said item in a second direction generally perpendicular to both said first direction and the plane of said label, whereby said label enters said field of view, and means for interpreting said signal.

2. Label reading apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for supporting and displacing comprises means defining a conveying surface having edges along said second direction and means for supporting said scanning means in a region between planes including said edges, said planes being perpendicular to said conveying surface.

3. Label reading apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said conveying surface is a conveyor belt.

4. Label reading apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said conveying surface comprises rollers.

5. Label reading apparatus in accordance with claim 2 and further comprising said item carrying said label with the length and width dimensions of said label generally parallel and perpendicualr respectively to said conveying surfaces with said bars parallel to saiD width dimension.

6. Label reading apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein the separation between said label and said conveying surface is less than said width dimension.

7. Label reading apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said label comprises specular and nonspecular reflecting surfaces defining said bars and said scanning means includes a source of radiant energy of circular polarization of one sense for illuminating said label and means for discriminating between the senses of circularly polarized energy reflected by said label.