Code read-out means

• US 4,006,343 A
• Filed: 10/21/1974
• Issued: 02/01/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Masaaki, Sasaki, Seishi, Izura, Yoshiteru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cook, Daryl W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kilgore, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US05/516,679
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 340/149 A, 340/146.3 F, 340/146.3 K, 235/61.11 E, 235/61.7 B, 235/61.7 R, 250/569, 250/570, 250/203
• US Class Current: 235/470
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code

Abstract

This invention is characterized by apparatus for detecting whether an object having information to be read-out is located in a scanning light beam. Means are provided for starting or stopping operation of the light source, passing or cutting off the light beam by the detected output. The apparatus includes means for converting the light beam emitted from a light source to a scanning light beam by using a deflection means, means for applying the scanning light beam onto the object and means for reading-out the information contained in the object from the light beam reflected by the object.

Claims

1. Code read-out apparatus for reading out a code on a medium attached to an object comprising:

a laser beam source,

a plurality of reflecting mirrors each being separately rotatably mounted,

a power source for rotating said mirrors,

a plurality of sequentially interlocked gears interposed between said power source and said mirrors, the beam from said laser beam source impinging on said reflecting mirrors to generate a plurality of scanning laser beams,

a stage, said object being mounted on said stage and movable with respect thereto, said stage being slanted with respect to the horizontal so that the end thereof toward which said object moves is lower than the end at which said object enters said stage, said stage having a plurality of crossed slits therein through which said scanning laser beams may impinge upon said medium,

read-out means for receiving light reflected from said medium as a result of the scanning of said medium by said scanning laser beams,

detection means for detecting when said object is at a position on said stage where it may be illuminated by said scanning laser beams, and

interrupting means controlled by the output of said detection means, said interrupting means cutting off said laser beams when said object is not located at a position on said stage where it may be illuminated by said scanning laser beams.

2. Code read-out apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said laser beam source generates beams of various wavelengths for scanning different respective tracks which run in the different slits, the different wavelengths of reflected light resulting from the scanning of said medium being separated and impinging upon said read-out means.

3. Code read-out apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said plurality of reflecting mirrors are polygonal pyramid-shaped mirrors having oblique mirror surfaces.

4. Code read-out apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein

said laser beam source comprises:

a single laser beam generating means, and

laser beam splitting means splitting said laser beams into a plurality of laser beams,

and wherein said plurality of reflecting mirrors comprises mutually synchronously rotating rotary mirrors upon which said plurality of laser beams fall thereby generating said plurality of scanning laser beams.

5. Code read-out apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said laser beam splitting means comprises a rotatable disc having a plurality of spaced reflecting mirrors mounted thereon, said mirrors being oriented at mutually different angles with respect to the plane of said disc.

6. Code read-out apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said interrupting means comprises:

a motor driven by the output of said detection means, and

a disc fixed to the shaft of said motor disposed in the optical path between said laser beam source and said reflecting mirrors, said disc having a plurality of spaced light-transmitting apparatus therein.