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Compact omnidirectional laser scanner

  • US 4,713,532 A
  • Filed: 11/21/1985
  • Issued: 12/15/1987
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1985
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A compact laser scanner for use at a counter to produce a scanning pattern thereabove and into which a bar code can be inserted to enable the reading of said code, said scanner comprising a housing of a height no greater than approximately six inches (15.2 cm) and taking up only a small area of said counter, said housing having a horizontal longitudinal axis, a horizontal transverse axis, a vertical axis, and a top including a generally horizontally disposed light transmissive opening, said scanner comprising laser beam generating means for producing a laser beam, beam sweeping means for cyclically sweeping said beam in said housing, and reflecting means comprising first, second and third portions, all of said means being located within said housing, said beam sweeping means and said reflecting means being oriented so that for each sweep of said beam in said housing said reflecting means projects a scanning pattern out of said light transmissive opening, said scanning pattern comprising three scan lines, said lines being a transverse line extending perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis, and a pair of side lines each extending at an angle to the transversee line and to each other, said first portion of said reflecting means comprising a first reflecting surface extending generally perpendicularly to said longitudinal axis to produce said transverse line of said pattern, said second portion of said reflecting means comprising a second reflecting surface disposed generally to one side of said first reflecting surface, said third portion of said reflecting means comprising a third reflecting surface disposed generally to the other side of said first reflecting surface, each of said second and third reflecting surfaces having a longitudinal axis extending in a generally upward direction at a shallow angle to said vertical axis and taking up a substantial portion of the height of said housing, said beam sweeping means and said reflecting means being arranged so that said beam inpinges said second and third reflecting surfaces adjacent the lower end of each from a generally horizontal direction and sweeps along said second and third reflecting surfaces in an upward direction generally parallel to said longitudinal axis thereof to a point adjacent the top thereof to produce said two side lines of said pattern.

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