Portable laser diode scanning head
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a laser scanning system for reading symbols, a laser scanning head comprising:
- (a) means including an actuatable laser light source mounted in the head and operative, when actuated, for generating an incident laser beam;
(b) optical means mounted in the head for optically directing said incident laser beam along a first optical path to a scanning mirror for reflection therefrom toward a reference plane located exteriorly of the head, and to a symbol located in a working distance range in the vicinity of the reference plane, thereby reflecting off the symbol reflected laser light, at least a returning portion of which travels along a second optical path away from the symbol back toward the head;
(c) scanning means mounted in the head for moving the scanning mirror and for sweeping said incident laser beam in a scan across the symbol, said returning portion of said reflected laser light having a variable intensity over the scan;
(d) sensor means mounted in the head for detecting the variable intensity of said returning portion of said reflected laser light over a field of view, and for generating an electrical analog signal indicative of the detected variable light intensity; and
(e) a reciprocally oscillatable, generally concave mirror mounted with the scanning mirror for joint movement therewith and operative, when moved by the scanning means, for collecting said returning portion of said reflected laser light over the field of view, and for directing said collected returning portion to the sensor means.
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Abstract
A portable laser diode scanning head, aimable at each symbol to be read, emits and receives non-readily-visible laser light, and is equipped with a trigger-actuated aiming, light arrangement for visually locating and tracking each symbol. A compact laser diode optical train and an optical folded path assembly, as well as an interchangeable component design and an integral window construction for the head also are disclosed.
154 Citations
26 Claims
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1. In a laser scanning system for reading symbols, a laser scanning head comprising:
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(a) means including an actuatable laser light source mounted in the head and operative, when actuated, for generating an incident laser beam; (b) optical means mounted in the head for optically directing said incident laser beam along a first optical path to a scanning mirror for reflection therefrom toward a reference plane located exteriorly of the head, and to a symbol located in a working distance range in the vicinity of the reference plane, thereby reflecting off the symbol reflected laser light, at least a returning portion of which travels along a second optical path away from the symbol back toward the head; (c) scanning means mounted in the head for moving the scanning mirror and for sweeping said incident laser beam in a scan across the symbol, said returning portion of said reflected laser light having a variable intensity over the scan; (d) sensor means mounted in the head for detecting the variable intensity of said returning portion of said reflected laser light over a field of view, and for generating an electrical analog signal indicative of the detected variable light intensity; and (e) a reciprocally oscillatable, generally concave mirror mounted with the scanning mirror for joint movement therewith and operative, when moved by the scanning means, for collecting said returning portion of said reflected laser light over the field of view, and for directing said collected returning portion to the sensor means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 15, 23)
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6. An optical component for use in optical scanning system of the type having a laser light source and a laser light sensor mounted in a lightweight handheld housing, and operative for reading indicia having parts of different light reflectivity, comprising;
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(a) a reciprocally oscillatable scanning mirror for reflecting light from the light source to the indicia parts in a scan across the indicia parts, thereby reflecting light of variable light intensity off the indicia parts; (b) a reciprocally oscillatable, generally concave collecting mirror for collecting at least a portion of the light reflected off the indicia parts, and for directing the collected portion of light to the light sensor; and (c) drive means for jointly, reciprocally and simultaneously oscillating the scanning mirror and the collecting mirror. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 24)
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16. A lightweight, handheld laser scanner for reading bar code and generating electrical signals indicative thereof, comprising:
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(a) a housing having an area for passing laser light to the bar code and for receiving reflected laser light from the bar code; (b) a source of laser light in the housing; (c) a sensor in the housing for receiving said reflected laser light after it has been admitted through said area and for generating a first signal representative of said bar code; (d) a plurality of optical elements positioned in the housing generally defining an optical path between the source of laser light and said area of the housing and between said area and said sensor, the optical elements including (i) a reciprocally oscillable scanning mirror positioned for receiving laser emissions from the light source and sweeping them through said area across said bar code, and (ii) a reciprocally oscillable collecting mirror positioned for receiving said reflected laser light and reflecting it onto said sensor, said collecting mirror being generally concave, and said scanning mirror and said collecting mirror secured in a fixed physical relationship for joint movement with each other; and (e) drive means for reciprocally oscillating said scanning mirror and said collecting mirror jointly. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25)
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22. In a lightweight handheld laser bar code scanner for reading bar code and generating electrical signals indicative thereof, wherein the bar code scanner defines a first optical path which includes laser light passing from a laser source to a scanning mirror to the bar code where the light is reflected in a second optical path which includes a generally concave collecting mirror for receiving the reflected light and passing it for impingement on a photosensor, wherein the scanner has drive means for reciprocally oscillating the scanning mirror and for reciprocally oscillating the collecting mirror, the method of directing the laser light in said optical paths, comprising the steps of:
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(a) mounting said collecting mirror and said scanning mirror in a fixed relationship with each other so that they move jointly with each other when reciprocally oscillated by said drive means, and (b) positioning said light source, said mirrors, and said photosensor in said first and second optical paths. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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Specification