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Instant portable bar code reader

  • US 5,182,441 A
  • Filed: 11/13/1990
  • Issued: 01/26/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1981
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. In portable bar code reader system,(a) a hand-held bar code reader having an elongated hand grip portion for grasping in the hand of a user, and having a reader head portion connected with said elongated hand grip portion and having longitudinally spaced forward and rearward ends,(b) said elongated hand grip portion having a length and cross sectional configuration so as to be grasped by the hand with the fingers in gripping relation thereto,(c) said hand-held bar code reader having a window to be directed toward a bar code to be read and providing for transmission of light between the interior and exterior of said reader head portion,(d) a light source in said reader head portion for producing visible light energy which is directed outwardly through said window for illuminating the bar code in a bar code sensing region in front of said reader head portion,(e) a photodetector positioned within said reader head portion for sensing visible light reflected from the bar code located within said bar code sensing region, so as to generate a bar code signal representing the illuminated bar code,(f) said reader head portion having a first light path of the visible light energy therein from said light source to said window and a second light path therein from said window to said photodetector, and having an optical system positioned in said second light path between said window and said photodetector for receiving visible light from the bar code in said bar code sensing region during a bar code reading operation, said optical system defining at least a point of reflection rearwardly of said window which reflects the visible light of the bar code along said second light path onto said photodetector which generates said bar code signal representing the illuminated bar code while said reader head portion is substantially spaced from the bar code and free of any contact with the bar code carrier, and without requiring any movement of said hand-held bar code reader as a whole to effect the bar code reading operation, said second light path comprising a first portion extending from said window towards said rearward end to said point of reflection and a second portion,(g) a printed circuit board in said hand-held bar code reader for mounting said photodetector in a fixed relationship thereon, and circuitry on said printed circuit board connected with said photodetector for transmitting successive bar code signals generated by said photodetector, and(h) a unitary mounting framework within the interior of said hand-held bar code reader and having said printed circuit board secured therewith, said unitary mounting framework mounting said optical system within said reader head portion such that said second portion extends from said point of reflection towards said forward end at least as far as a region proximate to said forward end of said reader head portion to render said reader head portion compact in the longitudinal direction between said ends in comparison to the length of said second light path within the interior of said reader head portion, said unitary mounting framework together with said printed circuit board supporting said photodetector and said optical system in optically aligned relationship and providing for positioning thereof as a unitary subassembly within the interior of said reader head portion.

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