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

• Current Assignee: Intermec IP Corporation (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Norand Corporation (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Laser, Vadim, Chadima, George E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): PITTS, HAROLD I
• Application Number:
  US07/613,954
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472, 235/455, 235/462, 235/467
• US Class Current: 235/462.45
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

In an exemplary embodiment, a hand-held bar code reader has an elongated relatively narrow hand grip portion and an enlarged reader head portion with an extended window of greater width that the hand grip portion. Preferably the lens system provides a depth of field for such bar code patterns of at least ten millimeters, so that a bar code pattern of marked curvature can be read in its entirety by means of an instant reading operation. The preferred embodiment provides a single unitary circuit board configuration with a rigid lens mounting arrangement which furthers the achievement of a precise and reliable optical system.

Claims

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.

2. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said optical framework supporting said point of reflection at a position such that said second portion of said second light path together with said first portion occupies a longitudinal extent of the reader head portion of less than three and one-half inches.

3. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said photodetector having pins directly extending into holes of said printed circuit board.

4. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said reader head portion having means limiting the effective cross section of said first and second light paths therein comprising a narrow rectangular optical aperture with a longer axis aligned with the long axis of the bars of the bar code when said hand-held bar code reader is oriented in scanning relation to the bar code.

5. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said second light path is of a length which substantially exceeds the length of said second portion of said second light path.

6. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 2, said space within said reader head portion which contains said optical system, said light source and said photodetector tapering from a maximum cross section to a substantially reduced cross section in a direction toward said forward end of said reader head portion.

7. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 6, the ratio of the maximum cross section to the substantially reduced cross section being at least of a value of the order of one and one half.

8. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 7, said reader head portion having a top surface portion which extends at a substantial acute angle to the horizontal when said hand-held bar code reader is oriented in scanning relation to the bar code having a vertical disposition, so as to facilitate observation of the bar code as said hand-held bar code reader is placed in scanning relation to scan the bar code by the user.

9. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 8, said optical system comprising a mirror for defining said point of reflection in said second light path extending near the top of the space within said reader head portion and spaced rearwardly from said window for receiving reflected light transmitted through said window from the bar code and for directing such reflected light from the bar code downwardly and forwardly within said reader head portion.

10. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 9, said hand-held bar code reader having portable battery power supply means for supplying energizing power to said light source, and said hand-held bar code reader exclusive of said portable battery power supply means, having a weight not exceeding a value of the order of eight ounces.

11. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said space within the reader head portion which contains said optical system, said light source and said photodetector tapering from a maximum cross section to a substantially reduced cross section in a direction toward said forward end of said reader head portion, said reader head portion having a top surface portion which extends at a substantial acute angle to the horizontal when said hand-held bar code reader is oriented in scanning relation to a bar code having a vertical disposition, so as to facilitate observation of a bar code as said hand-held bar code reader is placed in scanning relation to the bar code by the user.

12. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said hand-held bar code reader having portable battery power supply means for supplying energizing power to said light source, and said hand-held bar code reader exclusive of said portable battery power supply means, having a weight not exceeding a value of the order of eight ounces.

13. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said hand-held bar code reader being part of a completely portable bar code reader system which is completely portable without requiring any connecting wires to stationary equipment.

14. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said optical system comprising a narrow optical aperture with a height parallel to the bars of the bar code of a value of the order of four millimeters.

15. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said hand-held bar code reader being operative to direct light energy into a sensing region defined by divergent marginal light paths forming respective angles to a central light path of values in the range from about ten degrees to about twenty degrees.

16. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said unitary mounting framework carrying a filter in said second light path between said window and said photodetector serving to block wavelengths greater than a value of the order of seven hundred nanometers from reaching said photodetector.

17. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said optical system comprising a mirror in a reflected light path between the window and the photodetector, said reflected light path extending from the window to the mirror near the top of a space within the reader head portion, said mirror spaced rearwardly from the window for receiving reflected light transmitted through the window from the bar code and for directing such reflected light from the bar code downwardly and forwardly within said reader head portion.

18. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 1, said optical system comprising a mirror in a reflected light path having a length between the window and the photodetector which substantially exceeds the direct distance between the window and the photodetector, said reflected light path extending from the window to the mirror near the top of a space within the reader head portion, said mirror spaced rearwardly from the window for receiving reflected light transmitted through the window from the bar code and for directing such reflected light from the bar code downwardly and forwardly within said reader head portion.

19. In a 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, said reader head portion having a front end and a rear end spaced longitudinally apart by a given distance,

(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 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 a 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 a 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 therein of the visible light energy 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 a bar code in said bar code sensing region during a bar code reading operation, said optical system having means for defining at least a point of reflection, which folds said second light path and reflects the visible light of the bar code along said second light path onto said photodetector for sensing thereby 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,

(g) a printed circuit board in said hand-held bar code reader for mounting said photodetector in a fixed relationship thereon and circuitry thereon connected with said photodetector for transmitting the 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 comprising said printer circuit board, said unitary mounting framework including said printed circuit board mounting said optical system within said reader head portion such that said optical system intercepts said second light path and supporting said point of reflection and said photodetector in a spaced optically aligned relationship with each other, said folded second light path having a first portion and a second portion, said unitary mounting framework including said printed circuit board supporting said point of reflection and supporting said photodetector on said circuit board so that said first portion of said second light path extends from said window towards said rear end to said point of reflection and said second portion of said second light path extends from said point of reflection towards said front end at least as far as a region approximate to said front end.

20. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 19, wherein said optical system has second means for defining a second point of reflection, said unitary mounting framework including said printed circuit board supporting said second point of reflection and said photodetector in a spaced optically aligned relationship with each other.

21. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 20, wherein said optical system includes third means for defining a third point of reflection, said unitary mounting framework including said printed circuit board supporting said third point of reflection and said photodetector in a spaced optically aligned relationship with each other, said second point of reflection disposed at said front end of said reader head portion.

22. In the portable bar code reader according to claim 19, wherein said optical system extends the length of said second light path by an amount at least approximately equal to said given distance.

23. In a 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 and directing visible light energy outwardly through said window for illuminating a 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 a bar code located within said bar code sensing region so as to generate a bar code signal representing the illuminated bar code, said reader head portion having therein a first light path of the visible light energy from said light source to said window and a second light path from said window to said photodetector, said second light path comprising a first portion and a second portion,

(f) 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 said bar code signals generated by said photodetector,

(g) a unitary subassembly disposed within the interior of said reader head portion an comprising a mounting framework, an optical assembly for providing a point of reflection between said first portion and said second portion of said second light path, said mounting framework for mounting said optical assembly and said printed circuit board and its photodetector such that said optical assembly and said photodetector are optically aligned,

(h) said mounting framework disposed within the interior of said reader head portion such that said point of reflection receives visible light through said window along said first portion of second light path from a bar code in said bar code sensing region during a bar code reading operation, 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 point of reflection directs said visible light along said second portion of said second light path towards said front end at least as far as a region proximate to said forward end of said reader head portion.