Stationary bar code reader which can be detected and separated into a hand-held bar code reader

• US 5,314,631 A
• Filed: 05/27/1993
• Issued: 05/24/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kitamura, Nobuyuki, Miyazaki, Toshimasa, Katoh, Hiroaki, Sato, Shinichi, Murakawa, Yoshitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Weinhardt, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US08/068,611
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/470, 235/462, 235/472, 235/383, 235/467, 235/474
• US Class Current: 235/462.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner

Abstract

Units having a beam-scanning function, and a light-receiving function and a photoelectric-conversion function are separated from the main-body of a stationary-type bar code reader as a separable unit. The separable unit is detachably mounted on the main-body unit. The separable unit is mounted on the main-body unit for use as a stationary-type reader when a product on which a bar code is printed is relatively small and light. When a product is large or heavy, the separable unit is separated from the main-body unit for use as a hand-held reader. This improves the operability of the bar code reader and eliminates the need to equip a stationary bar code reader and a hand-held bar code reader separately.

Claims

1. A bar code reader for reading a bar code on an object, comprising:

light-emitting means for emitting an outgoing ray of light;

scanning means for reflecting the outgoing ray of light from said light-emitting means to form a scanning beam;

a scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit responsive to the scanning beam from said scanning means for forming a plurality of scanning beams of different patterns;

conversion means for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning a bar code printed on the object with the scanning beam and the scanning beams of the different patterns and for converting the received reflected light to an electrical signal;

a separable unit, including;

said light-emitting means,

said scanning means,

said conversion means, and

a scanning window for directing the scanning beam formed by said scanning means outside of said separable unit; and

a main-body unit, including;

a mounting portion on which said separable unit is detachably mounted,

a light-receiving window for receiving the scanning beam emitted through said scanning window of said separable unit when said separable unit is mounted on said mounting portion,

said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit disposed in position to form the scanning beams of the different patterns from the scanning beam received through said light-receiving window, and

a reading window for transmitting the scanning beams of the different patterns formed by said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit outside of said main-body unit, the bar code on the object being scanned by the scanning beams of the different patterns emitted from said reading window when said separable unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit and the bar code being scanned by the scanning beam emitted from said scanning window when said separable unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.

2. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit comprises a plurality of mirrors disposed in respective places at different inclination, and each of the scanning beams of the different patterns is formed when the scanning beam from said scanning means crosses one of the mirrors.

3. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said main-body unit further comprises:

recognition means operatively connected to said separable unit for recognizing the electrical signal output from said conversion means as bar code data.

4. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit forms said plurality of scanning beams of different patterns such that ones of said plurality of scanning beams of different patterns intersect one another and at least one of said plurality of scanning beams of different patterns cross the bar code.

5. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said light-emitting means comprises:

a light source of a semiconductor laser which emits the outgoing ray of light and

a beam-shaping lens for shaping the outgoing ray of light.

6. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said scanning means comprises:

a polygonal mirror having a plurality of reflective surfaces formed at different angles and

a motor for rotating said polygonal mirror.

7. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said scanning window and said light-receiving window are both covered with a transparent member which can transmit the scanning beam.

8. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said conversion means comprises:

a condenser lens for gathering the reflected light from the bar code received through said scanning window and

an optical sensor for receiving the reflected light gathered by said condenser lens.

9. A bar code reader according to claim 1, wherein said scanning window and said light-receiving window are opposed to each other when said separable unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit.

10. A bar code reader according to claim 3, wherein said recognition means is connected to said separable unit by an electrical cable transmitting the electrical signal output from said conversion means to said recognition means.

11. A bar code reader for reading a bar code on an object comprising:

a main-body unit and a separable unit which is detachably mounted on said main-body unit,

said separable unit including;

light-emitting means for emitting an outgoing ray of light;

scanning means for reflecting the outgoing ray of light emitted from said light-emitting means to form a scanning beam;

a scanning window for directing the scanning beam formed by said scanning means outside of said separable unit; and

conversion means for receiving reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code on the object with the scanning beam and for converting the reflected light to an electrical signal; and

said main-body unit including;

a mounting portion for detachably mounting said separable unit;

a light-receiving window for receiving the scanning beam emitted through said scanning window of said separable unit when said separable unit is mounted on said mounting portion;

a scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit for forming a plurality of scanning beams of different patterns from the scanning beam received through said light-receiving window, reflected light resulting from scanning of a bar code on the object with the scanning beams being received and converted to an electrical signal by the conversion means; and

a reading window for emitting the scanning beams of a plurality of patterns formed by said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit outside of said main-body unit, the bar code being scanned by the scanning beams of the patterns formed by said scanning-pattern-forming mirror unit and emitted to the bar code through said reading window and the reflected light from the bar code being received by said conversion means at least through said reading window, said light-receiving window and said scanning window when said separable unit is mounted on said mounting portion of said main-body unit, the bar code being scanned by the scanning beam emitted by said scanning means through said scanning window and the reflected light from the bar code being received by said conversion means through said scanning window when said separable unit is separated from said mounting portion of said main-body unit.