Small-size hand-supported bar code reader
First Claim
1. An optical information reader comprising:
- a casing having means for mounting said casing on a finger of an operator;
a holding member disposed in said casing so as to be movable relative to said casing, said holding member having an open end for abutting against an optical information to be read and a closed end;
light-emitting means, attached to said holding member, for emitting light through said open end of said holding member toward said optical information;
graded-index rod lens means, attached to said holding member, for focusing a reflected optical information from said optical information, said graded-index rod lens means having an axis perpendicular to said open end;
signal output means, attached to said holding member, for outputting an information signal;
said signal output means being positioned so that light emitted from said light-emitting means and reflected from said optical information as said reflected optical information is focused by said graded-index rod lens means onto said signal output means, said information signal being representative of said reflected optical information; and
a decoder for decoding said information signal, said decoder having means for mounting said decoder on an arm of said operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A bar code reader has a sensor unit to be mounted on an operator'"'"'s finger and a decoder unit to be mounted on an operator'"'"'s wrist, the sensor and decoder units being electrically connected by a cable. The sensor unit has a light-emitting device for emitting light toward a bar code to be read, a graded-index rod lens array for focusing an entire linear optical image of the bar code at one time in substantially the same size as the bar code, and a line image sensor such as a CCD for photoelectrically converting the entire linear optical image focused by the optical means into an electric signal. The decoder unit decodes the electric signal from the line image sensor. The light-emitting device, the rod lens array, and the line image sensor are housed in a hollow casing. A movable tubular member is movably disposed in the hollow casing and has an end wall for abutment against the bar code. A switch for energizing the light-emitting device and the decoder unit is fixedly mounted in the hollow casing and triggerable by the movable tubular member when the movable tubular member is moved by abutment of the end wall thereof against the bar code.
174 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An optical information reader comprising:
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a casing having means for mounting said casing on a finger of an operator; a holding member disposed in said casing so as to be movable relative to said casing, said holding member having an open end for abutting against an optical information to be read and a closed end; light-emitting means, attached to said holding member, for emitting light through said open end of said holding member toward said optical information; graded-index rod lens means, attached to said holding member, for focusing a reflected optical information from said optical information, said graded-index rod lens means having an axis perpendicular to said open end; signal output means, attached to said holding member, for outputting an information signal;
said signal output means being positioned so that light emitted from said light-emitting means and reflected from said optical information as said reflected optical information is focused by said graded-index rod lens means onto said signal output means, said information signal being representative of said reflected optical information; anda decoder for decoding said information signal, said decoder having means for mounting said decoder on an arm of said operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A bar code reader comprising:
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a sensor unit adapted to be mounted on a finger of an operator, said sensor unit comprising; a hollow casing; a movable tubular member movably disposed in said hollow casing, said movable tubular member having an end for abutment against a bar code to be read; light-emitting means for emitting light toward said bar code to be read, said light-emitting means disposed in said movable tubular member; optical means for focusing an entire reflected bar code image at one time, said optical means disposed in said movable tubular member; and a line image sensor for photoelectrically converting said entire reflected bar code image, focused by said optical means, into an electric signal;
said line image sensor disposed in said movable tubular member; anda decoder unit, adapted to be mounted on a wrist of said operator, for decoding said electric signal from said line image sensor;
said decoder unit and said line image sensor unit being electrically coupled to each other. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optical information reader comprising:
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a casing a holding member, disposed in said casing and being movable relative to said casing, said holding member having an open end for abutment against an optical information to be read and a closed end; light-emitting means, attached to said holding member, for emitting light through said open end toward said optical information; graded-index rod lens means, attached to said holding member, for focusing light reflected from said optical information, said graded-index rod lens means having an axis perpendicular to said open end; and signal output means, attached to said holding member, for receiving said focused light reflected form said optical information and focused by said graded-index rod lens means, and for outputting an information signal representative of said focused light. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification