Optical scanner using an axicon and an aperture to aspherically form the scanning beam
First Claim
1. A scanner for scanning optically encoded information of varying light reflectivity, said scanner comprising:
- (a) a light source for directing a collimated beam of light in a path toward information to be scanned, and means for causing the beam of light to move along a scan line;
(b) an optical element having a substantially flat first surface perpendicular to an axis of the collimated beam of light and a second surface defined by a figure of rotation revolved about said axis, said figure of rotation being at an angle with respect to said first surface, said optical element causing a phase tilt of the collimated beam of light inward toward said axis;
(c) means for forming an aperture for limiting the extent of the collimated beam of light passing through the optical element, wherein the extent of the collimated light passing through said optical element establishes a predetermined working range of the scanner for a particular phase tilt caused by the optical element; and
(d) a light detector positioned to receive light reflected from said information.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The use of linear axicons or similar optical elements in a bar code scanner produces a scanning spot of a size correlated generally with dimensions of features of the scanned information, wherein the spot size remains substantially constant for varying distances between the scanner and the symbol over a substantial range of distances. Optical elements of this type produce a diffraction pattern comprising a central lobe and a number of rings surrounding the central lobe. An aperture is provided to limit the beam and thus the number of rings in the pattern which actually reach the symbol during scanning. The extent of the limited beam and the phase front tilt angle produced by the optical element are chosen to produce a desired resolution, which relates to the density of symbols the scanner is to read, and to produce a desired working range. The invention also provides a modular light emitting device including a universal light emitting module and an optical assembly, including the axicon and aperture, mounted on the module to adapt the optical characteristics of light from the module to conform to the requirements of a particular scanning application.
53 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A scanner for scanning optically encoded information of varying light reflectivity, said scanner comprising:
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(a) a light source for directing a collimated beam of light in a path toward information to be scanned, and means for causing the beam of light to move along a scan line; (b) an optical element having a substantially flat first surface perpendicular to an axis of the collimated beam of light and a second surface defined by a figure of rotation revolved about said axis, said figure of rotation being at an angle with respect to said first surface, said optical element causing a phase tilt of the collimated beam of light inward toward said axis; (c) means for forming an aperture for limiting the extent of the collimated beam of light passing through the optical element, wherein the extent of the collimated light passing through said optical element establishes a predetermined working range of the scanner for a particular phase tilt caused by the optical element; and (d) a light detector positioned to receive light reflected from said information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for scanning a symbol, comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a collimated light beam and directing said light beam along a path toward a symbol to be read; (b) moving said light beam to generate a scan line across said symbol to be read; (c) modifying said light beam in the path toward said symbol to create a spot of light of a size correlated generally with the size of features of said symbol, said spot maintaining a substantially constant size for varying distances to said symbol, over a substantial range of said distances on an optical axis, the step of modifying including; (i) producing a phase tilt of the collimated beam of light inward toward the optical axis, and (ii) limiting the number of Bessel rings which surround a central lobe of the phase tilted beam of light. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of scanning a symbol, comprising the steps of:
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(a) generating a substantially monochromatic beam of collimated light; (b) modifying the beam of light to create a beam spot of substantially constant diameter which extends along a predetermined distance along the path of said beam and which exhibits a predetermined diffraction pattern having a central lobe and a plurality of rings surrounding said central lobe; (c) limiting the beam diffraction pattern to reduce the number of said rings surrounding said central lobe; (d) directing the reduced beam diffraction pattern onto a symbol to be read; and (e) moving the reduced beam diffraction pattern across the symbol to be read. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A device for use in a system for reading optically encoded information, comprising:
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(A) a light emitting module having a fore end portion from which light is emitted, said light emitting module comprising; (i) a light emitting element emitting light in a direction toward the fore end portion of the light emitting module, (ii) a first optical element for collimating and focusing the light from the light emitting element substantially to infinity, and (iii) first mounting means for mounting the first optical element along an axis of light emitted from the light emitting element at a point adjacent the fore end portion of the light emitting module; and (B) an assembly for mounting over the fore end portion of the light emitting module from which light is emitted, said assembly comprising; (i) a second optical element that will produce a phase tilt of the collimated light from the first optical element so as to cross the axis along a continuous line of points along a substantial extent of the axis, (ii) means for forming an aperture for limiting the light passing through the second optical element, and (iii) second mounting means for mounting the second optical element and the means for forming an aperture over the fore end portion of the light emitting module from which light is emitted. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A device for reading optically encoded information having varying light reflectivity, comprising:
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(A) a light emitting module having a fore end portion from which light is emitted, said light emitting module comprising; (i) a light emitting element emitting light in a direction toward the fore end portion of the light emitting module, (ii) a first optical element for collimating and focusing the light from the light emitting element substantially to infinity, and (iii) first mounting means for mounting the first optical element along an axis of light emitted from the light emitting element at a point adjacent the fore end portion of the light emitting module; (B) an assembly for mounting over the fore end portion of the light emitting module from which light is emitted, said assembly comprising; (i) a second optical element that will produce a phase tilt of the collimated light from the first optical element so as to cross the axis along a continuous line of points along a substantial extent of the axis, (ii) means for forming an aperture for limiting the light passing through the second optical element, and (iii) second mounting means for mounting the second optical element and the means for forming an aperture over the fore end portion of the light emitting module from which light is emitted; means for producing a scanning motion of said beam of light across a portion of the information; and means for receiving light reflected back from the optically encoded information and producing electrical signals corresponding to the varying light reflectivity.
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Specification