Hand held or hand mounted bar code scanning device having a display which pivots between an open and closed position

• US 5,654,534 A
• Filed: 03/21/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PTO (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: PTO (Safe Fleet Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Coleman, Edward P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hajec, Donald T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US08/407,172
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472, 235/455, 235/462, 364/708.01
• US Class Current: 235/462.06
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

A bar code hand held scanning terminal which combines a data input device, a display and a scanning engine in a single portable unit. This unit is compact and may be employed in, for example, a scanning terminal which is attached to the back of a hand of an operator. Alternatively, the unit may be employed in a gun-type hand held scanning terminal. The combination has a display which is pivotally connected to the hand held scanning terminal such that the display may be in an open position or in a closed position. A light sensor is used to detect the opening or closing of the display portion of the hand held scanning terminal and maybe used to selectively deactivate the scanning beam when the display is open. The scanning device may be used to read bar code labels for inventory or warehousing, in medical prescription distribution, etc.

Claims

1. A scanning device for reading a data pattern, comprising:

a base including a scan beam side allowing light to pass therethrough;

a scanning engine disposed within said base unit, said scanning engine projecting a scanning light beam through said scan beam side of said base toward said data pattern, detecting a plurality of intensities of light reflected by said pattern and identifying said pattern on a basis of said plurality of intensities of light;

a cover movably connected to said base, said cover having an open position and a closed position, said cover covering a portion of said base when said cover is in said closed position;

input keys located on said portion of said base and covered by said cover when said cover is in said closed position;

a light sensor located on one of said portion of said base, and a side of said cover facing said portion of said base when said cover is in said closed position, said input keys and said light sensor being substantially covered by said cover when said cover is in said closed position, said light sensor outputting a position signal indicating whether said cover is in said open position or said closed position; and

a circuit responsive to said position signal to control an on/off state of said scanning engine.

2. A scanning device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a display incorporated into one of said cover and said portion of said base.

3. A scanning device as recited in claim 2, wherein said input keys include function keys and said display includes soft menu functions corresponding to said function keys.

4. A scanning device as recited in claim 2, wherein said display is incorporated into the side of said cover adjacent said portion of said base when said cover is in said closed position, said display defining a plane at one or more predetermined angles to said base when said cover is in said open position.

5. A scanning device as recited in claim 4, wherein said predetermined angles is in a range of 70°

-110°

.

6. A scanning device as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a handle, extending downwardly from a bottom of said base; and

a scanning device actuator positioned on said handle.

7. A scanning device as recited in claim 6, wherein said display defines a plane extending upward from said base in a direction opposite to said handle when said cover is in said open position.

8. A scanning device as recited in claim 1, wherein said position signal operates to disable said scanning engine when said cover is in said open position.

9. A scanning device as recited in claim 8, wherein said operation of said position signal to disable said scanning engine is selectively controlled by operation of said input keys.

10. A scanning device as recited in claim 1, wherein said base includes a bottom, and said device further includes a holding means for attaching said bottom of said base to a back of a hand of an operator of said scanning device, and wherein said scan beam side is positioned relative to said holding means so as to project said scanning beam in a plane substantially parallel to said back of said hand and in a direction away from said operator.

11. A scanning device for reading a pattern of different light reflectivity, comprising:

a housing comprising a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being connected to said second portion via a pivotal mount defining an open position and a closed position for said housing;

a scanning engine disclosed within said second portion;

a display formed on a face of said first portion;

an input device formed on a surface of said second portion; and

a light sensing circuit including a sensor located on said surface of said second portion, wherein

said display and said input device face each other in close proximity when said housing is in said closed position, said display and said surface of said second portion forming a predetermined angle therebetween when said housing is in said open position, said sensor being substantially shielded from light when said housing is in said closed position.

12. A scanning device as recited in claim 11, wherein said light sensing circuit generates a signal to said scanning engine indicating whether said display is in said open position or said closed position.

13. A scanning device as recited in claim 11, wherein said sensors detects an amount of ambient light when said housing is in said open position and said light sensing circuit automatically adjusts an intensity of said display according to said ambient light.

14. A scanning device as recited in claim 11, wherein said sensors detects an amount of ambient light when said housing is in said open position and said light sensing circuit automatically adjusts an intensity of said scanning beam according to said ambient light.

15. A scanning device as recited in claim 11, wherein said display has a plurality of open positions, each of said open positions corresponding to one of a plurality of predetermined angles.