Optical reading device

• US 5,847,859 A
• Filed: 03/19/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murata, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren E.
• Application Number:
  US08/618,480
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 359/196, 359/201, 359/223, 359/224, 359/225, 359/226, 359/290, 359/291, 359/295, 359/298, 359/315, 359/318, 359/849, 359/850, 359/851, 359/853, 359/865, 359/872, 235/467, 235/470, 235/472, 250/234, 250/235
• US Class Current: 359/201.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10643 Activating means

Abstract

A small-sized optical reading device for performing the high-speed optical scanning of an object to be read, and for returning light irregularly reflected by the object. In this device, a first reflector element is driven in such a manner as to perform reciprocative rotations or vibrations clockwise and counterclockwise. Further, a medium, on which a bar code, namely, the object is recorded, is scanned by light beams reflected by the first reflector element. The light beams irregularly reflected by the medium are returned to a reflector element array consisting of second reflector elements of a reciprocative vibration reflector. Independent drive signals are provided concurrently to the first reflector element and the reflector element array. The reflecting surface of the first reflector element has a size sufficient to the extent that the entire spotlight caused by a semiconductor laser can be reflected. The reflector elements, which have widths sufficient to the extent that the light beams irregularly reflected by the medium can be further reflected by the reflector elements, are arranged in a scanning direction.

Claims

1. An optical reading device comprising:

a light source for radiating a light beam;

a first reflector element cell consisting of a plurality of first reflector elements, adapted to pivotally move in a reciprocating direction corresponding to a scanning direction, for reflecting the light beam in such a manner that an object to be read is irradiated with the light beam; and

a reflector element cell array composed of a plurality of second reflector element cells each comprising a plurality of second reflector elements, which are adapted to pivotally move in a reciprocating direction corresponding to the scanning direction, for reflecting return light irregularly reflected by the object.

2. The optical reading device according to claim 1, wherein an angle of reflection of the first reflector element cell is different from an angle of the second reflector element cells.

3. The optical reading device according to claim 1, wherein reference angles of the second reflector elements are sequentially caused to become different by a predetermined angle in a scanning direction in such a manner that a total reflecting surface extending in the scanning direction becomes a nearly concave mirror.

4. The optical reading device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second reflector elements are pivotally moved in a reciprocating direction by a magnet force caused by using an alternating current power supply.

5. The optical reading device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second reflector elements are pivotally moved in a reciprocating direction by Coulomb'"'"'s force caused by using an alternating current power supply.