Data acquisition apparatus

• US 6,244,513 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2000
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Gregory G., Schlieffers, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Application Number:
  US09/528,239
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 235/472.01, 235/454, 235/462.43, 235/462.45
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners

Abstract

A scanner device includes a body portion with an optical scanner module at a first forward end and having a keypad and display mounted on an upper surface. The handle portion extends from the body portion near the forward end and is oriented at a selected angle to cause a second rearward end of the bottom surface of the body portion to rest on the radial surface of a user'"'"'s hand when a user grips the handle.

Claims

1. A hand-held optical scanning device comprising:

a body portion having an optical scanning module arranged to scan objects in a direction which is outward from a first distal end, said body portion including an upper surface having a display mounted thereon, and

a handle portion extending from a bottom surface of said body portion, said handle portion being joined to said body portion at a location near said distal and at a selected angle with respect to said body portion to cause a proximal end of said bottom surface to rest on a radial surface of a user'"'"'s hand when the user grasps the handle portion.

2. An optical scanning device as specified in claim 1 wherein said handle and said bottom surface are contoured to comfortably fit into the hand of a user.

3. An optical scanning device as specified in claim 1 wherein said handle portion includes a trigger.

4. An optical scanning device as specified in claim 1 wherein said body portion includes a housing and a cover member joined to said housing, said cover member including said upper surface, and wherein there is provided a resilient seal interposed between said housing and said cover, said seal projecting outwardly from said body portion and forming a resilient ridge.

5. An optical scanner as specified in claim 4 wherein said ridge formed by said outwardly projecting seal includes a ridge portion forming a rest stand.

6. An optical scanning device as specified in claim 5 wherein said ridge portion forming a rest stand is at the distal end of said body portion.

7. An optical scanning device as specified in claim 5 wherein said handle portion includes a further ridge forming a second rest stand for use in cooperation with said first rest stand.

8. An optical scanning device as specified in claim 1 wherein said upper surface of said body portion includes a keypad.

9. An optical scanned device as specified in claim 1 wherein said display is a touch-screen display.

10. An optical scanning device a specified in claim 9 wherein said touch screen display can be arranged at different orientations.

11. An optical scanning device as specified in claim 9 further including a radio for communicating data scanned by said optical scanning module.

12. In a hand held data acquisition device having a housing, a cover member joined to said housing and a handle joined to said housing, the improvement comprising a first resilient seal interposed between said housing and said cover, said first seal projecting outward from said housing and forming a resilient ridge and a second resilient seal located on the handle of said hand held data acquisition device, whereby the first and second seals form a rest stand for said device.

13. A hand-held optical scanning device comprising:

a body portion having an optical scanning module arranged to scan objects in a direction which is outward from a first distal end, said body portion including an upper surface having a keypad mounted thereon, and

a handle portion extending from a bottom surface of said body portion, said handle portion being joined to said body portion at a location near said distal end and at a selected angle with respect to said body portion to cause a proximal end of said bottom surface to rest on a radial surface of a user'"'"'s hand when the user grasps the handle portion.

14. A hand-held scanning device for reading bar codes, said device comprising:

an upper portion including a scanning module and an aperture in a forward section of said upper portion for receiving and transmitting light to the scanning module, said aperture provided with a translucent window;

a handle having a top end connected to said upper portion, a bottom end, and further including a trigger for activating said scanning module;

a resilient forward edge located in proximity of said aperture, said resilient forward edge comprising a resilient slip-resistant resting surface for said hand-held scanning device.

15. A hand-held scanning device for reading bar codes, said device comprising:

an upper portion including a scanning module and an aperture in a forward section of said upper portion for receiving and transmitting light to the scanning module; and

a handle having a top end connected to a forward section of said upper portion, said handle extending down at an angle from said forward section toward a rear section of said upper portion;

wherein said upper portion rests on a wrist of a user and ergonomically distributes the weight of said hand-held scanning device over the wrist of the user.