Image sensor mounting system

• US 6,275,388 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: McCall, Melvin D., Hennick, Robert J., Lacey, Michael P., Hinkley, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vigushin, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/112,028
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 361/807-810, 361/829, 361/749, 235/462.11, 235/462.41, 235/462.43, 348/373, 348/374, 250/239, 257/432-434, 257/444, 257/680, 257/684, 257/731, 396/542, 439/77
• US Class Current: 361/807
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10742 including a diffuser for diffusing the light from the light source to create substantially uniform illumination of the target record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils

Abstract

According to the invention, a multilayered image sensor is backmounted to a plate, and the plate in turn, is installed in a holding pocket of a device. In that the scheme takes advantage of a high controllability of a mounting plate'"'"'s thickness, the mounting scheme provides for tight control of holding forces with which an image sensor is secured in an imaging device. In that the scheme provides for back mounting of image sensor on a planar surface, the mounting system provides tight control of an imaging assembly'"'"'s pixel plane to fixed point in space distance.

Claims

1. A system for mounting an image sensor in a device, said system comprising:

an insulating mounting plate, said image sensor being mounted on said mounting plate so that substantially an entire surface of said image sensor opposes said mounting plate, said mounting plate having edges extending extensively from said image sensor; and

a holding pocket formed in said device, said mounting plate being deposited in said holding pocket so that said edges of said mounting plate engage said pocket.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said pocket, in holding said image sensor, is adapted to supply lateral holding forces to said plate without supplying any substantial lateral holding forces to said image sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said pocket includes a pair of pins and pair of opposing wall sections.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said pocket includes a pair of forward pins and a pair of opposing rear pins.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said plate includes a cutaway section for accommodating a lead frame of said image sensor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said plate includes first and second cutout sections for accommodating first and second lead frames of said image sensor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said image sensor is mounted to said plate by a securing force supplied by an adhesive material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein lead frames of said image sensor are disposed about said plate when said plate is in contact with said image sensor;

and wherein said system further includes a flex strip attached to said lead frames such that said flex strip biases said image sensor toward said plate.

9. A device for use in capturing images, said device comprising:

a component frame;

a back plate formed on said frame;

an aperture defined by said frame and said back plate;

an image sensor including lead frames mounted to said back plate, said aperture accommodating one of said lead frames.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said back plate includes a cutaway section for accommodating one of said lead frames of said image sensor.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein said image sensor is mounted to said back plate by a securing force supplied by an adhesive material.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein lead frames of said image sensor are disposed about said back plate when said plate is in contact with said image sensor;

and wherein said system further includes a flex strip attached to said lead frames such that said flex strip biases said image sensor toward said back plate.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein said back plate is integral with said frame.

14. A method for installing an image sensor in a device for use in capturing images, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a component frame having at least one rigid planar surface integral with said frame; and

mounting said image sensor to said frame by biasing a substantially planar back surface of said image sensor toward said rigid planar surface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said mounting step includes the step of adhering a back of said image sensor on said at least one rigid planar surface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said mounting step includes the step of attaching a flex strip to said lead frames such that said flex strip biases said back surface toward said at least one rigid surface.

17. A system for mounting an image sensor in a device, said system comprising:

a mounting plate, said image sensor being mounted on said mounting plate; and

a holding pocket having a pair of forward pins and a pair of opposing rear pins formed in said device, said mounting plate being deposited in said holding pocket.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said pocket, in holding said image sensor, is adapted to supply lateral holding forces to said plate without supplying any substantial lateral holding forces to said image sensor.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said mounting plate consists essentially of insulating material.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said plate includes a cutaway section for accommodating a lead frame of said image sensor.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said plate includes first and second cutout sections for accommodating first and second lead frames of said image sensor.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein said image sensor is mounted to said plate by a securing force supplied by an adhesive material.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein lead frames of said image sensor are disposed about said plate when said plate is in contact with said image sensor;

and wherein said system further includes a flex strip attached to said lead frames such that said flex strip biases said image sensor toward said plate.

24. A system for mounting an image sensor in a device, said system comprising:

a mounting plate, said image sensor being mounted on said mounting plate, said mounting plate including a cutaway section for accommodating a lead frame of said image sensor; and

a holding pocket formed in said device, said mounting plate being deposited in said holding pocket.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said pocket, in holding said image sensor, is adapted to supply lateral holding forces to said plate without supplying any substantial lateral holding forces to said image sensor.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said pocket includes a pair of pins and pair of opposing wall sections.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein said pocket includes a pair of forward pins and a pair of opposing rear pins.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein said mounting plate consists essentially of insulating material.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein said image sensor is mounted to said plate by a securing force supplied by an adhesive material.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein lead frames of said image sensor are disposed about said plate when said plate is in contact with said image sensor, and wherein said system further includes a flex strip attached to said lead frames such that said flex strip biases said image sensor toward said plate.

31. A system for mounting an image sensor in a device, said system comprising:

a mounting plate, said image sensor being mounted on said mounting plate, said plate including first and second cutout sections for accommodating first and second lead frames of said image sensor; and

a holding pocket formed in said device, said mounting plate being deposited in said holding pocket.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said pocket, in holding said image sensor, is adapted to supply lateral holding forces to said plate without supplying any substantial lateral holding forces to said image sensor.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein said pocket includes a pair of pins and pair of opposing wall sections.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein said pocket includes a pair of forward pins and a pair of opposing rear pins.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein said plate consists essentially of insulating material.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein said plate includes first and second cutout sections for accommodating first and second lead frames of said image sensor.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein said image sensor is mounted to said plate by a securing force supplied by an adhesive material.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein lead frames of said image sensor are disposed about said plate when said plate is in contact with said image sensor;

and

wherein said system further includes a flex strip attached to said lead frames such that said flex strip biases said image sensor toward said plate.

39. A system for mounting an image sensor in a device, said system comprising:

a mounting plate, said image sensor being mounted on said mounting plate; and

a holding pocket formed in said device, said mounting plate being deposited in said holding pocket, wherein lead frames of said image sensor are disposed about said plate when said plate is in contact with said image sensor, and wherein said system further includes a flex strip attached to said lead frames such that said flex strip biases said image sensor toward said plate.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said pocket, in holding said image sensor, is adapted to supply lateral holding forces to said plate without supplying any substantial lateral holding forces to said image sensor.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein said pocket includes a pair of pins and pair of opposing wall sections.

42. The system of claim 39, wherein said pocket includes a pair of forward pins and a pair of opposing rear pins.

43. The system of claim 39, wherein said plate includes a cutaway section for accommodating a lead frame of said image sensor.

44. The system of claim 39, wherein said plate includes first and second cutout sections for accommodating first and second lead frames of said image sensor.

45. The system of claim 39, wherein said image sensor is mounted to said plate by a securing force supplied by an adhesive material.