Loser scanners of modular construction and method and system for designing and manufacturing the same

• US 6,517,001 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Carullo, Thomas J., Knowles, C. Harry, Dickson, LeRoy, Amundsen, Thomas, Groot, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Ahshik
• Application Number:
  US09/505,239
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.08, 235/462.14, 235/462.27, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 235/462.01
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/10 Scanning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/106 having diffraction gratings as scanning elements, e.g. holographic scanners holographic optical elements G02B5/32, holography G03H
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1012 Special detection of object
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1013 Multi-focal
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1016 Motor control or optical moving unit control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1017 Programmable
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1018 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10564 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10584 Source control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10594 Beam path
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10603 Basic scanning using moving elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10663 using hologram
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10673 Parallel lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10693 for omnidirectional scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10792 Special measures in relation to the object to be scanned
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10801 Multidistance reading
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 : Focalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10851 : Circuits for pulse shaping, amplifying, eliminating noise signals, checking the function of the sensing device basic electronic circuitry H03
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 : sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10871 : randomly oriented data-fields, code-marks therefore, e.g. concentric circles-code
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 : constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10891 : the scanner to be worn on a finger or on a wrist
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/109 : adaptations to make the hand-held scanner useable as a fixed scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/14 : using light without selection of wavelength, e.g. sensing reflected white light G06K7/10831 - G06K7/1097 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 : Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 : Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 : Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0045 : with a code reader for reading of an identifying code of the article to be registered, e.g. barcode reader or radio-frequency identity [RFID] reader
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 : with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 : Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

A laser scanner of ultra-compact and modular design capable of reading bar and other types of graphical indicia, and also a method of designing and operating the same for use in diverse applications.

Claims

1. A laser scanner of modular construction comprising:

a first module including as subcomponents, an optical bench, a wrap-around case and a housing cover with output scanning window;

a second module including as subcomponents, a line scanning mechanism, a scanning motor, one or more photodetector/signal processing boards and a motor/board mounting assembly;

a plurality of third modules each including, as subcomponents, a laser beam production module, a base plate for mounting said laser beam production module, an output beam folding mirror and an adjustable support bracket; and

a fourth module including, as subcomponents, a CPU motherboard with one or more CPUs and an I/O circuitry.

2. The laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said optical-bench has a first set of preformed holes for receiving the ends of support posts associated with said motor/board mounting assembly, and a second set of preformed holes for jointly mounting said base plate and said adjustable support bracket.

3. The laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said housing cover is generally matched with said optical bench, and is designed to be used with a variety of wrap-around cases of different height.

4. The laser scanner of claim 1, wherein said adjustable support bracket allows the tilt angle of said output beam folding mirror to be adjusted over a range of angles to achieve a desired laser scanning pattern.

9. The laser scanner plus claim 1, wherein said laser scanning mechanism comprises a holographic laser scanning disc.

5. A system for designing and manufacturing laser scanners of modular construction, comprising:

a first database management system for storing and managing information models relating to the inventory of modules and subcomponents of modularized laser scanners;

a computer workstation for designing laser scanners of modular construction, and producing information models for the modules and subcomponents of said laser scanners;

a second database management system for storing and managing said information models for the modules and subcomponents of said laser scanners obtained from said computer workstation;

a manufacturing system for manufacturing said laser scanners; and

an information server for storing and serving the information models maintained by said first and second database management systems so that said computer workstation and said manufacturing system can access such information models as needed.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein each said laser scanner is a holographic laser scanner.

6. A method of designing and manufacturing laser scanners comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a first relational database model for constructed modules and subcomponents of laser scanners available in inventory;

(b) creating a second relational database model for modules and subcomponents that have been previously created during the design of other laser scanners;

(c) storing said first and second relational database models in an information server;

(d) designing a laser scanner using inventory and design information stored in the information server;

(e) updating said second relational database model using the information obtained during step (d);

(f) manufacturing modules and subcomponents using the information obtained during step (d);

(g) updating said inventory; and

(h) constructing a laser scanner according to the information obtained during step (d).

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each said laser scanner is a holographic laser scanner.