Low cost bar code reader

• US 6,578,767 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2000
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Barkan, Ed, Shepard, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIK, STEVEN SANGYUL
• Application Number:
  US09/616,564
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.3, 235/462.2, 235/462.21, 235/462.22, 235/462.43
• US Class Current: 235/462.43
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/466 adapted to display 3D data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/469 for selecting a region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10772 Moved readers, e.g. pen, wand
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection

Abstract

An optical scanning module and a scanner incorporating the scanning module for reading bar codes and other optical indicia that consists of a printed circuit board, an elongated elliptical aperture in the scanning module that is spaced from the circuit board, a light source mounted on the printed circuit board for projecting at least one beam of light through the aperture and onto a dataform to be read, and a detector mounted on the printed circuit board for sensing light reflected from the dataform and through the aperture. Light baffle is preferably used to isolate light source from the detector in the optical scanning module of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bar code reader for electro-optically reading a bar code symbol on a target, comprising:

a) a housing having a bottom wall facing the target, and configured to be held and slidably moved by a user across the target, during reading;

b) a plurality of feet on, and extending from, the bottom wall for slidably engaging the target during the sliding movement of the housing;

c) a printed circuit board within the housing above the bottom wall;

d) an aperture extending through the bottom wall;

e) a light source on the board for emitting light toward the bottom wall and through the aperture for reflection from the symbol on the target;

f) a detector on the board for detecting light reflected from the symbol, and for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the symbol; and

g) said aperture extending through one of the feet for positioning the aperture over the symbol during the sliding movement of the housing.

2. The reader of claim 1, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

3. The reader of claim 1, wherein the light source is a laser diode.

4. The reader of claim 1, wherein the detector is a photodiode.

5. The reader of claim 1, wherein the housing has a bottom part connected to a cover part, and wherein the parts are configured to be received within a palm of a hand of the user.

6. The reader of claim 1, wherein the light source and the detector are mounted in a side-by-side relationship on a lower surface of the board.

7. The reader of claim 6, and comprising a light baffle between the light source and the detector.

8. The reader of claim 1, wherein said one of the feet has a circular configuration, and wherein the aperture is a circular opening concentric with said one of the feet.

9. The reader of claim 1, wherein there are three feet in number, and wherein two of the feet are located at one end region of the housing, and wherein said one of the feet is located at an opposite end region of the housing.

10. The reader of claim 1, wherein each of the feet has a substantially planar slide surface.

11. The reader of claim 1, wherein each of the feet has a curved slide surface.

12. The reader of claim 1, wherein the aperture is bounded by inclined boundary walls that converge toward each other in a direction away from the light source.

13. The reader of claim 1, wherein the aperture has an elongated cross-section.

14. The reader of claim 1, and comprising a light-transmissive window that covers the aperture.