Micro reader scan engine with prism

• US 6,775,077 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2000
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Feng, Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/668,105
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 250/566, 250/208.1, 250/239, 250/216, 250/234, 250/235, 235/462.14, 235/462.32, 235/462.43, 235/462.35, 235/462.41, 359/367, 359/831, 359/833, 359/837, 359/513, 359/514, 359/211
• US Class Current: 359/831
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10702 Particularities of propagating elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors G06K7/10831 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A scan engine is disclosed for use in a data collection device, as well as a method for producing a scan engine and an image sensor assembly. The scan engine includes a housing with an opening for receiving light from a scanned dataform, an image sensor which is located within the housing to sense light entering an aperture in the image sensor, and a prism located within the housing for receiving light from the opening along a first path and to provide at least a portion of the received light to the aperture along a second path.

Claims

1. A data collection device scan engine image sensor assembly, comprising:

an image sensor that senses a bar code and generates a pixel data pattern, the image sensor includes aperture and senses light entering the aperture;

a prism mounted on the aperture to receive light along a first path and to provide at least a portion of the received light to the aperture along a second path; and

a lens mounted along the first path between the bar code and the prism to facilitate directing the light from the bar code to the prism, such that the light enters a fist surface of the lens without impacting an intermediate lens, and exits the lens directly to the prism.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the prism comprises a first planar face adapted to receive light along the first path, and a second planar face adhered to the aperture using a low loss transparent adhesive.

3. A scan engine for use in a data collection device, comprising:

a housing having an opening for receiving light from a scanned dataform;

an image sensor located in the housing and having an aperture, which image sensor sense the dataform through the aperture by converting the dataform into a pixel-by-pixel representation;

a prism mounted onto the aperture of the image sensor to receive light from the opening along a first path and to provide at least a portion of the received light to the aperture along a second path; and

a lens mounted within the housing along the first path between the opening and the prism to facilitate directing the light from the opening to the prism, such that the light enters a first surface of the lens without impacting an intermediate lens, and exits the lens directly to the prism.

4. The scan engine of claim 3, wherein the second path is at an angle with respect to the first path.

5. The scan engine of claim 3, wherein the second path is perpendicular to the first path.

6. The scan engine of claim 3, wherein the prism comprises a first planar face generally perpendicular to the first path and a second planar face generally perpendicular to the second path, and wherein the second face is mounted on the aperture of the image sensor.

7. The scan engine of claim 3, wherein the first face of the prism is located proximate the opening in the housing.

8. The scan engine of claim 3, further comprising a printed circuit board mounted in the housing.

9. The scan engine of claim 8, wherein the image sensor is mounted on the printed circuit board.

10. The scan engine of claim 3, further comprising a window coupled to the opening of the housing, such that the window provides a seal between an interior and an exterior of the housing.

11. The scan engine of claim 3, being employed in a bar code reader.

12. A method for producing a data collection device scan engine, comprising:

providing a housing with an opening for receiving light from a scanned dataform;

mounting an image sensor within the housing, the image sensor having an aperture and senses light entering the aperture, the image sensor converts scanned dataform into a pixel data pattern;

mounting a prism onto the aperture of the image sensor that receive light from the opening along a first path and provides at least a portion of the received light to the aperture along a second path; and

providing a lens in the first path between the opening and the prism to facilitate directing the light from the opening to the prism, such that the light enters a first surface of the lens without impacting an intermediate lens, and exits the lens directly to the prism.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the prism comprises a first planar face generally perpendicular to the first path and a second planar face generally perpendicular to the second path, the second planar face being mounted on the aperture.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein mounting the second face on the aperture includes adhering at least a portion of the second face of the aperture using a transparent low loss adhesive.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising mounting a printed circuit board to the housing of the scan engine.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein mounting the image sensor within the housing includes mounting the image sensor to a printed circuit board located in the housing.

17. A data collection device scan engine image sensor assembly, comprising:

an image sensor having an aperture and that senses light entering the aperture of a dataform, the image sensor converts the light into a pixel-by-pixel representation for transmission therefrom; and

a prism mounted on the aperture of the image sensor, the prism receives light along a first path and provides at least a portion of the received light to the aperture along a second path; and

a lens positioned along the first path to facilitate directing the light from the opening to the prism, such that the light enters a first surface of the lens without impacting an intermediate lens, and exits the lens directly to the prism.

18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein the prism comprises a first planar face adapted to receive light along the first path, and a second planar face adhered to the aperture of the image sensor using a low loss transparent adhesive.

19. A product code scan engine, comprising:

a housing having an opening for receiving light from a scanned dataform;

an image sensor located within the housing and having an aperture, the image sensor senses light from the dataform through the aperture by converting the dataform into a pixel-by-pixel representation;

a prism mounted onto the aperture of the image sensor to receive light through the opening along a first path and to provide at least a portion of the received light to the aperture along a second path; and

a lens mounted within the housing between the opening and the prism along the first path to facilitate directing the light from the opening to the prism.

20. A bar code leading engine, comprising;

a housing with an opening for receiving light from a scanned bar code;

means for mounting an image sensor within the housing, the image sensor having an aperture and that senses light entering the aperture, the image sensor converts the scanned dataform into a pixel data pattern representative of the bar code;

means for mounting a prism on the aperture of the image sensor, which prism receives light from the opening along a first path and redirects at least a portion of the received light to the aperture along a second path, and

means for providing a lens in the first path between the opening and the prism to facilitate directing the light from the opening to the prism, such that the light enters a first surface of the lens without impacting an intermediate lens, and exits the lens to the prism without being altered therebetween.

21. The engine of claim 20, further comprising means for mounting a printed circuit board mounted in the housing.

22. The engine of claim 21, Further comprising means for mounting the image sensor on the printed circuit board.

23. The engine of claim 20, further comprising means for coupling a window to the opening of the housing, such that the window provides a seal between an interior and an exterior of the housing.