Planar laser illumination modules (PLIMS) employed in a planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) system

• US 6,837,437 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Metrologic Instruments Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Xiaoxun, Amundsen, Thomas, Naylor, Charles A., Knowles, Carl Harry, Schnee, Michael D., Tsikos, Constantine J., Dobbs, Russell Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US10/059,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20020195494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462, 235/472, 235/454, 235/455, 235/470, 235/494, 23546201-46248, 235/472.01, 235/472.02, 235/472.03
• US Class Current: 235/472.01
• 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 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/48 Laser speckle optics
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10554 Moving beam scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10574 Multiple sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10633 by oscillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10683 Arrangement of fixed elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10722 Photodetector array or CCD scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10811 Focalisation
• 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: H01S 5/02325 Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches

Abstract

In a planar light illumination and imaging (PLIIM) system, a planar light illumination module (PLIM) of compact construction produces a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) which emanates substantially within a single plane along the direction of beam propagation towards an object to be optically illuminated and imaged. The PLIM comprises a module housing which has an axial extent, first and second end portions, a central bore formed along the axial extent, and a recess integrally formed in the second end portion. A visible laser diode (VLD) is mounted along the bore at the first end portion of the module housing, for producing a laser beam generally along the axial extent. A focusing lens is mounted along the bore between the first and second end portions, for focusing the laser beam to a predetermined focal point. A laser beam expansion element is mounted within the recess at the second end portion of the module housing, and expanding the laser beam along a predetermined direction and producing a substantially planar laser illumination beam from the beam expansion component.

Claims

1. In a planar light illumination and imaging (PLIIM) system, a planar light illumination module (PLIM) of compact construction for producing a planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) which emanates substantially within a single plane along the direction of beam propagation towards an object to be optically illuminated and imaged, said PLIM comprising:

a module housing having an axial extent, first and second end portions, a central bore formed along said axial extent, and a recess integrally formed in said second end portion;

a visible laser diode (VLD) mounted along said bore at said first end portion of said module housing, for producing a laser beam generally along said axial extent;

a focusing lens mounted along said bore between said first and second end portions, for focusing said laser beam to a predetermined focal point; and

a laser beam expansion element mounted within said recess at said second end portion of said module housing, and expanding said laser beam along a predetermined direction and producing a substantially planar laser illumination beam from said laser beam expansion component.

2. The PLIM of claim 1, wherein said laser beam expansion component comprises a cylindrical lens element mounted within said recess.

3. The PLIM of claim 1, wherein said focusing element is micro-oscillated so that said planar laser illumination beam is micro-oscillated laterally along its planar extent.

4. The PLIM of claim 1, wherein said recess has a wedge-like geometry.

5. In a planar laser illumination and imaging (PLIIM) based system, a planar laser illumination module (PLIM), said PLIM comprising:

a laser diode for producing a laser beam along a direction of beam propagation;

a focusing lens for focusing said laser beam to its minimum beam width at a point which is the farthest distance at which said PLIIM based system is designed to capture images, and

a cylindrical lens element for expanding (i.e. spreading out) said laser beam along said direction of beam propagation so that a substantially planar laser illumination beam (PLIB) is produced, which is characterized by a plane of propagation that is coplanar with said direction of beam propagation.