Scanner with vertical plate force detection and compensation

• US 7,491,905 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Jwo, Chin-Hung
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Randy W
• Application Number:
  US12/061,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20080179111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 321 Days
• Field of Search: 177/23.15, 177/50, 177/245, 177/253, 235/383, 235/462.13, 235/462.14
• US Class Current: 177/25.15
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4144 for controlling weight of goods in commercial establishments, e.g. supermarket, P.O.S. systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1096 the scanner having more than one scanning window, e.g. two substantially orthogonally placed scanning windows for integration into a check-out counter of a super-market

Abstract

Described is a multi-optic scanner that can detect and/or measure weight placed on its vertical plate. In one embodiment, a portion of the vertical plate is positioned under a portion of a horizontal plate so that a force exerted on the vertical plate is transferred, whole or in part, to the horizontal plate. In alternate embodiments, one or more sensors are coupled to the vertical plate for detecting a force on the plate. The sensors can be coupled to an alert, such as an audible signal, to warn an operator of a misread weight.

Claims

1. A scanner, comprising:

a scan module;

a scale module including a horizontal plate coupled to a load cell;

a vertical plate including a vertical axis;

a sensor coupled to the vertical plate, a longitudinal axis of the sensor being substantially perpendicular to the vertical axis of the vertical plate, the sensor detecting a force on the vertical plate; and

an alert warning a scanner operator.

2. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the horizontal plate and the vertical plate further comprise transparent sections.

3. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the module further comprises an undercarriage mounted on top of the load cell and wherein the undercarriage supports the horizontal plate.

4. The scanner of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one additional load cell distributed under the horizontal plate.

5. The scanner of claim 1, wherein the alert is at least one of an LED and an audible sound.

6. A method for detecting a force on a vertical plate of a scanner, comprising:

providing a scale module comprising a horizontal plate coupled to a load cell;

detecting a force by a sensor coupled to a vertical plate, a longitudinal axis of the sensor being substantially perpendicular to a vertical axis of the vertical plate; and

transmitting a signal to operate an alert to a scanner user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the horizontal plate and the vertical plate further comprise transparent sections.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the scale module further comprises an undercarriage mounted on top of the load cell and wherein the undercarriage supports the horizontal plate.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the horizontal plate is coupled to at least one additional load cell distributed under the plate.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the alert is one of an LED and an audible sound.

11. A scale, comprising:

a horizontal plate coupled to a load cell, the horizontal plate comprising a first extending member;

a vertical plate coupled to the load cell, the vertical plate comprising a second extending member, wherein the second extending member is positioned under the first extending member, and at least some force can transfer from the vertical plate to the horizontal plate;

a first sensor located adjacent to a first portion of the vertical plate; and

a second sensor located adjacent to a second portion of the vertical plate, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor detect if the vertical plate touches one of a scan module and a housing.

12. The scale of claim 11, further comprising:

an undercarriage mounted on top of the load cell and wherein the undercarriage supports the horizontal plate and the vertical plate.

13. The scale of claim 11, wherein the horizontal plate and the vertical plate further comprise transparent regions.

14. The scale of claim 11, further comprising:

at least one additional load cell distributed under the horizontal plate.

15. The scale of claim 11, wherein the at least some force is mechanically transferred from the vertical plate to the horizontal plate.

16. The scale of claim 11, wherein the horizontal plate and the vertical plate are rigid enough to transfer forces exerted on the plates to the load cell.

17. The scale of claim 11, wherein the horizontal plate and the vertical plate are interlocking.

18. A scanner, comprising:

a scan module;

a horizontal plate coupled to a load cell, the horizontal plate comprising a first extending member;

a vertical plate coupled to the load cell, the vertical plate comprising a second extending member, wherein the second extending member is positioned under the first extending member, and at least some force can transfer from the vertical plate to the horizontal plate;

a first sensor located adjacent to a first portion of the vertical plate; and

a second sensor located adjacent to a second portion of the vertical plate, wherein at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor detect if the vertical plate touches one of the scan module and a housing.

19. The scanner of claim 18, further comprising:

an undercarriage mounted on top of the load cell and wherein the undercarriage supports the horizontal plate and the vertical plate.

20. The scanner of claim 18, wherein the horizontal plate and the vertical plate further comprise transparent regions.