Integrated illumination assembly for symbology reader

• US 9,070,031 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cognex Technology & Investment Corporation (Cognex Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cognex Technology & Investment Corporation (Cognex Corporation)
• Inventors: Nunnink, Laurens, Equitz, William H.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US13/340,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20120168509A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 235/455, 235/473, 235/462.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2207/1011 Aiming
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10732 Light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/107 with manual scanning

Abstract

Systems and methods provide an illumination assembly for a mark reader. A light transmitter is arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, with the light transmitter having a proximal end and a distal end. An illumination source provides a light for transmission into the light transmitter. The light transmitter distal end allows the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end to provide bright field illumination and dark field illumination. The light transmitter distal end may include a first portion and a second portion, where light from within the light transmitter passes through and out of the first portion to provide bright field illumination, and light from within the light transmitter passes through and out of the second portion to provide dark field illumination.

Claims

1. An illumination assembly for a mark reader comprising:

a light transmitter arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having a proximal end and a distal end;

an illumination source adapted to provide a light for transmission into the light transmitter; and

the light transmitter distal end including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being adapted to allow a portion of the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end to provide bright field illumination, and the second portion being adapted to internally reflect and redirect a different portion of the light to exit the distal end to provide dark field illumination.

2. The illumination assembly as in claim 1 wherein the light transmitter includes an interior wall and an exterior wall, and the distal end extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall.

3. The illumination assembly as in claim 2 wherein the light transmitted through the light transmitter is internally reflected along the interior and exterior walls of the light transmitter and is refracted by the first portion and is internally reflected by the second portion.

4. The illumination assembly as in claim 2 wherein the light is internally reflected by the second portion and exits through the interior wall of the light transmitter facing the interior area as dark field illumination.

5. The illumination assembly as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion includes an additional material applied to the surface of the at least one of the first portion and the second portion.

6. The illumination assembly as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion is curvilinear.

7. The illumination assembly as in claim 1 wherein both of the first portion and the second portion are linear.

8. The illumination assembly as in claim 1 wherein both of the first portion and the second portion combine to form a linear surface.

9. The illumination assembly as in claim 1 wherein both of the first portion and the second portion are curvilinear.

10. A light transmitting assembly for illuminating a mark that is imaged by an image sensor, the light transmitting assembly comprising:

a light transmitter arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having a proximal end and a distal end;

an illumination source adapted to provide a light for transmission into the light transmitter; and

the light transmitter distal end including a chamfered surface and a diffusive surface, the diffusive surface being adapted to allow a first portion of the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the diffusive surface to provide bright field illumination, and the chamfered surface being adapted to internally reflect and redirect a second portion of the light so the second portion of the light exits the distal end to provide dark field illumination.

11. The light transmitting assembly as in claim 10 wherein the chamfered surface is adapted to allow an additional portion of the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the chamfered surface to provide additional bright field illumination.

12. The light transmitting assembly as in claim 10 wherein the light transmitter is constructed from polycarbonate.

13. The light transmitting assembly as in claim 10 wherein the light transmitter is a molded single piece device.

14. The light transmitting assembly as in claim 10 wherein at least one of the chamfered surface and the diffusive surface includes an additional material applied to the surface.

15. The light transmitting assembly as in claim 10 wherein the bright field illumination is sufficient to obtain an image of the mark by the image sensor.

16. An illumination assembly for a mark reader comprising:

a light transmitter arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having an internal wall, an external wall, a proximal end, and a distal end;

an illumination source adapted to provide a light for transmission into the light transmitter; and

the light transmitter distal end adapted to allow at least a portion of the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end to provide bright field illumination, and the distal end being adapted to internally reflect and redirect a different portion of the light so the different portion of the light exits the interior wall to provide dark field illumination.

17. The illumination assembly as in claim 16 wherein the at least a different portion of the light exits the interior wall near the distal end to provide the dark field illumination.

18. An illumination assembly for a mark reader comprising:

a light transmitter arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having an internal wall, an external wall, a proximal end, and a distal end;

an illumination source adapted to provide a light for transmission into the light transmitter; and

the light transmitter distal end comprising a first flat surface and a second flat surface different than the first flat surface, the first flat surface adapted to allow a portion of the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end to provide bright field illumination, and the second flat surface adapted to allow a different portion of the light to pass through and out of the distal end to provide dark field illumination.

19. The illumination assembly as in claim 18 wherein the at least a different portion of the light exits the interior wall near the distal end to provide the dark field illumination.

20. The illumination assembly as in claim 18 wherein at least one of the first flat surface and the second flat surface is a chamfered surface.

21. An illumination assembly for a mark reader comprising:

a light transmitter arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having a proximal end and a distal end;

an illumination source adapted to provide a light for transmission into the light transmitter; and

the light transmitter distal end including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being adapted to allow a portion of the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end to provide bright field illumination, and the second portion being adapted to internally reflect and redirect a different portion of the light to exit near the distal end to provide dark field illumination.

22. The illumination assembly as in claim 21 wherein the illumination source is adapted to provide the light for transmission into at least one of an exterior wall and an interior wall and the proximal end of the light transmitter.

23. An illumination assembly for a mark reader comprising:

a light transmitter arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having a proximal end and a distal end;

an illumination source adapted to provide a light for transmission into the light transmitter; and

the light transmitter distal end adapted to allow the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end to provide bright field illumination, and the light transmitter distal end being adapted to allow the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end to provide dark field illumination.

24. The illumination assembly as in claim 23 wherein the light transmitter distal end is adapted to internally reflect and redirect a portion of the light so the portion of the light exits the interior wall near the distal end to provide dark field illumination.

25. The illumination assembly as in claim 23 wherein the light transmitter distal end includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being adapted to allow the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the first portion to provide bright field illumination, and the second portion being adapted to allow the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the second portion to provide dark field illumination.

26. The illumination assembly as in claim 23 wherein the light transmitter includes an interior wall and an exterior wall, and the distal end extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall.

27. The illumination assembly as in claim 23 wherein the light transmitter distal end comprises a chamfered surface.

28. A method for providing bright field illumination and dark field illumination, the method comprising:

providing a light transmitter arranged in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having a proximal end and a distal end;

providing an illumination source for providing a light for transmission into the light transmitter;

allowing the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end for providing bright field illumination; and

allowing the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end for providing dark field illumination.

29. The method as in claim 28 further comprising activating the illumination source and providing the light into the light transmitter.

30. The method as in claim 28 further comprising internally reflecting and redirecting a portion of the light so the portion of the light exits the interior wall near the distal end for providing dark field illumination.

31. The method as in claim 28 wherein the light transmitter distal end includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion allowing the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the first portion for providing bright field illumination, and the second portion allowing the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the second portion for providing dark field illumination.

32. The method as in claim 28 wherein the light transmitter includes an interior wall and an exterior wall, and the distal end extends between the interior wall and the exterior wall.

33. The method as in claim 28 wherein the light transmitter distal end comprises a chamfered surface.

34. A method comprising:

providing a light transmitter and arranging the light transmitter in a surrounding relationship to an interior area, the light transmitter having a proximal end and a distal end;

providing an illumination source and arranging the illumination source for providing a light for transmission into the light transmitter; and

using a first portion and a second portion of the light transmitter distal end, the first portion allowing a portion of the light from within the light transmitter to pass through and out of the distal end for providing bright field illumination, and the second portion internally reflecting and redirecting a different portion of the light to exit near the distal end for providing dark field illumination.

35. The method as in claim 34 further comprising providing the light for transmission into at least one of an exterior wall and an interior wall and the proximal end of the light transmitter.

36. The method as in claim 34 further comprising applying an additional material to a surface of at least one of the first portion and the second portion.