Abstract: A laser diode alignment apparatus and method for an optical scanner which independently minimizes lateral and angular deviation of a laser beam from the scanner axis. The alignment apparatus includes a socket member and a plug member. The socket member includes a cylindrical wall portion, including a circular inner ridge having an inwardly facing spherical surface, and a base portion coupled to the cylindrical wall portion having a rearwardly facing spherical surface and a circular aperture therethrough. The plug member contains the laser diode and includes a cylindrical front end portion including a spherical front edge section, having the same curvature as the rearwardly facing spherical surface, and a spherical center portion coupled to the cylindrical front end portion having the same curvature as the inwardly facing spherical surface. The plug member has a beam origin point coinciding with the diode's combined center of rotation and pivot point.

Abstract: A bar code scanner is disclosed comprising an egg-shaped housing member containing a scanning member which can be easily held by a checkout operator for a handheld scanning operation. A support member associated with the scanner has a vertically orientated support portion which has a magnet mounted in its end having a spherical-shaped mating surface which engages the correspondingly shaped surface of a magnet mounted to the under surface of the housing member enabling the scanner to be releasably supported on the support member in a plurality of scanning positions.

Abstract: A programming apparatus and method for optical scanners which employs bar code labels to convert one optical scanner into a mentor scanner and another optical scanner into a student scanner. A lightweight housing made of opaque plastic has a center portion and first and second end portions, the center portion containing a cavity, and the first and second end portions containing apertures therethrough and into the cavity. Within the cavity, two parallel diffusion screens are separated by a distance sufficient to convert a light beam from the mentor scanner into a plurality of point sources of light for reception and detection by the student scanner. Sockets within the end portions position the scanners and seal out ambient light.

Abstract: A compact optical scanning system includes a rotating polygon having a plurality of curved mirror portions and a plurality of mirror facets, a collection mirror member having a pair of reflective surfaces and a source of scanning light beams which projects the scanning light beams at one of the reflecting surfaces in the collection mirror. By deflecting the scanning light beams off the curved mirror portions, the mirror facets and the pair of reflective surfaces, a single line scan pattern composed of a plurality of single line scan lines each located at a different focal plane will be generated to scan a bar code label. By changing the orientation of the mirror facets together with changing the radius curvature of the curved mirror portions, an axial invariant bow-tie scan pattern composed of multiple scan lines focused at a different focal plane will be generated.

Abstract: An optical scanning unit for use in a bar code scanner for scanning a bar code label includes a motor driven hollow drive shaft through which are projected laser light beams from a laser source positioned adjacent one end of the drive shaft. Mounted on the other end of the drive shaft is a deflecting member which includes a first reflecting surface for deflecting the laser light beams outwardly towards a ring of mirrors each of which is located in a plane parallel to the axis of the drive shaft. The light beams deflected from the ring of mirrors are directed towards a second reflecting surface on the deflecting member which surface deflects the received scanning light beams in a direction parallel to the axis of the hollow drive shaft thereby forming a scan pattern comprising a plurality of intersecting scan lines whose center of intersection remains constant as the distance between the deflecting member and the bar code label changes.

Abstract: An optical scanner which employs a special lens to maximize the percentage of focused laser light that passes through a collimating aperture. The optical scanner also includes a laser diode and a housing containing the laser diode and having a wall with the aperture therethrough for collimating light from the lens. The lens may be a gradient index (grin) lens, a bi-zonal lens, or an axicon lens. Another scanner is disclosed which employs an axicon lens to focus light reflected from an article having a bar code label to a detector for a range of article distances from the scanner.

Abstract: A portable bar code scanner includes a housing member having a pair of sloping supporting surfaces oriented at an angle to each other and a floor portion on which is mounted a reflecting mirror. One of the sloping supporting surfaces includes a transparent substrate. A source of scanning light beams such as a hand-held scanner is mounted adjacent the other sloping supporting surface for projecting a plurality of scanning light beams in the form of a scanning pattern at the reflecting mirror which reflects the scan pattern onto the transparent substrate over which a bar code label is passed enabling the scanning light beams to scan the bar code label. A number of embodiments are disclosed for mounting the hand-held scanner adjacent the other sloping supporting surfaces and include an embodiment of the housing member rotatably mounted for movement to a number of rotated positions.

Abstract: A compact optical scanning apparatus includes a motor driven hollow drive shaft through which scanning light beams are projected. A mirror mounted on one end of the drive member deflects the light beams to the side of the drive member, said light beams impinge on the interior surfaces of a conically shaped ring of mirrors. The ring of mirrors will deflect the light beams downwardly towards a circular mirror mounted horizontally which reflects the light beams towards a ring of pattern forming mirrors mounted perpendicular to the circular mirror. The pattern forming mirrors will reflect the light beams through an aperture in the scanning apparatus in the form of a scanning pattern. A gear mechanism mounted between the ring of mirrors and the drive shaft rotates the ring of mirrors in a direction opposite to that of the drive shaft.

Abstract: A portable hand-held optical scanner comprises a disk-shaped housing which fits within the palm of the hand of a checkout operator, which scanner includes a scanning mechanism for generating a scanning pattern for scanning coded indicia, a strap member for securing the hand of the operator to the housing, a switch mounted on the rear surface of the housing adjacent the fingers of the operator for easy operation by the operator, a data processor and a transmitter for transmitting the data read by the scanner to a remote pickup.

Abstract: A point-of-sale data terminal device includes an optical scanning device mounted in one of the wall portions of the terminal device. In one embodiment of the invention, the scanning device is mounted in a support member which in turn extends outwardly from and is rotatably mounted in the wall portion enabling the support member to be oriented in a plurality of scanning positions. In a second embodiment of the invention, one or more scanning devices are mounted flush with a wall portion to project scanning light beams in a vertical and/or horizontal direction outwardly from the terminal device.

Abstract: A portable bar code scanner includes a support member and a housing member rotatably mounted on the support member and having a pair of sloping supporting surfaces oriented at an angle to each other and a floor portion on which is mounted a reflecting mirror. One or both of the sloping supporting surfaces may include a transparent substrate. A source of scanning light beams such as a hand-held scanner is mounted adjacent the other sloping supporting surface for projecting a plurality of scanning light beams in the form of a scan pattern at the reflecting mirror which reflects the scan pattern onto the transparent substrate over which a bar code label is passed enabling the scanning light beams to scan the bar code label. The housing member may be rotated up to one hundred and eighty degrees to position the transparent substrate in a number of scanning positions.

Abstract: A bar code scanning system having a focusing lens for focusing scanning light beams in a first focal plane includes a slide member supporting a transparent substrate which enables the focusing lens to focus the light beams in a first focal plane through which a coded indicia is moved. When a coded indicia is moved closer to the focusing lens, the intensity of the reflected light beams increases which is detected by a detector member whose output signals operate a drive member coupled to the slide member, moving the slide member to a position removing the substrate from the path of light beams enabling the focusing lens to focus the light beams in a second focal plane which is closer to the focusing lens than the first focal plane.

Abstract: A self-contained optical scanning unit for use in a bar code scanner includes a motor driven hollow drive shaft through which is projected a laser light beam from a laser source positioned adjacent one end of the drive shaft. Mounted on the other end of the drive shaft is an optical transceiver which includes a deflecting portion which deflects the laser light beam outwardly towards a ring of mirrors which forms a scanning pattern for scanning a coded indicia and a collection portion which collects the reflected light beams from the coded indicia and directs the light beams at a detecting member. The collection portion of the transceiver is orientated obliquely across the spin axis of the drive shaft while the deflection portion is oriented obliquely to the spin axis and to the face of the collection portion. The detection member is located on the spin axis between the transceiver and the coded indicia.

Abstract: A hand-held bar code reader includes a source of scanning laser beams for scanning a coded label, a detector for detecting the light reflected from the coded label and a single piece composite optical lens structure. The lens structure has a first portion receiving the laser beams for reversing the direction of the laser beams. A second portion for focusing the laser beams on a rotating member which generates scanning beams for use in the scanning of the coded label and a third portion for collecting the light reflected from the coded label for focusing the reflected light on the detector.

Abstract: A portable optical bar code reader is adapted to be attached to the underside of the wrist of the user for reading coded labels on a purchased merchandise item. A ring member mounted on one of the fingers of the user has an actuating member mounted therein which is actuated by another finger of the user to enable the bar code reader to read a coded label. Scanning device mounted within the bar code reader provide a compact arrangement for generating a scanning light beam which scans the coded label. The bar code reader is attached to the wrist of the user by an easily removable strap member.