JPH0782516B2 - Scanning width variable hand scanner - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Outline] The present invention provides a hand scanner for reading a bar code so that a long bar code label and a plurality of bar code labels arranged close to each other can be accurately read by a single scanner. In order to achieve the purpose, the scanning width of the scanning beam can be adjusted.

[Industrial application field]

 The present invention relates to an improvement in a hand scanner.

Hand scanning is widely used for reading barcode labels. This hand scanner is designed to scan one beam and is used by scanning the beam so that it crosses the bar code label. The amount of light changes in the black and white part of the code. This change is detected by a detector incorporated in the hand scanner and converted into an electric signal. This electrical signal is read by the logic section and the reading is completed.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 4 is a front view showing an outline of a conventional hand scanner 10, in which 1 is a laser light source and 2 is an optical system. The optical system 2 includes a polygonal rotating mirror 3 and a motor 4 that drives the rotating mirror 3. The rotating mirror 3 is driven and rotated by a motor 4, and the laser beam generated from the laser light source 1 is reflected by the rotating mirror 3 and emitted to the outside as a scanning beam.

When reading a bar code label or the like, the hand scanner is operated so that the scanning beam crosses the label. The reflected light of this scanning beam is processed and read as described above, but the processing system of this reflected light is omitted in FIG.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, the length of the barcode to be read differs depending on the barcode system and is not constant. FIGS. 5 and 6 are examples of arrangement of such bar codes having different lengths, FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a bar code input parts table, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the catalog. In the case of FIG. 5, long and short barcodes 11A, 11B, ... Are arranged adjacent to each other on the same page 11, and in the case of FIG. 6, long barcodes 12A, 12B ,.
Are arranged, and short bar codes 13A, 13B, ... Are arranged in proximity to the other page 13.

When reading a bar code having such an arrangement, when the bar code is long, a scanning beam having a scanning width suitable for the long bar code is required. However, for example, the barcodes 13A and 13B shown in FIG.
When the short bar coats are close to each other as described above, a scanning beam having a large scanning width scans both and cannot be properly read.

Therefore, conventionally, several kinds of hand scanners having different scanning widths are prepared in order to cope with the length of the bar code, and these are selectively used according to the length of the bar code. This is because the conventional hand scanner does not have a scanning width adjusting mechanism.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a scanning width variable handle scanner capable of solving the above-mentioned problems, and its principle is
Shown in the figure.

In FIG. 1, 20 is a beam generation source 21 and an optical system 22.
And a scanning width variable hand scanner including a scanning width adjusting mechanism 23.

The optical system 22 is for emitting the beam generated from the beam generation source to the outside as a scanning beam. In this principle diagram, the rotating mirror 24 and the motor 25 for driving the rotating mirror 24 are used.
An example of a configuration consisting of

The scanning width adjusting mechanism 23 is for changing the size of the scanning width of the scanning beam emitted to the outside by the optical system 22, and is a slit sheet provided with an opening having at least two kinds of widths in the sheet-shaped member. , Driving means for driving the slit sheet. In this principle diagram, a slit sheet type corresponding to the rotating mirror type optical system is illustrated. This slit sheet type scanning width adjustment mechanism
Reference numeral 23 denotes a slit sheet 26 located in the optical path of the reflected light, and a drive means for moving the slit sheet 26 in the vertical direction shown by the arrow. The opening 26a is formed.

[Action]

The beam generated from the beam generation source is reflected by the rotating mirror 24 of the optical system 22 and emitted to the outside to be a symmetrical object (bar code).
Is scanned in the directions of arrows A and B, but the scanning width adjusting mechanism 23 adjusts the size of the scanning width in the middle of this optical path. In the case of the rotating mirror method, this adjustment is performed by adjusting the opening amount in the scanning width direction of the opening 26a of the slit sheet 26 on the optical axis.

That is, by appropriately setting the position of the slit sheet 26, the size of the scanning width of the scanning beam can be adjusted, and one hand scanner can reliably read barcodes of various sizes and arrangements.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main structure of a scanning width variable hand scanner according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a front view thereof, and 20 is a scanning width variable hand scanner. Scanning width variable hand scanner 20
Includes a laser light source (beam generation source) 21, an optical system 22, and a scanning width adjusting mechanism 23.

The optical system 22 includes a rotating mirror 24 and a motor 25 that drives the rotating mirror 24.

The scanning width adjusting mechanism 23 includes a slit sheet 26, a motor 27,
The drive means 32 includes a pulley 28, a roller 29, a roller 30, and a recovery spring 31. Slit sheet 26
Has a triangular opening 26a and is wound around the upper side of the roller 29 and the lower side of the roller 30. One end of the slit sheet 26 around which the roller 29 is wound is connected to a pulley 28 via a rope 33.
The other end of the roller 30 around which the roller 30 is wound is connected to the recovery spring 31. The pulley 28 is fixed to the output shaft of the motor 27.

The laser beam generated from the laser light source is rotated by the rotating mirror 24
Is reflected by and goes out to the outside, and the bar code of the symmetrical object
Scans in A and B directions (scan width direction), but scan width adjustment mechanism 2
3 plays a role of adjusting the scanning width in the middle of this optical path. Next, the adjustment procedure will be described.

The scanning width of the beam reflected by the rotating mirror 24 is sufficiently large when the slit sheet 26 is not provided,
Actually, since the slit sheet 26 exists on the optical axis of the reflected light, the width W of the opening 26a in the scanning direction on the optical axis.
The reflected light can pass only in the range of, and the scanning width of the beam is restricted by this W. Now, when it is desired to make the scanning width wider than in the state of FIG. 2, the motor 27 is driven to rotate the pulley 28 in the direction of arrow C by a predetermined amount. As a result, the slit seat 26 moves in the direction of arrow D against the biasing force of the restoring spring 31 by a predetermined amount. As a result, the width of the opening 26a in the scanning direction on the optical axis becomes larger than W, and the scanning width can be increased. When it is desired to reduce the scanning width, the pulley 28 is rotated by a predetermined amount in the direction opposite to the above. Due to this rotation, the slit sheet 26 urged by the restoration spring 31 moves in the opposite direction to the above by a predetermined amount, and the scanning width is reduced.

That is, the opening 26a for passing the reflected light shows the case of a triangular shape whose opening width changes continuously, and by moving the slit sheet in a predetermined direction by a predetermined amount, the scanning beam width can be adjusted to a desired value. It is possible to read barcodes of various sizes with one hand scanner.

In the above description, an example using the rotating mirror type optical system has been described, but an oscillating mirror may be used in the optical system.
In this case, means for changing the amplitude of the vibrating mirror may be used as the scanning width adjusting mechanism. Since the scanning width of the reflected light also changes when the amplitude of the vibrating mirror is changed, the same effect can be obtained in this case.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention scans the laser beam from the beam generation source 21 that generates the laser beam by the optical system 22, and when the scanning beam is emitted to the outside, the slit sheet that constitutes the scanning width adjusting mechanism 23. Through the opening of the, the opening width as a shape that changes continuously,
The width of the scanning beam is adjusted by moving the slit sheet, and the scanning width of the laser beam can be adjusted according to the reading width of the bar code. Even if barcodes having a small width are mixed, there is an advantage that each barcode can be reliably read by a simple configuration.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle view of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an essential part of a scanning width variable hand scanner according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a front view of the same, and FIG. 4 is an outline of a conventional hand scanner. 5 is a perspective view of a bar code input parts table, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bar code input catalog, in which 20 is a scanning width variable hand scanner, 21 is a laser light source (beam source). ), 22 is an optical system, 23 is a scanning width adjusting mechanism, 24 is a rotating mirror, 25 is a motor, 26 is a slit sheet, and 26a is an opening.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A beam generating source for generating a laser beam, an optical system for emitting a scanning beam by scanning of the laser beam from the beam generating source to the outside, and a scanning beam for transmitting the scanning beam by the optical system. A scanning width adjusting hand scanner having an opening portion for continuously changing the scanning width for changing the scanning width, and a scanning width adjusting mechanism composed of a movably provided slit sheet.