JPS61208176A - Photoscanning type reader - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a small-sized, lightweight photoscanning type reader whose scanning point is visible by using a semiconductor laser for invisible-light generation as a laser beam generation source and projecting pseudo scanning visible light upon the scanning position during a scan. CONSTITUTION:Invisible light projected by the semiconductor laser 4 in a scanning projection optical system 1 is converted by a condenser lens 5 into parallel luminous flux, which is transmitted through a half-mirror 6, converged on an object 10 of scanning by a beam converging lens 7, and scanned by a galvanomirror 9 through a bored mirror 8. Reflected light is reflected by the bored mirror and guided to a photodetecting element. Pseudo scanning visible light from the LED element 14 in a pseudo scanning visible light projection optical system 2 is converted by a collimator lens 15 into parallel luminous flux, which is reflected by the half-mirror 6 and superposed upon the invisible light. A filter 11 cuts off the reflected visible light and transmits only the invisible light.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention scans a surface to be scanned using a laser beam light, and optically records recorded information such as a bar code recorded on the surface to be scanned. The present invention relates to an optical scanning type reading device.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a scanning projection optical system has been provided that scans a surface to be scanned while focusing a laser beam emitted from a laser beam generating light source onto the surface to be scanned. 2. Description of the Related Art Optical scanning type reading devices are known that read recorded information recorded on a surface to be scanned by condensing laser beam light.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) By the way, conventional optical scanning type reading devices use a gas laser as a laser beam generation light source, and this gas laser emits a visible laser beam onto the surface to be scanned. However, in conventional optical scanning readers, the gas laser tube itself is large, making the entire optical scanning reader large and heavy. Since the optical scanning device itself is expensive, the cost of the entire optical scanning type reading device increases. Since the laser tube of the gas laser is made of a glass tube, there is a problem in that the optical scanning reader must be handled carefully.

Therefore, by using a small, lightweight, and inexpensive semiconductor laser as a laser beam generation light source, we aim to reduce the size, weight, and cost of the entire optical scanning reader, and also to make it easy to handle. It is possible to create a scanning type reader, but as this semiconductor laser,
A device for generating visible light has not been put into practical use, but a device for generating invisible light such as infrared light, so when scanning a surface to be scanned with an optical scanning reader, it is difficult to see the scanned area with the naked eye. 1llI Festival - There is a problem that cannot be confirmed.

(Objective of the Invention) Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a compact and inexpensive device that allows the scanned area to be observed with the naked eye during scanning.

An object of the present invention is to provide an optical scanning type reader that is lightweight and easy to handle.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is characterized in that the laser beam generating light source is constituted by a semiconductor laser for generating invisible light.

A pseudo-scanning visible light projection optical system is provided for projecting pseudo-scanning visible light onto a scanning location on a surface to be scanned.

(Function) According to this device, even when the laser beam generating light source is configured with a semiconductor laser for generating light-inhibited light, pseudo-scanned visible light is projected onto the scanned portion of the surface to be scanned during scanning.
The scanning location can be confirmed with the naked eye.

(Example) Examples of the optical scanning type reader according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the optical scanning type reader according to the present invention, in which 1 is a scanning projection optical system, 2 is a W1-like scanning visible light projection optical system, and 3 is a condensing optical system. The scanning projection optical system 1 includes a laser beam generating light source 4, a frimeter lens 5,
Half mirror 6, beam focusing lens 7, perforated mirror 8. It has a galvanometer mirror 9. Here, a semiconductor laser that generates an infrared laser beam as invisible light is used as the laser beam generating light source 4.
The infrared laser beam emitted from the laser beam generating light source is converted into a parallel beam by the condensing lens 5, passes through the half mirror 6, and is guided to the beam condensing lens 7. Scanned object 10a of target object 10
It has the function of focusing infrared laser beam light. The infrared laser beam that has passed through this beam condensing lens 7 passes through a hole in a perforated mirror 8 and then enters a galvanometer mirror.
9. The galvanometer mirror 9 has a function of swinging an infrared laser beam in its rotational direction (see arrow A), thereby scanning the surface 10a of the object 10 to be scanned. Arrow B indicates the scanning direction. Recorded information such as a bar code is recorded on the surface to be scanned 10a, and the reflected infrared laser beam reflected on the surface to be scanned 10a is guided again to the galvano mirror 9, and is reflected by the galvano mirror 9 and the perforated mirror 8. The reflected infrared laser beam is reflected and guided to a focusing lens 12 via a filter 11, and the reflected infrared laser beam is focused by this focusing lens 12 onto the light receiving surface of a light receiving element 13, where it is converted into an electrical signal and information is transmitted. Reading is now possible. In addition, filter 11
The functions of will be described later.

The pseudo-scanning visible light projection optical system 2 includes an LED element 14 as a light source for generating pseudo-scanning visible light and a collimator lens 15.
The collimator lens 15 has a function of converting the pseudo-scan visible light into a parallel light beam, and when the pseudo-scan visible light that has passed through the collimator lens 15 is reflected by the half mirror 6, it converts the pseudo-scan visible light into a parallel light beam. It is superimposed on the passed infrared laser beam and guided to the beam condensing lens 7, and guided together with the infrared laser beam to the galvano mirror 9, and reflected in the scanning direction by the galvano mirror 9 onto the scanned surface 10a. The pseudo-scanned visible light is swung in the scanning direction together with the infrared laser beam. The half mirror 6, the beam focusing lens 7, the perforated mirror 8, and the galvano mirror 9 are shared by the scanning projection optical system 1 and the INa scanning visible light projection optical system 2, and the filter 11 is The reflected pseudo-scanning visible light and disturbance light are blocked, and only the reflected infrared laser beam light is transmitted, and the wavelength is adjusted so that noise due to the pseudo-scanning visible light and noise due to the influence of disturbance light does not occur on the light receiving element 13. Consists of selective filters. In addition, 9a is a rotating shaft of the galvanometer mirror 9.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the optical scanning type reading device according to the present invention. In this embodiment, a scanning projection optical system l and a pseudo scanning visible light projection optical system 2 are provided separately. The configuration is such that a cylindrical lens 16 that extends long in the scanning direction focuses and projects pseudo-scanned visible light that extends linearly in the scanning direction onto a scanning location. Note that the light receiving optical system is omitted.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, the present invention comprises a laser beam generating light source using a semiconductor laser for generating invisible light, so that an optical scanning reader can be made compact, lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to handle. In addition, even when a semiconductor laser is used, the pseudo-scanning visible light is projected onto the scanned area of the surface to be scanned, so the scanned area of the laser beam light can be seen with the naked eye during scanning. It also has the effect of being able to confirm the m festival,

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the main optical system of a first embodiment of the optical scanning reader according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the main optical system of a second embodiment of the optical scanning reader according to the present invention. It is a system. 1...Scanning projection optical system. 2...Pseudo scanning visible light projection optical system. 4...Laser beam light generation light source. 9... Galvano mirror 1 10a... Surface to be scanned. 13... Light receiving element, 14... LED element, B... Scanning direction.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A scanning projection optical system that scans the scanned surface while focusing the laser beam emitted from the laser beam generation light source onto the scanned surface, and focuses the laser beam reflected on the scanned surface. In the optical scanning type reading device, the laser beam generating light source is composed of a semiconductor laser for generating invisible light, and the laser beam generating light source is configured to read recorded information recorded on the scanning surface by scanning the scanning surface. An optical scanning type reading device characterized by being provided with a pseudo-scanning visible light projection optical system that projects pseudo-scanning visible light onto a location.