Add-on device with configurable optics for an image scanner for scanning barcodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9697401-B2
Application number	US-201514950148-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

An add-on device for an image scanner for scanning barcodes is provided. The add-on device includes a housing mounted to the standard range lens front on an image scanner, and a lens holder. The lens holder has a first position for holding a first lens, a second position being an aperture, and a third position for holding a second lens. A high-density lens is mounted in the first position. An extended range lens is mounted in the third position. The lens holder is mounted in the housing and is transverse to the optical axis of the standard range lens of the image scanner. Further, the lens holder is movable within the housing in order to alternately position the high-density lens, the aperture, and the extended range lens to be in alignment with the optical axis of the standard range lens of the image scanner.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An add-on device for an image scanner for scanning barcodes, the image scanner having a scanner lens, the scanner lens having a lens front and an optical axis; the add-on device comprising:
a housing, the housing mounted to the scanner lens front on the image scanner;
a lens holder with a first position for holding a first lens, a second position being an aperture, and a third position for holding a second lens;
a high-density lens mounted in the first position;
an extended range lens mounted in the third position;
the lens holder being mounted in the housing and being transverse to the optical axis of the image scanner;
the lens holder being movable within the housing to alternately position the high-density lens, the aperture, and the extended range lens to be in alignment with the optical axis of the scanner lens of the image scanner.

2. The add-on device of claim 1 , further comprising a motor mounted to the housing; the motor being coupled to the lens holder; the motor being configured to move the lens holder within the housing to alternately position the high density lens, the aperture, and the extended range lens to be in alignment with the optical axis of the scanner lens of the image scanner.

3. The add-on device of claim 2 , wherein the motor is provided with a threaded shaft; the lens holder is provided with a threaded receiver; and wherein the motor is coupled to the lens holder via the threaded shaft being received into the threaded receiver.

4. The add-on device of claim 3 , wherein the motor is provided with a self-locking thread drive mechanism.

5. The add-on device of claim 2 , wherein the lens holder is rotatably movable in the housing.

6. The add-on device of claim 2 , wherein the lens holder is movable within the housing in a direction parallel to a surface on which the image scanner is disposed.

7. The add-on device of claim 2 , wherein the lens holder is movable within the housing in a direction perpendicular to a surface on which the image scanner is disposed.

8. The add-on device of claim 2 , wherein the motor is a micro dc motor.

9. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the extended range lens is a telescopic doublet lens.

10. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the high-density lens is a plano-convex lens.

11. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the extended range lens and the high-density lens are molded into the lens holder.

12. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is provided with a sliding pin; and wherein the lens holder is provided with a receiver for the sliding pin; the lens holder being movably mounted to the housing when the sliding pin is received in the receiver.

13. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third positions being in alignment with the optical axis of the scanner lens of the image scanner are predetermined positions; and wherein the lens holder is provided with mechanical stops for the predetermined positions within the housing.

14. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the image scanner is provided with a laser aimer and an illuminator; the laser aimer, the illuminator and the scanner lens being in a first linear relationship; the add-on device further comprising an aimer lens; the lens holder being provided with an aimer lens holder; the aimer lens being disposed in the aimer lens holder; the aimer lens holder being in a second linear relationship with the third position; the first position, the second position and the third position being in a third linear relationship; the second linear relationship being perpendicular to the third linear relationship; the second linear relationship corresponding to the first linear relationship, such that when the third position is in alignment with the optical axis of the image scanner, the aimer lens is in alignment with the laser aimer.

15. The add-on device of claim 14 , wherein the add-on device further comprises an illuminator lens; the lens holder being provided with an illuminator lens holder; the illuminator lens being disposed in the illuminator lens holder; the illuminator lens holder being in the second linear relationship with the third position and the aimer lens holder; the second linear relationship corresponding to the first linear relationship such that when the third position is in alignment with the optical axis of the image scanner, the aimer lens is in alignment with the laser aimer and the illuminator lens is in alignment with the illuminator.

16. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the first position is provided to hold more than one lens; and wherein the high-density lens is comprised of more than one lens.

17. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the third position is provided to hold more than one lens; and wherein the extended range lens comprised of more than one lens.

18. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the first position, the second position, and the third position are adapted to additionally hold at least one filter.

19. The add-on device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one filter is selected from ultraviolet light filters, near infrared filters, polarization filters, filters with combinations of optimized spectrum and polarization.

20. The add-on device of claim 1 , wherein the extended range lens is selected from and a liquid lens, a liquid crystal lens, and a telescopic doublet lens.

Assignees

• Hand Held Prod Inc

Inventors

• Feng Chen
• Xian Tao
• Patel Mehul
• Kearney Sean Philip
• Poloniewicz Paul

Classifications

• G06K7/10831 Primary

  Arrangement of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors, prisms (optical elements per se G02B) · CPC title

• G02B7/005

  Motorised alignment · CPC title

• G06K7/10732

  Light sources · CPC title

• G02B7/04

  with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification · CPC title

• G02B7/021 Primary

  for more than one lens · CPC title