JPH06139390A - Touch scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To satisfactorily scan bar codes with dissimilar widths by providing a reading width variable mechanism on a light path from the light source and a line sensor to a bar code. CONSTITUTION:A concave lens 12 whose front and back surfaces curve sideways but not curve up and down is pivotally supported to rotate freely at an upper end section and built in the tip of a housing 2. The concave lens 12 is freely located on the light path stretching from the linear light source 6 and a line sensor 8 to a bar code 10. The reading width variable mechanism positioning and holding the concave lens 12 by rotatably supporting it is formed by a rotary shaft 13 and a manual lever. In scanning the sophisticated bar code 10 with narrow width by the touch scanner 11, the concave lens 12 is retracted from the light path stretching from the line light source 6 and the line sensor 8 to the bar code 10 by the manual operation of the reading width variable mechanism.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a touch scanner used for reading and scanning bar codes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional examples of a touch scanner are shown in FIGS.
It will be described based on. First, in the touch scanner 1, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the main body housing 2 is formed of an elongated handle portion 3 and a distal end portion 4 which is laterally enlarged and curved downward. A transparent window 5 made of acrylic or the like is formed on the lower surface. In the touch scanner 1, the line light source 6 in which light emitting elements such as LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) are arranged in series and the reflection mirror 7 are built in the tip portion 4 of the main body housing 2 and face the translucent window 5. CCD (Charge Coupled Device)
A line sensor 8 in which light receiving elements such as the above are arranged in series is built in the handle portion 3 of the main body housing 2 and
Is facing.

Incidentally, such a touch scanner 1 is generally constructed as a part of an electronic cash register (not shown), and the line light source 6 and the line sensor 8 are connected by a connecting cord 9 to a power supply circuit. (Not shown) and a decoder circuit (not shown). The code information read from the barcode 10 by the touch scanner 1 is transmitted to the electronic cash register via the connection code 9 and used for various information processing.

In such a structure, when the touch scanner 1 reads and scans a bar code 10 such as a product label, a user (not shown) holds the handle portion 3 of the main body housing 2 and transmits light. The window 5 is opposed to the barcode 10. Then, the bar code 10 is illuminated by the light emitted from the line light source 6 that passes through the transparent window 5, and the bar code 1
Since the reflected light of 0 passes through the transparent window 5, is reflected by the reflection mirror 7 and enters the line sensor 8, the touch scanner 1 can optically read and scan the bar code 10 by the line sensor 8. it can.

[0005]

In the touch scanner 1 as described above, the bar code 10 illuminated by the line light source 6 is used.
Can be read and scanned by the line sensor 8.

However, in the touch scanner 1 as described above, the lateral width between the illumination area of the line light source 6 and the reading area of the line sensor 8 is structurally limited as shown in FIG. The barcode 10 having a large width cannot be read once.

Therefore, as a means for solving such a problem, for example, it is conceivable to extend the line light source 6 and the line sensor 8 in the lateral direction to increase the lateral width of the illumination area and the reading area. However, with this, the main body housing 2
Since it is also necessary to laterally expand the tip portion 4 and the like, it is not preferable because it hinders the reduction in size and weight of the touch scanner 1.

As another means for solving the above-mentioned problems, for example, the illumination area is adjusted by adjusting an image forming optical system (not shown) on the optical path between the line light source 6 and the line sensor 8. It is conceivable to increase the lateral width of the reading area. However, this is a compact barcode 1 with a small width.
Since the pixel density of the line sensor 8 relative to 0 decreases relatively, the horizontal width is small and the barcode 10 is fine.
This is not preferable because reading failure is likely to occur when reading and scanning the.

[0009]

A line sensor in which a light receiving element is connected and a light source are arranged inside a main body housing, and emitted light from the light source to an external bar code and the bar sensor to the line sensor. In a touch scanner in which a light-transmitting window that transmits incident light is formed at the tip of the main body housing, concave lenses appear and disappear on the optical path from the light source to the barcode and on the optical path from the barcode to the line sensor. A variable reading width mechanism is provided that can be freely arranged.

[0010]

[Advantages] By retracting the concave lens from the optical path by the variable reading width mechanism, it is possible to read and scan a precise barcode with a small lateral width with high accuracy. By arranging the concave lens on the optical path by the variable reading width mechanism. , It is possible to scan and scan a bar code having a large width and a high density.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, in the touch scanner 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the main body housing 2 is formed of an elongated handle portion 3 and a distal end portion 4 which is laterally enlarged and curved downward. A transparent window 5 made of acrylic or the like is formed on the lower surface. In the touch scanner 11, the line light source 6 in which light emitting elements such as LEDs are arranged in series and the reflection mirror 7 are built in the front end portion 4 of the main body housing 2 and face the translucent window 5, and a CCD or the like. A line sensor 8 having light receiving elements arranged in series is built in the handle portion 3 of the main body housing 2 and faces the reflection mirror 7.

In the touch scanner 11 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2, the concave lens 12 whose front surface and rear surface are curved in the left-right direction and is not curved in the up-down direction.
Is rotatably supported by the upper edge portion and is incorporated in the tip portion 4 of the main body housing 2, so that the concave lens 12 overlaps with the line light source 6 on the back surface of the light-transmitting window 5 so as to be contactable and separable. The line sensor 8 and the bar code 10 are arranged so as to be retractable and retractable on the optical path. Therefore, as described above, the reading width changing mechanism that movably supports and positions and holds the concave lens 12 is formed by the rotating shaft 13, a manual lever (not shown), or the like.

In such a structure, when the touch scanner 11 reads and scans the bar code 10 such as a product label, a user (not shown) has a main body housing 2
The handle portion 3 is gripped to make the transparent window 5 face the barcode 10. Then, the line light source 6 that passes through the transparent window 5
The barcode 10 is illuminated by the emitted light of, and the reflected light of the barcode 10 is transmitted through the translucent window 5 and then reflected by the reflection mirror 7 to enter the line sensor 8. 10 can be optically read and scanned by the line sensor 8.

In the touch scanner 11, when reading and scanning the bar code 10 having a small width and a high precision, the reading width varying mechanism is manually operated to move the light from the line light source 6 and the line sensor 8 to the bar code 10. The concave lens 12 is retracted from there. By doing so, in the touch scanner 11, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, the lateral width between the illumination area of the line light source 6 and the reading area of the line sensor 8 is reduced as in the conventional touch scanner 1. Therefore, the pixel density of the line sensor 8 relative to the barcode 10 is relatively improved, and the barcode 10 can be read and scanned with high accuracy by the line sensor 8 having an optically high pixel density.

In the touch scanner 11, when the bar code 10 having a large horizontal width and being coarse and dense is read and scanned, the read width varying mechanism is manually operated to provide an optical path from the line light source 6 and the line sensor 8 to the bar code 10. The concave lens 12 is arranged at the bottom. By doing so, in the touch scanner 11, the lateral width between the illumination area of the line light source 6 and the reading area of the line sensor 8 is optically enlarged by the concave lens 12, as illustrated in FIG. Therefore, the line sensor 8 can read and scan the bar code 10 in this enlarged reading area.

That is, in the touch scanner 11, the concave lens 12 is provided on the optical path between the line light source 6 and the line sensor 8.
By arranging the barcodes so that they can appear and disappear freely, it is possible to deal with both the narrow and dense barcodes 10 and the large and coarse barcodes 10 with a large horizontal width.

In the touch scanner 11 of this embodiment, the reading width changing mechanism including the rotating shaft 13 and the like exemplifies that the concave lens 12 is rotatably supported on the back surface of the transparent window 5. The present invention is not limited to the above structure,
For example, a reading width opening / closing mechanism having a structure in which a concave lens (not shown) formed in a cap shape is detachably mounted on the outer surface of the translucent window 5 can be implemented.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention, the reading width changing mechanism for arranging the concave lens in a retractable manner is provided on the optical path from the light source and the line sensor to the bar code. By retracting the concave lens from
It is possible to scan and scan a precise barcode with a small horizontal width, and by arranging a concave lens on the optical path with the variable read width mechanism, a barcode with a large horizontal width can be read and scanned. Has the effect of being able to satisfactorily read and scan several types of different barcodes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a concave lens.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing operating states in a normal mode and an expansion mode.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view showing a conventional example.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an operating state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 main body housing 5 translucent window 6 light source 8 line sensor 10 bar code 11 touch scanner 12 concave lens 13 reading width variable mechanism

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A line sensor in which a light receiving element is provided in series and a light source are arranged inside a main body housing, and an emitted light from the light source to an external bar code and an incident light from the bar code to the line sensor are provided. In a touch scanner having a transparent window formed at the front end of the main body housing, concave lenses are arranged to be retractable in the optical path from the light source to the barcode and on the optical path from the barcode to the line sensor. A touch scanner having a variable reading width mechanism.