JPH0713989A - Bar code scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prolong a device life by forming an insulating heat-conducting path from a semiconductor laser to the outside surface of a main body housing and lowering the temperature of the semiconductor laser by the heat radiation by the heat conducting path. CONSTITUTION:A semiconductor laser 38 emitting laser beam of a usible light is mounted on a heat sink 39 made of aluminum with a screw 41 via a plate spring 40. In this bar code scanner 37, a screw hole 62 is formed by embedding metal nuts in the four corners of the bottom surface of a lower part housing 57 and a rubber cap 64 made of a silicone which is an elastic member excellent in heat conducting and insulation properties is force-fitted into the through hole 63 formed at the center part. By pressfitting a projected part 45 of the heat sink 39 of a laser unit 44 into a recessed part 65 of the upper surface of this rubber cap 64, an insulating heat conducting path 66 from the semiconductor laser 38 to the outside surface of a main body housing 52 is formed by the heat sink 39 and the rubber cap 64 in this bar code scanner 37.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fixed bar code scanner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A fixed type bar code scanner which optically reads and scans a bar code is generally directly connected to a drive motor and rotated on an emission optical path of a semiconductor laser mounted on a heat sink made of metal such as aluminum. An optical deflector such as a flexible polygon mirror is arranged. Further, in such a bar code scanner, a transparent window of a main body housing having a hermetic structure is positioned on the scanning optical path of an optical deflector, and a CCD is provided on an incident optical path returning from the transparent window to the inside of the main body housing.
A light receiving element such as (Charge Coupled Device) is arranged.

Therefore, in such a bar code scanner, since the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser is deflected and scanned by the optical deflector and emitted from the light transmitting window of the main body housing, the bar code is arranged toward this scanning light. Then, the laser light reflected by the barcode returns to the light transmitting window of the main body housing and enters the light receiving element. Therefore, in such a bar code scanner, the record information of the bar code is read by electrically analyzing the detection output photoelectrically converted by the light receiving element by an integrated or separate decoder or the like.

Therefore, a conventional example of the fixed bar code scanner as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9. First, in this bar code scanner 1, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, a semiconductor laser 2 for emitting visible laser light is mounted on an aluminum heat sink 3 with a screw 5 via a leaf spring 4. , Optical lens 6
The laser unit 8 is formed by slidably mounting the lens barrel 7 with the heat sink 3 mounted thereon.

In this bar code scanner 1,
As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the reflection mirror 9, the through-hole 11 of the perforated mirror 10 that is a partial light-transmitting mirror and also a concave mirror, and a polygon that is a light deflector that is directly connected to the drive motor 12 and is rotatable. The mirrors 13 and the like are sequentially positioned, and the transparent window 16 of the main body housing 15 is positioned on the scanning light path of the polygon mirror 13 via a mirror array 14 in which a number of reflection mirrors are arranged in series.

Therefore, in this bar code scanner 1,
A reading position where a bar code 18 formed on a product 17 by a label or printing is located is set on the output optical path that has passed through the light transmitting window 16 of the main body housing 15. Further, the bar code 18 at the reading position is reflected and returned to the transparent window 16 of the main body housing 15, and the polygon mirror 13
A photo sensor 19 as a light receiving element is disposed on the incident optical path that is sequentially reflected by the perforated mirror 10.

Here, the main body housing 15 of the bar code scanner 1 is composed of a flat box-shaped lower housing 20 and an upper housing 21 whose upper and lower surfaces are open.
Internal frame 22 and PC with various irregularities formed on the upper and lower surfaces
B (Printed Circuit Board) 23 and 24 are held. The main body housing 15 having the above-described structure is required to prevent contamination of the internal optical system and also to prevent short circuit of the internal electrical system. Therefore, the main body housing 15 is sealed with an insulating material such as resin. The structure is formed.
In the barcode scanner 1, metal nuts (not shown) are provided at the four corners of the bottom surface of the lower housing 20.
Is embedded to form the screw hole 25.

The checkout counter 26, which is part of the bar code scanner 1 having the above structure,
As illustrated in FIG. 9, the keyboard 29, the display 30, and the barcode scanner 1 are integrally incorporated on the rear surface of the standing wall 28 projecting forward in the center of the upper surface of the soccer table 27. The electronic cash register 31 is arranged in the vicinity of the end of the electronic cash register.

Therefore, this electronic cash register 31
The main body housing 32 has a display 33 for displaying and outputting various data, a keyboard 34 for operating and inputting various data, and an R / J (Recei) for printing and outputting various data.
It has a structure in which a pt / Journal printer 35, a drawer 36 for storing money (not shown), and the like are integrally provided. Then, the electronic cash register 3 having such a structure
Here, 1 is connected to the barcode scanner 1, the keyboard 29, and the display 30 by a communication cable (not shown) inserted inside the soccer table 27.

In the checkout counter 26, a bolt (not shown) inserted in a metal inner frame (not shown) of the standing wall 28 is fastened to the screw hole 25 of the main body housing 15. Then, the barcode scanner 1 is mounted on the standing wall 28. Further, in the bar code scanner 1 integrated with the checkout counter 26 in this way, the translucent window 16 becomes a vertical surface and the reading position is located at the lower rear side.

In such a configuration, the check-out counter 26 executes the registration processing of the product information by, for example, the optical scanning of the bar code scanner 1 or the manual operation of the keyboard 29, and the electronic cash which sequentially stores the product information. The register 31 executes the accounting process.

In the bar code scanner 1 for reading and scanning the bar code 18 of the product 17 as described above, the laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser 2 as visible light is shaped by the optical lens 6 according to the driving power, and the reflection mirror is formed. The light is reflected by 9 and transmitted through the through hole 11 of the perforated mirror 10, deflected and scanned by the polygon mirror 13, and dispersed in multiple directions by the mirror array 14 to be emitted from the transparent window 16 of the main body housing 15 to the reading position. It has become.

Therefore, when the bar code 18 of the product 17 is manually placed at this reading position, the bar code 1
The laser light reflected by 8 is transmitted through the transparent window 1 of the main body housing 15.
Since the laser beam is returned to the mirror 6, the mirror array 14, the polygon mirror 13, and the perforated mirror 10 sequentially reflect the returned laser beam, and the photosensor 19 receives the laser beam. Then, the checkout counter 26 records the barcode 18 by electrically analyzing the detection output of the photosensor 19 obtained by photoelectrically converting the laser light, for example, by a decoder (not shown) of the electronic cash register 31. The information can be read.

[0014]

In the barcode scanner 1 as described above, the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 2 is deflected and scanned by the polygon mirror 13 to optically scan the barcode 18, and the barcode 18 is reflected. Light is received by the photo sensor 19 and analyzed by a decoder or the like.

Here, the semiconductor laser 2 which emits the laser light of the bar code scanner 1 as visible light as described above inevitably generates heat when it emits light, but the life thereof is extremely shortened as the temperature rises. It has characteristics. In such a bar code scanner 1, the main body housing 15 is formed of an insulating material such as a resin in a hermetically sealed structure in order to prevent the optical system from being soiled and the electrical system from being short-circuited as described above. Since it is not possible to provide the main body housing 15 with a heat radiation fan, which is a general cooling means, it is difficult to dissipate the stored heat to the outside.

Therefore, in the bar code scanner 1 as described above, it is extremely difficult to lower the temperature of the semiconductor laser 2 that generates heat, the life of the semiconductor laser 2 is shortened, and frequent replacement is required. ing. Such a decrease in the life due to the temperature rise is remarkable in the semiconductor laser 2 which emits the laser light as visible light, and the life can be almost doubled only by lowering the temperature by 10 (° C.).

For example, as a means for solving such a problem, the main body housing 15 of the bar code scanner 1 is formed of a metal such as aluminum having good thermal conductivity and the entire surface is covered with an insulating paint. Although it can be assumed, this is not preferable because it significantly impedes the productivity of the barcode scanner 1 and increases the possibility of a short circuit. Furthermore, it is possible to forcibly cool the semiconductor laser 2 with a Peltier element or a heat pipe (both not shown) that does not require air circulation, but this makes the barcode scanner 1 smaller and lighter and saves power. It is not practical because it will hinder productivity.

The present invention is to obtain a bar code scanner having a simple structure and extending the device life of a semiconductor laser.

[0019]

The invention according to claim 1 is
An optical deflector is arranged on the emission optical path of the semiconductor laser, a transparent window of the main body housing having a hermetic structure is positioned on the scanning optical path of the optical deflector, and an incident light is returned from the transparent window to the inside of the main body housing. In a bar code scanner in which a light receiving element is arranged on the optical path, an insulating heat conduction path is formed from the semiconductor laser to the outer surface of the main body housing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the semiconductor laser is mounted on a metal heat sink, and an elastic member having good thermal conductivity and insulation is connected to the heat sink. A heat conduction path was formed by the elastic member and the heat sink.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, an elastic member having good thermal conductivity and insulating properties is directly connected to the semiconductor laser to form a thermal conduction path.

[0022]

The temperature of the semiconductor laser, which has a characteristic characteristic of extremely shortening its life when the temperature rises, can be lowered by heat radiation through the heat conduction path. Therefore, a bar code scanner which extends the life of the semiconductor laser device with a simple structure is provided. Obtainable.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, in the bar code scanner 37 of this embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a semiconductor laser 38 that emits visible light of laser light is attached to a heat sink 39 made of aluminum with a screw 41 through a leaf spring 40. The laser unit 44 is formed by mounting the lens barrel 43 with the optical lens 42 slidably mounted on the heat sink 39. Then, a convex portion 45 is integrally provided so as to project downward at a side edge portion of the lower surface of the heat sink 39 of the laser unit 44.

In the bar code scanner 37, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the reflecting mirror 46,
Perforated mirror 4 that is both a partially transparent mirror and a concave mirror
A polygon mirror 50, which is an optical deflector that is directly connected to the through hole 48 of FIG. 7 and the drive motor 49 and is rotatable, is sequentially positioned. A large number of reflection mirrors are connected in series on the scanning optical path of the polygon mirror 50. The translucent window 53 of the main body housing 52 is located via the mirror array 51.

Therefore, in the bar code scanner 37, a reading position where a bar code 55 formed by a label or a print on the product 54 is located is set on the exit optical path that has passed through the light transmitting window 53 of the main body housing 52. There is. further,
The bar code 55 at this reading position is reflected and returned to the translucent window 53 of the main body housing 52, and is reflected by the polygon mirror 50 and the perforated mirror 47 in order. The sensor 56 is arranged.

The main body housing 52 of the bar code scanner 37 is composed of a flat box-shaped lower housing 57 and an upper housing 58 having upper and lower surfaces opened, and an inner frame 59 in which various irregularities are formed on the upper and lower surfaces. Or a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) 60, 61 is held. The main body housing 52 having the above-mentioned structure is required to prevent contamination of the internal optical system and also to prevent short circuit of the internal electrical system. Therefore, the main body housing 52 is sealed with an insulating material such as resin. The structure is formed.

Further, in this bar code scanner 37,
Screw holes 62 are formed by embedding metal nuts (not shown) in the four corners of the bottom surface of the lower housing 57, and the through holes 63 formed in the central portion are elastic with good heat conductivity and insulation. A rubber cap 64 made of silicon, which is a member, is press-fitted. Then, the recess 6 on the upper surface of the rubber cap 64
By pressing the convex portion 45 of the heat sink 39 of the laser unit 44 into the bar 5, the bar code scanner 3
7, an insulative heat transfer path 66 from the semiconductor laser 38 to the outer surface of the main body housing 52 is formed by the heat sink 39 and the rubber cap 64.

The checkout counter (not shown) having the bar code scanner 37 having the above-mentioned structure as a part thereof is the checkout counter 2 described in the conventional example.
Similar to 6, the barcode scanner 37 is integrally incorporated on the rear surface of the standing wall of the soccer table (not shown) having the electronic cash register (not shown) arranged near the end. There is. Here, in such a checkout counter, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the bolt 6 inserted into the metal inner frame 67 of the standing wall of the soccer table.
The bar code scanner 37 is attached to the standing wall of the soccer table by fastening 8 to the screw hole 62 of the main body housing 52.

Therefore, in the check-out counter having such a structure, the rubber cap 64, which slightly protrudes from the outer surface of the bar code scanner 37, is brought into close contact with the inner frame 67 of the soccer table, so that the inside of the metal can be made. The frame 67 functions as a heat dissipation plate.

In the bar code scanner 37 having such a structure, the laser light emitted by the semiconductor laser 38 as visible light in accordance with the driving power is shaped by the optical lens 42 and reflected by the reflection mirror 46 so that the perforated mirror 47 is formed. The polygon mirror 50 deflects and scans the light through the through-hole 48, and the mirror array 51 disperses the light in multiple directions to emit the light from the light-transmitting window 53 of the main body housing 52 to the reading position.

Therefore, when the bar code 55 of the product 54 is manually placed at this reading position, the bar code 5
The laser light reflected by 5 is transmitted through the transparent window 5 of the main body housing 52.
Since the laser light is returned to the mirror 3, the mirror array 51, the polygon mirror 50, and the perforated mirror 47 sequentially reflect the returned laser light, and the photosensor 56 receives the laser light. Then, the detection output of the photosensor 56 obtained by photoelectrically converting the laser light is electrically analyzed by, for example, a decoder (not shown) of an electronic cash register, and the checkout counter displays the record information of the barcode 55. Can be read.

Here, in the bar code scanner 37, the semiconductor laser 38 inevitably generates heat during the above-described operation, but the accumulated heat of the semiconductor laser 38 is passed from the heat sink 39 through the rubber cap 64. The heat is transferred through the heat transfer path 66 to the inner frame 59 and radiated to the outside air. By doing so, in the bar code scanner 37, the life of the device can be extended by lowering the temperature of the semiconductor laser 38, which characteristically shortens the lifespan as the temperature rises.
It can contribute to the improvement of its reliability and durability.

Here, the bar code scanner 3 of this embodiment is used.
7 illustrates that the heat transfer path 66 is formed only by the convex portion 45 of the heat sink 39 and the rubber cap 64 that is an elastic member, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and such a heat transfer path is used. Various structures can be implemented as the structure in which the path is formed by the elastic member.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, an upper portion of a rubber sheet 71 made of silicon, which is an elastic member, is attached to the outer surface of the heat sink 69 with a screw 70, and a lower portion of the rubber sheet 71 is made of resin. And metal body housing 72
The holding plate 74 such as a sticker made of aluminum is inserted into the through hole 73 of the
A bar code scanner 76 or the like in which a heat transfer path 75 is formed by the rubber sheet 71 and the heat sink 69 can also be implemented.

By doing so, in the bar code scanner 76, the convex portion 45 is formed on the metal heat sink 69.
Since it is not necessary to integrally form the odd-shaped portion such as, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the productivity.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, a sheet-shaped silicon rubber member 77, which is an elastic member whose upper portion is widened, is attached to the outer surface of the heat sink 69 with a screw 70, and the rubber member 77 is attached. The lower part of the rubber is inserted into the through hole 73 of the main body housing 72 made of resin or metal and pressed from the outside by a holding plate 74 such as an aluminum sticker, and the upper part of the rubber member 77 is attached to the inner surface of the main body housing 72. A bar code scanner 79 or the like in which a heat transfer path 78 is formed by the main body housing 72, the holding plate 74, the rubber member 77, and the heat sink 69 can also be implemented by closely contacting with the main body housing 72.

By doing so, in this bar code scanner 79, since there can be two heat transfer paths 78 communicating from the heat sink 69 to the outer surface of the main body housing 72, the heat transfer efficiency is good and the durability is high. It can contribute to improvement.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 7C, the lower portion of a leaf spring 80 made of copper or the like, which is an elastic member, inserted into the through hole 73 of the main body housing 72 made of resin is attached to the lower portion of a rubber sheet such as a sticker made of silicon. 81, holding the leaf spring 80
A bar code scanner 84 or the like in which a heat transfer path 83 is formed by the heat sink 82, the leaf spring 80, and the rubber sheet 81 can also be implemented by elastically pressure-bonding the upper end of the heat sink 82 to the bottom surface of the heat sink 82. .

By doing so, in the bar code scanner 84, most of the heat transfer path 83 is made of metal by the heat sink 82 and the plate spring 80, so that the heat transfer efficiency is good and the durability is high. It can contribute to improvement.

Further, the above-mentioned bar code scanner 37,
In 76, 79, 84, the heat transfer paths 66, 75, 7 are all
Although the heat sinks 39, 69, and 82 are used as a part of 8, 83, the heat sink 39 and the like are not an essential requirement for forming the heat transfer path 66 and the like.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5D, the leaf spring 8 for mounting the semiconductor laser 38 on the heat sink 82.
5, one end of which is extended and bent downward, and the lower end of the leaf spring 85, which is an elastic member, is made of aluminum in the through hole 73 of the main body housing 72 made of resin or metal via the rubber sheet 86 made of silicon. By elastically pressure-bonding to a holding plate 74 such as a sticker, the leaf spring 85, the rubber sheet 86, and the holding plate 7 can be obtained without the need for the heat sink 82.
Bar code scanner 88 in which heat transfer path 87 is formed by
Etc. are also possible.

By doing so, in this bar code scanner 88, the metal leaf spring 85 that is in direct contact with the semiconductor laser 38 is a major part of the heat transfer path 87, so that the heat transfer efficiency is improved. Since the leaf spring 85 forming the heat transfer path 87 is a component that mounts the semiconductor laser 38 on the heat sink 82, the number of components is simple. The number of assembling steps can be reduced and the productivity can be improved.

Further, the bar code scanner 3 described above is used.
7, 76, 79, 84, 88, the heat transfer paths 66, 75, 7 are attached to the inner frame 67 of the soccer table on which they are mounted.
Although it has been illustrated that the heat dissipation effect is improved by connecting 8, 83 and 87, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the end portion of such a heat transfer path is exposed to the outside air on the outer surface of the main body housing. Opposing bar code scanners (not shown) and the like are also possible, and it is also possible to use a part of the main body housing, which communicates with the heat transfer path of such bar code scanner, as a metal for the heat dissipation plate. .

[0044]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the insulating heat transfer path is formed from the semiconductor laser to the outer surface of the body housing, the life of the semiconductor laser characteristically extremely decreases when the temperature rises. Can be reduced by radiating heat through the heat transfer path, so that there is an effect that a bar code scanner which extends the device life of the semiconductor laser with a simple structure can be obtained.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the semiconductor laser is mounted on a heat sink made of metal, and an elastic member having good heat transfer and insulating properties is connected to the heat sink. The heat transfer path is formed by the elastic member and the heat sink. By forming the heat transfer path, the heat transfer path can be formed with a simple and practical structure, so that the heat transfer path can contribute to improving the productivity of the barcode scanner.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, an elastic member having good heat transfer and insulating properties is directly connected to the semiconductor laser to form the heat transfer path, so that the heat transfer path is extremely simple and highly efficient. Since it can be formed, it has an effect that it can contribute to improvement in productivity and durability of the barcode scanner.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing an internal structure of a barcode scanner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an assembly structure of a laser unit in which a semiconductor laser or the like is mounted on a heat sink.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the assembly structure of the barcode scanner.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of a barcode scanner.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional side view showing various modifications of the heat transfer path of the barcode scanner.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing an assembly structure of a conventional barcode scanner.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional side view showing the internal structure of the barcode scanner.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing an assembly structure of a laser unit in which a semiconductor laser or the like is mounted on a heat sink.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a checkout counter including a bar code scanner as a part.

[Explanation of symbols]

37,76,79,84,88 Bar code scanner 38 Semiconductor laser 39,69,71,81 Heat sink 50 Optical deflector 52,72 Main body housing 53 Light transmitting window 54 Light receiving element 64,71,77,80,85 Elastic member 66,75,78,83,87 Heat conduction path

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light deflector is arranged on an emission light path of a semiconductor laser, and a light-transmitting window of a main body housing having a hermetic structure is positioned on a scanning light path of the light deflector. A bar code scanner in which a light receiving element is arranged on an incident optical path that returns to the inside, wherein an insulative heat conduction path is formed from the semiconductor laser to the outer surface of the main body housing. 2. A semiconductor laser is mounted on a metal heat sink, an elastic member having good thermal conductivity and insulation is connected to the heat sink, and a heat conduction path is formed by the elastic member and the heat sink. The bar code scanner according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The bar code scanner according to claim 1, wherein an elastic member having good heat conductivity and insulation is directly connected to the semiconductor laser to form a heat conduction path.