JPH02197811A - Device for forming scanning pattern - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow changing of the direction and position for reading bar codes by forming the specular surfaces of a rotary polyhedral mirror into upper and lower two-stage constitutions to form the two routes of reflected laser beams with respect to an incident laser beam, and forming scanning patterns at respectively different points by the one side which transmits a hologram and the other side which transmits a light transmission region. CONSTITUTION:The laser beam projected from a light source reflects on the upper specular mirror 11 or lower specular mirror 12 of the rotary polyhedral mirror 10 and further reflects on a trihedral reflecting mirror 30 and a base reflecting mirror 20; thereafter, the incident laser beam to the hologram 42 draws the scanning pattern diffracted by a prescribed angle and the laser beam advancing rectilinearly by transmitting glass 43 draws the scanning pattern in the different position. The laser source 60 is provided with a mechanism 61 for changing the irradiation direction in a vertical direction in such a manner that the laser beam can be projected in the two directions shown by a solid line arrow and a dotted line arrow. The direction for reading the bar codes is changed in the right and left directions by turning the laser source 60 in the direction A or B.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Summary) Regarding a scanning pattern forming device that can be used in barcode scanners used in various departments such as sales and distribution, it is possible to easily change the barcode reading direction or reading position. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a scanning pattern forming device, which includes a rotating polygon mirror having different mirror surfaces in two stages (upper and lower) so as to have different reflection angles for an incident laser beam, and A reading unit is provided in which a hologram that diffracts the reflected beam and a light transmitting region that transmits the reflected beam are arranged in a window portion, and the laser beam is selectively incident on either one of the upper and lower mirror surfaces of the rotating polygon mirror. to diffract the laser beam through the hologram, or
Alternatively, the scanning pattern may be formed at a variable location by moving straight through a light-transmitting area.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a scanning pattern forming apparatus that can be used in barcode scanners that are widely used in various sales and distribution departments.

[Conventional technology]

Normally, barcode scanners used in various departments such as sales and distribution have a fixed barcode reading direction depending on the device, and barcode scanners used in stores etc. are relatively close to the device. The barcode is read at a location, but when used in a factory, etc., the barcode is read at a location relatively far away from the device, such as a barcode on a belt conveyor.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in conventional barcode scanners, the reading direction is fixed, so the reading direction changes depending on whether the operator is right-handed or left-handed. Conventionally, this was dealt with by the installation direction, but the operator frequently There was a problem that it was impossible to deal with the situation if it changed.

Furthermore, it is not easy to change the barcode reading position, and the reality is that it often cannot meet the needs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a scanning pattern in which two scanning patterns can be formed at different locations in order to easily change the barcode reading direction or reading position. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a forming device for the following.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, a scanning pattern forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a rotating polygon mirror provided with different mirror surfaces in two stages (upper and lower) so as to make different reflection angles for an incident laser beam, and this rotating polygon mirror. The laser beam is selectively incident on either one of the upper and lower mirror surfaces of the rotating polygon mirror, and is equipped with a reading section in which a hologram that diffracts the reflected beam from the mirror and a light transmitting area that transmits the beam straight through the window are arranged. As a result, the laser beam is diffracted through a hologram or is made to travel straight through a light transmission region, thereby making the location where the scanning pattern is formed variable.

[Effect]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, since the mirror surfaces of the rotating polygon mirror are set to be different in two levels, the upper and lower mirror surfaces are different from each other. , the laser beam reflected by the mirror surface on the other side passes through the light transmission region and becomes a laser beam that travels straight.

Therefore, it is possible to form scanning patterns at two different locations: the laser beam diffracted by the hologram and the laser beam traveling straight through the light transmission region.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a scanning pattern forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The barcode scanner to which the present invention is applied, shown in FIG. The rotating polygon mirror 10 has a two-stage configuration, with an upper mirror surface 1 and a reading section 40 installed on the upper side.
1 and a lower mirror surface 12, each mirror surface 11.12
Laser beams incident on the laser beam will be reflected at different reflection angles.

Further, the reading section 40 has a window 41 formed in the shape shown in the figure, and a hologram 42 and a glass 4 which is a light transmitting area.
3 are formed at symmetrical positions along the longitudinal direction of the window 41.

Therefore, a laser beam irradiated from a light source (not shown) is reflected on the upper mirror surface 11 or the lower mirror surface 12 of the rotating polygon mirror IO, and is further reflected on the three-sided reflective mirror 30 and the bottom reflective mirror 20, and then enters the hologram 42. - The beam draws a scanning pattern that is diffracted at a predetermined angle, and passes through the glass 43 and travels straight. - The beam draws the scanning pattern at different positions.

The barcode scanner is configured to read the barcode 50 according to a scanning pattern formed, and the barcode 50 is identified by a detector 51 on the bottom mirror reflector.

Next, a case will be described in which the barcode reading direction is changed using the barcode scanner having the above configuration.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 60 is a laser source that irradiates a laser beam, and a mechanism 61 that changes the irradiation direction in the vertical direction so that the laser beam can be irradiated in two directions indicated by the solid line arrow and the broken line arrow in FIG. is provided.

That is, the laser source 60 has a rotation shaft 60a so as to be able to rotate in the direction A or the direction B shown by the arrow, and the mechanism 61 is provided with a solenoid mechanism (not shown), and when the solenoid is driven, When the laser source 60 rotates in the A direction and the solenoid becomes non-driven, the laser source 60 rotates in the A direction. When the upper mirror surface 11 of the rotating polygonal mirror 10 is irradiated with a laser beam, the laser beam reflected on the three-sided reflecting mirror 30 and the bottom reflecting mirror 20 is diffracted by the hologram 42, as shown by the broken line arrow in FIG. A laser beam scanning pattern is formed at the middle right position, and this scanning pattern is applied during right operation.

Conversely, in the case of left-hand operation, the laser source 60 is swung downward to make the laser beam enter the lower mirror surface 12 of the rotating polygon mirror 10 as shown by the solid line arrow in FIG.
The laser beam reflected by the three-sided reflector 30 and the bottom reflector 20 travels straight through the glass 43 to form a laser beam scanning pattern on the left side in FIG. 2, so that it can be applied to left-hand operation.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, the barcode reading direction is applied to the right and left directions, but it is also possible to change the location of the scanning pattern in the vertical direction.

Next, in the case shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the laser R60 is fixed and the rotating polygon mirror 10 itself is moved up and down.
An embodiment is shown in which the upper mirror surface 11 and the lower mirror surface 12 of 0 are selectively used. Reference numeral 13 is a motor; 1
4 is this motor! 3 shows a conversion mechanism that converts the rotation of No. 3 into vertical movement of the rotating polygon mirror IO.

This embodiment is similar to the above embodiment, and as shown in FIG. 3, the laser beam reflected through the lower mirror surface 12 of the rotating polygon mirror 10 is diffracted by the hologram 42 to form a scanning pattern on the right side of the figure. However, as shown in FIG. 4, the laser beam reflected through the upper mirror surface 11
Go straight through it and form a scanning pattern on the left side.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the mirror surface of the rotating polygon mirror is configured in two stages, upper and lower, to form two paths for the laser beam that reflects the incident laser beam, and - the left side has a hologram. Since it is possible to form scanning patterns at different locations by passing through the light transmission area on the other side, it is possible to change the barcode reading direction and reading position, significantly improving operability for the operator. Both have the advantage of being widely applicable because the reading position can be changed with just one device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a barcode scanner device to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a sectional view explaining the operation of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. In the figure, IO is a rotating polygon mirror, 11- is an upper mirror surface, 12 is a lower mirror surface, 20 is a bottom reflector, 30 is a three-sided reflector, 40 is a reading section, 42 is a hologram, 43 is glass, 50 is a barcode, 60 is a laser source.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A rotating polygonal mirror (10) having different mirror surfaces (11) and (12) in two upper and lower stages so as to have different reflection angles for an incident laser beam; ) and a hologram (42) that diffracts the reflected beam from the
) and a reading unit (40) disposed in the window part, and by selectively making the laser beam incident on either one of the upper and lower mirror surfaces of the rotating polygon mirror, the laser beam can be used to read the hologram (42). A scanning pattern forming device characterized in that the formation location of the scanning pattern can be made variable by diffracting the pattern through the light transmitting region or by causing the scanning pattern to travel straight through the light transmitting region (43).