Removable window carrier for mounting in a scanner checkout counter

Abstract: The invention relates to a removable window carrier (10) adapted to be removably mounted in the top surface of a scanner checkout counter. The window carrier includes a frame member (12) having an aperture (14) therein and a window member (16) which is removably secured in the aperture (14) of the frame member (12) so that the window member (16) provides a transparent support through which scanning light beams are projected and over which items of merchandise bearing coded labels are passed. A spring element (18) operatively engages the frame member (12) and the window member (16) so as to retain the window member (16) in the frame member (12). The window carrier (10) makes it easy to handle the window member (16) so as to facilitate removal of the window member (16) for cleaning or replacement.

Description: This invention relates to an optical scanning system and more particularly to window means adapted to be mounted in the top surface of a scanner checkout counter in an optical scanning system. In present-day merchandising point-of-sale terminals ("POS terminals"), data pertaining to a merchandise item to be purchased is obtained by scanning a bar code on the merchandise item. The grocery industry, for example, has adopted uniform product codes which are printed as bar codes directly on the merchandise items or which are printed on labels which are placed on the merchandise items. A typical scanning system includes a stationary optical scanner located inside a housing of the scanning system with a glass window permanently mounted in the top surface of the housing. The glass window provides a transparent support through which scanning light beams from the optical scanner are projected and over which a purchased merchandise item and its associated label are passed for scanning. Throughout the course of a normal business day, the glass window can become scratched or smeared because of the merchandise items being dragged across it. The cloudy or smeared glass window can interfere with the scanning beams which may cause the POS terminal to malfunction. In order to clean both sides of the glass window, the glass window must be removed from the checkout counter. The glass window would have to be replaced if it were cracked or broken or if it could not be cleaned adequately. Removing the glass window from the scanning system checkout counter requires a service call which can be expensive and which causes downtime in the POS terminal. In some prior art systems, such as WO-A-88 09975, which is used to delimit claim 1, a piece of glass is placed directly into the checkout counter without being permanently mounted therein. When it is necessary to clean the glass, the glass is lifted directly out of the checkout counter. It is difficult to handle the glass without leaving fingerprints or smudge marks thereon because the glass itself has to be handled when it is cleaned. Also, handling the glass itself presents a safety hazard because the glass may have sharp, unprotected edges. In US-A-4020942, another solution to the problem of cleaning is taught. In this scanner, the window is moved away from the plane of the check-out surface and a removeable receptacle is provided to collect debris. It is an object of the present invention to provide window means adapted to be mounted in the top surface of a scanner checkout counter, and which alleviates the problems and difficulties discussed above in relation to the prior art arrangements. According to the invention there is provided window means adapted to be mounted in the top surface of a scanner checkout counter, said window means being characterized by a planar frame member having an aperture therein, a window member, and securing means located on said frame member and associated with said aperture for removably securing said window member in said aperture, whereby when said frame member is mounted in said top surface of said scanner checkout counter said window member provides a transparent support through which scanning light beams are projected and over which items of merchandise bearing coded labels are passed. One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a removable window carrier according to the invention, showing a frame member, a window member and a securing means; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the window carrier is mounted in a scanner checkout counter; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the window carrier, showing supporting flanges which support the window member; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the window carrier, taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, on the sheet containing Fig. 3, is a perspective view of a scanner checkout system partly broken away to show a typical environment in which the window carrier might be used; Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the window carrier taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the window carrier, taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 1, showing a double U-shaped spring mounted in the frame; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the window carrier, taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 1, without the double U-shaped spring mounted in the frame; Fig. 9 is an enlarged top view of the double U-shaped spring shown in Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a side view of the double U-shaped spring. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a removable window carrier, designated generally as removable carrier 10. As best shown in Fig. 5 and as described later herein, carrier 10 is removably mounted in an opening 38 in a top surface 36 of a scanner checkout counter 34 to provide a transparent support through which light beams (not shown) are projected and over which items of merchandise (not shown) bearing coded labels are passed. Removable carrier 10 (Fig. 1) comprises a frame member 12 having an opening or aperture 14. In a preferred embodiment, frame member 12 is made of plastic and is generally rectangular. In the preferred embodiment, aperture 14 is also generally rectangular. The removable carrier 10 also includes a window member 16 which can be made from any transparent material, such as glass or thermoplastic. The window member 16 includes edges 16a and 16b which engage spring member 18 and wall 12a, respectively, when the window member 16 is mounted in frame 12, as will be described later herein, and edges 16c and 16d which engage the remaining sides of the aperture 14. The removable carrier 10 also includes the spring member 18 (Figs. 1, 9, and 10) for securing window member 16 to frame member 12 in aperture 14. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the securing means or spring member 18 includes two U-shaped spring portions 17, as best shown in Fig. 9. The spring member 18 also includes a flange 18a which cooperates with a complementary slot 19 (Figs. 7 and 8) in frame 12 in order to secure spring member 18 to frame 12. It is to be noted that the flange 18a includes a resilient portion 18b (Figs. 9 and 10) which forms a resilient spring which retains the spring member 18 in a mounted position in frame 12. As best shown in Fig. 7, the spring member 18 is mounted into frame 12 by moving spring member 18 in the direction of arrow D in Fig. 7 and forcing the flange 18a into the complementary slot 19. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the top of frame member 12 includes a top flange 20a which is continuous around three sides of aperture 14. The frame member 12 also includes a first bottom flange 20b and a second bottom flange 20c. The first and second bottom flanges 20b and 20c cooperate with flange 20a to support and retain window member 16 in a mounted position in frame member 12, as described later herein. It is to be noted that the top flange 20a may be angled or beveled inwardly, as best shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, to facilitate passing items of merchandise over the frame member 12. The frame member 12 also includes guide means 26 (Fig. 2) for guiding removable carrier 10 into opening 38 of top surface 36 of scanner checkout counter 34 and also for restricting the movement of removable carrier 10 after removable carrier 10 is mounted in opening 38. The removable carrier 10 also includes a cutaway portion 28 in frame member 12 for facilitating the dismounting of removable carrier 10 from top surface 36 of scanner checkout counter 34. The cutaway portion or removing means 28 accommodates a tool 31 (Fig. 5) for lifting removable carrier 10 from top surface 36 of scanner checkout counter 34. The assembly and operation of removable carrier 10 will now be described. As best illustrated in Fig. 7, spring member 18 is mounted in frame member 12 in operative relationship with aperture 14 by moving spring member 18 in the direction of arrow D in Fig. 7 and forcing flange 18a into the complementary slot 19. When it is desired to mount window member 16 in frame member 12, window member 16 is first positioned (Fig. 4) at the rear of frame member 12. The edge 16a of window member 16 is forced against the double U-shaped spring member 18 in the direction of arrow A in Fig. 4, thereby compressing spring member 18 and enabling the window edge 16b to "clear" the first bottom flange 20b when the window member 16 is moved in the direction of arrow B. After window member 16 clears first bottom flange 20b and edges 16a, 16c, and 16d are positioned against top flange 20a, the U-shaped spring member 18 then biases window member 16 in the direction of arrow C in Fig. 3, thereby forcing window edge 16b between the top flange 20a and first bottom flange 20b and against frame wall 12a (Fig. 4). It is to be noted that when window member 16 is mounted against top flange 20a and spring member 18 biases window edge 16b against frame wall 12a, top flange 20a cooperates with both the first and second bottom flanges 20b and 20c to retain the window member 16 in a mounted position in frame member 12. When it is desired to dismount or remove window member 16 from frame member 12, window member 16 is forced in the direction opposite that of arrow C (Fig. 3), thereby compressing the springs 17 of spring member 18. While spring member 18 is compressed, window member 16 can clear the first bottom flange 20b when the window member 16 is moved in a direction opposite that of arrow B (Fig. 4), thereby enabling window member 16 to be dismounted or removed from frame member 12. Fig. 5 shows a typical scanning system environment in which this invention might be used. The scanning system environment includes a scanning apparatus 30 having a housing 32 having the scanner checkout counter 34. The scanning system environment also includes a POS terminal 29 which is conventionally coupled to an optical scanner 33 located within the housing 32. The scanner checkout counter 34 has a top surface 36 for supporting items of merchandise, and the top surface 36 has an opening 38 in which the removable carrier 10 is mounted. Data pertaining to merchandise items to be purchased is obtained when a cashier or check-out employee passes a merchandise item (not shown) over window member 16 in the removable carrier 10 in order to scan a bar code on the merchandise item. It is to be noted that the removable carrier 10 has a shape that complements the shape of opening 38 so that removable carrier 10 can be mounted "flush" in top surface 36. In a preferred embodiment, the housing 32 and scanner checkout counter 34 are moulded from plastic. Removable carrier 10 has a flat upper surface which is coplanar with the top surface 36 when the removable carrier 10 is mounted in the opening 38 in the top surface 36 of scanner checkout counter 34. The top surface 36 includes support flange 40 (Fig. 2) associated with and extending around the periphery of opening 38 for supporting removable carrier 10 when it is mounted in top surface 36. The support flange 40 has a slot 42 which has a shape which is complementary to the shape of guide means 26. The guide means 26 and slot 42 facilitate guiding and properly positioning removable carrier 10 in top surface 36. As best illustrated in Fig. 5, when removable carrier 10 is mounted in top surface 36, window member 16 provides a transparent support through which scanning light beams from optical scanner 33 are projected and over which items of merchandise (not shown) bearing coded labels are passed. When it is desired to replace a scratched window member 16 or to clean both sides of window member 16, the tool 31 is inserted in removing means 28 and removable carrier 10 is lifted and dismounted from top surface 36. Window member 16 can then be handled by gripping frame member 12 of removable carrier 10. This makes it easy to replace or clean window member 16. When it is desired to mount removable carrier 10 in opening 38 of top surface 36, removable carrier 10 is guided or positioned over opening 38 until removable carrier 10 is supported by support flange 40 (Fig. 2). The removable window carrier 10 described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has the advantage that it enables the window member 16 to be easily and quickly removed for cleaning or replacement. The window carrier 10 also makes it safer to handle the window member 16. A further advantage of the window carrier 10 is that it is inexpensive to manufacture.

Claims: Window means (10) adapted to be mounted in the top surface (36) of a scanner checkout counter (34), said window means being characterized by a planar frame member (12) having an aperture (14) therein, a window member (16), and securing means (18) located on said frame member (12) and associated with said aperture (14) for removably securing said window member (16) in said aperture, whereby when said frame member (12) is mounted in said top surface (36) of said scanner checkout counter (34) said window member (16) provides a transparent support through which scanning light beams are projected and over which items of merchandise bearing coded labels are passed. Window means according to claim 1, characterized in that said securing means comprises a resilient member (18) which operatively engages said frame member (12) and said window member (16), thereby retaining said window member in said frame member. Window means according to claim 2, characterized in that said resilient member (18) includes a flange portion (18a) adapted to engage in a slot (19) formed in said frame member (12), and a resiliently deformable portion (17) which engages an edge portion of said window member (16). Window means according to claim 3, characterized in that said flange portion (18a) includes a resiliently deformable portion (18b) adapted to engage in said slot (19) so as to secure said resilient member (18) to said frame member (12). Window means according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame member (12) includes guide means (26) for guiding said frame member into said top surface (36) of said scanner checkout counter (34) and also for restricting the movement of said frame member after said frame member is mounted in said top surface. Window means according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame member (12) includes a recessed portion (28) for accommodating a tool (31) for lifting said frame member from said top surface (36) of said scanner checkout counter (34). Window means according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said frame member (12) includes lower supporting flange means (20b, 20c) for supporting said window member (16), and upper retaining flange means (20a) for retaining said window member in said frame member. Window means according to claim 7, characterized in that said frame member (12) includes first and second walls which are generally opposed to third and fourth walls, respectively, to define said aperture (14) in said frame member, said retaining flange means (20a) being located on said first, second, and fourth walls, and said supporting flange means comprising first and second flanges (20b, 20c) which are located on said first and third walls, respectively. A scanning apparatus for reading bar code labels on items of merchandise passing over the scanning apparatus, said scanning apparatus including a housing (32) including a checkout counter (34) having a top surface (36) for supporting the items of merchandise, said top surface having an aperture (38) therein, and optical scanning means (33) positioned in said housing for projecting scanning light beams, said scanning light beams being used for scanning bar code labels on the items of merchandise, characterized by window means (10) and planar frame (12) therefor according to any one of the preceding claims removably disposed in said aperture (38) in said top surface (36), said top surface (36) having a supporting means (40) associated with said aperture in said top surface for supporting said window means in said top surface. A scanning apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the upper surface of said frame member (12) is substantially flat and coplanar with said top surface (36) when said window means (10) is mounted in said aperture (38) in said top surface.

Inventors: NAHAR RATHINDRA, NAHAR, RATHINDRA
Applicants: NCR INT INC, NCR INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G06K7
IPC codes: E06B3, G06K7, A47F9