Abstract:
A device for illuminating a portion of a hand-held scanner to indicate a status of the scanner provides an even distribution of light emission. The device might include various elements that facilitate an even distribution of the light. For instance, in one aspect the device includes a set of reflective surfaces that are positioned throughout the scanner together with light-emitting devices (e.g., LED) in a manner to evenly transmit light emissions. In another aspect, the device includes a light-diffusing translucent member, which smoothly and evenly presents the light emissions that are reflected off of the reflective surfaces.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.  62 / 065 , 995 , filed Oct. 20, 2014, entitled “Illumination Device For Hand-Held-Scanner Body,” the entirety of which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Hand-held scanners are used in a variety of contexts for reading information off of an article, such as a barcode or other identifier. Typically, a scanner is equipped to present one or more indications that notify a user of the status of the scanner (e.g., scanning, stand-by, searching, etc.). For example, a scanner might provide LED indicators, audible alarms, or tactile feedback. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    An aspect of the present invention is directed to a device for illuminating a portion of a hand-held scanner to indicate a status of the scanner. In a further aspect, the device provides an even distribution of light emission across the portion of the hand-held scanner that is illuminated. The device might include various elements that facilitate an even distribution of the light. For instance, in one aspect the device includes a set of reflective surfaces that are positioned throughout the scanner together with light-emitting devices (e.g., LED) in a manner to evenly transmit light emissions. In another aspect, the device includes a light-diffusing translucent member, which smoothly and evenly presents the light emissions that are reflected off of the reflective surfaces. 
         [0004]    Embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. A high-level overview of various aspects of the invention are provided here for that reason, to provide an overview of the disclosure, and to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed-description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts a hand-held scanner in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts an exploded view of part of the scanner of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts an illuminating device in a head portion of a hand-held scanner in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  depicts the illuminating device of  FIG. 3  from a different perspective, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  depicts a part of a hand-held scanner with a top shell removed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  depicts a top shell of a hand-held scanner in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  depicts the illuminating device of  FIGS. 3 and 4  from a different perspective, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  depicts a printed circuit board (PCB) securing device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  depicts a trigger of a hand-held scanner, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The subject matter of embodiments of the present invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. But the description itself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims. Rather, the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different elements or combinations of elements similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described. 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an aspect of the present invention will now be described.  FIG. 1  includes a hand-held scanner  10 , which includes a top portion  12  of a scanner housing or shell and a bottom portion  14  of a scanner housing. The housing is designed to encase and protect scanner components that function to provide scanning operations. The scanner  10  includes a trigger  16  for activating certain scanner components enclosed within the scanner housing. In addition, the scanner  10  includes a luminous stripe  18  that is illuminated by light-emitting devices (e.g., LEDs) encased within the housing  12  and  14 , in order to indicate a status of the scanner. The scanner  10  also includes an upper indicator  20  that is also illuminated together with the luminous stripe  18 . 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a portion of the scanner  10  in an exploded view. That is, in  FIG. 2 , the luminous stripe  18  is depicted disassembled from the top portion  12  of the scanner housing. As such,  FIG. 2  depicts an aspect in which the luminous stripe  18  includes a side of an underskin  19 , which fits together with the upper portion  12 . The underskin might be constructed of various types of materials that can evenly and uniformly diffuse light. For example, the underskin  19  might include a rigid plastic member, such that the top portion  12  and the underskin  19  are two separate pieces. Or, the underskin  19  might include a soft rubber member, in which case the underskin  19  might be co-molded with the top portion  12 . In addition, the top portion  12  includes a window  22  that aligns with the upper indicator portion  23  of the underskin  19 . 
         [0018]    Further describing  FIG. 2 , the underskin  19  includes a central portion  21   a - c  having a head portion  21   a  and a handle portion  21   c.  The head portion  21   a  is positionable in a scanner head and includes the upper indicator portion  23 , and the handle portion  21   c  is positionable in a scanner handle. In addition, a first side luminous stripe  18  extends along and terminates a first side of the handle portion  21   c,  and a second side luminous stripe  17  extends along and terminates a second side of the handle portion. The underskin  19  also includes a top surface  25   a  and a bottom surface  25   b  ( FIG. 6 ). The central portion of the underskin  19  includes a curved portion  21   b  at an interface between the head portion  21   a  and the handle portion  21   c,  such that the underskin  19  generally curves away from the bottom surface  25   b  and curves towards the top surface  25   a.  In one aspect, this curved profile of the underskin  19  at least partially complements and fits into a space at between the housings  12  and  14 . 
         [0019]    An aspect of the present invention is directed to uniformly illuminating the stripe  18  and the upper indicator  20 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , an illustration of some components of the scanner are depicted that might be housed in the head portion of the scanner  10 . For example, an imaging engine IE might be housed in the head portion of the scanner. The imaging engine IE can be an imager module forming an image of the barcode, such engine including a linear imager sensor or an area sensor. A laser scanning engine that is capable of reading barcodes by sweeping a laser beam on them might also be housed in the head portion. These are merely examples of handheld-scanning devices, and various kinds of handheld scanners, including a RFID or EAS reader, could be used in combination with the subject matter described herein. 
         [0020]    In addition,  FIG. 3  depicts some other elements that contribute to substantially uniform illumination of the scanner-indicator portions  18  and  20 . For reference, a portion  18 B of the luminous stripe  18  is depicted, the portion  18 B representing part of a peripheral boundary. 
         [0021]    In an aspect of the invention, the head portion of the scanner houses a light-reflecting structure  24 , which is also depicted in  FIG. 4 . The light-reflecting structure  24  includes a base portion  27  and a first wing  26  and a second wing  28  that extend from the base portion  27 . The base portion  27  functions as a platform for various features of the light-reflecting structure  24 , such as the wings  26  and  28 ; various light-emitting devices (e.g., LEDs)  36 ,  38 ,  40 , and  42 ; and a holding post  29  for receiving a hardware fastener to secure the light-reflecting structure  24  inside the head of the scanner. Although not viewable in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , additional light-emitting devices are positioned on the base portion  27  in a manner similar to lights  40  and  42 , but on the other side of the wing  26  that is not viewable from the perspective depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . For example, see lights  41  and  43  in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0022]    The light-reflecting structure  24  is coated with a reflective coating or with a diffuse white paint in order to collect and diffuse light emitted from the light-emitting devices  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  41 ,  42 , and  43  (see also  FIG. 7 ). For example, surfaces  30  and  32  of wings  26  and  28  face towards lights  36  and  38  and collect and diffuse light toward the upper indicator  23  of the underskin  19 . The upper indicator portion  23  may substantially uniformly illuminate the upper indicator  20 . In a similar manner, surface  34  faces toward lights  40  and  42  to collect and diffuse light toward at least a portion the luminous stripe  18  positioned in or near the head of the scanner. In another aspect, the portion facing the light-emitting devices (e.g.,  36  and  38 ) might be made of a white-colored plastic that collects and diffuses light. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a handle portion of the scanner is depicted together with at least part of the head portion described above.  FIG. 5  includes a printed circuit board (PCB)  53 , which is held in place by a PCB holder  44 . In addition, light-emitting devices  47 ,  48 , and  50  are positioned throughout the handle portion in order to uniformly light the length of the luminous stripe  18 . The handle portion of the scanner is substantially hollow and devoid of structural elements that would hinder or shadow the light emitted from the devices  47 ,  48 , and  50 . 
         [0024]    In a further aspect, the surface  46  (of PCB holder  44 ) and internal lateral walls  51  are coated with a white diffusing paint or reflective coating, similar to the wings  26  and  28 . In addition, fastener post  52  might also be coated. In an alternative aspect, the lower portion  14 , which includes internal surface  51  and post  52 , is molded in white plastic. As such, the walls  51  and other portions of the handle collect and diffuse light emitted from lights  47 ,  48 , and  50  substantially uniformly along the luminous stripe  18 . 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , an underneath side of the underskin  19  is depicted that is oriented toward the lights  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  47 ,  48 , and  50  depicted in  FIG. 5  (and lights  41  and  43  depicted in  FIG. 7 ) and that includes a post  54  for aligning with the post  52 . The posts  52  and  54  can receive a fastener for attaching the underskin  19  to the shell portion(s) of the scanner. In one aspect, the underskin  19  is constructed of a diffuse material to uniformly distribute light emitted from the lights. In addition, the structures constructed into the underskin  19 , such as the post  54  and the strengthening ribs  55  are also made from a diffusive material in order to reduce obstructions of the lights and possible shadows. 
         [0026]      FIG. 7  depicts an underneath side view of the light-reflecting structure  24  and the lights  40 - 43  are viewable.  FIG. 8  depicts the PCB holder  44  and surface  46 , which functions to collect and diffuse light (e.g., from light  47 ). 
         [0027]    In a further aspect, a scanner includes a trigger  16 . Trigger  16  includes an axle  61  for pivoting when the trigger is engaged. In addition, the trigger  16  includes two legs  60  and  62  that engage a lower part of the scanner head housing. The legs  60  and  62  are particularly resistant to fatigue and provide good user feedback. 
         [0028]    Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below. Embodiments of our technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it. Alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below. Certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.