Patent ID: 7306151

Claim:
An apparatus for optically reading information from an object, the apparatus comprising: image-forming means fixed at a first position in the apparatus and imaging a reflection light from the obiect; an optical sensor fixed at a second position relative to the first position in the apparatus and receiving an image formed by the image-forming means; light path bending means bending the reflection light between the image-forming means and the optical sensor a plurality of times; and shifting means shifting the light path bending means in response to information of a distance between the object and the apparatus so that a light path length between the image-forming means and the optical sensor is changed, wherein the light path bending means includes an optical member having at least two reflection surfaces which bend a light path of the reflection light so that an input light path direction to the reflection surface and an output light path direction from the reflection surface are in parallel and opposite to each other.