Patent ID: 7510119

Claim:
A bar code scanner comprising: a laser for producing a laser beam; a mirrored spinner for directing the laser beam to produce scanning light beams for scanning a barcode of an item, wherein the mirrored spinner includes a plurality of facets having different orientations for directing the laser beam in different directions, and wherein the mirrored spinner produces a hemispherical scan volume; and an apparatus for rotating the mirrored spinner including a motor including a shaft which rotates about a first axis of rotation; a spinner mount coupled to the shaft and including an axle coupled to the mirrored spinner for rotating the mirrored spinner about a second axis of rotation; and balance plates on the axle; a collector for collecting light reflected from the item containing information about the barcode; a detector for converting the light into electrical signals; and barcode decoding circuitry for obtaining the barcode information from the electrical signals.