Patent ID: 7017817

Claim:
An information code reading apparatus comprising: a case having an end portion at which a reading opening is formed; an area light source disposed within the case and configured to radiate illumination light through the reading opening toward an information code recorded on an object to be read; and a light receiver disposed within the case and configured to receive light reflected from the object through the reading opening, the reflected light returning along a reading light axis residing in a field of view of the light receiver, the reading light axis being oblique to a perpendicular axis to the reading opening, wherein the area light source is disposed outside the field of view in a substantially parallel attitude to and along the field of view and comprises an entire illuminating member emitting the illumination light mainly toward the entire reading opening, and a partial illuminating member, which is located at a side portion of the area light source, and which emits the illumination light mainly toward a peripheral partial area of the reading opening near to the side portion of the area light source.