DE20016762U1 - Shell housing for a reading device for reading optical codes, which enables the user to easily recognize the operating state of this reading device - Google Patents

Description

SHELL HOUSING FOR A READER FOR READING OPTICAL CODES, WHICH ALLOWS THE USER TO EASILY IDENTIFY THE OPERATING STATE OF THIS READER

The subject of the present innovation is a shell housing for a reading device for reading optical codes according to the preamble of the main claim.

As is known, a reader (or scanner) for reading optical codes (for example bar codes) comprises a casing or shell housing in which are arranged conventional and known optical, electrical and electronic elements by means of which said code can be read. This shell housing usually consists of two parts connected to one another by fastening elements such as screws and hooks. These parts form a body provided with a gripping part which is grasped by a user and which contains said optical, electrical and electronic elements and has a closing element or a cover with which at least part of this body in which the optical, electrical and electronic elements are housed can be closed. Usually the cover is made of plastic and rubber which is pressed on or molded into it, and the body itself can also be made of plastic or rubber. All of these materials are self-extinguishing.

When the code reader is used, the user determines its functional status or an operating status thereof, such as the correct decoding of a code, usually by means of a light indicator arranged in a part easily visible to the user. Usually this part is opposite the support part, or is provided on the part opposite the end of the reader from which the light rays for reading the codes emerge, or on the cover: in all these cases, the aforementioned part has a transparent or semi-transparent part for the light emitted by a light source located underneath.

light indicator (LED) is emitted, which acts as a light indicator for the functional status of the reader.

The said translucent or semi-translucent part is very small in size, since it is essentially formed by a "bead" associated with the shell housing of the reader. Therefore, if a user or an operator orientates the reader in a particular way, for example to read the codes of objects located very high up or very low on a shelf, this bead may end up outside his field of vision; the user therefore has no way of determining whether the reader is in operation or not.

If the reader were to be in a non-operating state, the codes of the objects in question would not be read, but the operator would not notice this reading error at first, but only at the end of the process, with the resulting obvious consequences.

The aim of the present innovation is to create a shell housing for readers for reading optical codes, which is designed in such a way that it is possible for an operator to determine in a simple and reliable manner whether the reader is in operation or not, regardless of the particular orientation that the device may assume during use.

Another objective is to create a shell housing for readers for reading optical codes, which is easy to manufacture and has optimal mechanical strength in all its parts.

Another goal is to create a shell housing for readers for reading optical codes that fits easily in the hand.

These and other objects which will be obvious to the person skilled in the art are achieved with a shell housing for readers for reading optical codes according to the appended claims.

To better understand the innovation, the following drawing is presented for purely exemplary explanation and without limitation, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a shell housing for readers for reading optical codes according to the innovation;

Figure 2 is a view of a part of the shell housing according to Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side view of the shell part according to Figure 2. In the drawing figure, a shell housing for readers for reading optical codes is generally designated 1; in the embodiment shown in the drawing figure, it has at least two components 2 and 3 which are connected to one another in any way. A first part or body 2 has a part 4 which functions as a handle and has an end part 5 (the upper part in Figure 1, associated with part 3) which can accommodate conventional optical, electrical and electronic elements (not shown) of the reader for reading optical codes and one or more conventional light displays (LEDs) for displaying the functional or operating state of the reader (also not shown). In particular, the number of LEDs can vary depending on the type of reader. For example, CCD technology readers normally have just one indicator LED, which is always off and only lights up to indicate that the code has been read correctly (an operating status). Laser readers, on the other hand, have two indicator LEDs, one of which lights up each time the laser is activated (operating status) and the other to indicate that the code has been read correctly (indicating an operating status). In this second case, it is useful for the two LEDs to be of different colours, so that the following situations can be checked: a) both LEDs off (no light is seen), b) the first LED is on (a first colour is seen) and c) both LEDs on (a second colour is seen, that is, the combination of the two colours of the two LEDs).

The second part 3 functions as a closure element (or cover) of the end part 5. This second part is essentially dome-shaped and has an opening 7 in the region of a side surface 8. The known light rays pass through this opening, which make it possible to read optical codes in a manner known per se, and the light reflected from the reading code also passes through it.

As mentioned, the two parts 2 and 3 form the structure of the shell housing 1 and without them the latter would not be complete. According to the innovation, at least a part of these components 2 and 3, which is arranged in the area of the light display (LED) or not, is at least partially transparent, so that the LED is visible to an operator when the LED indicates the functional or operating state.

status of the reader. Thanks to the innovation, the LED is thus better visible than in the known solutions, thanks to the partial or total formation of part 2 or 3 of the shell housing 1 in at least a partially translucent form; this part does not necessarily have to be above the LED, since the light emitted by it, even if not directly under the translucent part, is still visible to the operator. This facilitates the manufacture of the shell housing 1, reduces its production times and also makes it unnecessary to form seats in part 2 or 3 for a possible "bead", which in the known solutions must necessarily be provided in the area of the LED.

The above-mentioned part may be the body 2 or, preferably, the closure element 3. According to the drawing figures, the above-mentioned part is the element 3, which in the embodiment shown has an end part 10 arranged above the LED (not shown) associated with the body 2. This part 10 is at least partially (or entirely) transparent, so that the light emitted by the LED is clearly visible when the shell housing 1 is viewed from different angular positions. In particular, this part 10 (which occupies a significant part of the total surface of the shell housings, or at least 5% of this total surface) is made of semi-transparent or fully transparent material; a suitable material is, for example, polycarbonate, such as the material produced by Bayer and known under the trade name Makroion 6555 or the colored or opal material produced by Bayer and produced under the trade name Makroion 6547.

A part 11 made of rubber, in which the opening 7 is provided, is assigned to the part 10 in a manner known per se (e.g. by co-pressing).

According to a first variant of the innovation, the entire closure element 3 consists of translucent or semi-translucent material, so that the visibility (compared to the prior art) of the LED or LEDs located underneath, when they are active, is further increased thanks to an increased distribution of the light emitted by them.

The above explanations make the mode of operation of the innovation clear: If the reader for reading optical codes is in the operating state and/or

When the reader is in a functional state, the LED indicating this state is active and emits light in a manner known per se. The light emitted by the LED is diffused when it reaches part 10 (refer to the drawing) so that it is much more visible than the light diffused by the "bead" above the LED in the optical readers of the prior art. Thanks to this diffused light, the functional and/or operating state of the reader is easily recognized by an operator, regardless of the position or spatial orientation of the reader.

In addition, in the case where the entire closure element 3 is translucent, the entire optical, electrical and electronic apparatus of the reading device located underneath is visible.

Moreover, when the element 3 is constructed as shown in Figures 2 and 3 (i.e. with part 10 and part 11), it has a high mechanical resistance to impacts or to falling. This is thanks to the presence of part 11 made of rubber, for example thermoplastic polyurethane, such as the Bayer product known under the trade name Desmopan 385.

According to a variant, the element 3 can also have only one side edge 13 made of shock-resistant material, such as rubber. This solution is particularly practical when the element 3 is completely translucent or semi-translucent.

The shell housing 1 according to the innovation and according to the embodiment shown in the drawing figures also has a tapered part 15 which protrudes from the part 4 and functions as a handle. This part 15 is assigned to the part 4 at the bottom and tapers at its free end 15A. The element 15 consists of elastically deformable material (rubber or the like) and has the dual function of protecting the reader against impacts and falling and, on the other hand, of enabling the reader to be placed on a surface and grasped in an easy and ergonomic manner.

The element 15 may form part of the body 2 or it may be independent of it; in this case it is fitted onto the part 4 and remains there thanks to its inherent elasticity.

A particular embodiment of the innovation has been described. It is obvious that it can be applied to all types of optical readers

which may provide at least one light indicating element for the operating or functional status of the reading devices themselves, whatever form these reading devices may have.

Furthermore, an embodiment has been described and illustrated in which the at least partially translucent component of the shell housing 1 is the closure element 3. It is obvious that, depending on the position of the element indicating the activation and/or operating state of the reader (LED), this part could also be formed by the body 2. In this case, it would preferably be provided at least partially translucent on a part other than the part 4 acting as a handle, in order to prevent the operator from not seeing the LED lighting up when it is covered by his hand.

SUMMARY

A shell housing for a reading device for reading optical codes consists of two parts, a body (2) and a closure element for the latter, which are connected to one another, the shell housing (1) containing known functional elements of this reading device and at least one light display element functionally associated with the shell housing (1) being provided, which is capable of displaying the functional and/or operating state of the reading device to an operator.

At least one part (10) of the shell housing (1) is at least partially translucent and has an upper extent of more than at least 5% of the total surface of the shell housing (1), said part (10) allowing the user, when the reading device is used, to see the light emitted by the light display element, regardless of the spatial orientation of the same.

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Claims (13)

1. Shell housing for a reader for reading optical codes, which shell housing has at least two interconnected components which define a body ( 2 ) for receiving electrical and/or electronic reading elements, and at least one light display element which is capable of displaying the functional state and/or an operating state of the reader, characterized in that at least a part ( 10 ) of one ( 3 ) of these components ( 2 , 3 ) is at least partially translucent, so that the light emitted by this light display element diffuses directly through this component ( 3 ) when the reader is in the functional state and/or in the said operating state and it is possible for an operator to recognize this state or these states independently of the spatial orientation of this element. 2. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially translucent part ( 10 ) has a surface area of more than or equal to 5% of the total surface of the shell housing. 3. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially translucent part ( 10 ) is arranged above the illuminated display element. 4. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the component with the at least partially translucent part ( 10 ) is the cover element ( 3 ). 5. Shell housing according to claim 4, characterized in that the cover element ( 3 ) has a second part ( 11 ) made of shock-resistant material. 6. Shell housing according to claim 5, characterized in that the part ( 11 ) made of shock-resistant material of the cover element ( 3 ) has an opening ( 7 ) for the passage of conventional reading light beams for reading the optical codes. 7. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially translucent part is the entire cover element ( 3 ). 8. Shell housing according to claims 5 or 7, characterized in that the cover element ( 3 ) has a protruding edge ( 13 ) made of shock-resistant material. 9. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the component having the at least partially translucent part ( 10 ) is the body ( 2 ). 10. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially translucent part ( 10 ) consists of polycarbonate. 11. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least partially translucent part ( 10 ) is colored. 12. Shell housing according to claim 1, characterized in that the body ( 2 ) has a part ( 4 ) which serves as a handle for the body ( 2 ) and has a projecting element ( 15 ) which tapers towards its free end ( 15A ), which element ( 15 ) consists of elastically deformable material. 13. Shell housing according to claim 12, characterized in that the projecting element ( 15 ) is an element autonomous from the body ( 2 ) which holds it.