1. An identification apparatus comprising:
an image sensor for producing electronic signals corresponding to optical information representative of a target image;
a lens assembly for focusing the target image on the image sensor; and
a voice coil actuator assembly configured to move the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a lens guidance assembly, wherein the lens assembly is moved along the lens guidance assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the lens guidance assembly comprises a pair of living hinges.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the lens guidance assembly comprises a cylindrical bushing.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the image sensor comprises a charge coupled device.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly comprises a coil and a magnet adjacent to the coil.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly further comprises a yoke positioned at least partially within a void defined by the coil.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical information comprises an array of pixel information.
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein the array of pixel information is two-dimensional.
10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly is positioned adjacent to the lens assembly.
11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising control and logic circuitry for processing the electronic signals produced by the image sensor.
12. The imaging apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the voice coil actuator assembly is configured to automatically move the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
13. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the target image is a barcode.
14. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be less than two cubic inches in volume.
15. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an illumination source for illuminating a target area.
16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein the illumination source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.
17. A method of reading an image with an identification apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
producing electronic signals in an image sensor, wherein the electronic signals correspond to optical information representative of a target image;
focusing the target image on the image sensor through a lens assembly; and
moving the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor via a voice coil actuator assembly.
18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of determining a distance between the identification apparatus and the target image.
19. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting the electronic signals to an image processing system which is configured to execute a series of programmable instructions to identify the target image.
20. In an identification device, a lens guidance assembly for guiding and supporting a lens assembly in alignment with an optical axis comprising:
a pair of living hinges, the pair of living hinges having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to a lens assembly and the second end is connected to a frame of the identification device.
21. The lens guidance assembly as recited in claim 20, wherein each of the pair of living hinges define a notch adjacent to the first and second ends for adjusting the flexibility of the pair of living hinges.
22. In an identification device, a lens guidance assembly for guiding and supporting a lens assembly in alignment with an optical axis comprising:
a cylindrical bushing, the bushing defining a hollow bore therethrough, wherein the hollow bore is dimensioned to receive a lens assembly therein.
23. The lens guidance assembly as recited in claim 13, wherein the bushing defines a longitudinal slot in the circumference thereof, wherein the slot is configured to receive a tab for transferring a force from an actuator to the lens assembly.
24. A method of focusing an image with an identification apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
determining a distance between the identification apparatus and a target image;
correlating the determined distance to the target image to a position of a lens guidance assembly;
determining a current position of a lens assembly with respect to the position of the lens guidance assembly; and
determining an amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved to focus the target image on an image sensor.
25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the position of the lens guidance assembly is a fixed reference position.
26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved is determined with respect to the fixed reference position.
27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved is determined as a function of the current position of the lens assembly.
28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the current position of the lens assembly is continuously determined.
29. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the lens assembly is moved a determined distance via a voice coil actuator assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
30. An apparatus for processing information for focusing an image with an identification apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a memory for storing at least a portion of the information; and
a processor coupled to the memory and operative to determine a distance between the identification apparatus and a target image; correlate the determined distance to the target image to a position of a lens guidance assembly; determine a current position of a lens assembly with respect to the position of the lens guidance assembly; and determine an amount of distance that the lens assembly needs to be moved to focus the target image on an image sensor.
31. An optical bar code reader comprising:
an image sensor for producing electronic signals corresponding to optical information representative of a target image;
a lens assembly for focusing the target image on the image sensor; and
a voice coil actuator assembly configured to move the lens assembly to focus the target image on the image sensor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What we claim is:
1. In a cooling tower for cooling water, said cooling tower having an upper reservoir for receiving heated water to be cooled, a lower reservoir for receiving the cooled water, a plurality of generally vertically disposed film fill sheets spaced from one another with each said film fill sheet having at least one surface over which heated water to be cooled flows, said upper reservoir discharging heated water therefrom for being in flowing contact with the upper regions of each of said film fill sheets, and a blower for forcing or drawing air laterally between said spaced sheets so as to cool the water flowing down the sheets, wherein the improvement comprises:
each of said film fill sheets having a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly in a first direction from the plane of the sheet, wherein said buttons are arranged in rows with the buttons of each said row being substantially uniformly spaced from one another with a corresponding space therebetween, wherein the buttons of one row being substantially in register with the spaces in the rows immediately above and below said one row such that upon release of heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir so as to flow down said sheets, said water upon encountering a first row of buttons is divided into rivulets flowing downwardly and laterally within the spaces between the buttons of said first row of said buttons and as said rivulets of water flows downwardly from said first row so as to encounter the buttons of the next lower row constituting a second row such last-said buttons of said second row diverting the flow of water substantially downwardly and laterally into the spaces of said second row, and thence said water will flow downwardly within the spaces of said next lower row constituting a third row, and as said water flows downwardly from said second row it encounters the buttons of said third row so as to divert the flow of water downwardly and laterally into the spaces of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir, whereby the rate at which said water flows down said sheet is inhibited thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the cooling airflow as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
2. In a cooling tower for cooling water, said cooling tower having an upper reservoir to distribute heated water, a lower reservoir to receive the cooled water, a plurality of spaced film fill sheets positioned substantially upright over which the heated water to be cooled travels from said upper to said lower reservoir, and a blower for forcing air between said sheets so as to cool the water flowing down the sheets, wherein the improvement comprises:
a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in a plurality of rows with the buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, said buttons of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row; each row having a plurality of dimples formed thereon and extending inwardly from said one surface of said sheet, said dimples in each said row being arranged between adjacent ones of said buttons with said buttons and dimples being substantially uniformly separated from one another with spaces therebetween, said dimples of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, a channel on both sides of each said button with said channels extending downwardly and laterally with respect to the vertical, said dimples being located at the intersection of said channels for two such adjacent rows; and a grid pattern of channels that border each of said buttons on four diagonal sides, said channels connect the base of said buttons and said dimples such that upon releasing heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir so as to flow down said sheets, said water upon encountering a first row of buttons and dimples is divided into rivulets flowing downwardly within said spaces between said buttons, said channels and said dimples of said first row of said buttons wherein as said water flows downwardly from said first row, said water encountering said buttons and said dimples in the next lower or second row so as to divert the flow of said water in a meandering manner into said spaces and said channels of said second row, and thence said water will flow downwardly within said spaces, said channels, and said dimples of said second row, wherein as said water flows downwardly from said second row, said water encounters said buttons, said dimples, and said channels of the next lower row so as to divert the flow of water substantially laterally into said spaces of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir whereby the rate at which said water flows down said sheet is inhibited thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the flow of cooling air as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
3. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2 having a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in rows, said buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, wherein said buttons of one row being one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, such that upon releasing an excessive volume of heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir, said water flows downwardly over said buttons in a riffle pattern, and thereby inhibits the rate at which said water descends from said upper to said lower reservoir, allows passage of an excessive volume of said water, and thereby maximizes the length of time that said water is exposed to the cooling airflow as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
4. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises polyvinyl chloride.
5. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises nylon.
6. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sheet material comprises high-density polyethylene.
7. A button as set forth in claim 2, wherein said buttons have a diameter ranging between about 0.20 and about 0.60 inches 0.508 to 1.52 cm and the spaces between said buttons range from about 0.40 to about 0.60 inches 1.01 to 1.52 cm.
8. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein sheet thickness facilitates vacuum forming thereof at an appropriate temperature.
9. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2, wherein sheet thickness is from about 0.010 inches to about 0.025 inches 0.025 to 0.063 cm.
10. A vacuum formed film fill sheet for use in a water cooling tower comprising:
an arrangement of buttons evenly separated in both horizontal and vertical directions and offset from adjacent buttons;
bars formed along the left, right, top, and bottom edges of said sheet to retain water, to provide stability, to align sheets; and,
formed spacers along the said bars and in the vicinity of the center of said sheet to separate said sheet from adjacent film fill sheets.
11. A bar as set forth in claim 10, wherein said bar is formed in a trapezoidal shape no more than 1.00 inch 2.54 cm in height along the left and right edges of a sheet.
12. A bar as set forth in claim 10, wherein said bar is formed in a U-shape no more than 1.00 inch 2.54 cm in depth along the top and bottom edges of a sheet.
13. A spacer as set forth in claim 10, wherein said spacer has a height of no more than 1.00 inch 2.54 cm and a diameter of no less than 0.50 inch 1.27 cm.
14. In a cooling tower for cooling water, said cooling tower having an upper reservoir to distribute heated water, a lower reservoir to receive the cooled water, a plurality of spaced film fill sheets positioned substantially upright over which the heated water to be cooled travels from said upper to said lower reservoir, and a blower for sucking or forcing air laterally between said sheets so as to cool the water flowing down the sheets, wherein the improvement comprises:
a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows, the buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, said buttons of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons, from the rows immediately above and below said one row;
a plurality of dimples formed thereon and extending inwardly, said dimples being arranged in rows, the dimples in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, wherein the dimples of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, said dimples located at the intersection of four channels; and a grid pattern of channels that border each of said buttons on four diagonal sides, said channels connect the base of said buttons and said dimples such that upon releasing heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir so as to flow down said sheets, said water upon encountering a first row of buttons and dimples is divided into rivulets flowing downwardly within the spaces between the buttons, said channels, and the dimples of said first row of said buttons wherein as said water flows downwardly from said first row, said water encountering the buttons and the dimples in the next lower or second row so as to divert the flow of water laterally left or right at random in a meandering manner into the spaces, channels, and dimples of said second row, and thence said water will flow downwardly within the spaces, channels, and dimples of said second row, wherein as said water flows downwardly from said second row, said water encounters the buttons, dimples, and channels of the next lower row so as to divert the flow of water substantially laterally left or right at random in a meandering manner into the spaces, channels, and dimples of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir whereby the distance traveled by said water lengthens, thus the rate at which said water flows down said sheet is inhibited thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the flow of cooling air as the water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.
15. A film fill sheet as set forth in claim 2 with a plurality of buttons formed thereon and extending outwardly from one surface of the sheet, said buttons being arranged in rows, the buttons in each said row being substantially uniformly separated with spaces therebetween, wherein the buttons of one row being offset one half the distance between two adjacent buttons from the rows immediately above and below said one row, such that upon releasing an average volume of heated water to be cooled from said upper reservoir, said water flows downwardly in a meandering separate lineal paths through the spaces between a first row of said buttons then said water encounters a second row of buttons, said second row of buttons diverts said water substantially laterally left or right at random in a meandering manner so that said water flows around a button in said row, into the spaces of said next row, and so on until said water flows into said lower reservoir and thereby increasing the distance traveled by said water down the film fill sheet thus, inhibiting the rate at which said water descends from said upper to said lower reservoir, allowing passage of an average volume of said water, and thereby maximizing the length of time that said water is exposed to the cooling airflow as said water flows from said upper to said lower reservoir.