Compact ray-machine layout for long-distance dual-camera barcode imager

Abstract

There is provided a scanning engine for capturing at least one image of an object appearing in an imaging field of view (FOV), the scanning engine comprising an imaging system, an illumination system, a sighting system, and first and second chassis. The imaging system includes a lens holder and at least one lens disposed within the lens holder, as well as both a long-distance imaging system and a short-distance imaging system for capturing images across multiple fields of view at different distances. The illumination system and the aiming system are physically positioned to provide illumination of a target in the near field of view and / or the far field of view, and provide an aiming pattern to the near field of view and / or the far field of view.

Description

Background Art

[0001] Industrial scanners and / or barcode readers can be used in warehouse environments and / or other environments and can be provided in the form of mobile scanning devices. These scanners can be used to scan barcodes and other objects. Such scanners are typically contained within a chassis to protect the optical components from impacts, drops, and / or other potential damage events. In some environments, it may be desirable to have a high-power scanner that can scan or resolve barcodes (e.g., 100 ml wide) over a wide distance range, such as from a few inches to several tens of feet or more. These scanners must also operate over a certain range of fields of view (FOV) and typically require an illumination system and a aiming pattern system. Generally, such systems do not have effective illumination and / or aiming over the entire range of the wide FOV required for operation. Additionally, such systems require larger optics to meet performance requirements, but there is still a trade-off between the lens system and the optics of a specific size, while being constrained by the overall size of the housing and the chassis. Furthermore, larger systems may generate greater mechanical fastening forces, which may potentially damage the chassis or other components. Also, compact imaging systems require high-precision alignment of the optics to prevent optical distortion or equipment failure that may result in a reduction in the efficiency of the scanning rate.

[0002] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved design with improved functionality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect, there is provided an imaging device, the imaging device comprising a first chassis, a second chassis, a close-range imaging system, a long-range imaging system, an illumination system, and a targeting system. The first chassis includes a body defining at least one cavity, and the first chassis includes a chassis mounting portion. The second chassis includes a body defining at least one cavity, and the first chassis is physically coupled to the second chassis through the chassis mounting portion of the first chassis and through a first printed circuit board. The close-range imaging system is disposed in the cavity of the first chassis, and the close-range imaging system includes close-range imaging optics to capture at least one image of an object appearing in a field of view (FOV) onto an imaging plane along a close-range imaging axis of the close-range imaging system. The long-range imaging system is disposed in the cavity of the second chassis, and the long-range imaging system includes long-range imaging optics to capture at least one image of an object appearing in the FOV onto an imaging plane along a long-range imaging axis of the long-range imaging system. The illumination system is disposed in the cavity of the first chassis, and the illumination system includes illumination optics to provide illumination to the FOV of each of the close-range imaging optics and the long-range imaging optics. The targeting system is disposed adjacent to the illumination system, and the targeting system includes a targeting path cavity in the first chassis and a targeting light source disposed in the cavity of the second chassis, wherein the targeting system is configured to provide a targeting pattern along the FOV of each of the close-range imaging optics and the long-range imaging optics. The close-range imaging system is disposed adjacent to the targeting system on a side opposite to a side of the illumination system, and the long-range imaging system is disposed adjacent to the close-range imaging system on a side opposite to the targeting system.

[0004] In a variant of the embodiment, the imaging device further comprises: a first circuit board disposed adjacent to the first chassis between the first chassis and the second chassis; and a second circuit board disposed adjacent to the second chassis on a side opposite to a side of the first circuit board. Further, in the variant, the illumination system includes at least one illumination source disposed on the first circuit board. In some variants, the targeting system includes at least one targeting radiation source disposed on the second circuit board, the targeting radiation source being positioned to provide targeting radiation through the targeting path cavity along a targeting axis. In the variant, the close-range imaging system includes a close-range image detector disposed on the first circuit board, the close-range image detector being configured to capture an image of an object in a close-range field of view of the imaging device. In more variants, the long-range imaging system includes a long-range image sensor disposed on the second circuit board, the long-range image detector being configured to capture an image of an object in a long-range field of view of the imaging device.

[0005] In some methods, a tele-illumination source is arranged to provide tele-illumination along a tele-illumination axis to a tele-field of view of the imaging device, a near-illumination source is arranged to provide near-illumination along a near-illumination axis to a near-field of view of the imaging device, and an illumination collimator is arranged in a cavity of the first chassis along the tele-illumination axis and the near-illumination axis. The illumination collimator is arranged to collimate the tele-illumination and the near-illumination, and a multi-lens array is arranged along the near-illumination axis, wherein the multi-lens array is configured to expand the near-illumination to illuminate the near-field of view of the imaging device.

[0006] In a further variant of the current embodiment, the aiming system further includes an aiming optical element arranged along the aiming axis to form an aiming pattern in the field of view of the imaging device. The aiming optical element can be a refractive optical element or a diffractive optical element.

[0007] In some methods, the scanning engine can further include an aiming system and an illumination system. In these examples, each of the aiming system and the illumination system is at least partially arranged in at least one cavity of the chassis. In a variant, the aiming axis is parallel to the tele-imaging axis.

[0008] In any variant of the current embodiment, the device further includes a rigid-flexible printed circuit board, wherein a first portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board is arranged adjacent to the first chassis between the first chassis and the second chassis, and a second circuit board is arranged adjacent to the second chassis on a side of the second chassis opposite to one side of the first circuit board. A flexible portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board is at least partially arranged outside the first chassis and the second chassis, and the flexible portion physically and electrically couples the first portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board to the second portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board. In some embodiments, the imaging device further includes at least one protective protrusion extending along a length of the flexible portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board from the first chassis or the second chassis, the protective protrusion having a certain height such that at least one protective protrusion extends beyond the flexible portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board to physically protect the rigid-flexible circuit board. Description of the Drawings

[0009] The drawings (wherein like reference numerals represent like or functionally similar elements throughout the different views) are incorporated into the specification and form a part of the specification, and are used to further illustrate embodiments including the concepts of the claimed invention, and to explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments.

[0010] Figure 1 Front elevation view of an exemplary imaging assembly of an exemplary scanner for capturing images of an object, according to various embodiments;

[0011] Figure 2 Illustrates an exemplary scanner for capturing images of an object, according to various embodiments Figure 1 Side elevation view of an exemplary imaging assembly of the exemplary scanner;

[0012] Figure 3 Illustrates, according to various embodiments Figure 1 and Figure 2 Perspective view of an exemplary imaging assembly;

[0013] Figure 4 Side view of an exemplary lighting system that can be implemented in the imaging assembly, according to various embodiments;

[0014] Figure 5 Is a diagram of the imaging axis and the illumination propagation axis of an exemplary imaging assembly, according to various embodiments Figures 1 to 3 of;

[0015] Figure 6 Illustrates an exemplary front elevation view of an exemplary tele-imaging system of an exemplary imaging assembly for Figures 1 to 3 according to various embodiments;

[0016] Figure 7 Illustrates, according to various embodiments Figure 6 Exploded perspective view of an exemplary tele-imaging system;

[0017] Figure 8 Illustrates, according to various embodiments Figure 6 and Figure 7 Perspective view of an exemplary tele-imaging system;

[0018] Figure 9 Illustrates, according to various embodiments Figures 1 to 8 Cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of an exemplary imaging assembly;

[0019] Figure 10 Illustrates a close-up cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of an exemplary aiming system that can be implemented in an exemplary imaging assembly, according to various embodiments Figures 1 to 9 of;

[0020] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the elements in the drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the drawings may be exaggerated relative to other elements to assist in enhancing the understanding of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] The apparatus and method components are represented in the drawings by conventional symbols in appropriate positions, the representation showing only those specific details relevant to an understanding of the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that are obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art who have benefited from the description herein. Detailed Description

[0022] Generally speaking, according to these different embodiments, there is provided a compact, high-performance autofocus bar code scanner having reduced size requirements and a wide range of autofocus distances with multiple fields of view (FOVs). More specifically, the scanners described herein can be operably coupled to a support chassis while using the full available height within the scanner housing. It should be noted that the imaging lens system is positioned adjacent to the chassis (as compared to systems where the imaging lens is positioned within the chassis). Thus, the imaging lens system is not constrained by the upper height (i.e., vertical) dimension of the chassis and can be designed to occupy the entire vertical dimension. Accordingly, the scanner can incorporate a larger, higher-power optical unit capable of resolving bar codes set at greater distances and over a greater distance range from the scanner. The positioning of the illumination system allows for more uniform illumination of the target over the autofocus distance range and multiple FOVs. Additionally, the positioning of the aiming pattern generation system further reduces parallax and allows for more accurate positioning of the aiming pattern within the FOV at greater distances from the imaging system. The rigid-flex printed circuit board eliminates the need for additional ports and electrical interconnections, which also allows for a reduction in the size of the system to enable the fabrication of the compact imagers and scanners described herein.

[0023] Turning to the drawings, there is provided a component 100 or scan engine for capturing at least one image of an object appearing within an imaging field of view (FOV). Component 100 includes a first chassis 105 having a body 107 that defines at least one cavity for housing one or more components that perform imaging on an object or target within the FOV. Component 100 further includes a second chassis 110 that includes a body 112 that defines at least one cavity for housing components that perform imaging on a target within the FOV of the scan engine. The first chassis 105 has a chassis mounting portion 108 for mounting the first chassis 105 to the second chassis 110. The chassis mounting portion 108 can include one or more pins 115a ( Figure 3 ) or wedges that project from the first chassis 105 and that fit within the interior of sockets 115b ( Figure 3 ) on the second chassis 110 to physically align the first chassis 105 and elements of the first chassis 105 with the second chassis 110 and elements contained within the body 112 of the second chassis 110. As Figure 1As shown, the first chassis 105 is indirectly mounted on the second chassis 110 via a PCB 116 disposed between the first chassis 105 and the second chassis 110. In an example, the first chassis 105 may be directly connected to the second chassis 110, or physically coupled to the PCB 116, and then the PCB 116 is physically coupled to the second chassis 110.

[0024] In an example, the first chassis 105 may be made of a plastic material, which reduces the total weight of the components, and the second chassis 110 may be made of a metal material to serve as a heat sink for electrical components, optical components, lasers, lighting sources, etc. In an example, both the first chassis 105 and the second chassis 110 may independently be made of plastic, metal, or another material to fabricate a lightweight and compact imaging scanning engine.

[0025] The assembly 100 includes a first circuit board 116, which is disposed between the first chassis 105 and the second chassis 110 adjacent to the first chassis 105. The first circuit board 116 may include any number of electrical and / or electromechanical components (e.g., capacitors, resistors, transistors, power supplies, etc.) for communicatively coupling and / or controlling various electrical components of the assembly 100. For example, the first circuit board 116 may include any number of component mounting portions 116a to receive components (e.g., imaging sensors, light-emitting diodes, laser diodes, etc.) for operatively coupling therewith, and may additionally include one or more board mountings for fastening the first circuit board 116 to the first chassis 105 and / or the second chassis 110 (not shown).

[0026] The assembly further includes a second circuit board 118, which is disposed on a side of the second chassis 110 opposite to a side of the first circuit board 105 adjacent to the second chassis 110. The second circuit board 110 may include any number of electrical and / or electromechanical components (e.g., capacitors, resistors, transistors, power supplies, etc.) for communicatively coupling and / or controlling various electrical components of the assembly 100. For example, the second circuit board 118 may include any number of component mounting portions 118a to receive components (e.g., imaging sensors, light-emitting diodes, laser diodes, etc.) for operatively coupling therewith, and may additionally include one or more board mountings (not shown) for fastening the second circuit board 118 to the second chassis 110.

[0027] Although described as a first circuit board 116 and a second circuit board 118, in an embodiment, the first circuit board 116 and the second circuit board 118 can be part of a single rigid-flex circuit board 119. The rigid-flex circuit board 119 includes one or more substantially flexible portions 117a and 117b that physically and electrically interconnect the first circuit board 116 and the second circuit board 118 with each other, and physically and electrically interconnect with additional elements of the assembly 100. In an example, the first circuit board 116 and the second circuit board 118 can be substantially rigid portions of the rigid-flex circuit board 119, and the flexible portions 117a and the flexible portion 117b are the extensible and bendable portions of the rigid-flex circuit board 119. In an example, as further discussed herein, the first flexible portion 117a can provide electrical communication between the first circuit board 116 and the second circuit board 118, and the second flexible portion 117b provides electrical communication between the second circuit board 118 and the autofocus element 142. The flexible portions 117 of the rigid-flex circuit board 119 reduce the number of additional wires and electrical interconnections in the assembly 100, allowing for a simplified electrical structure and a reduced overall size of the assembly 100.

[0028] In an embodiment, the flexible portions 117a and 117b of the rigid-flex circuit board are disposed outside of the first chassis 105 and the second chassis 110. As shown in the figure, the first flexible portion 117a is adjacent to and substantially outside of the second chassis, and interconnects the first circuit board 116 and the second circuit board 118. The second flexible portion 117b is disposed outside of the second chassis 110 and adjacent to the second chassis 110, on a side of the second chassis 110 opposite the first flexible portion 117a, and further interconnects the second circuit board 118 and the autofocus element 142. Although illustrated as having two flexible portions 117a and 117b, it is contemplated that the rigid-flex circuit board can include additional flexible portions to provide electrical communication between the circuit board 116 and the circuit board 118 and other components of the assembly 100.

[0029] The second chassis 110 includes any number of protective protrusions 111 extending from the sides of the second chassis adjacent to the flexible portions 117a and 117b. The protective protrusions 111 extend away from the second chassis 110 beyond the flexible portions 117a and 117b to provide protection to the flexible portions 117a and 117b. The protective protrusions 111 prevent physical contact of the flexible portions 117a and 117b with other objects. For example, if the assembly is dropped onto the ground, a table, or another surface, the protective protrusions 111 protect the flexible portions 117a and 117b from impact. Additionally, the protective protrusions 111 protect the flexible portions 117a and 117b from physical contact with any object having dimensions comparable to the size of the flexible portions 117a and 117b or contact with an object having dimensions larger than the size of the flexible portions 117a and 117b. The protective protrusions can include one or more pins, ridges, beams, flanges, frames, platforms, shoulders, edges, or other physical structures that project away from the second chassis 110 beyond the flexible portions 117a and 117b.

[0030] The close-range imaging system 120 is disposed in the first cavity 121 of the first chassis 105. The close-range imaging system 120 is operably coupled to the first circuit board 116 and is configured to capture an image object in the close-range FOV along the optical axis of the close-range imaging system 120. The close-range imaging system 120 includes close-range imaging optics 125 and a close-range imaging sensor 122 for capturing an image in the close-range FOV. The close-range imaging optics 125 are configured to receive light through the aperture 127 of the first chassis 105, and the close-range imaging optics 125 focus the light onto the close-range imaging sensor 122. In some examples, the close-range imaging sensor 122 is mounted to or coupled with the first circuit board 116 via the component mounting portion 116a of the first circuit board 116. The chassis mounting portion 108 may be mounted to the component mounting portion 116a of the first circuit board 116 and the second chassis 110. In an example, the first circuit board 116 may include holes 116b through which one or more pins 115a of the first chassis 105 may be placed to align the components of the first chassis 105 (e.g., the close-range imaging system 120) with the component mounting 116a and other components disposed on the first circuit board 116. In an example, an adhesive, screw, pin, or other physical element may be used to mount the first chassis 105 to the first circuit board 116. Additionally, a thermal paste or a heat pipe may be used to couple the first chassis 105 and the first circuit board 116 to provide a heat path flow from the elements contained in the first chassis 105 to the second chassis 110 or another heat sink. The component mounting portion 116a may include an adhesive to assist in securing the imaging sensor cover 123 to the circuit board 116. In other examples, the component mounting portion 116a may include any number of electrical interconnections that receive corresponding electrical interconnections disposed on or otherwise coupled with the circuit board 116. Other examples are possible.

[0031] The illumination system 160 is disposed in the second cavity 161 of the first chassis 105. The illumination system 160 includes an illumination source 163 disposed on the first circuit board 116. The illumination source 163 is configured to provide illumination along both the close-range illumination axis I 1 and the telephoto illumination axis I 2 both. The illumination source 163 may include a single light-emitting diode (LED) or light source, or may include multiple LEDs or multiple light sources to provide illumination along both the close-range illumination axis I 1 and the telephoto illumination axis I 2 both. Although described as using LEDs to provide illumination, the illumination source 163 may alternatively or additionally include one or more laser diodes (LDs), blackbody radiation sources, incandescent light sources, or another light source to provide illumination along the close-range illumination axis I 1 and the telephoto illumination axis I 2Radiation. For simplicity and clarity, the illumination source 163 will be described herein as having two LEDs 163a and 163b, which are disposed adjacent to each other on the first PCB 116 along the near-field illumination axis I 1 and the far-field illumination axis I 2 to provide illumination independently. The LEDs include a far-field illumination source 163a and a near-field illumination source 163b LED disposed along their respective far-field illumination fields I 1 and near-field illumination fields I 2 to provide light along their respective illumination axes. Thus, the illumination source 163 may be referred to herein as a dual illumination source 163, but it should be understood that in an example, the illumination source 163 may include only a single light source or more than two light sources.

[0032] The illumination system 160 further includes illumination optics to provide illumination to one or more FOVs of the assembly 100. The illumination system 160 includes a collimator 165 that collimates the illumination light provided by the illumination source 163. In an example, the collimator 165 may be a dual-lens collimator, where each lens is disposed along its respective near-field illumination axis I 1 and the far-field illumination axis I 2 to collimate the light from two independent LEDs of the dual illumination source 163. The dual optical element 168 is disposed along both the near-field illumination axis I 1 and the far-field illumination axis I 2 to focus the illumination from the illumination source 163 into the near-field and far-field views to illuminate an object in either the near-field view and / or the far-field view of the imaging assembly 100. The dual optical element 168 is a substrate including a transparent window 168a at one region of the dual optical element and a microlens array (MLA) 168b disposed at another region of the dual optical element 168, where the regions of the transparent window 168a and the MLA 168b are disposed adjacent to each other. The transparent window 168a is a material or aperture that allows light to propagate through the transparent window 168a without changing the propagation axis of the light or changing the focus of the light propagating through the transparent window 168a. The transparent window 168a is disposed along the far-field illumination axis I 2 and allows illumination to propagate through the window 168a along the far-field illumination axis I 2 to illuminate an object in the far-field FOV. The microlens array (MLA) 168b is disposed along the near-field illumination axis I 1The MLA 168b is configured and focuses illumination from the illumination source 163 into the near FOV to illuminate an object in the near FOV of the imaging assembly 100. Thus, the illumination system 160 provides illumination to both the near FOV and the far FOV of the imaging system 100. In an example, the MLA 168b tilts the propagation of light and thus the near illumination axis relative to the far illumination axis by more than 2°. In an embodiment, the near illumination axis can be tilted relative to the near illumination axis by more than 3°, 5°, 7°, or more than 9°. In an example, the FOV of the far illumination is less than 25° by 25°, and the near illumination can illuminate a FOV greater than 50° by 30°.

[0033] The tele-imaging system 140 is disposed in the first cavity 141 of the second chassis 110. In the illustrated example, the tele-imaging system 140 is operatively coupled to the second circuit board 118. The tele-imaging system 140 includes an autofocus system 142 and a rear lens assembly 145, both of which include lenses for imaging. The autofocus system 142 is positioned adjacent to and / or operatively coupled with the rear lens assembly 145. The rear lens assembly 145 is in the form of a generally hollow body that can have any number of features (such as, shape and / or cutouts 113) that correspond to the shape of one or more lenses disposed therein. These cutouts 113 reduce the overall weight of the rear lens assembly 145 and, due to the uniform thickness of the sidewall 146a, are easier to manufacture (e.g., molded via an injection molding or other molding machine) compared to a lens holder with varying thicknesses.

[0034] In some examples, the rear lens assembly 145 is coupled to the second circuit board 118 via a component mounting portion 118a on the second circuit board 118. As a non-limiting example, the component mounting portion 118a can be in the form of a pad onto which the rear lens assembly 145 is pressed. The component mounting portion 118a can include an adhesive to assist in securing the rear lens assembly 145 to the second circuit board 118. In other examples, the component mounting portion 118a can include any number of electrical interconnections that receive corresponding electrical interconnections disposed on or otherwise coupled with the rear lens assembly 145. The second circuit board 118 can have any number of component mounting portions 118a that have through holes, mounting pads, etc. for mounting components to the second circuit board 118. Other examples are possible.

[0035] The telephoto imaging sensor 147 is disposed on the second circuit board 118, wherein the telephoto imaging sensor 147 is disposed along the telephoto imaging axis F of the imaging assembly 100. The telephoto imaging sensor 147 images further away from one or more FOVs of the imaging assembly 100 as compared to the (multiple) FOVs of the close-up imaging assembly 120. The autofocus system 142 includes a variable-focus optical element that can change the focal length of the telephoto imaging system 140 to image different imaging planes at different focal lengths. The autofocus system 142 may include a deformable lens element, a liquid lens, a T-lens, a voice coil motor, a voice coil actuator, or other variable-focus optical elements. The telephoto imaging system 140 includes a front lens 150 disposed outside the second chassis 110 along the telephoto imaging axis F.

[0036] The aiming system 180 is partially disposed in the aiming cavity 181 of both the first chassis 105 and the second chassis 110. The aiming source 182 is disposed on the second circuit board 118, wherein the aiming source is in the cavity 181 of the second chassis 182, and the aiming source 182 is configured to provide aiming light along the aiming axis A. Various optical devices are disposed along the aiming axis A to manipulate the aiming light as the light propagates through the cavity of the second chassis 105. The aiming light propagates through the drilled hole 192 in the first circuit board 116 and continues to propagate through the aiming cavity 181 in the first chassis 105. In an example, the aiming cavity 181 in the first chassis 105 is substantially cylindrical to act as a tunnel, serving as an aiming light path cavity through which the aiming light can be transmitted. An aiming diffractive optical element (DOE) in the form of a pattern generator 188 is disposed in the aiming cavity 181 of the first chassis, wherein the pattern generator 188 is disposed along the aiming axis A to manipulate the aiming light to form an aiming pattern. The aiming pattern generator 188 may be a diffractive optical element or a refractive optical element for forming the aiming pattern. The aiming light source 182 is positioned in the second chassis 110, and the pattern generator 188 is positioned at the distal side 105a of the first chassis 105 to allow the spacing of various systems (e.g., the close-up imaging system 120, the aiming system 180, and the illumination system 160) in the assembly 100 to be closer together, thereby reducing the overall size of the assembly 100.

[0037] As Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the close-range imaging system 120, the long-range imaging system 140, the illumination system 160, and the aiming system 180 are positioned substantially along the same horizontal axis H. Positioning the illumination system 160 and the aiming system 180 along the same axis as the close-range imaging system 120 and the long-range imaging system 140 allows for further reduction of the alignment and adjustment required, providing illumination and aiming patterns for the close-range FOV and the long-range FOV of the imaging assembly 100. Additionally, positioning all of the systems 120, 140, 160, and 180 substantially along the same horizontal axis reduces the overall height of the imaging assembly 100. In the example shown herein, such as in Figure 2 the illumination system 120 and the aiming system 180 are along the same horizontal axis H centered on the second chassis 110, while the close-range imaging system 120 is offset from the horizontal axis in one direction and the long-range imaging system 140 is offset from the horizontal axis in a direction opposite to that of the close-range imaging system 120. Each of the close-range imaging system 120 and the long-range imaging system 140 has respective close-range FOV and long-range FOV with a larger dimension along the horizontal axis H. In the example, the close-range imaging system 120 is disposed adjacent to the aiming system 180 on a side of the aiming system 180 opposite to the illumination system 160, and the long-range imaging system 140 is disposed adjacent to the close-range imaging system 120 on a side of the close-range imaging system 120 opposite to the aiming system 180.

[0038] Figure 5 is a diagram showing Figures 1 to 4 the various imaging axes and propagation axes of the systems of the assembly 100. In a general example. All of the long-range imaging axes F, the close-range imaging axes N, the aiming axes A, and the long-range illumination axes I 2Parallel to each other or substantially parallel (e.g., within 3°, within 5°, or within 10°). Configuring the aiming axis parallel to the imaging system improves the accuracy of the position of the aiming pattern generated by the aiming system 180 in the FOV of the tele-imaging FOV at long distances. Placing the near-imaging system 120 next to the aiming system 180 improves the accuracy of the position of the aiming pattern generated by the aiming system 180 in the FOV of the near-imaging system at short distances. Placing the tele-imaging system 140 away from the aiming system 180 increases the accuracy of distance ranging based on the offset of the aiming pattern in the image of the tele-imaging system camera. Thus, more accurately placing the aiming pattern allows for more efficient operation and more accurately scanning the objects presented to the imaging assembly 100. The near-imaging system 120 has a wider FOV and thus potentially allows more unwanted light (such as light from the environment or stray light from the illumination system 160) to enter the near-imaging system 120, which may result in noisier images and reduce the efficiency of scanning objects in the near FOV of the assembly 100. Positioning the aiming system 180 between the near-imaging system 120 and the illumination system 160 reduces the noise in the near-imaging system 120 caused by the illumination system 160. The MLA 168b focuses the near illumination at an angle along the near illumination axis I 1 of. Along the near illumination axis I 1 Tilting the near illumination allows the object to be illuminated at a distance closer to the assembly than the tele-illuminated tele-FOV.

[0039] In an example, the tele-imaging sensor 147 can be a photodiode with an active area of 3.8×2.4 mm, and the near-imaging sensor can be a photodiode of 4.8×2.7 mm. The resulting tele-imaging FOV is a 12° by 7° field of view, and the resulting near-imaging FOV is a 42° by 27° field of view. In an example, the near-imaging system 120 can have a FOV greater than 42° by 25°, and the tele-imaging system can have a FOV less than 15° by 10°. The aiming pattern can be provided by a collimated and patterned beam with a collimated beam size of 1×1.4 mm provided to the tele-imaging FOV and a patterned beam with a 42° by 27° aiming FOV provided to the near-imaging FOV. The tele-illumination with a collimated beam size of 5.6×3.8 mm from the collimator 165 results in illumination in a 19° by 19° FOV in the tele-imaging FOV. After passing through the MLA 168a, the near illumination provided by the illumination system 160 illuminates a 55° by 33° FOV in the near-imaging FOV. In the current example, compared to the other imaging axes and illumination axes of the assembly 100, the near illumination axis I 1 has an inclination angle of 2.5°. The resulting overall dimensions of the assembly 100 can be less than 35 mm by 12 mm by 25 mm.

[0040] Figures 6 to 8 More particularly, various components of the telephoto imaging system 140 are shown. As previously described, the telephoto imaging system 140 includes a compensator lens assembly 150, a zoom lens assembly 144, a rear lens assembly 145, and a telephoto imaging sensor 147. Briefly referring Figure 1 , the imaging sensor 147 may be physically and operably coupled to the second circuit board 118. The rear lens assembly 145 has a central lens barrel 146, a mounting flange 145a, and a mounting tab 145b. The central lens barrel 146 houses a fixed-focus optical group 154. The mounting flange 145a extends perpendicularly away from the lens barrel 146 from a first end of the lens barrel 146, and the mounting tab 145b projects from the bottom of the side wall 146a at an end of the lens barrel 146 opposite the mounting flange 145a. The mounting flange 145a physically couples the zoom optical element housing 143 to the rear lens assembly 145. The mounting tab 145b extends in the direction of the optical axis F and physically couples the rear lens assembly 145 to the second printed circuit board 118 to hold the lens barrel 146 of the telephoto imaging system 140 and the optical devices and elements (i.e., lenses, zoom lens assembly 144, compensator lens assembly 150, etc. positioned inside the rear lens assembly 145) in position relative to the telephoto imaging sensor 147.

[0041] In an example, the lens barrel 146 has a first outer diameter 146d toward a first end of the lens barrel 146 (i.e., the end with the flange 145a) 1 , and the lens barrel 146 tapers to a smaller second outer diameter 146d at a second end of the lens barrel 146 (i.e., the end with the tab 145b) 2 . The tapered outer diameter of the lens barrel allows the part to be machined using injection molding. The taper allows the molded part to be ejected from the mold cavity. Further, having two different diameters along the lens barrel 146 allows control of the tilt and lateral positioning (i.e., the direction orthogonal to the optical axis F) of the optical devices housed in the rear lens assembly 145 to adjust the imaged light onto the telephoto imaging sensor 147. The second outer diameter 146d 2 minimizes the positioning features used to couple the telephoto lens assembly 140 to the second chassis 110, which reduces the physical constraints on the lens assembly 140 during construction and allows for more physical adjustability of the lens assembly 140.

[0042] The fixed-focus optical group 154 may include a plurality of lenses disposed in the hollow body of the rear lens assembly 145 to provide an image to the telephoto imaging sensor 147. The notch 113 in the cavity of the rear lens assembly 145 may provide physical support to the lenses and optics disposed in the rear lens assembly 145 to position the lenses and optics relative to each other and relative to other elements of the telephoto imaging system 140. The fixed-focus optical group 154 is disposed along the telephoto imaging axis F, and thus, the telephoto imaging axis F may be referred to herein as the optical axis or imaging axis of the telephoto imaging system 140. The fixed-focus optical group 154 is configured to receive light from the zoom assembly 144 and may include one or more lenses, including but not limited to convex lenses, concave lenses, asymmetric lenses, plastic lenses, glass lenses, aspheric plastic lenses, aspheric lenses, field stops, baffles, and / or apertures. The fixed-focus optical group 154 is configured to focus light at the flange focal length of 18.766 mm of the optical components of the telephoto imaging system 140. Depending on various conditions of the optical system, the current embodiment has an effective focal length between 19.47 mm and 19.92 mm. Depending on the optical elements used, the flange focal length and the effective focal length of the system may be adjusted on the order of millimeters, tens of millimeters, or even hundreds of millimeters. The telephoto imaging sensor 147 receives the light at the flange focal length and generates a signal indicative of the received light to generate an image of an object in the FOV of the telephoto imaging system 140. The telephoto imaging system 140 is mounted in the second chassis 110, and in an example, the second chassis 110 is a zinc alloy having a low coefficient of thermal expansion. The telephoto imaging system 140 is fastened to the second chassis 110 at an axial position that minimizes the change in its focal position relative to the sensor 147 due to temperature variations, taking advantage of the low expansion coefficient of the zinc alloy second chassis 110.

[0043] In addition to providing physical support for the position of the fixed-focus optical group 154, the rear lens assembly 145 further acts as an optical baffle to reduce stray light in the telephoto imaging system 140. The rear lens holder 154 may include structural features that act as a baffle itself or may include a separate element as an optical baffle. In an example, the fixed-focus optical group 154 includes an optical baffle 156 disposed along the optical axis F between the lenses of the fixed-focus optical group 154. The optical baffle 156 may be machined from a metallic material, such as a relatively light metal (such as aluminum), which allows for thinner walls and lighter weight of the baffle 156, thereby allowing for an overall smaller-sized telephoto imaging system 140. In an example, the optical baffle 156 may be any material, but cost, weight, and material trade-offs may be considered. The lightweight material for the optical baffle 156 reduces the overall risk of adhesive bond failure during mechanical shock, such as when the assembly 100 is dropped or other physical shock to the assembly 100 or the telephoto imaging system 140.

[0044] The light shield 156 may have an outer diameter less than 6 mm, less than 8 mm, less than 10 mm, or less than 20 mm. In a specific example, the optical light shield 156 has a nominal outer diameter of 5.8 mm. The optical light shield 156 has a first light shield aperture edge 156a and a second light shield aperture edge 156b, both of which block the further propagation of stray light along the optical axis F. The light shield 156 serves as a field stop that reflects the stray light into the walls of the light shield 156 and the lens barrel 146. The light shield 156 may be coated with a dark coating (such as a black polish or paint) to increase the absorption of light entering the walls of the light shield 156 to further reduce the stray light in the tele-imaging system 140.

[0045] The zoom assembly 144 is physically coupled to the fixed-focus optical group 145 at the flange 145a. In an example, the zoom optical element housing 143 is physically coupled to the rear lens assembly 145 via the arm 143a of the housing 143. The zoom optical element housing 143 may be physically coupled to the mounting flange 145a by an adhesive or other suitable coupling mechanism. The autofocus system 142 is disposed within the zoom optical element housing 143 and protected by the zoom optical element housing 143 to prevent damage to the autofocus system 142. In an example, the autofocus system 142 includes a zoom optical element disposed along the optical axis F to receive light from the compensator lens assembly 150. The zoom optical element of the autofocus system may include a voice coil motor, a liquid lens, a T-lens, or another optical element having a variable focal plane or focal length for adjusting the flange focal length of the tele-imaging system 140. The autofocus system 142 and the associated zoom optical element may be disposed entirely or partially inside the zoom optical element housing 143, and thereby, the housing 143 supports the position of the autofocus system 142 along the optical axis F.

[0046] The compensator lens assembly 150 is disposed along the telephoto imaging axis F to receive light from the telephoto imaging FOV of the assembly 100. The compensator lens assembly 150 includes a compensator lens 153 that is positioned along the optical axis F to adjust the focal flange length of the optical components of the telephoto imaging system 140. In an example, the compensator lens 153 is a glass lens with a positive optical power, and the glass lens may have an anti-reflection coating, an infrared blocking coating, a band-pass coating, or another optical coating disposed thereon to reduce reflections or filter the light propagating through the lens. The compensator lens assembly 150 includes a compensator lens housing 152 that contains the compensator lens 153. In an example, the compensator lens 153 is partially or fully disposed inside the compensator lens housing 152. The compensator lens housing 152 supports the position of the compensator lens 153 along the optical axis, and the compensator lens housing 152 can be used to adjust the position of the compensator lens along the telephoto imaging axis F and laterally adjust the position of the compensator lens along a dimension orthogonal to the telephoto imaging axis F. The compensator lens housing 152 is physically coupled to the variable focal length optical element housing 143 to maintain the position of the compensator lens 143 relative to the optics of the variable focal length assembly 142 and the fixed focal length optical group 154 to focus an image of the FOV onto the telephoto imaging sensor 147.

[0047] In an example, the compensator lens housing 152 is physically coupled to the zoom optical element housing by an adhesive 151, a mount, or other coupling mechanism. The adhesive 151 reduces the overall size of the telephoto imaging system 140 and eliminates the need for additional lens holders or physical mounting structures. After the zoom assembly 144, the fixed-focus optical group, and the rear lens assembly 145 have been positioned along the telephoto imaging axis F to provide an image to the telephoto imaging sensor 147, the adhesive 151 also allows for active adjustment and alignment of the flange focal length of the telephoto imaging assembly 140. By using the adhesive 151, the compensator lens assembly 150 can be adjusted manually or automatically by a person or machine to adjust the flange focal plane of the telephoto imaging assembly 140 onto the telephoto imaging sensor 147. The use of a thin bead layer of the adhesive 151 also provides a seal between the compensator lens assembly 150 and the zoom assembly 144, which protects the optics of the zoom assembly 144 (e.g., the autofocus system 142, liquid lens, T-lens, voice coil motor, etc.) from dust, fluids, or debris entering the system and contaminating the image. Typically, active alignment of the optics may require adjusting the flange focal plane by adjusting the focal length of the zoom optics, which reduces the total available focal length range of the optical system. Using the compensator lens 150 to adjust the flange focal length maintains the widest possible focal plane range of the telephoto imaging system 140 by compensating for any focal plane errors, including focal length, plane tilt, or lateral position, to provide a focused image at the telephoto imaging sensor 147 that maintains the focus range of the system 140. Due to the housing structure and the surrounding physical chassis and structures, the tipping and tilting of longer optical systems with multiple lenses and adjustable-focus optics are typically limited. Thus, the compensator lens assembly 150 allows for a wide range of focal plane and image adjustment relative to other comparable optical systems. Additionally, the use of the compensator lens assembly 150 allows for the use of larger physical mounts and couplers, such as the flange 143a, which allows for the use of larger compensator lenses. Larger lenses 153 collect more light than smaller lenses, which provides higher resolution or higher quality images across multiple imaging and scanning system metrics. The compensator lens 153 further allows for consistent system performance across devices, including the described telephoto imaging system 140, resulting in a high-quality, consistent imaging assembly 100. Due to the use of multiple features, such as the dual-diameter lens barrel, the small machined light shield 156, the stable positioning of the optics using the flange 145a and tabs 145b, and the adhesive 151, the overall size of the telephoto imaging system can be 20 mm along the optical axis F and have a lateral depth and width of 10 mm by 9 mm or less. The described mounting features (e.g., the mounting flange 143a, tabs 145b, etc.) reduce the risk of misalignment or non-alignment of the telephoto imaging system 140 within the assembly 100. Further, the adhesive and mounting pads secure other systems and elements of the system in place within the assembly.It is contemplated that other physical mountings, features, and adhesives, screws, or other physical couplers may be used to mount components and prevent any misalignment or ejection of the components during a physical shock event (e.g., dropping onto a floor or surface, being jostled during transportation, etc.). For example, the first chassis 105 may be further physically fastened to the tele-imaging system 140 and the second chassis 110 via an adhesive between the first chassis 105 and the tele-imaging system 140 and / or the second chassis 110 to increase the physical stability of the first chassis and the components disposed therein.

[0048] Reference Figure 1 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 , details of the aiming system 180 and its environment are described herein. As previously mentioned, the aiming system 180 includes an aiming source 182 and other components, such as a collimating lens or lens assembly 183 that extends along axis A in a first direction. The aiming source 182 generates light to assist in identifying the FOV. The collimating lens 183 is provided to control the light emitted from the aiming source 182. A pattern generator (or DOE) 188 generates a modified pattern from the emitted light to assist in identifying the FOV. As previously mentioned, the aiming system 180 is at least partially disposed within a cavity or enclosed volume 181 of the second chassis 110. More specifically, the enclosed volume 181 of the chassis 110 includes a chassis mounting portion 184 and a redirecting region 185 that at least partially surrounds the chassis mounting portion 184. In the illustrated example, the chassis mounting portion 184 is in the form of a surface that receives and holds a portion of the aiming system 180.

[0049] The redirecting region 185 is in the form of a surface or sidewall that can redirect light or electromagnetic radiation propagating in a first direction (i.e., in a direction parallel to axis A) to a second direction (i.e., in a direction toward axis A). More specifically, as Figure 10 shown, the redirecting region 185 is in the form of a plurality of curved surfaces. In some examples, such surfaces may be generally parabolic in shape. However, other examples and arrangements are possible, such as, for example, generally flat, angled surfaces or surfaces having any desired curvature or shape. In some examples, the redirecting region 185 may be reflective or semi-reflective to facilitate the redirecting of light or electromagnetic radiation. In these and other examples, the redirecting region 185 may have other surface treatments that result in a desired surface smoothness. For example, the redirecting region 185 may have a surface roughness of approximately 0.8 microns (compared to the remainder of the chassis 110 having a surface roughness between approximately 1.6 and 3.2 microns). As a result, the redirecting region 185 may have a relatively smoother surface than the remainder of the chassis 110 to facilitate electromagnetic radiation reflection. It should be understood that the redirecting region 185 may have different and / or additional surface treatments applied thereto to result in further reduced roughness values.

[0050] The adhesive 186 is used to couple, fasten, and / or otherwise hold the component to the chassis 110. It should be understood that, although not shown, the adhesive 186 can be provided to couple, fasten, and / or otherwise hold any number of additional components. More specifically, the adhesive 186 can be used to couple the collimating lens 183 to the chassis 110 at the chassis mounting portion 184. In some examples, the adhesive 186 can first be coupled to the chassis mounting portion 184, whereby the collimating lens 183 is placed on the adhesive 186, but in other examples, the adhesive 186 can first be coupled to the collimating lens 183, whereby the collimating lens 183 and the adhesive 186 can be placed on the chassis mounting portion 184. In any of these or other arrangements, proper placement of the collimating lens 183 relative to the chassis is desired to achieve high performance of the aiming system 180. In some examples, an active alignment procedure is performed to ensure that the collimating lens 183 is properly set relative to the aiming source 182.

[0051] In some examples, the collimating lens 183 can be made of a plastic material such as, for example, polycarbonate. In some examples, the collimating lens 183 can have an opaque housing or body to achieve improved optical performance. Compared to previous designs that used transparent and / or translucent components, the opaque collimating lens 183 can help block stray light from entering and / or escaping from the aiming system 180.

[0052] Once the collimating lens 183 (or any other component of the unit 100) is properly placed and aligned with the chassis mounting portion 184, a curing process is initiated to cause the adhesive 186 to fasten the collimating lens 183 in the desired position. The process can be a single-stage or multi-stage procedure, whereby electromagnetic radiation (e.g., ultraviolet (“UV”) light or any other light source) is directed at the adhesive for curing. While previous systems using transparent or translucent collimating lenses were able to perform such curing by simply directing electromagnetic radiation in the axial direction along axis A, whereby the electromagnetic radiation passes through the transparent or translucent collimating lens and reaches the adhesive 186, in examples where the collimating lens 183 (or other component) is made of an opaque material, such a configuration can block and / or otherwise prevent or impede the electromagnetic radiation from reaching the adhesive. Further, given the compact design of the unit 100, it may not be possible to attempt to direct the electromagnetic radiation at an angle such that it contacts the adhesive. However, because the presently described unit 100 incorporates the aiming cavity 181 with the redirecting region 185, light, heat, or other electromagnetic radiation can be directed into the cavity 181 in a direction parallel to axis A toward the redirecting region 185, and thus the shape, arrangement, and / or surface treatment(s) applied thereto cause such light, heat, or other electromagnetic radiation to be reflected toward the adhesive 186 to initiate curing.

[0053] As described above, in some examples, the redirect region 185 may have a generally parabolic shape. The dimensions of such an arrangement of the redirect region 185 can be determined such that the focus of the parabola (or other shape) is positioned at the location of the adhesive 186. In these and other arrangements, the redirected or otherwise reflected electromagnetic radiation will contact the adhesive 186 and cure it.

[0054] It should be understood that in some forms, the curing process can be completed in a single step. However, in other examples, the curing process can include multiple steps, where electromagnetic radiation is first directed to the redirect region 185 to initiate curing, and a second curing process can occur thereafter. In some examples, the collimating lens 183 can be further positioned and / or aligned between these two curing steps. Further, in some examples, the second curing step can include applying a heat source generated by a heating element to the aiming cavity 181. In other examples, during this second step, electromagnetic radiation can be directed towards the redirect region again. Other examples are possible.

[0055] Arranged in this way, the scanning unit 100 can incorporate any number of redirect regions to assist in fixing any number of desired components that require precise alignment. Such an arrangement is particularly beneficial in this system, which occupies a reduced overall volume and thus has a smaller component cavity. Advantageously, the sealed cavity can be less susceptible to contamination of the inner surface that might otherwise affect the performance of the aiming system 180. Such contaminants can include foreign objects and / or moisture. The sealed cavity can additionally provide a barrier to prevent external light sources from entering the aiming system 180, from the aiming system 180 into other systems, and to prevent stray light generated by the aiming system 180 from creating artifacts in the engine 100.

[0056] The above description refers to block diagrams of the accompanying drawings. Alternative implementations of the examples represented by the block diagrams include one or more additional or alternative elements, processes, and / or devices. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the example blocks in the figures may be combined, divided, rearranged, or omitted. The components represented by the blocks in the figures are implemented by hardware, software, firmware, and / or any combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. In some examples, at least one of the components represented by the blocks is implemented by logic circuitry. As used herein, the term "logic circuitry" is expressly defined as a physical device that includes at least one hardware component that is configured (e.g., via operations based on a predetermined configuration and / or via execution of stored machine-readable instructions) to control one or more machines and / or perform one or more operations of a machine. Examples of logic circuitry include one or more processors, one or more coprocessors, one or more microprocessors, one or more controllers, one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), one or more microcontroller units (MCUs), one or more hardware accelerators, one or more dedicated computer chips, and one or more system-on-a-chip (SoC) devices. Some example logic circuitry, such as an ASIC or an FPGA, is hardware that is specially configured to perform operations (e.g., one or more of the operations described herein and represented by the process diagrams of the present disclosure, if any). Some example logic circuitry is hardware that executes machine-readable instructions to perform operations (e.g., one or more of the operations described herein and represented by the process diagrams of the present disclosure, if any). Some example logic circuitry includes a combination of specially configured hardware and hardware that executes machine-readable instructions.

[0057] As used herein, each of the terms "tangible machine-readable medium", "non-transitory machine-readable medium", and "machine-readable storage device" is expressly defined as a storage medium (e.g., a disk of a hard disk drive, a digital versatile disk, an optical disk, a flash memory, a read-only memory, a random access memory, etc.) on which machine-readable instructions (e.g., program code in the form of software and / or firmware) are stored for any suitable duration (e.g., permanently, for an extended period (e.g., while the program associated with the machine-readable instructions is executing) and / or for a short period (e.g., while the machine-readable instructions are cached and / or in the buffering process)). Additionally, as used herein, each of the terms "tangible machine-readable medium", "non-transitory machine-readable medium", and "machine-readable storage device" is expressly defined to exclude propagated signals. That is, as used in any claim of this patent, none of the terms "tangible machine-readable medium", "non-transitory machine-readable medium", and "machine-readable storage device" can be construed to be implemented by a propagated signal.

[0058] In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this teaching. Additionally, the described embodiments / examples / implementations should not be construed as mutually exclusive, but rather should be understood as potentially combinable, if such combination is permitted in any way. In other words, any feature disclosed in any one of the foregoing embodiments / examples / implementations can be included in any other one of the foregoing embodiments / examples / implementations.

[0059] These benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more prominent are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims. The invention as claimed is defined solely by the appended claims, including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.

[0060] Moreover, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, etc. may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises", "comprising", "has", "having", "includes", "including", "contains", "containing", or any other variation thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, or contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element that begins with "comprises a", "has a", "includes a", or "contains a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, or contains that element. The terms "a" and "an" are defined as one or more unless expressly stated otherwise herein. The terms "substantially", "approximately", "about", or any other version of these terms are defined as being close as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment, these terms are defined as being within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1%, and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term "coupled" as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly or mechanically. An apparatus or structure that is "configured" in a certain way is configured at least in that way, but may also be configured in ways not listed.

[0061] The abstract of the present disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. This abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Additionally, in the foregoing detailed description, it can be seen that for the purpose of integrating the present disclosure as a whole, various features are grouped together in various embodiments. This method of disclosure should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, the inventive subject matter may lie in less than all of the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Accordingly, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description, where each claim stands on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising: a first chassis, the first chassis including a body defining at least one cavity, the first chassis including a chassis mounting portion; a second chassis, the second chassis including a body defining at least one cavity, the first chassis being mounted to the second chassis through the chassis mounting portion of the first chassis; a close-range imaging system, the close-range imaging system being disposed in the cavity of the first chassis, the close-range imaging system including close-range imaging optics to capture at least one image of an object appearing in a field of view (FOV) onto an imaging plane along a close-range imaging axis of the close-range imaging system; a long-range imaging system, the long-range imaging system being disposed in the cavity of the second chassis, the long-range imaging system including long-range imaging optics to capture at least one image of an object appearing in the FOV onto an imaging plane along a long-range imaging axis of the long-range imaging system; a lighting system, the lighting system being disposed in the cavity of the first chassis, the lighting system including lighting optics to provide illumination to the FOV of each of the close-range imaging optics and the long-range imaging optics; a aiming system, the aiming system being disposed adjacent to the lighting system, the aiming system including an aiming path cavity in the first chassis and an aiming light source disposed in the cavity of the second chassis to provide an aiming pattern along an aiming axis in the FOV of each of the close-range imaging optics and the long-range imaging optics; wherein the close-range imaging system is disposed adjacent to the aiming system on a side of the aiming system opposite to a side of the lighting system; and the long-range imaging system is disposed adjacent to the close-range imaging system on a side of the close-range imaging system opposite to the aiming system.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first circuit board, the first circuit board being disposed adjacent to the first chassis between the first chassis and the second chassis; and a second circuit board, the second circuit board being disposed adjacent to the second chassis on a side of the second chassis opposite to a side of the first circuit board.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein, the lighting system includes at least one lighting source disposed on the first circuit board.

4. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein, the aiming system includes at least one aiming radiation source disposed on the second circuit board, the aiming radiation source being positioned to provide aiming radiation along the aiming axis through the aiming path cavity.

5. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein, the close-range imaging system includes a close-range image detector disposed on the first circuit board, the close-range image detector being configured to capture an image of an object in a close-range field of view of the imaging device.

6. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein, the long-range imaging system includes a long-range image sensor disposed on the second circuit board, the long-range image detector being configured to capture an image of an object in a long-range field of view of the imaging device.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the first chassis is made of a plastic material.

8. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the illumination system includes: a tele-illumination source configured to provide tele-illumination along a tele-illumination axis to a tele-field of view of the imaging device; a near-illumination source configured to provide near-illumination along a near-illumination axis to a near-field of view of the imaging device; an illumination collimator disposed in a cavity of the first chassis along the tele-illumination axis and the near-illumination axis, the illumination collimator configured to collimate the tele-illumination and the near-illumination; and a multi-lens array disposed along the near-illumination axis, the multi-lens array configured to expand the near-illumination to illuminate the near-field of view of the imaging device.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein, the near-illumination axis is angled relative to the tele-illumination axis.

10. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein, the tele-illumination illuminates a field of view of less than 25° by 25°.

11. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein, the near-illumination illuminates a field of view of greater than 50° by 30°.

12. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the aiming system further includes an aiming optical element disposed along the aiming axis to form an aiming pattern in the field of view of the imaging device.

13. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the aiming optical element includes a diffractive optical element or a refractive optical element.

14. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the aiming axis is parallel to the tele-imaging axis.

15. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the near-imaging system has a field of view of greater than 42° by 25°.

16. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the tele-imaging system has a field of view of less than 15° by 10°.

17. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, each of the illumination system, the aiming system, the near-imaging system, and the tele-imaging system is disposed relative to each other along a horizontal axis of the imaging device, the horizontal axis being parallel to a direction of a larger dimension of an imaging field of view of the near-field imaging system and the far-field imaging system.

18. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein, the imaging device has an overall size of less than 35 mm by 12 mm by 25 mm.

19. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising a rigid-flexible printed circuit board, wherein a first portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board is disposed between the first chassis and the second chassis adjacent to the first chassis, and a second circuit board is disposed adjacent to the second chassis on a side of the second chassis opposite to one side of the first circuit board, and a flexible portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board is at least partially disposed outside the first chassis and the second chassis, and the flexible portion physically and electrically couples the first portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board to the second portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board.

20. The imaging device according to claim 19, further comprising at least one protective protrusion extending along a length of the flexible portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board from the first chassis or the second chassis, the protective protrusion having a height such that the at least one protective protrusion extends beyond the flexible portion of the rigid-flexible circuit board to physically protect the rigid-flexible circuit board.

Images