The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 27, 2004
Filed:
Nov. 18, 1998
Mark Woolston, Copper Canyon, TX (US);
Jimmy Ogles, Southlake, TX (US);
Walter Hosiner, Grand Prairie, TX (US);
Bell & Howell Postal Systems, Inc., Lincolnwood, IL (US);
Abstract
An illuminating system for emitting a uniform amount of intense scattered light. The illumination system comprises an integrated chamber having a cavity large enough to contain at least two florescent lamps and a reflective interior surface. The chamber is further comprised of a front surface and rear surface. The front surface of the elongated chamber has an elongated opening (i.e. front opening) for emitting the light directed from the florescent lamps and the rear surface has a corresponding elongated opening (i.e. rear opening) aligned with the front opening. This rear opening allows a scanning mechanism, such as a camera, to read any information being illuminated through the front opening of the illuminating system. Each florescent lamp positioned within the chamber is coated on its interior with a phosphorous coating, except that during manufacturing a small amount of this phosphorous is removed to create a slot running longitudinally along the florescent bulb that is at least the length of the front opening when the bulb is positioned within the cavity of the chamber. The bulbs are held within the chamber by sockets and positioned such that one bulb is on each side of the front opening. The slot of each bulb is then aligned to direct the light emitted from the slot directly toward the front opening of the chamber.