JP3069191B2 - Scanning head of optical scanning device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser scanning system for reading coded marks such as bar code symbols, and more particularly to an on-board keyboard, an on-board display, an on-board printer and an on-board printer. The present invention relates to a hand-held laser scanning head having a radio transceiver. Preferably, a divergence spectrum technique is used that allows the laser scan head to communicate electronically with a remote location.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various optical readers or optical scanning systems have been developed to read bar code symbols represented on labels or on the surface of articles. The bar code symbol itself is a coded pattern of marks consisting of a series of bars of various widths spaced apart from each other, the bars and spaces having different light reflecting properties. By means of the reader and the scanning system, the symbol is electronically decoded into a number of alphanumeric characters which are indicative of the object or certain features of the object. Such characters are typically represented in digital form and are used as input signals to a data processing system for applications such as point-of-sale management, inventory checking, and the like. For example, US Pat. No. 4,251,798 describes this general type of scanning system.
No. 4,360,798, 4,369,361 and 4,387,297.

It is generally known to emit a light beam from a hand-held, portable scanning system held by an operator, and to have a head, more specifically, a light beam. And aiming at the symbols to be read. This light beam is preferably a laser beam generated by a gas or semiconductor laser source. The laser beam is directed along the optical path by an optical train such that the laser beam is focused on a scanning spot in a reference plane, typically located away from the head. At least a portion of the laser beam reflected away from the symbol located near the reference plane is focused and detected over the field of view by an on-board sensor of the head. A scanning spot in a scan across the symbol is swept or swept across its field of view by the scanning component. What is generated by the sensor is an electrical analog signal representing the symbol. This analog signal is converted to a digital signal, which is then decoded into symbolic data, and the result is passed on to a remote site, such as a host computer, for further processing.
Symbol reading is initiated by a trigger switch that can be manually activated. The point in time at which the symbol is suitably decoded and read is determined by the system, and then the reading is automatically terminated.

[0004]

A keyboard for manual data entry is a useful component in such systems. Many-key keyboards take up a lot of space and are typically mounted away from the head or, if mounted on the head, in places that are difficult for the operator to use. Are located. If the keyboard is mounted on the cylinder or body of the head in front of the window through which the emitted light beam passes, when the operator operates the keyboard during reading of the symbol, the operator's finger or hand As a result, the emitted light beam may be blocked. When the window allows the reflected light to pass through the sensor, the operator's finger or hand also blocks the reflected light and again interferes with the reading operation. The keyboard can also be mounted on a terminal unit that is removably mounted on the handle of the head.

[0005] Displays for displaying information are also useful components in such systems. Typically, an indicator light is used as a display to inform the operator. When the displays are formed as one or more screens, they will occupy a large space. This means
While this is not a problem for the contact device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,798 where space is available, it is a problem for hand-held, non-contact scan heads where space is required. become. Often, such displays are mounted on a separate terminal unit that is mounted away from or attachable to the head.

The technique proposed in US Pat. No. 4,628,193 relates to a parcel delivery service, a hospital medical program and a blood sample identification system, a keyboard, display and printer on a hand-held electronic device. Is to be mounted.

An object of the present invention is to provide a scanning head of an optical scanning device in which a display and a keyboard are integrally mounted on-board with respect to a scanning head for reading a mark.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a scanning head of an optical scanning device which enables an operator to operate a keyboard without obstructing reading of a mark.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a scanning head for an optical scanning device that allows an operator to view a display without interfering with the reading of marks.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a compact and integrated hand-held type having an on-board type data input unit and an information display, and an on-board type electric signal transmitting / receiving unit and a label printing unit. To provide a laser scanning head.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, a scanning head of an optical scanning device according to the present invention comprises a scanning head of an optical scanning device for reading a mark having portions having different light reflectances. Front, rear, and
A housing having an elongated body portion including an intermediate body portion extending between the front portion and the rear portion; a keyboard disposed on the rear portion of the housing for registering data by an operator; and a front portion of the housing. Display means for displaying various information, and a light beam directed along an optical path toward a mark to be read, receiving reflected light from the mark, and generating an electric signal indicating the mark Mark detection means, which is mounted on an intermediate body portion of the housing, is formed and arranged in the light path of the light beam, and passes through the light beam, passes over the display means, and passes through the front of the housing to the outside. To have a light-transmitting window means that can be transmitted without being obstructed, and a reading control means for controlling a mark detecting means for reading a mark. There is a butterfly. In the scanning head of the optical scanning device, the scanning head has a handle for holding the housing by an operator during reading, the handle is connected to the housing, and the rear portion has an inclined wall. The keyboard is provided on the inclined wall, and the inclined wall rises from the rear to the front of the housing.

A scanning head of an optical scanning device according to the present invention is a scanning head of an optical scanning device for reading a mark having a portion having a different light reflectance. A generally gun-shaped housing having an elongate body portion including an intermediate body portion extending therebetween, connected to the body portion, holding the housing by an operator, and disposed at a distance from a front portion of the housing. A handle for aiming the body at the mark, arranged on a rear part of the housing, a keyboard for data registration by an operator, and arranged on a front part of the housing; Display means for displaying information, which can be easily seen by the operator while reading the mark, and along the optical path toward the mark to be read Mark detection means for generating a directed light beam, receiving reflected light from the mark and generating an electrical signal indicative of the mark, mounted on an intermediate body portion of the housing, and formed and arranged in an optical path of the light beam And a light-transmitting window means through which the light beam passes, passes over the display means, passes through the front part of the housing, and travels unhindered to the outside, and a mark detecting means for reading marks. The reading control means is provided.

[0013]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a hand-held laser scanning head in a laser scanning system for reading marks (such as symbols) targeted by the head. Several components are mounted on the head. For example,
Means such as a semiconductor laser diode or a gas laser are provided in the head for generating the incident laser beam. Optical means such as a focus lens, aperture stop, reflective mirror or other optical elements are also provided in the head for optical correction. That is,
The optical means forms a beam for the scanning spot and a first relative to a reference plane located outside the head.
Directs the incident laser beam along the optical path and is substantially orthogonal to the direction of propagation of the incident laser beam and for symbols located within a working distance range near the reference plane. In a substantially orthogonal plane.

The laser light is reflected off the symbol, and at least a return portion of the reflected laser light travels along the second optical path to return from the symbol back toward the head. For example, scanning means, such as a scanning motor, having a reciprocatingly oscillating output shaft with a reflecting surface, such as a scanning mirror, is mounted in the head for scanning the symbols. Here, it is more preferred to make multiple sweeps per second across the symbol in an iterative manner. This return portion of the reflected laser light varies in the intensity of the light across the symbol during the scanning operation,
The bars and spaces that make up the barcode symbol are
This is due to having different light reflection characteristics.

The head is also composed of, for example, one or more photodiodes, detects the variable light intensity of the return portion of the laser light reflected over a certain field of view, and detects the detected variable light intensity. For generating an electrical analog signal. Signal processing means for processing an analog electric signal is also mounted in the head, but this is usually for processing this analog signal into a digitized electric signal,
This digitized electrical signal can be decoded into data representing the symbol being scanned. The scanning means is operative to scan either the incident laser beam itself across the symbol, the field of view of the sensor means, or both.

In some cases, decoding / control electronics are provided within the head or at a distance from the head. The decoding / control electronics decodes the symbol to decode the digitized signal into the data described above, determine a favorable decoding of the symbol, and based on the favorable decoding decision. It operates to end. The reading is initiated by the activation of a manually activatable trigger means provided on the head and operatively connected to the laser beam generating means, scanning means, sensor means, signal processing means and decoding / control means. Or be operable to activate them. The trigger means is activated once for each symbol, but each symbol is in its respective order. In a preferred embodiment, the activation of the trigger means activates the decoding / controlling means, followed by the laser beam generating means, the scanning means,
Activation of the sensor means and the signal processing means is performed.

In normal use, the head supported by the operator's hand aims at each symbol to be read, and once the symbol is located, the operator activates trigger means to start reading. . When a symbol is read, the decoding / controlling means automatically alerts the operator, allowing the operator to pay attention to the next symbol,
Repeat the reading procedure.

As mentioned above, keyboards and displays are useful components for such systems. By mounting the display and keyboard on the head, the display and keyboard input of information is performed on the side of the symbol to be read, rather than farther from the head.

The present invention therefore proposes mounting a keyboard at the rear of the head and mounting a display at the front of the head. A window is provided on an intermediate portion of the housing between the keyboard and the display. The returning portion of the outgoing laser beam and reflected light passes through the window, over the display, past the front of the head, and travels unimpeded to the outside. Placing the keyboard behind the window, deviating from the first and second light paths, ensures that there is no obstruction or obstruction of symbol reading by an operator's finger or hand. Placing the display in front of the window does not obstruct reading of the symbols and does not obscure the operator's view of the display with the laser beam passing over it.

To enhance the visibility and instant input to the keyboard, the keyboard is mounted on a top wall that is inclined so as to rise in the direction from the rear to the front of the head. To enhance visibility and access to the display, the display is mounted on a generally flat upper wall of the head without obstruction between the operator's eyes and the display. The window is mounted on an inclined wall so as to fall in a direction from the rear to the front of the head. This sloping wall makes it possible to create a direct line of sight between the operator's eyes and the display.

A transceiver is mounted on the head for transmitting the digitally decoded signal to a remote location by wireless transmission and for receiving the return electrical signal. The antenna is mounted on the head and is electrically connected to the transceiver.

A printer is also mounted on the head. The printer operates to print on a label with either human readable information or machine readable information.

【Example】

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG.
Shows a laser scanning head fully held by an operator used in a laser scanning system that operates to read, scan and analyze the bar code symbol through the reading of the bar code symbol. And this laser scanning head is lightweight, compact, streamlined,
It is narrow, hand-held, fully portable, easy to operate, and does not cause arm or wrist fatigue. The bar code symbol includes a series of bars and spaces of different widths, and these patterns are decoded into a number of digits representing the characteristics of the product carrying the symbol. Typical symbolic bar codes in use today include Universal Product Code (UPC), EAN, Coder Bar, and Code 39.

Returning to FIG. 1, the generally gun-shaped housing contained in the head 10 is provided with a handle portion 12 and an elongated, compact tube or body portion 14. The cross-sectional dimensions and overall dimensions of the handle portion 12 are adapted to just fit the user's palm. Body part 14 and handle part 12
Are constructed of lightweight, elastic, impact resistant and self-supporting materials, such as synthetic plastic materials. The plastic housing is preferably injection molded, but can be vacuum formed or blow molded to form a thin shell. The shell here is hollow and the volume of its internal space is less than about 50 cubic inches. The particular value of 50 cubic inches is not intended to be self-limiting, but merely an approximation of the overall maximum capacity and dimensions of the head 10. Its overall capacity is 5
It can be less than 0 cubic inches, and in some applications, its capacity can be as much as 25 cubic inches.

The body portion 14 extends substantially horizontally along the longitudinal direction, and has a front portion 16 at its front end.
It has a rear portion 18 at the rear end, and an intermediate body portion 20 between the front portion 16 and the rear portion 18. The body portion 14 includes a bottom wall 22 and a pair of side walls 2 opposed to each other in a lateral direction by a predetermined width.
4, 26, a front wall or nose portion 28, and a rear wall 30 spaced behind the front wall.

The body portion 14 also has a top wall above the bottom wall. This top wall is subdivided into three parts. The first portion 32 is located at the rear portion 18 and is an inclined wall rising in a direction from the rear portion to the front portion of the housing. Second part 34
Is a substantially plate-shaped wall which is located in the front part 16 and is substantially parallel to the bottom wall 22 and is planar. The third part 36 is located in the intermediate body part 20,
It is an inclined wall that falls in a direction from the rear part of the housing toward the front part. The upper edge provided on the inclined wall 32 is in sliding contact with the upper edge of the inclined wall 36. The lower edge portion provided on the inclined wall 36 includes:
It is in the same plane as that of the flat wall 34.

A keyboard 38 with a number of manually depressable keys 40 is mounted on the ramp 32 and is easily accessible by the operator. Included in these keys 40 are a plurality of alphanumeric keys and a set of control function keys. These keys 40 are preferably arranged in parallel columns and rows. Also, programmable function keys are provided according to the user's order.

Display 4 with area screen
0 is mounted on a flat wall 34. This display can be a low power liquid crystal display screen. In a preferred embodiment, the screen is an eight-line screen, each having 20 characters, and is backlit for clarity and ease of reading. By mounting the display 40 and the keyboard 38 on the head, it is easier to register data on the keyboard and read the data on the side where the symbol is to be read than on the remote side away from the head.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the light is generated by an optical train 44 and a light reflecting mirror 46 mounted on a bendable bracket 48 to generate an incident laser light beam. A laser light source, such as a semiconductor laser diode 42, is activated to direct the beam. The bracket 48 is mounted on an optical bench 50. A mirror 46 is located in the optical path of the incident beam and is directed from the optical train 44 toward and through an aperture stop 52 formed centrally in the sensor mirror 54. The incident beam travels unimpeded through aperture stop 52 and is scanned by scanning mirror 56 of scanning motor 58.
Clash up. The scanning mirror 56 directs the incident beam through a light transmissive window 60 mounted in the plane of the inclined wall 36 to a symbol for reflection therefrom beyond the front 16 of the head and the display 40.

The scan motor 58 operates to sweep the incident beam arbitrarily in a desired scan pattern. For details of the scanning motor, a scanning motor as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,297 can be used.

Because of the external transmission of the swept incident beam, the overall sweep size is independent of the cylinder width.
Since there is no direct relationship between the size of the swept incident beam and the width of the tube, it includes the possibility that the overall sweep size is larger or smaller than the tube width. Of course, if desired, the incident beam can be swept over a field of view larger than the width of the barrel.

Similarly, light reflected off of the symbol travels outside of the front 16 and the display 40 and passes through the same window 60 for impact on the scanning mirror 56.

The scan motor 58 also sweeps the field of view of the reflected light over the overall sweep dimension (which is smaller than the width of the barrel, but can be larger). The sensor mirror 54 is disposed in the optical path of the reflected light, and is reflected by the light reflecting portion of the mirror 54 forming the boundary of the aperture stop 52 toward the sensor lens 62 and then toward the optical sensor 64. Are reflected back. Lens 62 and sensor 64
Of the respective brackets 6 on the optical bench 50
6,68.

It should be noted that both the incident beam and the reflected light are swept to move through the same window 60, thereby forming a retroreflective scan head.

Sensor 6, preferably a photodiode
4, a variable intensity of the converged laser light is detected over a field of view extending along the symbol (more preferably, beyond), and an electrical signal representative of the detected variable light intensity is detected. An analog signal is generated.

The signal processing means 70 mounted in the head is mounted on the circuit board 72.
A processing operation is performed to convert an analog electric signal generated by the photodiode 64 into a digitized video signal. Data describing the symbols can be derived from this video signal. A suitable signal processing circuit for this purpose is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,798. Other components included in the head are: That is, a voltage converter 76 for converting a voltage coming from a drive circuit 74 for the motor 58, for example, batteries 78, 80, to a suitable calibration voltage for exciting the laser diode 42, and for driving the display 40. Display driver 8
2, and decoding / control means 84 operable to decode the digitized video signal into a digitally decoded signal. The digitally decoded signal here is obtained according to an algorithm included in a software control program in the microprocessor 86. Included in the decoding / control means are a PROM for holding a control program and a RAM for temporary data storage. The decoding / control means 84, together with the microprocessor 86, determines when a successful decoding operation has been performed on the symbol and terminates the reading of the symbol upon determining that the successful decoding operation has been performed. The start of the reading is triggered 88
This is done by pressing. Also included in the decoding / control means are the components that can be activated in the head when activated by the trigger 88 (ie, the laser diode 42, photodiode 64, motor 58, and all of them). To control the activation of the other electronic sub-circuits) and, for example, by transmitting control signals to the display 40, or by driving a buzzer or signal transmitter
This is a control circuit for notifying the user that the reading has been automatically completed.

The decoded signal may be transmitted along conductors in a cable interconnected between the head and a remote host computer 90, or may be transmitted wirelessly from the head to the computer 90 by an antenna 92. Transmitted. Computer 90 essentially acts as a large database, can be a self-contained processor, is adapted to store the decoded signal, and is associated with the decoded signal. To generate the information. For example,
According to the host computer of the present invention, it is possible to provide the retail price information based on the updated basic items corresponding to the product indicated by the decoded signal. The host computer can be advantageously incorporated into a portable terminal or a fixed terminal such as a cash register.

The wireless transmission from the head is performed by the circuit board 96.
It is performed by the transceiver 94 mounted thereon.
Preferably, after being initially modulated by frequency shift key modulator 98, either a digitized video signal or a digitally decoded signal is transmitted to computer 90. Transceiver 94 also accepts electrical signals returning from computer 90. The information contained in the return signal can be displayed on the display 40.

Although this radio transmission / reception is based on the distributed spectrum technology, it operates in the range of 902 MHz to 928 MHz, and does not require a license from the Federal Communications Commission. According to the dispersion spectrum technique, the data is uniformly distributed over a much larger frequency range than is normally required for sound data transmission. By deploying the data signal in the frequency band, the signal gains significant redundancy, allowing data recovery in the presence of interfering signals such as noise and signal tones.

In the preferred embodiment, 60 kilobits of data per second is transmitted over an operating range of 500 feet to 2,000 feet. For extended areas, a compartmentalized and transparent communication operation from base station to base station may require a terminal to be operated by the user by freely moving the terminal through the warehouse or factory floor. Up to 62 RF base stations can be deployed as permissible. The base station communicates with the host computer via a standard high speed 115,000 bps serial port. Distributed spectrum technology is characterized by its ability to perform on a sub-second basis even in networks consisting of hundreds of terminals, and provides a cost-effective method for wireless transmission of data.

The printer 100 included in the head is provided with a thermal print head 102 that operates to thermally print graphic markings on a journal roll 104 of paper labels. Each printed label is then cut from this roll by being moved against a cutting edge 106 at the front of the head. The label preferably has a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing and is applied directly on the product as an original label for the product or adjacent to the label present on the product (preferably the (Overlapping).

In a preferred embodiment, a bar code is printed by a printer at a rate of 1.5 inches per second on a label that is 1.5 inches wide and up to 8 inches long. All major barcode symbols include backgrounds, logos,
Alternatively, it can be printed in conjunction with the ability to generate special designs. Barcodes have a “ladder” style or “picket fence” style.
Can be printed vertically or horizontally. Alphanumeric characters can be rotated to increase in angle.
The printer can be mounted off-board in a separate housing that can be worn over the shoulder and plugged into the head.

Returning to FIG. 6, the hand-held head 10 shown in FIG.
Most or all components shown within can be mounted within the workstation 110. The workstation 110 has a head 112,
A base 114 is mounted on a countertop or similar support surface 116, and an adjustable torso-shaped conduit or arm 118 is provided. One end of the conduit is connected to the head 112 and the opposite end is connected to the base 114.
Trigger 88 can be eliminated. The arm 118 is hollow, through which a conductor can be directed to provide electrical communication with components within the head 112. The arm is made of a semi-rigid metallic material and can be repeatedly bent manually in one selected orientation, when it is bent, the operator re-orients to another orientation. Until it is bent, it can remain in the selected orientation. By bending this arm, the head 112 is steplessly adjusted for symbols located near the work surface outside the scan. This work surface or reference plane can be located at or slightly above the plane of the countertop 116.

Rather than using electrical leads, as described above, the antenna 120 can work with an on-board transceiver, and is conveniently shown as a cash register in a point-of-sale facility. 122. The terminal 122 is provided with the following various means.
A display 124 for displaying to the operator information including data representing the symbol being scanned, and a keyboard 1 on which the operator can manually enter information including data representing the symbol being scanned.
26, power to the battery mounted on either paper tape 130, base 114 or head 112 to record information about the purchase of the item holding the symbol being scanned and prepare a receipt for the customer 13 for replenishing or supplying fuel
2. (Decoding module is base 114, arm 11
8 or a decode module 134 (if not located in the head 112) and a database 136 of the host computer. Connector 138 may be used to download stored data to another database. Communication with the antenna 120 is performed by the antenna 140.

The overall installation shown in FIG. 6 is known as an intelligent workstation. The arm 118 has a number of degrees of freedom with degrees of freedom to ensure that the existing laser beam (depicted by arrow 142) strikes the symbol and that the returning reflected light converges from the symbol. Can handle the movement of

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to an embodiment embodied in a portable scanning apparatus having an on-board keyboard, display, transceiver and printer, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications and configurations are possible. The above changes are possible.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, a scanning head of an optical scanning device in which a display and a keyboard are integrally mounted on-board with respect to a scanning head for reading a mark is provided. Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gun-shaped hand-held scanning head according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a laser scanning workstation according to the present invention, partly in perspective and partly schematically.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Laser scanning head 12 Handle part 14 Body part 16 Front part 18 Rear part 20 Intermediate body part 38 Keyboard 40 Display 42 Laser diode 90 Host computer 100 Printer 110 Workstation

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-306385 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06K 7/10

Claims (14)

(57) [Claims] 1. A scanning head of an optical scanning device for reading a mark having portions having different light reflectivities, comprising: (a) a front portion, a rear portion, and an intermediate body extending between the front portion and the rear portion. A housing having an elongated body portion including a portion; (b) a keyboard disposed on a rear portion of the housing for registering data by an operator; and (c) a keyboard disposed on a front portion of the housing and various information. And (d) mark detecting means for generating a light beam directed along the optical path toward the mark to be read, receiving reflected light from the mark, and generating an electric signal indicating the mark. (E) mounted on an intermediate body portion of the housing, formed and arranged in an optical path of the light beam, the light beam passing through and over the display means; And (f) read control means for controlling mark detection means for reading a mark. The scanning head of an optical scanning device. 2. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 1, further comprising a handle for holding said housing by an operator during reading, said handle being connected to said housing. The scanning head of an optical scanning device. 3. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the rear portion has an inclined wall, and the keyboard is provided on the inclined wall. Scanning head. 4. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 3, wherein the inclined wall rises from a rear portion of the housing toward a front portion of the housing. . 5. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the keyboard has a plurality of keys. 6. The scanning head of the optical scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the front portion has a flat plate-shaped wall on which the display means is mounted along a line of sight of an operator. A scanning head for an optical scanning device. 7. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein said display means includes a screen having a predetermined area. 8. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 2, wherein said window means has a window on an inclined wall which is lowered from a rear portion of said housing toward a front portion thereof. A scanning head for an optical scanning device. 9. The scanning head of the optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a plurality of side walls that are laterally spaced from each other with a predetermined width. The transmission of the optical scanning device is independent of a predetermined width of the housing. 10. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein said mark detecting means includes a laser light source for generating an incident laser beam, and a laser light reflected from said mark over a field of view. Sensor means for detecting a variable light intensity, and a scanning head of an optical scanning device for scanning at least one of the incident laser beam and the field of view. 11. The scanning head of an optical scanning device according to claim 1, further comprising transceiver means for transmitting an electric signal to a remote place and receiving an electric signal returned from the remote place in the housing. A scanning head for an optical scanning device. 12. The scanning head according to claim 2, wherein said reading control means has a manually activated trigger switch attached to said handle. head. 13. The scanning head of the optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein a printing unit for printing data is provided in the housing. 14. A scanning head of an optical scanning device for reading marks having portions of different light reflectivity, comprising: (a) a front portion, a rear portion, and an intermediate body extending between the front portion and the rear portion. A generally gun-shaped housing having an elongate body portion including a portion, and connected to the body portion for holding the housing by an operator and aiming the body portion at a mark disposed at a distance from the front of the housing. (B) a keyboard arranged on the rear part of the housing for registering data by an operator; and (c) a keyboard arranged on the front part of the housing and various kinds of information. And (d) directed along the optical path toward the mark to be read, the display means being positioned so that the operator can quickly view the mark while reading the mark. A mark detecting means for generating a light beam, receiving reflected light from the mark, and generating an electric signal indicating the mark; and (e) mounted on an intermediate body portion of the housing and formed on an optical path of the light beam. (F) a mark for reading the mark; a light-transmissive window means arranged so that the light beam passes therethrough, passes over the display means, passes through the front part of the housing, and travels unhindered to the outside; A scanning head for an optical scanning device, comprising: reading control means for controlling detection means.