Optical scanner

Abstract

An optical scanner is provided with a carrier, a casing, a driving unit and a transmission unit. The carrier has a connecting unit and an optical system mounted thereon. The casing has a guiding rail formed as integral unit on the interior wall. The guiding rail has at least a fastener for latching onto the connecting unit of the carrier. The transmission unit links up the driving unit and the carrier. The driving unit drives the transmission unit and then the transmission unit pulls the carrier along the guiding rail through the linkage between the connecting unit and the fastener.

1 - 17 . (canceled)  
     
     
         18 . An optical scanner, comprising: 
 a carrier comprising a connecting unit and an optical system mounted thereon;    a casing comprising a guiding rail, wherein the guiding rail is formed on an interior wall of the casing as an integral unit and the guiding rail comprises at least a fastener capable of latching with the connecting unit of the carrier;    a driving unit; and    a transmission unit capable of coupling the driving unit and the carrier, the driving unit capable of driving the transmission unit to pull the carrier to move along the guide rail through the connecting unit of the carrier and the fastener of the guide rail.    
     
     
         19 . The optical scanner of  claim 18 , wherein the connecting unit of the carrier comprises at least a protruding section and the fastener of the guiding rail comprises a recess section capable of engaging with the protruding section of the connecting unit.  
     
     
         20 . The optical scanner of  claim 18 , wherein the guiding rail comprises a section protruding from the interior wall of the casing.  
     
     
         21 . The optical scanner of  claim 18 , wherein the guiding rail comprises a substantially U-shaped opening section.  
     
     
         22 . The optical scanner of  claim 18 , further comprising: a set of reflecting mirrors, a lens and an optical sensor.  
     
     
         23 . The optical scanner of  claim 22 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a charge couple device.  
     
     
         24 . The optical scanner of  claim 18 , wherein material constituting the casing comprises a soft and/or grind-resistant material.  
     
     
         25 . The optical scanner of  claim 24 , wherein the soft and grind-resistant material comprises one or more of the following: polycarbonate resin, nylon, polyoxymethylene or polybutylene terephthalate, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         26 . An optical scanner, comprising: 
 a carrier comprising a connecting unit, wherein the carrier comprises an optical system mounted thereon; and    a casing comprising a guiding rail, wherein the guiding rail is formed on an interior wall of the casing as an integral unit and the guiding rail comprises at least a fastener capable of latching with the connecting unit of the carrier.    
     
     
         27 . The optical scanner of  claim 26 , wherein the connecting unit of the carrier comprises at least a protruding section and the fastener of the guiding rail comprises a recess section capable of engaging with the protruding section of the connecting unit.  
     
     
         28 . The optical scanner of  claim 26 , wherein the guiding rail comprises a section protruding from the interior wall of the casing, and wherein the guiding rail comprises a substantially U-shaped opening section.  
     
     
         29 . An optical scanner, comprising: 
 a carrier comprising a connecting unit and an optical system;    a casing comprising one or more fixing sections on an interior wall of the casing;    a guiding rail comprising one or more base fastening sections and one or more sliding fasteners; and    the one or more base fastening sections of the guiding rail capable of latching onto the respective one or more fixing sections of the casing and the one or more sliding fasteners capable of latching onto the connecting unit of the carrier.    
     
     
         30 . The optical scanner of  claim 29 , wherein the guiding rail comprises a substantially U-shaped opening section comprising a plurality of ribs set at predetermined intervals inside the opening section capable of connecting sidewalls of the opening capable of strengthening the guiding rail.  
     
     
         31 . The optical scanner of  claim 29 , wherein the connecting unit of the carrier comprises one or more protruding sections and the sliding fastener of the guiding rail comprises one or more recess sections capable of engaging with the one or more protruding sections of the connecting unit.  
     
     
         32 . The optical scanner of  claim 29 , wherein the one or more fixing sections comprise a substantially L-shaped extension from the casing and the one or more base fastening sections of the guiding rail comprise an open hole such that the one or more base fastening sections are capable of latching onto the one or more fixing sections to attach the guiding rail to the casing.  
     
     
         33 . The optical scanner of  claim 29 , wherein the optical system further comprises a set of reflecting mirrors, a lens and an optical sensor.  
     
     
         34 . An optical scanner, comprising: 
 a casing;    a carrier located within the casing, wherein the carrier comprises a connecting unit and an optical system; and    a guiding rail located within the casing, wherein the guiding rail comprises one or more fasteners capable of latching with the connecting unit of the carrier.    
     
     
         35 . The optical scanner of  claim 34 , wherein the connecting unit of the carrier comprises one or more protruding sections, and wherein the one or more fasteners of the guiding rail comprise one or more recessed sections capable of latching with the one or more protruding sections of the connecting unit.  
     
     
         36 . The optical scanner of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more fasteners comprise two or more fasteners capable of latching with the connecting unit of the carrier.  
     
     
         37 . The optical scanner of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more fasteners comprise two or more fasteners capable of latching with the connecting unit of the carrier, wherein the connecting unit of the carrier comprises two or more protruding sections, and wherein the two or more fasteners of the guiding rail comprise two or more recessed sections capable of latching with the two or more protruding sections of the connecting unit.  
     
     
         38 . The optical scanner of  claim 34 , wherein the one or more fasteners are capable of slidably latching with the connecting unit of the carrier.  
     
     
         39 . The optical scanner of  claim 34 , wherein the guiding rail comprises an integral unit together with at least a portion of the casing.  
     
     
         40 . The optical scanner of  claim 34 , wherein the guiding rail comprises an integral unit together with at least a portion of the casing on one or more of the following: a top section of an upper casing portion, a sidewall of the upper casing section, a bottom section of a lower casing portion, and/or a sidewall of the lower casing portion, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         41 . The optical scanner of  claim 34 , wherein the guiding rail is capable of being attached to a portion of the casing on one or more of the following: a top section of an upper casing portion, a sidewall of the upper casing section, a bottom section of a lower casing portion, and/or a sidewall of the lower casing portion, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         42 . A method, comprising: 
 latching a connecting unit of a carrier to a guiding rail via one or more fasteners on the guiding rail; and    guiding the carrier comprising an optical system along the guiding rail within a casing.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said latching the connecting unit comprises latching one or more protruding sections of the connecting unit of the carrier to one or more recessed sections of the one or more fasteners of the guiding rail.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said latching the connecting unit comprises latching the connecting unit of the carrier to the guiding rail via two or more fasteners on the guiding rail.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said latching the connecting unit comprises latching the connecting unit of the carrier to the guiding rail via two or more recessed sections latching with the two or more protruding sections of the connecting unit.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said latching the connecting unit comprises slidably latching the one or more fasteners with the connecting unit of the carrier.  
     
     
         47 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 means for latching a connecting unit of a carrier to a guiding rail via one or more fasteners on the guiding rail; and    means for guiding the carrier comprising an optical system along the guiding rail within a casing.    
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein said means for latching the connecting unit comprises means for latching one or more protruding sections of the connecting unit of the carrier to one or more recessed sections of the one or more fasteners of the guiding rail.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein said means for latching the connecting unit comprises means for latching the connecting unit of the carrier to the guiding rail via two or more fasteners on the guiding rail.  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein means for said latching the connecting unit comprises means for latching the connecting unit of the carrier to the guiding rail via two or more recessed sections latching with the two or more protruding sections of the connecting unit.  
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein said means for latching the connecting unit comprises means for slidably latching the one or more fasteners with the connecting unit of the carrier.  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the guiding rail comprises an integral unit together with at least a portion of the casing.  
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , wherein the guiding rail comprises an integral unit together with at least a portion of the casing on one or more of the following: a top section of an upper casing portion, a sidewall of the upper casing section, a bottom section of a lower casing portion, and/or a sidewall of the lower casing portion, or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 47 , further comprising means for attaching the guiding rail to a portion of the casing on one or more of the following: a top section of an upper casing portion, a sidewall of the upper casing section, a bottom section of a lower casing portion, and/or a sidewall of the lower casing portion, or combinations thereof.