Specific Lens Patents (Class 347/244)
  • Patent number: 11237255
    Abstract: A light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system is provided. The present embodiment provides a LiDAR system in which side angles of a rotating polygon mirror having multiple facets are diversified to change an angle of a laser beam refracted from a side facet, thereby sensing a plurality of vertical lines at the same time. The present embodiment provides a LiDAR system which allows an object to be sensed with a circular pattern, a circular matrix pattern, or a line matrix pattern by diversifying a pattern of a laser beam oscillated due to the rotation of a rotating polygon mirror having multiple facets and a wedge prism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: LVI Technologies Inc. CO., Ltd
    Inventors: Jaesung Jeong, Youngmin Jeong
  • Patent number: 11199650
    Abstract: The lens unit includes a first lens array including a plurality of first lens elements each of which has a first optical axis and which are arranged in an arrangement direction perpendicular to the first optical axis. A second lens array includes a plurality of second lens elements each of which has a second optical axis and which are arranged in the arrangement direction while facing the first lens elements. The second lens array is in a positional relationship relative to the first lens array such that the second lens array is rotated about a virtual line perpendicular to both the first optical axis and the arrangement direction as the rotational axis by 180 degrees. The optical axes of the lens elements located at the substantially centers of the lens arrays in the arrangement direction are arranged to substantially coincide with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: OKI ELECTRIC INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masamitsu Nagamine, Ren Nakamichi, Akihiro Yamamura
  • Patent number: 10889078
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical spacer includes dispensing thermal glue within a mold; pressing the thermal glue using an optical spacer substrate to generate an optical spacer including an aperture; and, releasing the mold from the optical spacer. The thermal glue may be cured prior to releasing the mold from the optical spacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: OmniVision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tim Kao, Chia-Yang Chang, Livia Li
  • Patent number: 10409191
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a light source configured to emit a light beam; a rotary polygon mirror having a plurality of reflection surfaces configured to deflect the light beam; a beam detector configured to receive the light beam to output a pulse; a pulse interval measurement unit configured to measure a pulse interval of pulses output from the beam detector; a reflection surface identification unit configured to identify each of the plurality of reflection surfaces; a storage portion configured to store a reference pulse interval of each of the plurality of reflection surfaces; a correction amount calculation unit configured to calculate a correction amount based on the pulse interval and the reference pulse interval for each of the plurality of reflection surfaces; and a light source control unit configured to control the light source based on the correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasutomo Furuta, Izuru Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10215889
    Abstract: A lens unit according to an embodiment includes: lens members in each of which lenses are linearly arrayed in a longitudinal direction; at least one light block member between the lens members; engagement sections arranged in the longitudinal direction, each of the engagement sections configured to mutually engage members including the lens members and the light block member and stacked with each other; and clamp members disposed in positions corresponding to at least one of the engagement sections in the longitudinal direction and configured to clamp the stacked members. All the stacked members are fixed with each other at only one portion in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Takahito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10001720
    Abstract: An exposure unit includes a light-emitting element array and a lens array. The light-emitting element array includes a plurality of light-emitting elements that are disposed in a first direction and each emit a light beam. The lens array faces the light-emitting element array in a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction, and focuses the light beams emitted from the respective light-emitting elements. The following expression [3] is satisfied. A symmetric property, determined from the following expression [1], of a light amount distribution in the first direction of at least one of the light beams focused by the lens array satisfies the following expression [2]. S=|(HL?HR)/(XE/2)|??[1] 0?S?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Yamamura
  • Patent number: 9800936
    Abstract: Systems and methods are operable to retrieve a previously broadcast initial portion of a media content event. An exemplary embodiment stores a media content event at a first media device as the media content event is communicated over a broadcast system; receives a request at the first media device from a second media device, wherein the request identifies an initial portion of a media content event that has previously been communicated over a broadcast system; identifies the initial portion of the media content event from the stored media content event; retrieves the identified initial portion of the media content event; and communicates the initial portion of the media content event from the first media device to the second media device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: EchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
    Inventor: Geoffrey Kemp
  • Patent number: 9604305
    Abstract: A system includes a host machine and a status projector. The host machine is in electrical communication with a collection of sensors and with a welding controller that generates control signals for controlling the welding horn. The host machine is configured to execute a method to thereby process the sensory and control signals, as well as predict a quality status of a weld that is formed using the welding horn, including identifying any suspect welds. The host machine then activates the status projector to illuminate the suspect welds. This may occur directly on the welds using a laser projector, or on a surface of the work piece in proximity to the welds. The system and method may be used in the ultrasonic welding of battery tabs of a multi-cell battery pack in a particular embodiment. The welding horn and welding controller may also be part of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: John Patrick Spicer, Jeffrey A. Abell, Michael Anthony Wincek, Debejyo Chakraborty, Jennifer Bracey, Hui Wang, Peter W. Tavora, Jeffrey S. Davis, Daniel C. Hutchinson, Ronald L. Reardon, Shawn Utz
  • Patent number: 9517637
    Abstract: The imaging optical element includes an optical surface whose shape within a sub-scanning section has a non-circular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9477170
    Abstract: An example is a lens mirror array in which many optical elements, each of which comprises a first lens surface that is formed at the top of convex portion protruding outwards and converges light, a protrusion that includes a first mirror surface which reflects the light emitted from the first lens surface at the top and a light-shielding surface that has side walls at two sides thereof with respect to a light advancing direction and prevents advance of the light through the side walls, a second mirror surface that reflects the light reflected by the first mirror surface of the protrusion and a second lens surface that images the light emitted from the second mirror surface on an image plane, is arranged in a horizontal scanning direction; by comparing both ends in the horizontal scanning direction with the center in the horizontal scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 9395315
    Abstract: A device for testing a multiplicity of lens modules includes a base, a circuit board, a connection member, and a support assembly. The base includes a support surface. The support surface includes a loading area and a slide area. The circuit board is positioned on the base in the loading area. The circuit board includes a number of signal input interfaces. The connection element includes a shell and a number of elastic and flexible metal elements. Each metal element connects to the number of signal input interfaces. The support assembly supports the lens modules, and can slide in the slide area to bring the metal elements into electrical contact with the lens modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Meng-Yu Tsai, Yu-Han Chen
  • Patent number: 9372430
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member; and an exposure unit. The exposure unit includes a lens array optical system in which a plurality of lenses are disposed along a predetermined direction, and a light-emitting unit having a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed so as to expose, through the lens array optical system, every Lth pixel in L scanning lines of the photosensitive member. An interval of locations, in a main arrangement direction, that correspond to adjacent lenses in the lens array optical system is configured to be an interval based on the value of L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Saiki, Takeyoshi Saiga, Yu Miyajima, Shimpei Matsuo
  • Patent number: 9188900
    Abstract: A light beam emitting apparatus including: a light source having plural light emitting points emitting beams; and a holding member configured to hold the source and having first, second, and third abutment portions, an emission direction of the beams being regulated by the abutment portions in abutment with the source, wherein as viewed along an optical path of the beams, an angle formed by a first line connecting two farthest light emitting points with a second line connecting the first and second abutment portions is smaller than angles formed by the first line with a third line connecting the second and third abutment portions and formed by the first line with a fourth line connecting the third and first abutment portions, and a distance between the first and second abutment portions is larger than distances between the second and third abutment portions and between the third and first abutment portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9182661
    Abstract: The present application provides a screen method for intaglio printing, comprising: dividing multiple classes of regions according to a brightness range; and generating screen dots with various screen patterns for the grouped classes of regions. The present application also provides a screen device for intaglio printing, comprising: a dividing module configured to group multiple classes of regions according to the brightness range; and a generating module configured to generate screen dots with various screen patterns for the grouped classes of regions. Since multiple kinds of screen patterns are applied in the technical solutions in present application, the problem, i.e., water ripple will occur in the prior art, may be addressed, so as to improve the quality of printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: Peking University Founder Group Co., Ltd., Peking University, Beijing Founder Electronics Co., Ltd., Peking University Founder R&D Center
    Inventors: Haifeng Li, Bin Yang
  • Patent number: 9137414
    Abstract: Disclosed is a document imaging apparatus that includes a housing, which contains a paper storage tray, a digital image sensing device for capturing an image, an adjustable digital image sensing device stand supported by the housing and supporting the digital image sensing device, and a motorized document removal assembly comprising at least one roller wheel picker and a plurality of rollers, wherein the at least one roller wheel picker can be raised and lowered and is configured to apply a frictional force to a top surface of a single sheet of paper and to transfer the single sheet of paper toward the rollers. Optionally, a fax, copier, and printer and be integrated into the document imaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Pathway Innovations & Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ji Shen
  • Patent number: 9108442
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a conveyor, and a string-shaped regulation member. The image forming unit forms an image on a recording medium. The conveyor is disposed opposing the image forming unit to convey the recording medium along a conveyance passage. The string-shaped regulation member is disposed between the image forming unit and the conveyance passage to regulate a distance between the recording medium and the image forming unit within a certain range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ito, Soyoung Park, Yoshinori Uchino, Mikio Ohashi, Tadayasu Enomoto
  • Patent number: 9013531
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a light source that emits a light beam; a deflector that deflects the light beam in a main-scanning direction; and a scanning/image-forming optical system that includes a scanning lens that causes the light beam deflected by the deflector to converge to a scanned surface to form an image on the scanned surface. The scanning lens has refractive index gradient. At least one surface of the scanning lens is a tilt-decentered surface that has a tilt angle, which depends on a position in the main-scanning direction, in a sub-scanning direction. The tilt angle is set so as to compensate for variation, which results from the refractive index gradient, in direction of the light beam in the sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shinsuke Miyake, Shigeaki Imai
  • Patent number: 8994769
    Abstract: An optical writing head allows the formation of a light collective spot with a small diameter and the acquisition of a deep focal depth to go together. An optical writing head includes a light emitting element array in which a plurality of light emitting elements is arranged, and a lens system including a lens array configured to concentrate luminous flux radiated from the light emitting element to a predetermined image plane, in which the lens system is telecentric on the image side and satisfies the following conditional expression, where a wavelength at which luminous flux radiated from the light emitting element has a peak light intensity is ?0, axial chromatic aberration of a wavelength having a light intensity approximately 0.81 times the peak light intensity is ?sk, and the numerical aperture of the lens system on the image side is NA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuya Nobayashi
  • Patent number: 8994770
    Abstract: A scanning unit includes a scanning member having at least one reflective surface for reflecting light incident thereon, a plurality of light sources controllable to emit light beams onto the at least one reflective surface, and first and second scan lenses for receiving and focusing the light beams reflected from the at least one reflective surface. Each of the first and second scan lenses has a light exit surface having a first curved surface section and a second curved surface section defining therebetween a junction line extending between opposed longitudinal ends of each of the first and second scan lenses. The junction line is nonlinear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventor: Fei Chen
  • Patent number: 8922847
    Abstract: A plurality of light beams are simultaneously scanned on a surface of a photosensitive member. The surface of the photosensitive member has a curvature factor, and therefore, the light beams have different optical path lengths. Due to differences in the optical path length, a length (scanning width) of a scanning line of one light beam is different from that of another light beam. When a temperature of an optical scanning apparatus increases, the optical path length differences vary, so that differences in magnification between the beams also vary. Therefore, by obtaining correction amounts for the scanning widths depending on the temperature, the light beams are allowed to have substantially the same scanning width even when the temperature of the optical scanning apparatus varies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nakahata
  • Patent number: 8917305
    Abstract: A resin BD lens having a property of refracting a light beam in a direction corresponding to a main scanning direction may cause a variation in generation timing difference among a plurality of horizontal synchronization signals and accordingly degrade accuracy to correct the starting position of an electrostatic latent image. The present invention uses a glass BD lens having a property of refracting a light beam in a direction corresponding to the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakahata, Toshiharu Mamiya, Yuta Okada, Shinichiro Hosoi, Yasutomo Furuta
  • Patent number: 8913098
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a pre-deflection optical system including a first optical element that adjusts the shape of beams emitted from the light source; and a second and third optical elements arranged such that the second optical element is arranged closer to the light source than the third optical element is. Both of the second and third optical elements have no refracting power in the deflection scanning direction and have positive refracting power only in a direction perpendicular to the deflection scanning direction. An interval between scanning lines formed on the scanned area and a deviation of the scanning-line interval between scanning positions are adjusted by displacement of the second and third optical elements in a direction of an optical axis of the pre-deflection optical system and displacement of at least one of the second and third optical elements in the direction perpendicular to the deflection scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Shibayama, Daisuke Ichii
  • Patent number: 8908001
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a plurality of stations, each of which includes an light source, a deflector (polygon scan), a scanning optical element, and a housing. The light source emits a light beam to a plurality of surfaces to be scanned. The deflector deflects light beams emitted from the light source. The scanning optical element scans the surfaces to be scanned with light spots of the optical beams deflected by the deflector. The housing houses therein the light source, the deflector, and the scanning optical element. The scanning optical element is secured to the housing so that directions of scanning-line curves caused by temperature change match between the surfaces to be scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Taku Amada
  • Patent number: 8872875
    Abstract: An single-pass imaging system utilizes a light source, a spatial light modulator and an anamorphic optical system to form a substantially one-dimensional high intensity line image on an imaging surface (e.g., the surface of a drum cylinder). The light source and the spatial light modulator are used to generate a relatively low intensity two-dimensional modulated light field in accordance with an image data line such that each pixel image of the line is elongated in the process (Y-axis) direction. The anamorphic optical system utilizes a cylindrical/acylindrical optical element to anamorphically image and concentrate the modulated light field in the process direction to form the substantially one-dimensional high intensity line image. The line image is generated with sufficient energy to evaporate fountain solution from the imaging surface. The imaging system simultaneously generates all component pixel images of the line image, thus facilitating a printing apparatus capable of 1200 dpi or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Patrick Y. Maeda
  • Patent number: 8854406
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and/or apparatus for the collective marking of a surface by two or more laser beams generated by a laser controller. A method includes receiving one or more input signals from a controller of the laser system. The method also includes adjusting a first mirror through a first galvanometer scanner, a second minor through a second galvanometer scanner, a third mirror through a third galvanometer scanner, and a fourth mirror through a fourth galvanometer scanner based on the one or more input signals. The method further includes steering, through the first mirror and the second mirror, a first laser beam generated by the controller and transmitted to a marking head through a beam delivery vessel; and steering, through the third mirror and the fourth minor, a second laser beam generated by the controller and transmitted to the marking head through another beam delivery vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Telesis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashot Mesropyan, Michael Watts
  • Patent number: 8854410
    Abstract: An exposure device includes at least one light emitting element that emits light in a normal direction of the substrate; at least one hologram element that is recorded on a recording layer arranged on the substrate to diffract light emitted from the light emitting element and condense the diffracted light on a condensing point on a normal line of the light emitting element; and at least one light inhibiting part that is arranged on a straight line that connects the light emitting element and the condensing point such that the light diffracted by the hologram element passes through the outside of the light inhibiting part and condenses at the condensing point, to inhibit transmission of zeroth-order light that goes straight toward the condensing point from the light emitting element without being diffracted by the hologram element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiro Minabe, Keishi Shimizu, Mihoko Wakui, Yasuhiro Ogasawara, Kazuhiro Hayashi, Akira Tateishi, Shin Yasuda, Motoki Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8836744
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source, a deflector, an incident optical system and one scanning lens. The scanning lens includes a first face and a second face. In a main scanning direction cross section of the scanning lens, when a scanning range is separated, with on axis as a reference, into an image height region of a first direction and an image height region of a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, the incident optical system is disposed on a side of the image height region of the first direction. Curvature of the first face in a sub scanning direction cross section decreases from on axis toward off axis in the main scanning direction, and curvature of the second face in the sub scanning direction cross section increases from off axis of the first direction toward the second direction in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Shingo Yoshida, Hideki Okamura, Issei Nakano
  • Patent number: 8830288
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source, a deflector that deflects a light beam in a main scanning direction, an incident optical system that makes the light beam enter the deflecting surface in a sub-scanning section, and an imaging optical system that includes at least one imaging optical element and condenses the light beam onto a surface to be scanned, in which at least one of an incident surface and an exit surface of the at least one imaging optical element is decentered in the sub-scanning section such that an origin position line exists in a region sandwiched between marginal rays at two sub-scanning direction ends of the light beam, the origin position line being extended in the main scanning direction and passing through an origin of an aspherical surface formula defining a surface shape of each of the incident surface and the exit surface in the sub-scanning section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Shimomura
  • Patent number: 8808586
    Abstract: A molded part prepared by a mold transfer method using a die, including a surface which includes a slope, wherein a direction of a normal line of the slope is different from a die releasing direction; and a pattern which is formed on the surface and which includes grooves located on a portion of the slope so as to extend along the slope in the slanting direction of the slope. An optical element, which has an anti reflection function, including the molded part mentioned above, wherein the interval between two adjacent grooves is not greater than the wavelength of light irradiating the optical element. An optical device including a light source configured to emit light; and the optical element mentioned above which processes the light emitted by the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Endo
  • Patent number: 8803937
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus, including: a light source; an incident optical system; and an imaging optical system, in which: the imaging optical system includes at least one plastic lens; in a sub-scanning section, principal rays of the beams intersect each other on an optical axis of the imaging optical system; the principal rays intersect each other at different positions between a case of entering a central region of the at least one plastic lens and a case of entering an end region of the at least one plastic lens; and the principal rays entering one of the central region and the end region of the at least one plastic lens intersect each other, and the principal rays entering another of the central region and the end region of the at least one plastic lens intersect each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Genichiro Kudo
  • Patent number: 8791974
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus, including: a light source including a plurality of light emitting parts; a deflector including a deflecting surface; a first optical system configured to cause the plurality of light beams to enter the deflecting surface at an oblique angle; and a second optical system configured to focus the light beams on a surface to be scanned, in which: the light emitting parts are arranged away from each other; the second optical system includes an optical element including at least one optical surface having a non-arc shape, so that a wave optics interval between scanning lines based on barycentric positions of spot images on the surface to be scanned is aligned along the main scanning direction; the non-arc shape of the at least one optical surface of the optical element within the sub-scanning section is defined by a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuichi Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8786654
    Abstract: An optical print head having a substrate on which multiple light sources aligned in a main scanning direction are mounted to emit beams of light in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate; a lens array to focus the beams of light on an image bearing member to form an image thereon; a housing having a guiding portion extending in the main scanning direction to position the substrate and the lens array; a cleaner to clean a light-emitting surface of the lens array while moving in the main scanning direction; a moving device to move the cleaner; and a supporting member to support the housing and the cleaner. The supporting member rotatably supports the cleaner about a shaft and the guiding portion contacts the cleaner against the light-emitting surface of the lens array with a constant force over the main scanning direction during cleaning of the light-emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8780157
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an imaging element array including an imaging element group in which a plurality of imaging elements are aligned, each of the imaging elements including an integrally molded input portion, an output portion, and a reflective portion, collecting light input to the input portion, reflecting the light by the reflective portion near a position where light flux is downsized, and outputting the reflected light from the output portion to form an image at an image point, and an inhibiting portion which is formed around the reflected portion in the imaging element group to inhibit light other than the light reflected by the reflective portion from traveling to the output portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8773488
    Abstract: The invention provides an exposure head including: a light emitting unit; an imaging unit that allows light from the light emitting unit to enter through an incidence plane and exit from an exit surface so as to form an image at a predetermined position; and a transparent layer provided between the light emitting unit and the imaging unit, while contacting each of the light emitting unit and the imaging unit; the transparent layer having a thickness such that an optical distance between the light emitting unit and the incidence plane of the imaging unit becomes a working distance of the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Nishino, Hirohito Yoneyama, Takashi Matsumura, Yoshinori Yamaguchi, Kiyokazu Mashimo, Katsuhiro Sato
  • Patent number: 8773489
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus for scanning a target surface using a plurality of light beams simultaneously along a first direction of the target surface. The apparatus has a light source having a plurality of light emitting elements; an optical deflector to deflect the plurality of light beams coming from the light source; and a scanning optical system to guide the plurality of light beams deflected by the optical deflector to the target surface. The scanning optical system includes a lens, disposed after the optical deflector, having the strongest power in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A plurality of scan lines, corresponding to the plurality of light beams deflected by the optical deflector, intersect or contact each other at an optical face of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Ichii
  • Patent number: 8760483
    Abstract: In an exposure device, a light source device having multiple light emitting devices arranged in one-dimensional or two-dimensional directions projects light against an image bearing member. A light source holding member holds the light source device in place. An optical device condenses the light projected from the light source device onto the image bearing member. An optical device holding member holds the optical device to maintain a predetermined gap between the optical device and the light source device on the light source holding member. A positioning member supports the light source holding member above the image bearing member to maintain a predetermined gap between the image bearing member and the light source device on the light source holding member. When seen from a light emitting point of the light source device, a position at which the positioning member supports the light source holding member is opposite the image bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Kensuke Masuda
  • Patent number: 8730291
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus wherein a photosensitive drum is located such that its circumferential surface is exposed to light at a position between an image surface of light that is emitted from an LED at a distance of a half of a pitch of a plurality of rod lenses from a first rod lens of the plurality of rod lenses and that passes through the first rod lens and an image surface of light that is emitted from an LED at a distance of the pitch of the plurality of rod lenses from a second rod lens of the plurality of rod lenses and that passes through the second rod lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Inagaki
  • Patent number: 8724163
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source, rotational polygonal mirror, correction data calculating unit, modification computing unit, and adjustment unit. The adjustment unit adjusts drive current supplied to the light source using the correction data calculated by the correction data calculating unit when a first of a plurality of modes is selected or using the correction data calculated by the modification computing unit when a second of the plurality of modes is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuichi Seki
  • Patent number: 8711442
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus having a large depth of field and being compact in size. The image reading apparatus includes a light source, an imaging optics system, an image pickup device unit, a memory, and a processor. The imaging optics system has a plurality of cells each being an independent optics system arranged in a main scanning direction, and arranged in two rows in a sub-scanning direction. In each of the cells, a first reflective light-gathering optical element, a first plane mirror, an aperture, and a second reflective light-gathering optical element are arranged in this order from a document, and the aperture is arranged at the back focal point position of the first reflective light-gathering optical element to form a telecentric optics system at the side of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawano, Taku Matsuzawa, Tatsuki Okamoto, Tadashi Minobe, Tatsuya Kunieda
  • Patent number: 8699096
    Abstract: A deflector deflects a light beam from a light source. A scanning optical system focuses the light beam deflected by the deflector. An image carrying member is located at a focal position of the light beam and includes a surface that is scanned in a main scanning direction with the light beam focused by the scanning optical system. One pixel of an image is formed by a plurality of light spots having different focal positions in at least a sub-scanning direction. At least one light spot from among the light spots is formed on the surface of the image carrying member at a scan timing different from those of rest of the light spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Arai, Yoshinori Hayashi, Masako Yoshii
  • Patent number: 8675034
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the optical scanning apparatus includes a before-light-deflecting-unit optical system and a scanning optical system. The optical system includes a first optical device, a second optical device made of a resin material which has an anamorphic negative refracting power in a deflection scanning direction and a deflection scan perpendicular direction and has a larger refracting power in the deflection scan perpendicular direction than a refracting power in the deflection scanning direction, and a third optical device made of a glass material which has substantially no refracting power in the deflection scanning direction and a positive refracting power in the deflection scan perpendicular direction. An interval of the scanning lines formed on the scanned surface is adjusted by displacement of the second and third optical devices in an optical axis direction of the before-light-deflecting-unit optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Seizo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8624951
    Abstract: An optical scanning device that scans a scanning surface with a light beam includes a light source that emits the light beam and a pre-deflector optical system that includes at least one diffractive optical element including a diffraction surface having no power at room temperature. The diffraction surface has a multi-step shape having a plurality of zone surfaces substantially perpendicular to an optical axis and a plurality of step surfaces each adjacent to each of the zone surfaces. On a cross sectional plane of the diffraction surface including the optical axis, each of the zone surfaces and each of the step surfaces makes an obtuse angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hirakawa, Yoshinori Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8570356
    Abstract: An imaging system. An array of light sources and an array of lenses corresponding to the light sources and having optical axes substantially parallel to one another are provided. The lenses produce collimated output beams. An afocal optical relay having an optical axis substantially parallel to the optical axes of the lenses is also included, the array of lenses being positioned relative to the afocal optical relay so as to form an optical system that produces an image of each collimated output beam on an image plane, each image having a prescribed depth of focus and spot size. The light sources preferably are lasers producing an array of respective laser beams having high intensity and a long waist. A system for writing information on a light-sensitive label includes the imaging system. Methods of imaging and of writing information on a light-sensitive label are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventors: John Michael Tamkin, John Michael Rodgers, Matthew Scott Howarth, Richard Evans, Richard Hirst
  • Patent number: 8520281
    Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, a third optical element is configured such that a first optical axis defined as an optical axis of an incident-side lens surface of the third optical element is inclined in a main scanning plane with respect to a normal line extending from a scanning center on a target surface to be scanned and an intersection point between the first optical axis and the incident-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the normal line, and that a second optical axis defined as an optical axis of an emission-side lens surface is inclined in the main scanning plane with respect to the first optical axis and an intersection point between the second optical axis and the emission-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the first optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Fujino, Yoshifumi Nakamura, Hiroyuki Ominato, Hiroki Yukawa
  • Patent number: 8520047
    Abstract: Provided are a print head and an image forming apparatus. The print head, which selectively irradiates light to each pixel of an image on a photoconductor, the print head includes an illumination unit, which emits light, a liquid crystal layer, which transmits or intercepts the light incident from the illumination unit on a unit pixel basis according to an applied voltage, and a microlens array formed of liquid crystal polymer, which either focuses or does not focus the light passed through the liquid crystal layer onto the photoconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Woon-Ho Seo
  • Patent number: 8520045
    Abstract: A single-pass imaging system utilizes a light source and a spatial light modulator to generate a two-dimensional modulated light field, and uses a catadiotropic anamorphic optical system to anamorphically image and concentrate the modulated light in order to generate a high-intensity, substantially one-dimensional line image on an imaging surface (e.g., the surface of a drum cylinder). The catadiotropic anamorphic optical system utilizes one or more cylindrical/acylindrical lens elements to image the modulated light field in the cross-process direction, and one or more cylindrical/acylindrical mirror elements to image and concentrate the modulated light field in the process direction. The line image is generated with sufficient energy to evaporate fountain solution from the imaging surface. The imaging system simultaneously generates all component pixel images of the line image, thus facilitating a printing apparatus capable of 1200 dpi or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: Patrick Y. Maeda
  • Patent number: 8487974
    Abstract: To provide high flexibility in the arrangement of optical paths toward a plurality of photosensitive members and not to cause an increase in size of an image forming apparatus even when a cartridge capacity is increased, provided is an image forming apparatus including: light source units; a deflecting unit for deflecting a plurality of light beams for scanning; a plurality of photosensitive members; an imaging optical system for imaging the light beams deflected for scanning; and a plurality of toner containers, in which the toner containers are different in capacity, and an optical path length from the photosensitive member for the same color as the toner container having a large capacity to the deflecting surface of the deflecting unit is longer than an optical path length from the photosensitive member for the same color as the toner container having a small capacity to the deflecting surface of the deflecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Igarashi, Kiyoto Toyoizumi
  • Patent number: 8456716
    Abstract: A light source unit includes a holder, a light source, coupling lens, and a support member. The light source is supported by the holder and projects a light beam against a target. The coupling lens adjusts an optical axis of the light beam. The support member contacts the holder and the coupling lens to fix the coupling lens in place on the holder after the coupling lens adjusts the optical axis of the light beam. The holder and the coupling lens are adhered to the support member using an adhesive agent. An optical scanner includes a rotary deflector to deflect and scan the light projected from the light source unit, a scan optical element to focus the light deflected by the rotary deflector, and the light source unit. An image forming apparatus includes the optical scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Watanabe, Hiroshi Johno
  • Patent number: 8456502
    Abstract: An optical scanner, which scans at least one scanned face by a light beam, includes a light source having a plurality of light emitting points, an optical system before a light deflector configured to form a plurality of light beams from the light source, a light deflector configured to deflect the light beams via the optical system before a light deflector and scan the deflected light beams, and a scanning optical system configured to focus on the scanned face the light beams deflected and scanned by a deflection face of the light deflector, the optical system before a light deflector including a first optical element having a negative power at least in a deflecting and scanning vertical direction, a second optical element having a power only in a deflecting and scanning direction and a third optical element having a power only in the deflecting and scanning vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Shibayama
  • Patent number: 8416456
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for achieving boundary localization in a scanning apparatus, as well as to a scanning apparatus, which is capable of achieving intelligent judgement on boundary localization of the scanned file by means of this method, through an effective combination of optical, electronical and mechanical techniques. Said method comprises: a regular ribbon, a sensor module capable of detecting the ribbon, and the file to be scanned is placed between the ribbon and the sensor module; said sensor module first scans the ribbon information and stores it in the storage module of the scanning apparatus; said file to be scanned is placed between the sensor module and the ribbon, through the measured ribbon portion covered by the file to be scanned, the sensor is capable of deriving the boundary position of the file to be scanned by means of contrast measurement. With the scanning apparatus capable of achieving boundary localization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sky Light Electronic (Shenzhen) Limited
    Inventors: Rongfang Deng, Weijun Gan, Debin Zhang