Illumination Patents (Class 358/509)
  • Patent number: 8964264
    Abstract: An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided. An LED array (71) and a reflective plate (73) are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member (72) is disposed on the side of the LED array (71). The light-guiding member (72) includes a direct emission unit (77) disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array (71) and an indirect emission unit (78) disposed between the reflective plate (73) and the LED array (71), a light incidence face of the direct emission unit (77) and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit (78) are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array (71), and the LED array (71) is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suto, Mitsuharu Yoshimoto, Tomohiko Okada, Hisashi Yamanaka, Shohichi Fukutome, Kenji Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8958132
    Abstract: The image reading apparatus includes a light transmissive member, a first light source causing a first light to enter the light transmissive member from a first side face of side faces thereof, a second light source illuminating a document laid on an upper face of the light transmissive member with a second light, an image sensor photoelectrically converting an optical image, and an imaging optical system forming on image sensor the object image with light exiting from the light transmissive member. The first light source is disposed such that the first light emitted therefrom and entering the light transmissive member from the first side face satisfies a total reflection condition at the upper and lower faces of the light transmissive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tadao Hayashide
  • Patent number: 8953233
    Abstract: Correction of brightness of image data outputted by an image sensor which includes a light emitting portion, a photoelectric conversion portion in which a plurality of photoelectric transducers are arrayed in line, and a charge transfer portion. For a smear occurred at the charge transfer portion, reference smear amount data is stored, corresponding to each of color components of light from the light emitting portion and a correction target pixel. A correction amount for brightness is based on a difference between brightness values of a first color component and a second color component and the reference smear amount data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Sakai
  • Patent number: 8947724
    Abstract: An image capturing unit includes a sensor section that images a predetermined range including a subject; a reference chart section that is imaged by the sensor section with the subject; and an illumination light source that illuminates the subject and the reference chart section. The illumination light source is arranged at a position where a mirror reflection region that mirror reflects light entering from the illumination light source to the sensor section is outside a region of the subject and the reference chart section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Suguru Yokozawa, Nobuyuki Satoh, Yasuyuki Suzuki, Masato Kobayashi, Yuichi Sakurada, Mamoru Yorimoto, Tatsuhiko Okada, Daisaku Horikawa, Masahiro Shigemoto, Kazushi Takei, Hideaki Suzuki, Satoshi Iwanami
  • Patent number: 8947750
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an imaging device array includes a plurality of imaging devices integrally including an incidence surface that converges light in the primary scanning direction, plural reflective surfaces that reflect light from the incidence surface multiple times, and an exit surface through which light that has reflected at the plural reflective surfaces exits the array. At least one of the plural reflective surfaces is formed at the apex of a protrusion that protrudes outwardly from the surface of the array, and the light that is output from the exit surface is imaged at an image point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 8934158
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light-emitting device having a peak wavelength that varies depending on a value of a drive current, and illuminates a document with illumination light from the light-emitting device. A light receiving unit receives a light reflected from the document when the illumination light is emitted from the light-emitting device, and converts the received reflected light into image data at a predetermined sensitivity depending on the wavelengths of the received light. A current drive circuit supplies the drive current to turn on the light-emitting device. A wavelength distribution control unit produces two or more durations each having a different value of the drive current by controlling the current drive circuit during each main scanning to the document to produce two or more durations each having a different peak wavelength in each main scanning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8928955
    Abstract: A linear light source device illuminates a document properly, and an image reading device includes such a light source device. The light source device includes a light source and a light-guiding member. The light-guiding member introduces the light emitted from the light source from one end portion in x-direction, cause the light to travel in x-direction, and emits the light from a light exit portion at one end in z-direction, which is orthogonal to x-direction. The light-guiding member includes, at the other end in z-direction, a light-reflecting portion that reflects light to the light exit portion. One end face of the light-guiding member in y-direction, which is orthogonal to x- and z-directions, is inclined so as to become closer to the other end face in y-direction with decreasing distance from the light exit portion in z-direction. This allows light to easily travel to the light-reflecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Minamikawa, Tomoharu Horio, Okimoto Kondo
  • Patent number: 8928961
    Abstract: An image reading device has a light source section that includes light sources of a plurality of colors and that emits light in one color during a period for reading one line and switches the color of the light source lit cyclically from one line to the next, an image sensor that reads one color per line, a data generation section that generates image data of the light source color which is the color of the light source lit during reading, a memory that stores a plurality of lines' worth of the image data, and a remaining color component generation section that determines the pixel value of a color component other than the light source color based on the pixel values of pixels around a pixel of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Kei Tanaka
  • 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: 8913292
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image reading unit and a computational unit. The image reading unit includes a reference reflecting member that acts as a color reference, an illuminating unit that illuminates a part of the reference reflecting member and a sheet being transported in proximity thereto, a line sensor that reads an image formed on the sheet and the part of the reference reflecting member in proximity to the sheet in the sheet width direction, and a spectroscope that measures the spectral distribution of each of multiple patches for correcting color tones formed on the sheet and arranged in the sheet transport direction. The computational unit generates color tone correction data by performing computations based on the spectral distribution of each patch measured by the spectroscope, and the read values of the reference reflecting member obtained by the line sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sunao Ishizaki, Yoshifumi Takebe
  • Patent number: 8913306
    Abstract: Provided is a document reading apparatus capable of surely detecting the document cover open/closed state and the open/close operation, without being affected by the external environment. This document reading apparatus includes a light source, a linear reading device and a document cover. In this document reading apparatus, the light amount value of the light received by the linear reading section while the light source is turned on, and the light amount value of the light received by the linear reading section when the light source is turned off are used to detect the open/closed state and the open/close operation of the document cover, wherein the preparation for printing starts when the document cover has shifted from the open state to the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Takeo Katsuda
  • Patent number: 8908238
    Abstract: In an illumination device that radiates light to an object to be irradiated placed on a predetermined placement surface, a first light guide body has a first incident surface located at an end thereof in a first direction, which receives light along the first direction, and a first exit surface extending along the first direction, which emits the light in a second direction crossing the first direction, thereby radiating light to the object to be irradiated, from the second direction, and a second light guide body has a second incident surface located at an end thereof in the first direction, which receives light along the first direction, and a second exit surface extending along the first direction, which emits the light in a third direction crossing the first direction and the second direction, thereby radiating light to the object to be irradiated, from the third direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Kurotsu
  • Patent number: 8902481
    Abstract: In a method for document digitization, an apparatus generates a first image of a document sheet by irradiating the document sheet using a first light source and detecting the document sheet irradiated with light from the first light source, which enables detection of ink on the document sheet that defines a marked portion. The apparatus further generates a second image of the document sheet by irradiating the document sheet using a second light source and detecting the document sheet irradiated with light from the second light source, which enables detection of content on the document sheet. The apparatus further obtains a region of the second image that corresponds to the marked portion of the document sheet based on the first image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Lite-On Electronics (Guangzhou) Limited, Lite-On Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Yi Cai, Qi Ning, Chih-Po Lin
  • Patent number: 8902468
    Abstract: An image correction device includes a processor that executes a procedure. The procedure includes: correcting an image of a read object based on images stored in a storage section of a self-illuminated reference chart image of a reference chart of size corresponding to a mounting region where the read object is mounted that has been read in advance in a state illuminated by only a self-illumination light, a uniform light standard color chart image of a standard color chart that has been read in advance in a state illuminated by only uniform light from a predetermined uniform light source, and a uniform light reference chart image of the reference chart that has been read in advance in a state illuminated by only the uniform light, and based on the image of the read object and a peripheral light standard color chart image read by a reading section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Masayoshi Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8896895
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a light amount adjustment portion which performs light amount adjustment on a light source such that the maximum value of the analog output of an image sensor does not exceed the upper limit value of an input voltage range of an A/D conversion portion but approaches the upper limit value; a temperature sensor which measures a temperature; and a storage portion which stores a temperature at the time of the light amount adjustment. When an absolute value of a temperature difference between a temperature stored in the storage portion and the current temperature is less than a threshold value, the light amount adjustment portion does not perform the light amount adjustment whereas when the absolute value is equal to or more than the threshold value, the light amount adjustment portion performs the light amount adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Hisaji Kawai
  • Patent number: 8885232
    Abstract: A scanner lens includes a first lens group with a positive refractive power, having a first positive lens and a second negative lens which are cemented, second to fifth lens groups having a third negative lens, a fourth positive lens, a fifth negative lens, and a sixth negative lens, respectively, arranged in order from an object side to an image side, and an aperture stop disposed between the first and second lens groups. The scanner lens satisfies the following three conditions: 0.01<BF/L<0.10 0.50<f1/f<9.5 0.20<d10/f<0.90 where BF is a back focus of the scanner lens, L is a total lens length, f1 is a focal length of e-line of the first lens group, f is a focal length of e-line of the entire lens system and d10 is an air space between the fifth and six lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Nakayama, Masahiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 8885231
    Abstract: Provided are: a light source that emits light; a light guide including: a curved portion including a light incident surface from which the light from the light source enters; and a linear portion including a light emission surface from which the light is emitted to an original, the linear portion coupled to the curved portion and extended in a main-scan direction, the curved portion reflecting the light entered from the light incident surface to the linear portion; and a frame that houses the light source, and the light guide, wherein the light guide includes an inclined portion inclined in a direction that increases an incident angle ? of the light, the inclined portion formed in a range of the linear portion where the light reflected by the curved portion enters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Components, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshihiko Tsumekawa
  • Patent number: 8876355
    Abstract: A light guide includes an incident surface, an emitting surface, a reflecting surface, and a light guide section. The incident surface receives light from a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged at least in a first direction. The emitting surface outputs incident light from the incident surface. The reflecting surface includes a plurality of lenses having optical power in the first direction and a second direction different from the first direction and is provided to be opposed to the incident surface. The light guide section includes a surface including the incident surface, the emitting surface, and the reflecting surface, and causes the light that has entered from the incident surface to be reflected by the plurality of lenses of the reflecting surface to guide the light to the emitting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Koya Nomoto, Nobuaki Kuribara, Kazuhito Kunishima
  • Patent number: 8873113
    Abstract: According to embodiments, an image reading apparatus and an image reading method are disclosed. The image reading method comprises receiving a signal of an image color of an image on an original, and based on the received signal, controlling an illuminating section comprising a red light source, a green light source and a blue light source so that one of the red, green and blue light sources is turned off, while the remaining light sources are turned on. The image reading method further comprises receiving, on an image sensor, light from the turned-on light sources that is reflected off of the original, and processing the light received by the image sensor to form a monochromatic image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoya Koseki, Mitsuru Hatano, Sueo Ueno, Hiroyuki Shiraishi, Yusuke Hashizume, Katsuya Nagamochi
  • Patent number: 8867105
    Abstract: An original reading apparatus including: a light source configured to illuminate an original; a line image sensor configured to convert light reflected from the original into an analog output signal; an AD converter configured to convert the analog output signal output from the line image sensor into a digital output signal; a control device configured to control the line image sensor and the AD converter; and a variable gain amplifier provided inside the line image sensor, for adjusting a signal range of the analog output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Mikami
  • Patent number: 8866839
    Abstract: A signal adapting chromacity system to control that may include a signal conversion engine to receive a source signal designating a color of light defined by a two spatial plus luminance dimensional color space, such as the xxY color space. The signal conversion engine may convert the source signal to a three dimensional color space defined within a subset gamut of a full color gamut, such as an RGW, RBW, or GBW color space. The subset gamut may include a first color light, a second color light and a high efficacy light. The signal conversion engine may perform a conversion operation to convert the source signal to an output signal, using the output signal to drive light emitting diodes (LEDs). The conversion operation may be a matrix, angular or linear conversion operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Lighting Science Group Corporation
    Inventors: Fredric S. Maxik, Robert R. Soler, David E. Bartine, Ran Zhou, Valerie A. Bastien, Matthew Regan, Eliza Katar Grove, Eric Bretschneider
  • Patent number: 8867108
    Abstract: An image reading device, includes an illumination optical system which has a light source unit configured to emit light being illuminating light to an illuminated object; an optical member configured to have a plurality of reflecting plates and collect the light emitted from the light source unit; and a plurality of reflecting members, the light emitted from the light source unit being collected by the optical member, and the collected light being reflected by the plurality of reflecting members to illuminate a reading target area on the illuminated object, and at least one reflecting surface of the optical member or the plurality of reflecting members having a relief structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hibiki Tatsuno
  • Patent number: 8861044
    Abstract: A scanner module and an image scanning apparatus employing the same. The scanner module comprises an illuminator for illuminating light on an object to be scanned. The illuminator includes a light emitting diode, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light received from the light emitting diode, and at least one elastic member to elastically support at least one longitudinal end of the light guide. As the light guide is elastically supported by the elastic member, convex deformation or bowing of an emission face of the light guide due to thermal expansion can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jung Kwon Kim, Dong Hua Lee, Hyun Surk Kim, Kyung Rok Kim
  • Patent number: 8861046
    Abstract: A multi-functional device comprising an image forming apparatus to form a printing image and a scanner module to scan an image. The scanner module includes an illuminator to illuminate a light to a document mount, a sensor unit to read an image information of an object placed on the document mount, and an imaging lens to focus the light reflected from the object onto the sensor unit. The illuminator includes a light source to emit light, a light guiding unit and changes a traveling path of the light emitted from the light source to illuminate the document mount, and a guide holder which comprises an installation part where the light guiding unit is installed, and a mounting part where the light source holder is mounted to provide the light source at least one side of the light guiding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaname Nagatani, Dong-hun Lee
  • Patent number: 8861045
    Abstract: An illuminator, a scanner module and an image scanning apparatus are provided. The scanner module includes an illuminator that includes a light source, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light from the light source, a guide holder recessed with a light guide mounting portion in which the light guide is mounted, and at least one supporting protrusion protruding from an entrance of the light guide mounting portion into the light guide mounting portion to support the light guide received in the light guide mounting portion. As the light guide is supported by the supporting protrusion formed at the entrance of the light guide mounting portion, it is possible to reduce deformation of the light guide and/or to prevent the light guide from being falling out of the light guide mounting portion when subjected to, e.g., a shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gyung Mo Tahk, Hyun Surk Kim, Kyung Rok Kim, Dong Hun Lee
  • Publication number: 20140300940
    Abstract: An image reading device for reading an image of an object includes a multi-color light source which projects light rays with at least three colors onto the object, at least three monochrome image sensor rows, and at least a lens row provided between the object and the monochrome image sensor rows; wherein reflected light rays are imaged directly onto the monochrome image sensor row through the lens row. The image reading device is able to read color and monochrome images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicants: SINTAI OPTICAL (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., ASIA OPTICAL INTERNATIONAL LTD.
    Inventors: HSIEN-CHI LIN, KUNG-HSIN TENG, CHIH-WEN WANG, MING-FU HSU
  • Patent number: 8854701
    Abstract: An image-forming lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first group having a negative power as a whole, the first group consisting of a positive meniscus lens having a convex surface on the object side and a negative meniscus lens having a convex surface on the object side, the positive meniscus lens and the negative meniscus lens being cemented, an aperture stop, a second group consisting of a positive meniscus lens having a convex surface on the image side, a third group consisting of a positive meniscus lens having a convex surface on the image side, a fourth group consisting of a lens having a negative power, and a fifth group consisting of a biconcave lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Nakayama, Kiichiro Nishina, Masahiro Itoh
  • Patent number: 8854700
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a main body, a rotation unit supported on the main body so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis, an imaging unit that is mounted on the rotation unit at an outward position in a radial direction of the rotation axis and images a medium to be read that is placed on a placement surface located under the rotation unit in the vertical direction, and a light source that irradiates the medium to be read with light. The light source and the imaging unit can be arranged with a relative positional relationship capable of suppressing specular reflected light of light that is emitted from the light source and reflected by the medium to be read from being incident on the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventor: Keisuke Kimura
  • Patent number: 8849018
    Abstract: In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image defined by image locations, in a computer memory, generating a bi-illuminant chromaticity plane in a log color space for representing the image locations of the image in a log-chromaticity representation for the image, providing a set of estimates for the orientation of the bi-illuminant chromaticity plane and calculating an orientation for each one of the image locations as a function of the set of estimates for the orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Tandent Vision Science, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Lalonde, Patrick Buehler, Bruce Allen Maxwell, Casey Arthur Smith, Andrew Neil Stein, Richard Mark Friedhoff
  • Patent number: 8842343
    Abstract: An image scanner includes: a light source that irradiates, with light, a recording medium on which an image is formed; a light receiving portion that receives light reflected by the recording medium; a reflecting portion that has plural reflecting surfaces respectively disposed at positions having different distances in an optical axis direction from the light receiving portion; and a processing portion that generates information on the image formed on the recording medium and information for measuring illumination depth of the light source, by use of the light received by the light receiving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Ito
  • Patent number: 8837015
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus employing an illuminator configured to irradiate light to a photosensitive body to change a level of electrical potential of the photosensitive body. The illuminator includes at least one light source configured to generate light and a light guide configured to guide the light received from the light source toward the photosensitive body. The light guide includes at least one incidence face and an emission face. The at least one incidence face faces the light source in a main scanning direction to receive the light from the light source into the light guide. The light exits from the light guide through the emission face toward the photosensitive body. The emission face includes a diffusion pattern having a plurality of semi-cylindrical structures along a width direction of the light guide. A radius of curvature of the semi-cylindrical structures increases away from the at least one light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kyung Rok Kim
  • Patent number: 8837014
    Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques and apparatuses for reducing color fringes. In some embodiments, inaccuracies from color-insensitive sensors are corrected. Inaccuracies can be corrected in part by shortening a first illumination made temporally proximate a second illumination. By so doing, a center of the image captured for a first illumination is moved toward the image captured for a second illumination, which reduces a color fringe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Douglas G. Keithley
  • Patent number: 8830540
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an image reading device, including: a light emitting portion; a light guiding member; a holding member that holds the light emitting portion and the light guiding member; and a case member that holds the holding member. In the image reading device, the light guiding member is shaped like a stick, of which end portion is disposed to face the light emitting portion. The holding member holds the light emitting portion and the light guiding member. In addition, the holding member has: and a holding portion that disposes the light guiding member along a main scanning direction, and positions and holds an end portion on the light emitting portion side in the main scanning direction. The case member holds the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Fukuma, Daisuke Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8823729
    Abstract: A patient monitoring/defibrillation instrument displays patient vital signs in numeric form or as graphical waveform traces. Under normal room lighting conditions the numeric and waveform information is displayed in color against a black or gray background. When the patient monitor is operated outside or in bright light, the user has the option to select a color map for display of the patient vital signs information in a highly contrasting manner such as black numeric or waveform information against a bright background such as yellow. The high contrast display, while being objectionable in most indoor settings, has been found to comfortably and effectively display the monitored information in sunlight without the need to increase power to the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Edward Parnagian
  • Patent number: 8817335
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a main body, a rotation unit supported on the main body so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis, an imaging unit that is mounted on the rotation unit at an outward position in a radial direction of the rotation axis and images a medium to be read that is placed on a placement surface located under the rotation unit in the vertical direction, and a light source that irradiates the medium to be read with light. The light source and the imaging unit can be arranged with a relative positional relationship capable of suppressing specular reflected light of light that is emitted from the light source and reflected by the medium to be read from being incident on the imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: PFU Limited
    Inventor: Keisuke Kimura
  • Patent number: 8804217
    Abstract: A reader unit A reads a pattern image formed on a first printing medium to obtain a first luminance value. A color processing unit converts into a density value using first conversion information. CPU creates an image processing condition LUTa based on the density value. A photo sensor reads a pattern image formed on an image carrier. CPU corrects LUTa based on a density value of the pattern image read by photo sensor. A printer unit forms a pattern image on a second printing medium different using the corrected LUTa. CPU determines second conversion information for the second printing medium based on a second luminance value from the pattern image on the second printing medium, the first luminance value and the first conversion information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuhiko Zaima
  • Patent number: 8804208
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus that reads images of document images having different gloss levels with a reproducibility suitable for uses includes a data processor to irradiate a document image with light from a regular reflection light source and a diffuse reflection light source, and to generate image data based on a regular reflection output value and a diffuse reflection output value obtained from a photoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Tanaka, Yoshihiko Minagawa, Hideaki Inoue, Junya Ozawa, Yoshihiro Hanagata, Hotaka Ishimaru
  • Patent number: 8804216
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a first reader member, an optical system, and a second reader member. The first reader member reads an image recorded on a surface of a medium traveling through a predetermined read area by receiving light from the medium. The read area is set on a transport path along which the medium is transported. The optical system guides the light from the medium to the first reader member. The second reader member has a color measurement unit disposed on an optical path of the light guided by the optical system and performing color measurement on the light. The second reader member reads a color of the image recorded on the surface of the medium on the basis of the light. The second reader member reads a color of an image in a predetermined second area included in the read area read by the first reader member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Ito
  • Patent number: 8797611
    Abstract: A lens receives light emitted from an illumination source along an orientation in which a center of the lens is aligned with a central axis of illumination that forms an acute angle of incidence relative to a to-be-imaged surface and the lens directs the light toward the to-be-imaged surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Michael J. Steinle
  • Patent number: 8797609
    Abstract: An image sensor unit includes a reflection reading light guide that emits light from a reflection reading light source toward the bill, a transmission reading light guide that emits light from a transmission reading light source toward the bill, an imaging element that focuses light from the bill, and a light receiving element that receives light that is collected by the imaging element. The transmission reading light source and the transmission reading light guide are disposed on the opposite side of a conveyance path through which the bill can pass, for the reflection reading light source and the reflection reading light guide, and a light blocking member that blocks a part of the light from the reflection reading light guide is disposed between the reflection reading light guide and the transmission reading light guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuuichi Shimoda, Tomoyuki Horiguchi, Hidemasa Yoshida, Akifumi Fujiwara, Hidehisa Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8786920
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes: a light source to illuminate an original; a color sensor and a monochrome sensor to receive light reflected from the original illuminated by the light source to output an image signal; an amplifier to amplify the image signal from the color and monochrome sensors; a reflective reference member; and a control circuit to adjust a gain of the amplifier amplifying the image signal from the color sensor that receives light reflected from the reflective member illuminated by the light source, and holds the adjusted gain as a gain setting value for the color sensor, and the control circuit obtains a gain setting value for the monochrome sensor by calculation based on the gain setting value for the color sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryo Mikami
  • Patent number: 8786916
    Abstract: A light-source driving device includes a driving unit configured to drive a light source unit that emits light onto an object; and a driving control unit configured to control the driving unit to drive the light source unit in a first driving mode and a second driving mode. A light emission time of the light source unit is controlled in the first driving mode. An instantaneous value of a quantity of light of the light source unit being controlled in the second driving mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Masamoto Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8780406
    Abstract: A visible laser beam scanned by a galvano-scanner system is aligned at each of positioning points on the top surface of a master work by manual operation to record sensor position signals of position sensors on galvano-scanners. The sensor position signals on each positioning point are recorded to create a drive pattern in accordance with recorded sensor position signals. The drive pattern no longer has optics system error sources including focus error and attachment error as well as errors caused by scale, offset and the like, also eliminating the need for entering a distance as far as the top surface of the work. Therefore, the drive pattern with error components removed can be created with ease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Nozomu Tanioka
  • Patent number: 8780416
    Abstract: A light irradiator including multiple point light sources arranged in a straight line, a light-transmissive light guiding member provided in front of the point light sources in an emission direction of beams of light emitted from the point light sources, the light guiding member guiding the beams of light in a predetermined direction toward a surface to be irradiated; and two or more protrusions protruding toward the point light sources, provided on a light entering surface of the light guiding member and arranged in the same direction as the point light sources. The light guiding member and the point light sources are positioned such that a distance between the protrusions provided to the light guiding member and irradiation surfaces of the point light sources is equal at two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokiko Inoue, Mitsuru Nakajima, Tsuyoshi Fujimoto, Akihiro Iwamatsu, Chihiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8780367
    Abstract: A detecting device includes a detecting unit that detects an image on a medium transported in a transport path. The detecting unit includes a light emitter, a light receiver, and a light adjusting portion. The light emitter emits light toward the transport path in which the medium is transported. The light receiver receives reflected light of the light emitted from the light emitter. The light adjusting portion adjusts a quantity of light received by the light receiver according to a quantity of light emitted from the light emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Yokota, Masao Ito, Fumio Furusawa, Katsuhiko Nakaie, Junichi Morooka, Kota Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 8767274
    Abstract: An image sensor unit includes: a light source including a light-emitting surface that emits light; a substantially rod-shaped light guide including a light emitter that linearizes the light from the light source and irradiates a sheet; an image sensor that receives light from the sheet and converts the light into an electric signal; a light condenser focusing the light from the sheet onto the image sensor; a circuit board on which the light source and the image sensor are mounted; and a frame accommodating the light guide, the light condenser and the circuit board. The light condenser and the light emitter of the light guide are disposed substantially parallel to each other. The center line of the light-emitting surface of the light source is disposed nearer the optical axis of the light condenser than the center line of the light emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Tsumekawa, Kenji Nagata
  • Patent number: 8760732
    Abstract: An image reader is provided, which includes a first light emitting unit emitting light toward a first side of a document sheet in a predetermined reading area, a second light emitting unit emitting light toward a second side of the document sheet in the predetermined reading area, a first light receiving unit receiving light emitted by the first light emitting unit and reflected by the document sheet and light emitted by the second light emitting unit and transmitted through the document sheet, and a controller that controls the first light emitting unit to emit light of a first color, controls the second light emitting unit to emit light of a second color, the first and second colors being mutually complementary colors, and controls the first light receiving unit to output read image data of the document sheet based on a light receiving result of the first light receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Nagasaka
  • Patent number: 8760738
    Abstract: A method for measuring a deviation in timing of start of writing in scanning lines is implemented by an optical scanning device that scans a surface to be scanned with light beams from light-emitting elements having first and second light-emitting elements which are arranged so as to be displaced from each other in a direction corresponding to a direction of the scanning lines. The method includes: detecting timing at which light from the first light-emitting element is received by a light receiving element, as a first time, the light receiving element outputting a synchronization detecting signal before start of writing; detecting timing at which light from the second light-emitting element is received by the light receiving element, as a second time; and obtaining the deviation in timing for the second light-emitting element with respect to the first light-emitting element based on a difference between the first and second time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Nihei
  • Patent number: 8755095
    Abstract: An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided. An LED array (71) and a reflective plate (73) are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member (72) is disposed on the side of the LED array (71). The light-guiding member (72) includes a direct emission unit (77) disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array (71) and an indirect emission unit (78) disposed between the reflective plate (73) and the LED array (71), a light incidence face of the direct emission unit (77) and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit (78) are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array (71), and the LED array (71) is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Suto, Mitsuharu Yoshimoto, Tomohiko Okada, Hisashi Yamanaka, Shohichi Fukutome, Kenji Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8755092
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an array substrate in which a plurality of point light sources is mounted along the main scanning direction, a light guide member disposed on a surface of the array substrate that mounts the plurality of point light sources, and guiding light from the plurality of point light sources to the document surface, a frame for fixing the light guide member and the array substrate, a positioning unit that determines the positional relationship of the frame with the light guide member and the array substrate in a configuration in which the incident surface of the light guide member is in proximity to or in contact with the plurality of point light sources; and an image reading unit that uses reflected light when illuminating light from the plurality of point light sources through the light guide member onto the document surface to thereby read the document image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Okamoto