Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Brian L. Michaelis
  • Patent number: 5566010
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to present a liquid crystal display device capable of displaying high precisely and brightly. The incident light into the reflection type liquid crystal display element is selectively varied by using the light selecting means, that is, cyan filter, magenta filter, and yellow filter, and red light, green light, and blue light are entered in every unit time. By controlling the reflection/cutoff of color lights of these three primary color by the reflection type liquid crystal display element, multicolor display of eight colors or full-color display is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Ishii, Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Terutoshi Tsuchihira
  • Patent number: 5563852
    Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium includes a readout layer has in-plane magnetization at room temperature and in which a transition occurs from in-plane magnetization to perpendicular magnetization when temperature thereof is raised, and a recording layer for recording thereon information. The composition of the readout layer varies in a direction perpendicular to the surface thereof, and in the readout layer, the Co density on the light incident side is higher than the Co density on the interface between the readout layer and the recording layer. Therefore, the Curie temperature on the reproducing light incident side of the readout layer is high and the the polar Kerr rotation angle in reproducing increases, thereby achieving improvements in a reproducing signal quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Murakami, Naoyasu Iketani, Akira Takahashi, Kenji Ohta
  • Patent number: 5553043
    Abstract: In an information regenerating apparatus, recorded data constructed of a sector mark and a following header section having a plurality of data sets each having a pull-in pattern, an address mark and address information, is read out to form a regenerative signal which in turn is used to regenerate information. A phase-locked loop circuit in a signal synchronizing circuit, performs phase-synchronization with a regenerative signal at two different pull-in speeds. A speed indicating circuit, based on the counting of the number of clock pulses from a reference clock signal from a time of the generation of a sector mark detection signal showing the detection of the sector mark as a reference point, instructs the phase-locked loop circuit to set up a fast response speed every time the pull-in pattern appears on the regenerative signal, and instructs the phase-locked loop circuit to set up a slow response speed every time the pull-in pattern disappears from the regenerative signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamaguchi, Hiroshi Fuji, Hiroshige Hirashima, Shigeo Terashima
  • Patent number: 5550658
    Abstract: A reflector for a liquid crystal display according to the invention includes: a first metal layer containing a non-precious metal; a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer and containing a precious metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shirai Yoshihiro
  • Patent number: 5548385
    Abstract: A developer device is provided with a developer vessel for storing therein a developer material composed of toner particles and carrier granules. In the developer device, a target ratio of toner particles for a detected quantity of the developer material is computed. In the device, a toner concentration detector sensor is also provided for detecting the ratio of toner particles in the developer vessel. In order to set the detected toner ratio of toner particles equal to the target ratio, quantity of toner particles to be additionally supplied to the developer vessel is controlled. As a result, the ratio of toner particles to the developer material stored in the developer vessel can be maintained in a predetermined ratio, thereby ensuring a desirable image quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takai, Atsushi Ueda, Hirokazu Tanaka, Hideo Yamasa
  • Patent number: 5546279
    Abstract: A flexible wiring board is adapted to be connected with a circuit board by means of an anisotropic conductive film. A flexible substrate of the flexible wiring board is mounted with an integrated circuit and has a generally rectangular connection portion. The connection portion includes a first edge of the substrate and parts of second and third edges adjoining the first edge of the substrate. A plurality of connection terminals are provided in the connection portion of the substrate. These connection terminals extend perpendicular to and arranged along the first edge of the substrate. Opposite end parts including the parts of the second and third edges of the connection portion do not extend beyond the connection terminals located closest to the second and third edges, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiji Aota, Masaaki Ooga, Yasunobu Tagusa
  • Patent number: 5546496
    Abstract: There is provided an inexpensive light emitting display device which has a simple wiring structure and produces a bright screen display. A photo-transistor is connected in series with a light emitting diode. The photo-transistor is arranged so that light emitted from the light emitting diode enters into the photo-transistor. There is provided an optical guide for guiding a data signal light to the photo-transistor and an optical guide for guiding a scanning signal light to the phototransistor. Further, an optical control section has a laser diode array, a lens array, and a deflection mirror. The above-mentioned arrangement obviates the need of an electric wiring for a data signal and a scanning signal, and is able to turn on the photo-transistor with the emission light from the light emitting diode and makes the photo-transistor self-hold its conductive state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Kimoto, Masumi Nakamichi, Takahiro Funakoshi, Yasuhiro Wada, Takehiro Yamamoto, Yoichi Tsuda
  • Patent number: 5539546
    Abstract: A ferroelectric liquid crystal display device comprises a pair of substrates having respective electrodes formed on opposed surfaces thereof, a ferroelectric liquid crystal sandwiched between the pair of substrates, a pixel formed between the opposed electrodes, and partition walls formed on the electrodes and dividing the pixel into differently-sized partition areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Koden, Akira Tagawa, Kazuhiko Tamai, Tokihiko Shinomiya, Tomoaki Kuratate, Kohichi Fujimori
  • Patent number: 5537199
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor formed by a transparent support member, a transparent conductive layer, an optical semiconductor layer, and an insulation layer stacked in this order, as well as developing units corresponding to black, yellow, magenta, and cyan provided at an outer periphery thereof. Exposure units corresponding to respective developing units are provided in the photoreceptor. Fixing units are arranged near respective developing devices at the outer periphery of the photoreceptor. Feeding units are provided for feeding a sheet A along the outer periphery of the photoreceptor from a paper feeding cassette to a first developing device and between the developing devices. Paper ejection units are provided corresponding to respective fixing units and sheet A is fed or ejected by switching the position of the fixing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takai, Hirokazu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5536933
    Abstract: The light information device of the invention includes a semiconductor having a photoconductive effect or a photovoltaic effect. In the light information device, a photoconductivity and a dark conductivity of the semiconductor are varied by an aging process using an external stimulus, and the photoconductivity and the dark conductivity after the aging process have values which are equal to or lower than 20% of respective initial values thereof before the aging process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Izumi, Sayuri Fujiwara, Akitsugu Hatano, Yoshitaka Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 5532794
    Abstract: A process control apparatus of electrophotographic apparatus has an optical sensor for optically detecting the density of toner patches formed on a photoreceptor drum. The present apparatus is further provided with a control device for controlling lamps for the copying process, chargers and other elements. A toner patch is formed on the photoreceptor so as to be located between every two toner images for a copying operation. The control device controls the lamps, chargers and other elements in accordance with the result of the toner patches detected by the optical sensor so as to stabilize the copying picture quality. With the arrangement, it is avoided that the job efficiency during the copying operation deteriorates, and the control data obtained from the toner patches is soon used for the toner image formation for the copying operation, thereby ensuring that the process control improves in accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuru Tokuyama, Toshiaki Ino, Motoyuki Itoyama, Kunio Ohashi, Haruo Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 5532796
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is arranged so as to include an optical head unit constituted of exposing device and information reading device, one cylindrical white light source which is commonly used as a light source for the above both devices, liquid crystal shutter arrays for individually opening and closing optical paths of the light source in direction of a photoreceptor, and to control open/close operation of an exposure shutter array according to an image signal and to control the shutter arrays such that when the exposing device operates, the information reading shutter array closes and that when the information reading device operates, the exposure shutter array closes. As a result, in an arrangement which is carried out a simultaneous charge-expose-development process and has exposing function and information reading function, it is possible to sufficiently miniaturize an apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shiro Narikawa, Hirokazu Tanaka, Iwakazu Honda, Tomohiro Oikawa, Hiroe Ando
  • Patent number: 5528399
    Abstract: A display device has an insulated basic substrate. A plurality of light waveguides are arranged on the basic substrate in parallel to each other. A plurality of signal wires is arranged in parallel and in a manner to be crossed with the light waveguides, respectively. A plurality of photoconductive layers three-dimensionally are laid between the light waveguides and the signal wires and directly connected with each light guiding portion of the light waveguides at respective crosspoints between the light waveguides and the signal electrodes. A plurality of pixel electrodes provided are to be connected with the photoconductive layers, respectively. An insulated opposed substrate located in opposition to the basic substrate with a display medium therebetween and having an opposed electrode on the surface opposed to the basic substrate. And the relation among an index of refraction n.sub.1 of the light guiding portion, an index of refraction n.sub.2 of the photoconductive layer, and an angle of incidence .theta.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Izumi, Sayuri Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 5523787
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device comprising a full frame transfer vertical shift register. Signal charges stored in two sections, originally stored in two vertically adjacent pixels, are consecutively transferred to a horizontal shift register while the horizontal shift register is inoperative so as to be mixed together therein. Alternatively, a storage register is provided between the bottom section of the vertical shift register and the horizontal shift register so as to accept signal charges stored in two sections and mix them therein before transferring them to the horizontal shift register. In either case, the mixed signal charges are output as data corresponding to a moving image display. A still image display is possible using the same device by changing the timing for driving the vertical shift register or the storage register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Fukuba
  • Patent number: 5521581
    Abstract: An electronic detection system monitoring coolant level and/or temperature of an internal combustion engine. A unit installed within cab of a vehicle provides visual and audible warning if engine temperature rises above its normal hottest operating temperature and/or when coolant level drops below a selected level in the coolant reserve tank thereby preventing damage caused by overheating. The overheat detection system may comprise a heat sensor within a bolt which may be screwed directly into the engine head. An additional heat sensor positioned in the bottom radiator hose can be used in series with the engine head sensor. Associated circuitry is adjustable when installed to provide alarm activation when the temperature is a few degrees above the hottest normal engine operating temperature. If the engine starts to overheat, an LED lights up and an audible alarm sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Inventor: Raymond A. Proulx
  • Patent number: 5508785
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus wherein the photosensitive unit is inserted through the common insertion port, first shafts are guided by the common guide path and the branching guide path, and the photosensitive unit is mounted at the mounting position with the protecting lever being retracting from the common guide path. When the developer unit is inserted through the common insertion port, second shafts and the third shafts are guided by the common guide path so that the developer unit is mounted at the predetermined mounting position. When the photosensitive unit is not mounted at the predetermined mounting position, the protecting lever shuts off the common guide path thereby blocking the movement of the developer unit to the predetermined mounting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazunobu Takahashi, Takashi Makiura
  • Patent number: 5499229
    Abstract: On an optical disk, information is recorded on both grooves and lands as guide tracks for guiding a light beam. The width of each groove and that of each land are set substantially equal to each other. A plurality of series of pits representing address information are formed in the grooves so that the series of pits in a groove and the series of pits in the adjacent grooves are located in different radial directions of the optical disk. Address pits are not formed in any of the tracks formed by the lands. When the light beam scans the track on the land, the address information is obtained by crosstalk of the series of address pits formed in the track on the groove. This structure enables the management of the addresses of tracks having thereon no address pits. When obtaining the address information by reproducing the series of address pits on the groove, since no crosstalk occurs, accurate address information is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiteru Murakami, Akira Takahashi, Kenji Ohta
  • Patent number: 5499127
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device including a first substrate, a second substrate, and a sealing member for bonding the first and the second substrates, wherein a spacer for determining a thickness of a gap between the first and the second substrates is included only in the sealing member and wherein d<D where D is the thickness of the gap and d is the thickness of the sealing member. The gap is filled with a liquid crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koujiro Tsubota, Kazuyohsi Fujioka, Yohji Yoshimura, Hiroyuki Ohgami, Yutaka Takafuji, Katsumi Nomura, Masumi Kubo, Hirokazu Kamei
  • Patent number: 5498936
    Abstract: A gas discharge lamp power ballast or power supply having simplified power factor correction, simplified automatic short circuit/overload protection and output open circuit voltage regulation. The gas discharge power ballast or power supply includes self-oscillating converter circuitry to which simplified power factor correction is provided via simple passive circuitry that includes a split winding from the power transformer in conjunction with an input storage capacitor and a current limiting resistor. The short circuit/overload protection is implemented, without elaborate current sensing circuitry, by utilizing the drive winding of the power transformer. In a shorted or overloaded state, a capacitor interacting with oscillator circuitry, controls oscillator cycling to reduce current flow and protect the circuitry against the overload at the output. Output open circuit voltage regulation and power regulation are also implemented in a simplified manner without the need for significant additional circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Inventor: Jerry J. Smith
  • Patent number: 5491536
    Abstract: An image-quality stabilizer provided in a copying machine executes a feedback control on a charger output based on an adhering toner amount detected by a patch sensor in a pre-rotation of the photoreceptor drum directly before each copying operation is started. A time interval between feedback controls is counted by a timer, and a CPU sets an appropriate time interval in accordance with an amount of change in the adhering toner amount detected by the patch sensor or in accordance with the charger output before and after feedback control. According to the described arrangement, since the feedback control is executed at a timing set in accordance with the amount of change in adhering toner, variations in image quality such as an increase in image density caused by overcompensation and an excessive feedback control can be prevented, thereby ensuring stable image quality by efficiently compensating the image density without increasing an amount of toner consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tamaki Mashiba, Akihiko Taniguchi