Patents Assigned to Minolta
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Patent number: 5818606Abstract: In a digital copying machine having facsimile functions, in which image data can be stored for polling transmission, use of a confirmation print mode for normal copying is inhibited by modifying the appearance of copies that are produced in the confirmation print mode. This modification can be made by altering the size of the printed image, or combining additional image data with the stored image data to produce an altered version of the document.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 1995Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Muramatsu, Yoshiharu Kurozasa
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Patent number: 5819128Abstract: A control device for feeding and positioning a film precisely, in a camera, a printing apparatus, etc., includes a photo interrupter with a light emitter, a light detector for detecting a light emitted from the light emitter, and a holding member for keeping both the light emitter and the light detector in position; a frame with a guiding member for guiding a film having a longitudinal edge with a plurality of perforations which travels between the light emitter and the light detector of the photo interrupter; a perforation detector for detecting a perforation based upon a signal outputted from the light detector, which outputs the signal each time a perforation of the film edge passes a location corresponding to an optical axis existing between the light emitter and the light detector; and a controller for controlling a film feeding operation in accordance with the detection of a perforation by the perforation detector.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 1996Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yushi Nobumoto, Katsuhiro Ono
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Patent number: 5815748Abstract: To shoot a still picture and a moving picture simultaneously, a light beam having passed through a taking lens is split by a half-mirror into two light beams so that one of the split light beams is directed to silver halide film and the other is directed to a CCD. An image captured by the CCD is displayed on a viewfinder. Focus condition of an image on the silver halide film is detected by the phase-difference detection method and focus condition of an image on CCD is detected by the contrast detection method so that, based on detection results, the focus of the taking lens or of a relay optical system is adjusted to obtain a well-focused image. When focus condition detection by one method is impossible, results of focus condition detection by the other method are used to adjust the focus.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshihiro Hamamura, Tsutomu Honda, Kiyoshi Seigenji
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Patent number: 5815301Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus for a printer and a digital copying machine has a light source, a deflector, first and second imaging units. The deflector deflects a light beam emitted from the light source to a main scanning direction. The first imaging unit makes the light beam emitted from the light source form an image in the vicinity of the deflection position of said deflector in the sub-scanning direction. The first imaging unit has a first resin lens having a negative refractive power only in a sub-scanning direction. The second imaging unit makes the light beam deflected by the deflector form an image on a scanned surface in the sub-scanning direction. The second imaging unit has a second resin lens having a positive refractive power only in the sub-scanning direction.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 1996Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshio Naiki, Akiyoshi Hamada, Yoshihiro Inagaki
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Patent number: 5815781Abstract: A development device of this invention includes a developer carrier for transporting a developer to a development region opposite to an image bearing body as binding the developer thereto by means of a magnetic force, and a regulating member opposing the developer carrier across a required distance therebetween and regulating the amount of developer transported by the developer carrier to the development region, the regulating member having a greater roughness at its surface opposite to the developer carrier than the developer carrier.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yoshiyuki Iguchi
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Patent number: 5815755Abstract: A camera is loadable with a film cartridge having a rotary spool connected with a film and a display member rotatable with the rotary spool for displaying a used state of the film. The camera includes: a driver which generates a driving force for rotation of the rotary spool; a transmission device which is operable to execute transmission of the driving force from the driver to the rotary spool; and a controller which controls the transmission device to execute the transmission of the driving force to rotate the rotary spool for rewinding of the film into the film cartridge, and to suspend the transmission of the driving force to allow the rewound film to freely loosen, and to execute the transmission of the driving force to rotate the rotary spool until the display member reaches a position to display a specified used state of the film.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidekazu Nakajima, Takahiro Ikeda
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Patent number: 5815742Abstract: An apparatus has a member to be driven, an actuator for driving the member, a position detector and a controller. The actuator drives the member to move by an amount proportional to a given number of pulses. The position detector detects a position of the member in predetermined detection steps. The controller determines in steps smaller than the predetermined detection steps a target position up to which the member is to be moved. Then, it controls the actuator up to a detection-step position before the target position by closed-loop control in accordance with a detection result from the detector. Further, it controls the actuator from the detection step position to the target position by open-loop control.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Kohtaro Hayashi, Tetsuro Kanbara
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Patent number: 5815287Abstract: An image processor for parallel image processing includes a first image processing section which binarizes first image data by using a variable area tone method and a second image processing section which executes a smoothing process with respect to second image data. A data separator divides image data into first image data corresponding to halftone image regions and second image data corresponding to binary image regions. The first image data is transmitted to the first image processing section while the second image data is transmitted to the second image processing section. A data delay section is provided at an upstream side of the first image processing section to delay image data for the required processing time difference between the first image process and the second image process. A data combining section combines the image data output from the first image processing section and the second image processing section to produce combined image data which is transmitted to an image forming system.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1995Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hirokazu Yamada
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Patent number: 5815324Abstract: A zoom lens system is composed of two lens units. The first lens unit is arranged at an object-side end and the second lens unit is arranged at an image-side end. The first lens unit has one lens element of a positive refractive power. The second lens unit has two lens elements. One is an aspherical plastic lens of non-refractive power. The other is a lens having a negative refractive power. During zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, the distance between the first and second lens units is decreased.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 1996Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Yasushi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 5815751Abstract: A camera is loadable with a film cartridge having a rotary spool connected with a film and a bar code disk rotatable with the rotary spool and provided with a bar code for indicating photographing information of the film. While the rotary spool is being rotated, the bar code on the bar code disk is read by two readers to judge whether the film has been exposed. Code data is generated based on a read signal produced by the readers after the bar code disk rotates together with the rotary spool a predetermined rotation amount after the film is judged to have not been exposed, and is decoded into film information.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Ogino, Ryuichi Yasuhara
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Patent number: 5815321Abstract: A zoom lens system has four lens units. The first, third and fourth lens units thereof are lens units of positive power. The second lens unit thereof has negative power. During zooming, the first lens unit is moved. During focusing, the second and third lens units are moved and a distance between the third and fourth lens units is varied. The third lens unit is moved toward an object side.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1996Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Mituaki Shimo
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Patent number: 5814428Abstract: The present invention relates to a toner comprising a specific binder resin, a specific polyethylene wax and a specific polypropylene wax. The present invention further relates to a toner which comprises a binder resin including a specific first resin and a specific second resin.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 1997Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Kido, Tetsuo Sano, Yoshitaka Sekiguchi, Hiroyuki Fukuda
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Patent number: 5814962Abstract: A servo controller for servo-controlling an operative device, the servo controller is provided with an actuator having a motor for actuating the operative device; a sensor for detecting an operational state of the operative device; a comparator for receiving a detected operational state of the operative device from the sensor and comparing the detected operational state with a target operational state to produce a control signal; and a driver provided between the actuator and the comparator for driving the actuator in accordance with the control signal, the driver including a negative impedance circuit with respect to the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1996Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kenji Mizumoto
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Patent number: 5815743Abstract: A flash-assisted photographing system including a camera having a taking lens capable of varying the focal length and a flash is provided with a light receiving unit having a plurality of receiving areas operable to separately receive light reflected by different areas of a photographic view, a detector operable to detect a focal length of the taking lens, and a controller operable to set weights for the receiving areas based on a detected focal length. Proper weights are set for the receiving areas even in the case of close-up photography which is highly influenced by camera shake. A main subject can be reliably exposed at a proper light emission.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1996Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shigeto Ohmori
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Patent number: 5815772Abstract: An image processing system includes a main image processing unit and an auxiliary unit detachably attached to the main image processing unit. The auxiliary unit includes a first drive source. The main unit on the other hand includes a second drive source and a mechanism for transporting a sheet. These drive sources are so operated that when the auxiliary unit is attached to the main unit the transporting mechanism is powered by the first drive source in the auxiliary unit and when the auxiliary unit is not attached to the main unit the transporting mechanism is powered by the second drive source in the main unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 1996Date of Patent: September 29, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Naomasa Saito, Toshimitsu Shimizu, Taira Suzuki
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Patent number: 5812328Abstract: The surface groove 26c formed in the circumferential direction has a configuration 26x producing a shallow groove. Thus, relative rotation during lens attachment is accomplished without obstruction, and the strength of the bayonet pawls is improved by the enhanced thickness of the center portion by the formation of a gradual angle formation toward the exterior side of cylinder wall 20 from both ends of the surface groove toward the center portion thereof. This type of surface groove configuration 26x is formed at the three surface grooves 26a, 26b, 26c.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinichi Suzuki, Toyotoshi Kawasaki
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Patent number: 5812885Abstract: A waterproof construction of a camera in which a portion of a member which is to be fixed to an exterior surface of a body frame of the camera is exposed from an opening provided on a body cover covering the body frame. In this construction, the member is retained to the internal surface of the body cover via a seal member such that a gap between the member and the body cover is sealed. The body cover retaining the member is attached to the body frame by screws.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Rika Noguchi, Akihiro Baba, Tomohiko Kawaji
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Patent number: 5812279Abstract: A facsimile machine in accordance with the present invention includes a reading device for reading an original image to be transmitted, a memory for storing the read image data, a first transmission device for transmitting the image data stored in the memory to an external device, a second transmission device for transmitting the read image data to an external device in parallel with the reading operation by the reading device, and a controller for activating one of the first and second transmission devices based on the remaining amount of the storage capacity of the memory.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1991Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigenobu Fukushima, Hideo Muramatsu
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Patent number: 5812901Abstract: In an interruption process, it is determined whether the sheet feed outlet in the set mode is the same as that in the normal print out operation. If it is determined that the sheet feed outlet is different, a stop request is set to inhibit sheet feeding of the normal job immediately. If it is determined that the sheet feed outlet is the same, a process of transition to interruptive print out is effected while continuing sheet feeding of the normal job. When the print data is determined, the printing for an interruption process is effected.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takeshi Morikawa
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Patent number: 5811759Abstract: A fixing device including rollers which rotate in mutual contact, a heating source for heating at least one of the rollers, a temperature sensor placed in contact with a roller heated by the heating source to detect the temperature of the roller, and a collar placed in contact with the temperature sensor to cover the area of contact between the temperature sensor and the heated roller. The fixing device has rollers and a temperature sensor having excellent wear resistance and is capable of inexpensive and stable temperature detection.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshifumi Kosagi, Hideji Hayashi