Patents Assigned to Minolta
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Patent number: 5764497Abstract: The circuit board connecting method and a connection structure. A first flexible board is adhered to a first surface of the circuit board at a first temperature, and then a second flexible board is adhered to a second flexible board at a second temperature lower than the first temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1996Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co, Ltd.Inventor: Yoshiyuki Mizumo
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Patent number: 5761560Abstract: A camera system includes a camera body and an interchangeable lens. A microcomputer for operation control is provided on each of the camera body and the interchangeable lens. Data communication is performed between the microcomputers. The camera body transmits a signal representing the type of the camera body to the interchangeable lens, and based on the signal, the interchangeable lens chooses a data to be communicated.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masayuki Miyazawa, Masayuki Ueyama, Yasuaki Serita, Yoshihiro Hara
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Patent number: 5761338Abstract: An image detection and background processing device and method having a image reader for reading a whole document and converting the read document to a digital image data of multi value. The image forming apparatus detects the density of a background in the document based on the digital image data obtained by the image reader, sets a reference value based on the background density as well as the distribution of the digital image data, and distinguishes an image area of the document from the background by comparing the reference value and the image data so as to execute a process concerning the distinguished image area (for example, an automatic magnification selection process or an automatic paper selection process). The apparatus and method includes analysis capability for determining whether the background area can be accurately discriminated from the image area based on image data.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 1995Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Toru Kasamatsu
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Patent number: 5760884Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus of an apparatus having a moving mechanism includes: a speed detector; and a mechanism responsive to a moving speed signal supplied from the speed detector which varies a focus lens position and a focal length of a light receiving optical system, a scanning range of a light projecting optical system, a base length, a position where light axes of a pair of light receiving optical systems or light axes of the light receiving and light projecting optical systems cross with each other, or responsive to a moving direction signal supplied from a moving direction detecting means of the apparatus having the moving mechanism which changes a measurement direction of a field of view. Thus, optimal measurement accuracy and a field of view to be measured can always be provided even though the moving speed or the moving direction of the apparatus having the moving mechanism is varied.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1994Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Yahashi, Takuto Joko
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Patent number: 5759731Abstract: The invention relates to (1) a toner with inorganic fine particles added externally, the inorganic fine particles having a specified mean particle size and a specified particle size distribution, and (2) a toner having specified particle size, specific gravity, and angle of toner repose, and a developing agent comprising the toner and a carrier.The toner of the present invention has good environmental stability, non-sticking characteristic, and good storage stability under hot conditions, and is capable of forming good images without aggregation noise. Further, the toner is not liable to produce toner dust and does not damage the photoconductor. The toner is particularly suitable for full-color image formation.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 1997Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masayuki Hagi, Takeshi Arai, Junichi Tamaoki, Hiroyuki Fukuda
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Patent number: 5760832Abstract: An image forming optical system comprises interchangeable lens 14 of a single lens reflex camera and reduction relay optical system 15. A three-color separating prism 16 that separates the photo image into two green photo images (G1 and G2) and a red/blue photo image (R/B) is located behind the image forming optical system, and CCDs 19 through 17 that perform image sensing as to RB, G2 and G1 photo images are located behind the transparent surfaces of prisms 16a through 16c, respectively. G1 CCD 17 and RB CCD 19 perform image sensing for the same photo image area while G2 CCD 18 performs image sensing for a photo image area which is offset by distance .sqroot. {(PH/2).sup.2 +(PV/2).sup.2 } (PH: lateral pixel pitch, PV: vertical pixel pitch) in the lower right direction relative to G1 CCD 17.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1995Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mutsuhiro Yamanaka, Kazuchika Sato
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Patent number: 5759732Abstract: A toner for developing electrostatic latent images is provided which contains wax particles of a spherical shape and of a small particle size uniformly distributed in binder resin.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akihiro Nakamura, Hiroshi Nakamura, Hideyuki Yoshida, Masami Eda
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Patent number: 5759728Abstract: The present invention relates to a black toner for developing electrostatic latent images, comprising at least a binder resin and carbon black, characterized in that a mean primary particles size and particle size distribution of the carbon black dispersed in the binder resin are adjusted within a specified range.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1997Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co. Ltd.Inventors: Masayuki Hagi, Junichi Tamaoki, Takeshi Arai, Hiroyuki Fukuda
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Patent number: 5760912Abstract: A plurality of originals are successively read by an image scanner, and the read image data are stored in an image memory. A page layout control portion calculates maximum width and maximum length of an image output frame based on the read image data. A region defined by the maximum width and the maximum length to which the image data is to be output, is set for a sheet of paper, in accordance with a designated layout. The stored image data is successively output by a printing portion to the image output frame positioned on each sheet of paper.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1995Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tetsuya Itoh
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Patent number: 5761588Abstract: A developing device which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image-bearing member in an image forming apparatus. The developing device has a developer transporting member for transporting a developer to the image-bearing member, and a rotatable regulating member provided at an upstream side from the developing region with respect to a transporting direction of the developer transporting member for regulating an amount of the developer held on the developer transporting member. The regulating member includes a regulating portion which has a section wherein a distance from a rotational axis of the regulating member to periphery of the regulating portion is not fixed.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Susumu Mikawa, Noboru Ito
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Patent number: 5758210Abstract: A camera includes a CCD line sensor divided into a plurality of blocks and a plurality of monitors provided near each of the divided blocks and sensing the amount of received light corresponding to each block. The storage of charge in each block of the CCD is controlled based on the amount of the light received by the monitor. Each block corresponds to each part of an object in a finder of the camera.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1997Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita
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Patent number: 5758240Abstract: A developing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a rotating developing sleeve, a developer supplying portion for supplying developer to the surface of the developing sleeve, a developer collecting portion for collecting the developer from the surface of the developing sleeve, the developer collecting portion and the developer supplying portion being vertically aligned, a pair of magnetic poles fixed in the developing sleeve, the pair of magnetic poles forming a triangle area which is surrounded by tangent lines at points where the magnetic poles have the maximum magnetic force, and a wall positioned between the developer supplying portion and the developer collecting portion, the edge of the wall being positioned in the triangle area formed by the pair of magnetic poles.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 1996Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., LtdInventors: Noboru Ito, Tamotsu Shimizu
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Patent number: 5758245Abstract: A fixing device (20) for heating and then fixing an unfused toner image onto a sheet substrate includes a first roller (24) and a second roller (28) spaced apart from the first roller. A third roller (26) is arranged between the first and second rollers. A portion of the third roller is protruded across an imaginary line (38) which contacts with outer peripheries of the first and second rollers on the same side thereof into a region (40) in which the first and second rollers are located. A fourth roller (30) is spaced apart from the third roller beyond the first or second roller. A portion of the fourth roller is also protruded across the imaginary line into the region. A heater (36) is mounted for heating the rollers. The sheet (22) is transported with one surface thereof contacted with the first and second rollers while the other surface thereof is contacted with the third and fourth rollers along a sheet path (42) defined by peripheral portions of the four rollers.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 1997Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Matsuura, Atsuto Hirai, Takashi Kondo
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Patent number: 5758200Abstract: A camera, which is waterproof, having a relatively complicated three-dimensional configuration in which a cover thereof is constituted by a plurality of cover elements. A top cover 20, a front cover 30 and a side cover 40 are connected at the inside to form a first cover group. Then a main body 50 of the camera is connected to the first cover group to form a half completed body. A second cover group which is constituted by connecting a rear cover 60 to a bottom cover 70, and a lid 80, are connected to the half completed body. Each connection part therebetween has a rib and a groove corresponding to the rib. A packing is inserted into the groove to seal the groove and rib. Thus, a cover structure with a relatively complicated three-dimensional configuration as having a projecting grip, a pop-up flash, or the like, is possible to be made. At time of repair, for example, it is possible to get an access to the inner mechanisms of the camera, only by removing the second cover group from the camera body.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 1997Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Inoue, Akihiro Oki, Akihiro Baba
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Patent number: 5754920Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for copiers, printers and the like. In the image forming apparatus, a standard pattern image, the density of which is detected by a sensor for controlling conditions of image forming operations, is formed on a photosensitive member. Density values are sampled at a plurality of sampling points on a standard pattern image by operating the sensor with a timing at which said sensor confronts said standard pattern image, and are mutually compared with each other. If the comparison result indicates that the timing of the sampling operation lags the standard pattern image, the sampling timing is corrected by eliminating the timing lag. The sampling operation of a subsequent sampling cycle is thereby conducted based on a corrected timing.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 1997Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Tanaka, Kentaro Katori, Atsushi Kawai, Hironobu Nakata
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Patent number: 5754922Abstract: This invention concerns an automatic exposure adjusting apparatus which permits infallible production of a signal corresponding exactly to the density of a given original document constantly even when the components of an optical system thereof cause any dispersion or gradual deterioration due to aging. First, the apparatus exposes a standard white subject copy 1 set on a document table 2 to the light of a preset standard amount of exposure, samples the reflected light from the copy 1 by a light detector 14, and adjusts to a proper magnitude the output value of an original document density signal emitted from a noninverting amplifier 33. Then, it exposes the standard density plate 3 to the light of an adjusted standard amount of exposure, samples the reflected light from the standard density plate 3 by the light detector 14, and readjusts to a proper magnitude the output value of an original document density signal issued from the noninverting amplifier 33.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 1996Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Ichiro Bessho
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Patent number: 5754899Abstract: A camera capable of taking pictures selectively in a standard or full size frame and a panorama frame having a reduced vertical dimension. This camera includes vertically movable light-shielding members for partly light-shielding an exposure range of the standard frame to set an exposure range of the panorama frame. When the panorama frame is selected, a warning is given on a display provided on the camera body to the effect that a date and other photographic information cannot be recorded on pictures taken in the panorama frame. The shutter of the camera includes an electronic device for detecting an amount of light traveling from a photographic object to which light is flashed. Output of this device is used for suitably controlling exposure for photography in the standard and panorama frames.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 1995Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Hideo Kajita, Yujiro Mima, Junji Hashimura, Nobuya Miki, Masayuki Ikemura
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Patent number: 5754926Abstract: In a charging device used in a cleanerless image forming apparatus and including a charging brush in contact with an image bearing member, a scraping member is provided which is in contact with the charging brush with a predetermined amount of indentation overlap on an upstream side of a contact portion between the charging brush and the image bearing member with respect to a rotational direction of the charging brush. With such an arrangement, the developer, which is scraped from the charging brush by the scraping member and then adheres onto the image bearing member, is recharged by the charging brush so as to be collected by a developing-cleaning device.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1996Date of Patent: May 19, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tamotsu Sakuraba, Hirofumi Hasegawa, Tetsumaru Fujita
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Patent number: 5752148Abstract: A toner image formed on a recording member is fixed onto the recording member by a fixing device having a heatable member, a heater for heating the heatable member positioned on one side of the heatable member, the recording member being positioned on an opposite side of the heatable member and spaced from the heatable member to heat the recording member by radiation from the heatable member, and a fixing structure for fixing the toner image on the heated recording member. The heatable member can be a fixing belt arranged in a loop while the heater is an electromagnetic induction coil positioned substantially within the loop. The electromagnetic induction coil generates a magnetic flux perpendicular to the transport direction of the fixing belt to produce an eddy-like induction current in a conductive member of the fixing belt to heat the fixing belt. The fixing belt, in turn, heats the recording member on the exterior side of the belt to soften the toner image thereon. The fixing structure, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 1995Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoru Yoneda, Takeshi Kato, Eiji Okabayashi, Hiroaki Hinotani, Tatsumi Fujishima
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Patent number: 5752150Abstract: The induction-heating apparatus of this invention contains a conductive member, a power source, and a first and a second induction coil connected to the power source and adapted for causing the conductive member to generate an induced current, the first and the second induction coil being parallelly connected. The induction coil is formed by winding a copper wire round a core in such a manner that the numbers of turns of the copper wire gradually decrease from the lowermost layer approximating most closely to the core to the upper layers. This heating apparatus has the thickness of the induction coil in the range of 0.2-0.8 mm. The gap between the induction coil and the conductive member is in the range of 0.5-4.0 mm. This heating apparatus has the induction coil thrust out of the conductive member. The induction coil is formed of a Litz wire.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 1996Date of Patent: May 12, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Kato, Eiji Okabayashi, Satoru Yoneda, Yuusuke Morigami, Tetsuro Ito