Patents Assigned to Minolta
  • Glass gob production device and production method
    Patent number: 5738701
    Abstract: A glass gob production device for producing a glass gob from molten glass. The glass gob production device has a crucible which accommodates molten glass, a nozzle one end of which is connected to the crucible and from the other end of which the molten glass in the crucible is discharged, and a support member opposite to the other end of nozzle and having an indentation on the surface thereof for receiving and retaining the discharged molten glass in the indentation to form a glass gob. The indentation of the support member has a bottom surface and a reference surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the circumference of the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Ikeuchi, Naoko Yamada, Toshiya Tomisaka, Takeshi Yamashita, Futoshi Ishida
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 5740496
    Abstract: A multijob image forming apparatus performing the following operation, which allows operation similar to single job operation without increasing number of keys on an operation panel, is provided. When two jobs, that is, reading and printing are stopped by one stop key and a clear key is pressed, the display is switched to a data clear display, when document is being read and printing is in progress. By using the data clear display, data corresponding to the reading operation or the data corresponding to the printing operation, which is to be discarded, is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Kawabuchi, Takeshi Morikawa
  • Photographed image printing apparatus capable of correcting image quality
    Patent number: 5739924
    Abstract: A photographed Image printing apparatus includes an image sensor operable to optically read a photographed image on a recording medium; an information reader operable to read photographic information on the recording medium, the photographic information indicative of photographing conditions of the photographed image; an image quality correction manager in responsive to the information reader and operable to judge based on the read photographic information whether image quality correction is necessary, and determine a proper image quality correction, if necessary; an image corrector in responsive to the image quality correction manager and operable to correct the read photographed image in accordance with the determined image quality correction; and a printer operable to print a corrected image on a printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Homare Sano
  • Lens assembly
    Patent number: 5739963
    Abstract: For the purpose of providing a lens assembly for connecting a cam ring and an advance guide barrel by a simple construction without increasing the overall length, a connector having a protrusion extending to the interior side in the radius direction is formed on the posterior end of a cam ring provided with a cam channel of predetermined configuration on a barrel-like body. From the connector side, a cam ring engages an advance guide barrel provided with guide channels. Although the connector is flexed as the protrusion abuts the exterior surface of the advance guide barrel at this time, said connector is restored to its original position when the protrusion arrives at the endface of the advance guide barrel. Thus, the protrusion engages the endface of the advance guide barrel, and the cam ring engages the advance guide barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takashi Kato
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 5740505
    Abstract: The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, facsimile devices, and complexes thereof. When the image is produced as rotated by 90 degrees or 270 degrees by the rotary processing part 307 while the scanning speed of the original document is finely adjusted so as to be lowered, the control of the magnification is carried out so that the produced image will be contracted in the main direction and enlarged in the sub direction by an mount corresponding to the amount of adjustment made on the operating panel. On the other hand, when the scanning speed of the original document is adjusted to a higher level, the control of the magnification is carried out so that the output image may be enlarged in the main direction and contracted in the sub direction by an amount corresponding to the amount of adjustment to be made on the operating panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Kusumoto, Katsuaki Tajima
  • Camera
    Patent number: 5737647
    Abstract: A camera that emits auxiliary light for the reduction of the red-eye phenomenon and auxiliary light for distance measurement when the photo object brightness is low using a single light source, wherein when auxiliary light is emitted for distance measurement immediately before a photo is taken, the emission of auxiliary light for the reduction of the red-eye phenomenon is omitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Nakajima, Hiroyuki Okada
  • Auto focus camera in which a lens position is changeable in accordance with a photographing mode
    Patent number: 5737646
    Abstract: In an auto focus camera in which a lens position is changeable in accordance with a photographing mode, based on measured object distance, it is judged whether or not measuring distance can be done, and it is presumed whether or not a person is photographed. In accordance with the result of the judgment and presumption, a focal length of a photographic lens is selected. If distance measuring can not be done or distance measuring data is invalid, focusing operation is executed, based on not the measured distance data but the predetermined distance data which is suitable to a photographing mode of the camera. By this manner, it does not occur that an object image is out of focus badly and a photograph suited for operator's intention can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Nakajima, Masayuki Ikemura, Hiroyuki Okada
  • Forming method and apparatus
    Patent number: 5737670
    Abstract: An image formation is conducted in such a manner that an image exposure is applied to a photosensitive member having a surface charged by the charger to form an electrostatic latent image, which is developed by a developing device into a visible image, and the visible image is transferred to a recording material. In this image formation, the above developing device is constructed to include a developer carrying member to which a developing bias voltage is applied. The developer carrying member has a surface, which carries one-component developer and is adapted to move while contacting the photosensitive member, and is operable to remove residual developer on the photosensitive member after the transferring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihito Ikegawa
  • Apparatus spreading fluid on floor while moving
    Patent number: 5735959
    Abstract: An apparatus of spreading a fluid on the floor includes four rectangular application rotating bodies partially overlapping each other, and four nozzles supplying the fluid provided in rotation areas of the respective application rotating bodies. The rotation position of the application rotating body is detected by a light shielding plate and a photosensor. A control portion controls each component so that the fluid is applied onto the floor from a tank through the nozzle by a pump when the application rotating body is not directly under the nozzle. As a result, the apparatus of spreading a fluid on the floor capable of optimally controlling the quantity of the fluid to be applied according to the application condition can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Kubo, Shigeru Oyokota, Nobukazu Kawagoe, Masashi Nishikado
  • Development method
    Patent number: 5736287
    Abstract: A development method comprising the steps of forming a layer of a developer comprising a toner and a magnetic carrier on a developer transporting member containing a magnet therein by means of a developer regulating member, transporting the developer layer on the developer transporting member to a development region where the developer transporting member opposes an image bearing member, and applying an oscillating electric field to the development region for supplying the toner from the developer layer to the image bearing member, thereby developing an image. The magnetic carrier comprises a magnetic powder dispersed in a binder resin having an acid value of 0 to 20 KOHmg/g and has 5 to 30 wt % of magnetic powder present on the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kobayashi, Hideaki Yasunaga, Tomoharu Nishikawa, Koichi Takenaka
  • Image processing apparatus
    Patent number: 5734758
    Abstract: An image of the original document is read rapidly to effect quick production of the first copy even when the function of the shading correction and the function of the color/monochrome judgment operate. A waiting position P2 of a first slider 211 is located on the opposite side from a scan starting position P3 in reference to a reading area for the original document, and a location of a shading correction plate 206 is interposed between the reading area for the original document and the waiting position P2 of the first slider 211. While the first slider 211 is in the process of returning from the waiting position P2 to the scan starting position P3 for the preparation of reading the image of the original, a shading correction and a color/monochrome judgment are carried out for preventing the first slider 211 from having extra motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Yamamoto, Yoshiki Matsui, Hirokazu Matsuo
  • Method for rolling recording paper, ink sheet, and apparatus therefor
    Patent number: 5732632
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for rolling a recording paper is disclosed which is characterized by causing first nipping means disposed on a cylindrical drum to nip one end of the recording paper, rotating the cylindrical drum thereby rolling the recording paper around the cylindrical drum, causing second nipping means to nip the other end of the recording paper, and moving the first nipping means so as to bring the recording paper into close contact with the cylindrical drum. Owing to the construction, the recording paper and the ink sheet can be easily and infallibly brought into close contact with the cylindrical drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co, Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Oomoto, Takayuki Yokoyama, Susumu Nittani
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 5734951
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus in which a toner image formed on an image carrier is transferred onto paper held onto a transfer drum following which the paper is separated from the transfer drum, the image forming apparatus being equipped with a charger that charges a prescribed area of the image carrier before the image carrier is uniformly charged, a mode setting device that sets the image formation mode, and a control device that controls the output of the charger in accordance with the image formation mode set by the mode setting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunobu Maekawa, Futoshi Hamada
  • Non-contact hot fusing toner
    Patent number: 5733701
    Abstract: Toner for use in a non-contact heat fusing apparatus. Toner includes a binder resin, a colorant and acicular particles of wax. In a preferred embodiment, the toner includes a carbon black graft polymer obtained by reacting carbon black and a polymer which is reactive with the carbon black.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Anno, Minoru Nakamura, Makoto Kobayashi
  • Automatic focusing apparatus of a camera
    Patent number: 5734938
    Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus of a camera according to the present invention includes: a focus detector which detects repeatedly focus conditions of a photographic lens and outputs successively focus signals corresponding to the focus conditions; a drive unit for driving the photographic lens for focus adjustment; a predictor for predicting an in-focus point from the plurality of focus signals from the focus detector; a control unit for controlling the drive unit to drive the photographic lens toward the in-focus point predicted by the predictor; an auxiliary light projector for projecting auxiliary light onto an object to enable detecting operation of the focus detector; and a forbidding device for forbidding the control of drive by the control unit while the auxiliary light is projected by the auxiliary light projector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Tokuji Ishida, Hiroshi Ootsuka
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 5734799
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for outputting printing data to an image forming apparatus. The image reading apparatus has document reader for reading an image from a document to produce color separation data as to three colors, image data processor for converting the color separation data to printing data, converter means for converting the printing data to display data and display for displaying an image based on the display data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Kusumoto, Kenich Muroki, Shoji Imaizumi
  • Image reading apparatus for sequentially providing red, green and blue signals during prescan and for reversing the order during reading
    Patent number: 5734759
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus comprises a photoelectric converter including three linear image sensors of red, green and blue aligned in parallel to each other along a main scan direction. When a document is scanned, a document is read by the photoelectric converter by moving it relative to the document. The moving direction is set to be a first direction, for a prescan and a second direction reverse to the first direction, for a normal scan. Analog output signals of the first to third linear image sensor are converted to digital signals. In a prescan, a selector exchanges the digital signals of the first and third linear image sensors, while in a normal scan, the selector does not exchange them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Hirota, Katsuhisa Toyama, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Image forming apparatus
    Patent number: 5732309
    Abstract: This invention concerns an image forming apparatus provided with a fixing device for fixing an image formed on a sheet. This apparatus comprises shutters for shielding opening parts formed in the fixing device for the passage of the sheet, a driver for switching the shutters between the opened state and the closed state, a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the opened state of the shutters, and a CPU for setting the driver moving and controlling the opening or closing motion of the shutters. The CPU compares the signal to open or close the shutters and the signal from the sensor and prohibits the fixing device from producing a fixing motion when the sensor detects the closed state of the shutters in spite of the issuance of a signal to open the shutters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinju Okuno, Masanori Yamamoto
  • Image forming apparatus provided with mold releasing agent coating structure
    Patent number: 5732316
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first developing device, accommodating a first kind of toner without an offset preventing agent, a second developing device accommodating a second kind of toner containing an offset preventing agent, and a roller fixing device having a supply portion for supplying an offset preventing agent. The image forming apparatus changes the amount of the offset preventing agent to be supplied to the fixing roller between the case of fixing a copy image formed with the first kind of toner and the case of fixing a copy image formed with the second kind of toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamasaki, Masahide Ueda, Yoshihisa Terasaka, Eiichi Sano, Masahiko Matsuura, Atsuto Hirai, Tomoo Izumi, Masami Yamada
  • Zoom lens system
    Patent number: 5731911
    Abstract: A zoom lens system is provided with first, second, and third lens units from an enlargement side. The first, second, and third lens units have a negative refractive power, positive refractive power, and negative refractive power, respectively. The first lens unit has a first doublet lens composed by a biconvex lens and a biconcave lens. The second lens unit has a second doublet lens composed by a biconvex lens and a negative meniscus lens. During zooming from the longest focal length end to the shortest focal length end, the first lens unit is kept stationary and the second and third lens units are each moved monotonically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuharu Kagoshima