Patents Assigned to Minolta
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Patent number: 5727216Abstract: A signal processor having excellent noise resistance characteristics while maintaining superior synchronizing characteristics for hardware interrupt processes. Signal A output from a port REM of a high order CPU is input in parallel as signals B and C to an interrupt port INT of a motor drive control CPU, and to a normal input port Pi, respectively. Timers x and y are started at the same time as interrupt signal B falls, timer y counts up to time Y before time X set by timer x, and at that time a determination is made as to whether or not signal C input to port Pi and signal B input to port INT are identical. If signals B and C are identical, they are normal input signals, and pulse signals are output from ports P0-P3 after time X elapses. If signals B and C are different, a pulse signal is not output from the ports P0-P3.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 1995Date of Patent: March 10, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Takasu, Katsuhide Sakai
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Patent number: 5724621Abstract: A camera is detachably mountable with a film cartridge which is provided with a photographic film having a number of successive frames and a film state indicator operable to indicate an exposed state that the film is already exposed, and includes: a film feeding device which feeds the film in a first direction and in a second direction opposite to the first direction; a recording device which records a specified data on the film when the film is being fed in the first direction; a judging device which judges whether the specified data is recorded on the film when the film is being fed in the second direction; and a setting device which is responsive to the judging device and associated with the film state indicator of the film cartridge, and is operable to cause the film state indicator to indicate the exposed state when the specified data is judged not to be recorded on the film.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 1995Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yasuaki Serita, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroyuki Okada
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Patent number: 5724631Abstract: A sealing member for a developer supply container in the form of a two-sided tape constructed of adhesive layers attached to the opposite sides of a substrate with adhesive. A thin film member is attached to one of the adhesive layers. The other adhesive layer is attached to the periphery of an aperture of a developer supply container to seal the aperture. The strength of the substrate is less than the adhesive strength of the adhesive layers relative to the film member and the developer supply container. When the developer supply container is placed in an image forming apparatus, the aperture is opened by pulling the film member. As a result, the film member is peeled from the developer supply container and part of the substrate is removed from both adhesive layers along a layer surface of the tape, with one side of the separated substrate remaining attached to the periphery of the aperture of the developer supply container and the other side of the separated substrate being pulled out with the film member.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koshiro Nakao
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Patent number: 5724629Abstract: This invention relates to a liquid developer monitoring device comprising a first electrode which contacts with a liquid developer comprising a liquid medium and electrically charged toner particles dispersed therein, a second electrode being either a developing roller or a separate roller which provides a fresh surface and immerses said surface in the liquid developer, an electric power source which applies a bias voltage between said first and second electrodes so as to deposit the toner particles on the second electrode, and a sensor which measures magnitude of current flowing between said first and second electrodes during the deposition of the toner particles. A cleaning device removes the deposited toner on the second electrode. The sensor includes an electric coil, a magnet inserted in the coil and a Hall element.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shuji Iino, Toshimitsu Fujiwara, Hidetoshi Miyamoto, Masami Yamada
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Patent number: 5724641Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention contains an original set tray on which originals are set, image reading system for reading an image on the original, image forming system for forming an image on a sheet on the basis of the image on the original read by the image reading system, an original discharge tray onto which the originals from which the images have been respectively read are discharged, an automatic document feeder for leading the originals set on the original set tray to the position of the image reading system one original at a time, and then discharging the original onto the original discharge tray, a plurality of sheet discharge trays onto which the sheets respectively having the images formed thereon are discharged, distributing system for distributing the sheets respectively having the images formed thereon among the plurality of sheet discharge trays, and a stapler relatively movable in the positions of the original discharge tray and the plurality of sheet dischargeType: GrantFiled: June 4, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihiro Shojo, Shizuo Yuge, Keichi Kinoshita, Yoshio Sakagawa
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Patent number: 5724619Abstract: An auto focus camera includes a focus detecting circuit, a lens driving circuit for driving a taking lens to an in-focus position based on a focus detection result, a starting signal outputting circuit for outputting a starting signal which starts a focusing operation, an operating member to be operated by a user after the starting signal is outputted, and a controlling circuit for controlling the lens driving circuit so as to drive the taking lens in manners different between before and after an operation of the operation member.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kenji Ishibashi, Hiroshi Ueda, Hiroshi Ootsuka, Yoshihiro Hara
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Patent number: 5724638Abstract: A fixing device for an image forming apparatus having low heat losses. The fixing device consists of a fixing roller and a compression roller for abutting upon it under pressure. The fixing roller and compression roller have a release layer each formed on the surface of a core metal formed of an aluminum hollow cylinder. The release layer on the surface of the fixing roller is formed of a composite material of metallic powder of good thermal conductive material such as nickel, and fluorine resin such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyphenylene alkoxyether (PFA), and has spectral emissivity at a wavelength of 5 to 10 .mu.m being within a range of 0.1 to 0.65. The compression roller is provided with a release layer formed of fluorine resin like the conventional one, or the same material as the release layer on the surface of the aforesaid fixing roller, having lower spectral emissivity.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuru Isogai, Takashi Yamada, Tetsuro Ito, Noboru Yonekawa, Taizou Oonishi
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Patent number: 5724627Abstract: In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a correction coefficient corresponding to each density level of toner consumption of a developing device is determined in accordance with a selected tone correction method, and/or the ratio of the emission period to the non-emission period of a light source. A toner consumption calculator multiplies the correction coefficients by the number of pixels of each density level of document image data, and determines the amount of toner consumed by the developing device from the sum total value of the multiplication results determined for each density level. A toner replenishment device resupplies toner to the developing device based on the determined amount of consumed toner. As a result, a constant toner concentration Tc normally can be maintained because toner is resupplied based on the calculated amount of toner consumption.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1995Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yukihiko Okuno, Masaki Tanaka, Naoyoshi Kinoshita
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Patent number: 5724628Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatably supported endless belt and a nip forming member arranged outside the belt in circumferential contact therewith to form a nipping region. Heat generators are arranged adjacent the nipping region. Each heat generator is extended in a transverse direction of the belt, and spaced apart a certain distance from the neighboring one. A controller controls the heat generators so that a temperature of the belt heated by one of heating means is maintained until a subsequent heating.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 1997Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Eiichi Sano
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Patent number: 5723241Abstract: The present invention provides a photosensitive member comprising an electrically conductive substrate having an anodized aluminum layer on the surface and a thick photosensitive layer on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hideaki Ueda
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Patent number: 5721610Abstract: A film image pickup device uses a cartridge in which film is fed out of the cartridge by causing a spool around which the film is wound to rotate. The film image pickup device includes a drive roller and a driven roller that are located near the film outlet of the cartridge and that are used for the conveyance of the film. The drive roller and driven roller are constructed such that either roller can come into contact with or retract from the other roller. Either of the drive roller and the driven roller has a barrel-shaped cross-sectional configuration while the other has a bobbin-shaped cross-sectional configuration, to impart a curvature to the film as it is pulled out of the cartridge.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 1995Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Kiten, Manabu Inoue, Shigeru Nagata, Hirokazu Yagura, Katsuyuki Nanba
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Patent number: 5721972Abstract: A camera wherein a finder cam follower and a flash cam follower are elastically pulled in a wide direction and are in contact with a cam surface of a cam. The cam rotates clockwise or counterclockwise following a zoom movement of a photographic lens. With the rotation of the cam, the finder cam follower moves, thereby moving a finder lens, and the flash cam follower moves, thereby moving a xenon flash lamp and a reflector.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1997Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Akira Funahashi
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Patent number: 5722025Abstract: A fixing device for heating and fixing an unfixed image to a record member bearing the unfixed image, including a heating roller, a backup member, and a current transmitting units. The heating roller includes a core roller, and a resistance heating member which is formed on the core roller and generates heat when a current is transmitted thereto through the current transmitting units, and is rotatably carried at opposite ends of the core roller by bearing units. The current transmitting units are arranged at positions opposed to the bearing units. The current transmitting unit includes a current receiver member and a current supply member. At mutual contact surfaces of them, the current receiver member has a concave section, and the current supply member has a convex section. The outer periphery circle of at least one side surface of said current receiver member has a radial difference of 6 mm or more with respect to an outer periphery circle of the heating roller at a sheet passing region.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 1996Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuusuke Morigami, Eiji Okabayashi, Takeshi Kato, Tetsuro Ito
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Patent number: 5721631Abstract: A scanning apparatus has a luminous flux deflector and a single f.theta. lens. The deflector deflects a convergent luminous flux on a scanned surface at a uniform angular velocity. The f.theta. lens is arranged between the deflector and the scanned surface. The f.theta. lens is bi-convex in a main scanning direction and is made of a material having a refractive index of at most 1.6. One surface of the f.theta. lens in a main scanning direction is so curved that a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction decreases as an angle of view in the main scanning direction increases.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 1996Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiromu Nakamura, Toshio Naiki, Etsuko Shibata, Satoru Ono
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Patent number: 5721643Abstract: A zoom lens system includes from the object side a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, and a third lens unit having a negative refractive power. The third lens unit includes from the object side a positive lens and a negative lens. The zoom lens system meets the following conditions.1<.vertline.f.sub.3P /f.sub.3 .vertline.<3.050.1<.vertline.f.sub.3 /f.sub.T .vertline.<0.22wheref.sub.3P : focal length of the positive lens,f.sub.3 : focal length of the third lens unit, andf.sub.T : longest focal length of the entire system.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 1996Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hitoshi Hagimori
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Patent number: 5720791Abstract: An optical lens element is produced by the following steps of:preparing a glass pre-form;forming a metal thin layer or a powder layer, said metal thin layer including gold, platinum, rhodium, nickel, or palladium; andpressing the glass pre-form with the metal thin layer against molding surfaces to form the optical lens element.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1995Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tomoko Miyaura
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Running robot carrying out prescribed work using working member and method of working using the same
Patent number: 5720077Abstract: A running member is attached rotatably to a body member, and a working member is attached movably to the body member. Therefore, in a large area, a work can be carried out efficiently even in a corner portion, and a desired work can be implemented even in a narrowed portion by shifting the working member to a working area and directly operating the working member in the narrowed portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 1995Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kyoko Nakamura, Hideaki Nakanishi, Yuichi Kawakami, Nobukazu Kawagoe, Shigeru Oyokota -
Patent number: 5721970Abstract: A distance measuring device for a camera uses a normal photographing mode which and a special photographing mode can be selected, and where in the special photographing mode includes a remote control photographing mode. The distance measuring device detects an object distance and judges whether the distance detection is effective or not, and a lens is driven based on a predetermined value when it is judged that the distance measurement is not effective in a normal photographing mode. In contrast, in a remote photographing mode, when it is judged that the distance measurement is not effective, the lens drive is not driven based on a predetermined value. Rather but an object distance is measured again, and thus a probability of in-focus photographing is improved.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 1997Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takahiro Ikeda
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Patent number: 5721624Abstract: In reading out an original image divided into a plurality of regions, a scanner reads out image data having each divided region partially repeated for each adjacent divided region. The read out image data of each divided region is stored in a memory in correspondence with the original image and stored in a memory. A controller identifies an overlapping region of the stored image data, and joins each image data according to the identified result to generate an image data corresponding to the original image.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1994Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hideo Kumashiro, Kazuomi Sakatani, Sou Hirota
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Patent number: 5721977Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus includes a pair of line sensors. An image of an object is projected on the line sensor through a lens. The distance up to an object is measured according to the object image in the line sensor. The line sensor includes a plurality of pixels (CCD). The time period for respective pixels to complete charge accumulation with the pixel first completing charge accumulation as the pixel of quantizing reference becomes the data for the respective pixels. In the present invention, the range of pixels used for quantizing reference is altered according to variation in the focal length of the lens. The operation of distance measurement is terminated when charge accumulation for all the pixels within the range of the integration completion determination ends. The range of integration completion determination is altered according to the focal length, the measured brightness value and the shooting mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 1997Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Yamawaki, Kenji Nakamura, Akira Shiraishi, Kazumi Kageyama