Patents Assigned to Minolta
  • Patent number: 5708921
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which is provided with a developing device having a rotatable developing member opposite to a rotatable photoreceptor at a developing region for transporting a developer to bring the developer into contact with the photoreceptor at the developing region, and a paper particle removing member provided at a downstream side from the developing region with respect to a rotational direction of the developing member for removing paper particles from the developer held on the developing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Yagi, Tamotsu Sakuraba, Akihiro Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 5708918
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus for forming a full color image in the four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow and black has a optical ATDC sensor attached in a cyan developing device to control the toner density under optical ATDC. A black developing device has the toner density controlled by AIDC. A standard develop efficiency .eta.STD of the cyan developing device obtained as a result of the AIDC is compared with a develop efficiency .eta. of black toner. The toner supply amount of the black developing device is determined according to the comparison result to supply the toner. Thus, an image formation apparatus is provided that can detect at favorable accuracy the toner density of a developing device incorporating a developer of which the toner density cannot be detected using optical ATDC to supply a required amount of toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiko Okuno, Masaki Tanaka, Naoyoshi Kinoshita, Atsushi Kawai, Toshifumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5708908
    Abstract: A copying machine control system according to the present invention is a copying machine control system including data terminals collecting data related to copying machines, and a centralized control unit performing communication of data with the terminals through a communication network. Each terminal includes a holding device for holding an identification code for initialization and a first transmitter for transmitting an identification code to the centralized control unit when the centralized control unit is connected to a copying machine. The centralized control unit includes a memory for storing the identification code held in the data terminal, a confirming device for confirming a data terminal on the basis of the identification code and a second transmitter for transmitting the data for initialization to the confirmed data terminal, and the data terminal further includes an initialization device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sumiaki Hirata, Kazunobu Maekawa
  • Patent number: 5707769
    Abstract: A negatively chargeable color toner for full-color image forming, comprising a specific linear polyester resin and C. I. Solvent Yellow 162 or a specific anthraquinone magenta dye or an anthraquinone magenta dye together with a quinacridone magenta pigment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Hagi, Katsunori Kurose, Takeshi Arai, Junichi Tamaoki, Hiroyuki Fukuda, Yoko Osawa, Miyoko Goto
  • Patent number: 5708871
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Hamada, Kazuhiko Yukawa, Tokuji Ishida, Toshio Norita, Hiroshi Ueda
  • Patent number: 5708919
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming images on both surfaces of a recording sheet. It is discriminated from image signals obtained by scanning a first surface and a second surface of an original which surface has more or less toner consumption, and the image formation sequence is controlled so that an image, which has been judged to have less toner consumption, is first formed on the first surface of the recording medium while an image, which has been judged to have more toner consumption, is formed on the second surface of the recording sheet afterward. Also, in the formation process of the image, which has been judged to have less toner consumption, the fixing roller is not coated with anti-offset liquid, but in the formation process of the image, which has been judged to have more toner consumption, it is controlled so that the fixing roller is coated with the anti-offset liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanobu Yamada, Hidehiko Shibano
  • Patent number: 5708953
    Abstract: A copying system which has a copying machine for forming an image on a sheet, a circular transporting device for receiving a sheet which has obtained an image on one side from the copying machine and refeeding the sheet to the copying machine for image formation on the other side of the sheet, and an automatic document feeder with a document reversing mechanism. The automatic document feeder sets a document at a specified position on a document table and discharges the document from the document table. Further, in handling a double-side document which has images on both sides, the automatic document feeder turns over the document after scanning of an image of one side. When a number of copies over the capacity of the circular transporting device are to be made in a double-side document/duplex copy mode, the document is turned over every time a number of copies corresponding to the capacity of the circular transporting device has been made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Morigami, Shinobu Seki
  • Patent number: 5706370
    Abstract: An optical deflection scanning device has a transducer, a waveguide medium for unidirectionally propagating an elastic wave based on the oscillation of the transducer. The light emitted from a light source is incident to the waveguide medium in a direction opposite the group velocity of the elastic wave in the waveguide medium. The incident light and elastic wave interact, and the incident light is deflected within the same plane as the waveguide medium in conjunction with elastic wave travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Yuki
  • Patent number: 5705806
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading documents disposed face upward on a document platen by optical scanning. The image reading apparatus comprises a color correction filter which has characteristics for shielding light of visible light range and is inserted into said imaging system on prescanning to detect the height of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Matsuda, Koichi Kamon
  • Patent number: 5706129
    Abstract: A pair of binoculars includes a first optical system; a second optical systems; a light rays separators that extracts from the first optical system a portion of light rays that pass through the first optical systems; a device for examining the extracted light rays; a device for adjusting parts of the first and second optical systems based on a results of the examination of the extracted light rays; and a light reducer located in the second optical system for separating light rays equivalent to the light rays extracted by the light rays separator from the light rays passing through the second optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Kato, Yasumasa Sugihara, Naoki Ishihara
  • Patent number: 5703693
    Abstract: A digital copy machine includes an image reading unit IR, an image memory, an image formation unit PRT, and a circulation type sheet transportation mechanism having a transportation path of a length that can accommodate n (n.gtoreq.2) sheets for reversing the side of the sheet having a copy image formed on one side to the opposite side and refeeding the same to a copy position. In duplex copying using at least n sheets, the timing of feeding the first sheet is set so that the n-th sheet arrives at the copy position only after the time when the copy of an original image of the (2n-1)th page can be initiated in order to set the number of circulating sheets to n.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Morikawa
  • Patent number: 5701204
    Abstract: A zoom lens system includes from the object side a first lens unit of positive refractive power and a second lens unit of negative refractive power. The zoom lens system further includes a rearmost lens unit on the most image side. During zooming from the shortest focal length condition to the longest focal length condition, the first lens unit is moved toward the object side so that the distance between the first and second lens units increases. During focusing to a shorter object distance condition, the first lens Unit .is moved toward the object side while the rearmost lens unit is moved toward the image side, and a ratio between movement amounts of the first and rearmost lens units varies according to zooming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 5701531
    Abstract: A mechanism, for feeding a film with a photographing information magnetic recording area, of a camera. The camera including the mechanism has a cartridge holder inside which a film cartridge housing the film in is set; an aperture for defining an exposure field on the film; a magnetic head for writing/reading the photographing information; a take-up spool around which the film fed from the film cartridge is wound; and a drive motor for feeding the film between the film cartridge and the take-up spool. Both the take-up spool and the magnetic head are installed on one side of the aperture, and both the cartridge holder and the drive motor are installed on the other side, opposite to the one side in view of the film feeding direction, of the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Tanaka, Junichi Tanii, Katsuhiro Ono
  • Patent number: 5701548
    Abstract: Disclosed is a copying system wherein operation modes of a copying machine are set using an IC card located at a distance from the copying machine. The IC card has: a transmitter for transmitting a signal that contains an identification code for identifying the IC card itself, an identification code for identifying the copying machine, and prestored operation mode setting information for the copying machine; a receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from the copying machine; and a CPU for identifying the copying machine and its operating condition. The copying machine has: a transmitter for transmitting a signal that contains an identification code for identifying the copying machine itself, an identification code for identifying the IC card, and information concerning the operating condition of the copying machine itself; a receiver for receiving a signal transmitted from the IC card; and a CPU for identifying the originating IC card and for setting the copying machine operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Okatani
  • Patent number: 5701518
    Abstract: A waterproof camera to which an interchangeable lens unit having a waterproof construction is mounted. The waterproof camera has a lens mount provided in a camera body and to which the interchangeable lens unit is removably mounted, a ring-shaped flange provided in the lens mount and which positions the interchangeable lens unit relative to the camera camera body, an engaging member provided at an outer circumference of the ring-shaped flange and which engages with the outer circumference of one end of the interchangeable lens unit, and a waterproof member which is in pressing contact with an area of engagement between the engaging member and the outer circumference of one end of the interchangeable lens unit and prevents water from penetrating in the area of engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Honda, Hisanori Itoh, Takuya Ueno, Junji Mori, Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Yasushi Hasegawa, Hideo Kajita
  • Patent number: 5701569
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a toner image carrying member which carries a toner image, an intermediate transfer member or sheet transport type transfer member opposite to the toner image carrying member, a charging device which charges the transfer member for transferring the toner image from the toner image carrying member to the intermediate transfer member or carried sheet, a grounding electrode which contacts the transfer member, an ammeter which measures an electric current through the grounding electrode, and a control device which controls the charging device based on a measured value of the ammeter so as to stabilize said measured value. A power source is connected to the charging device through a resistance and the grounding electrode is in parallel with circuit from the resistance to the toner image carrying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Kanazawa, Toshiya Natsuhara, Kazuyoshi Hara, Yasuo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5697263
    Abstract: A device, having a planetary gear and a single motor, in use for switching and transmitting a driving force of the motor to any one of station gears and for driving each station gear in both rotational directions. The operation of locking levers for preventing a planetary gear from revolving around a sun gear is controlled by a cam. The cam is actuated by a driving force of the motor. A spring frictionally connecting the cam and an output shaft of a speed reduction system is interposed therebetween, and a magnet is disposed so as to restrict the movement of the cam when the motor rotates. A sun gear is connected with the output shaft of the speed reduction system with a "play" or gap in order that the rotation of the sun gear is reversed behind time corresponding to the play when the rotation of the motor is reversed, thus making it possible to start actuating the cam earlier than the sun gear for making sure that the locking levers are shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Funahashi, Michihiro Iwata
  • Patent number: 5699200
    Abstract: A lens assembly is disclosed in which the amount of movement of at least one lens unit is achieved by combining the amounts of relative movement of at least two barrels. A linear advancement barrel advances straight ahead relative to a fixed barrel. A first lens unit moves together with the linear advancement barrel. A second lens unit is located in front of the first lens unit along the optical axis. A third lens unit is located behind the first lens unit along the optical axis. A cam ring moves together with the linear advancement barrel along the optical axis and rotates around the optical axis. The cam ring has first and second cams that move the second lens unit and the third lens unit by amounts of movement relative to the linear advancement barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Uno, Yoshifumi Harada, Daigo Yoshioka, Hiroaki Hasegawa, Yasuo Hawai
  • Patent number: 5699169
    Abstract: In the electronic sort of a digital copying machine, image data of a document consisting of a plurality of sheets are read and compressed to bi-level data in a memory. The compressed image data are recovered to multi-level data successively. When a plurality of copies of the document are produced, the recovery action is repeated by the number of the copies. In a facsimile machine combined with a digital copying machine, bi-level image data for the automatic reduction transmission are recovered first to multi-level image data, and the density of the multi-level image data is changed for the reduction. Then, the multi-level data are converted to bi-level data for facsimile transmission. In a digital two-color copying machine, multi-level image data of the second color of the two colors to be recorded later has to be synchronized to those of the other in correspondence to the delay of the recording time between the two colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Nakatani, Masamichi Sugiura, Munehiro Nakatani, Shigenobu Fukushima
  • Patent number: 5694657
    Abstract: A regenerating apparatus of a recording medium by removing a printing material therefrom comprises a holder which is arranged in the liquid and has a plurality of holding members for holding the media; a feeder for feeding the medium to the respective holding members successively; a discharger which includes a discharging passage extending from each of the holding member and out of the liquid for discharging the recording medium having been held by the holding member for a specific time; and a remover which is disposed in the liquid and near the passage so as to contact and remove the printing material from the recording medium transported along the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masazumi Yoshida, Junji Machida, Kaoru Furusawa, Haruhiko Atarashi