Abstract: A scanning apparatus includes a sheet holder for holding a sheet to be scanned in the shape of a segment of a cylinder, a light source for irradiating the sheet with light, a spinner including a converging lens for converging light from the light source on the surface of the sheet, and a light detector for photoelectrically detecting light from the sheet, a spindle motor including a plurality of rolling balls in a bearing for rotating the spinner coaxially with a center axis of the cylinder, and a sub-scanning device for moving the sheet holder relative to the spinner in a direction parallel to the center axis, and the rolling balls are provided so that the vibrational frequency F of the bearing satisfies the formula Fb/6.ltoreq..vertline.F-n1.times.Fb.vertline..ltoreq.Fb/2 wherein Fb is the rotational frequency of the spindle motor and n1 is a positive integer.

Abstract: A device for printing color photographs on photosensitive paper having a segmented filter positioned relative to an inverting and focusing lens at a point where an original image projected through the lens at the paper is inverted. The segmented filter has colored segments corresponding to the primary colors to which the photosensitive paper is sensitive. The colored segments each have a surface area in a ratio corresponding to the relative sensitivity of the paper to the color of the segment. In an alternate embodiment, the filter has equal sized colored components and is moved with respect to an optical axis of the lens to adjust the intensity of each filtered monochromatic image projected onto the paper.

Abstract: A film processing apparatus includes a film inserting device operable to receive negative film strips cut into a predetermined length and transported from a film transporting device and then to insert the film strips one after another into each independent film-holding pocket of a film sheet holder. A planar member is disposed adjacent an inserting opening of the film sheet holder and displaceable by contacting the film being transported. In association with the planar member, a jamming detection sensor is provided for detecting a jammed condition of the film according to a displacement of the planar member.

Abstract: A projection aligner is equipped with a diaphragm having four sectoral openings arranged in symmetry with respect to orthogonal symmetrical lines respectively aligned with two orthogonal directions of a reticle pattern, and a rotating system is provided for a fly-eye lens so as to align two orthogonal symmetrical lines of the fly-eye lens with the two orthogonal symmetrical lines of the diaphragm, thereby improving a resolution of the reticle pattern on a photo-resist layer.

Abstract: In a method of determining an exposure amount, image data is fetched, and an image is divided into a plurality of regions by binarization or another technique, a shape pattern representing a contour of the head of a human figure is detected, and a face candidate region is set in accordance with the detected pattern. Next, a shape pattern representing a contour of the face of the human figure, a shape pattern representing an internal structure of the face of the human figure, and a shape pattern representing a contour of the body of the human figure are detected respectively. The consistency of a face candidate region is determined consecutively by the detected patterns, and a region having the highest probability of being a region corresponding to the face of the human figure is determined. The above processing is carried out a plurality of times while a threshold for binarization and parameters for controlling the relative fineness of the division of the image are varied.

Abstract: Both a web of film and film in a cartridge can be selectively processed for printing. A rotary table is provided on a common base with a scanner assembly and a printing/exposure unit provided on opposite sides of the rotary table in an opposed manner. A web of film is fed on film guides to pass the scanner assembly, rotary table and printing/exposure assembly in a straight manner. A film in cartridge is fed through a cartridge feed portion onto the rotary table.

Abstract: An exposure system for creating a single frame transparency having an enlarger rack with a transparency fixture. The fixture includes an inner and outer frame which cooperate to allow incremental relative movement therebetween during an exposure process which results in a single transparency having four independent images, each of the images having spaced apart groups of pixels interlaced with the groups of pixels from each of the other images, each of the images being selectable for projection by a movable grid mask. A method for preparing four images from a single transparency is also disclosed. The transparency is formed by sequentially exposing portions of a sheet of film overlayed by a gridlike mask, and correspondingly repositioning the mask after each exposure such that a new interlaced area of film is exposed.

Abstract: A projection exposure method wherein a mask (R) is illuminated with illuminating light (ILB) for exposure, and an image of the mask pattern is projected onto a photosensitive substrate (W) through a projection optical system (PL). A phase plate is disposed on a Fourier transform plane (FTP) of the projection optical system (PL) or on a plane near the Fourier transform plane.

Abstract: Rays of light from a super-high pressure mercury lamp are collected by an oval mirror, reflected by a cold mirror and additionally rendered parallel. The parallel light is passed through an interference filter and enters as incident light to individual lens units of a fly-eye lens. The individual lens units improve uniformity of intensity distribution and coherency of the light and act as isolated light sources. Right after the fly-eye lens is placed an aperture member that determines the form of an effective light source. The light passes through the aperture member, a cold mirror and a condenser lens to illuminate a reticle. A pattern of the reticle is projected on a semiconductor substrate coated with a photosensitive resin, by a projection lens system. The resolution property and exposure intensity of a reduction exposure apparatus is improved and aperture member positioning is facilitated. The throughput of the system can also be improved.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and an exposure method for fabricating semiconductor devices or liquid crystal display boards. The scanning means synchronously moves the mask and the photosensitive substrate with respect to the plurality of projection optical systems, and patterns formed on the mask are projected onto the photosensitive substrate while images of mask formed by adjacent illumination optical systems are made overlapping with each other. On this occasion, the controlling means controls the light intensity changing means, and the light intensity changing means changes the intensity of a light beam of each illumination optical system, so that two intensities of overlapping parts in adjacent illumination areas become substantially equal to each other. The control by the controlling means is carried out based on the light intensities of the overlapping illumination areas as detected by the light intensity detecting means.

Abstract: A light source for a photographic printer which is designed so that almost all light energy emitted from a diffusing device can be utilized for printing, thereby markedly improving the light source efficiency. The light source is used in a photographic printer which illuminates a film (F) and projects an image of the film (F) onto photographic paper (P) to print the projected image on the paper (P). A diffuser (BD), which is disposed in an illuminating optical path in the vicinity of the film (F), is caused to perform reciprocative vibration in parallel to its own plane by a vibrating device (B), e.g., a voice coil, during the exposure time, so that, even if an image of dust or a blemish on the diffuser (BD) is formed on the print, the image becomes blurred on the photographic paper (P) because it moves during the exposure process, thereby preventing the print from being affected by the image of such an undesired object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a document placement device suitable for accommodating book-like documents for image reading and image reader device provided with the document placement device. The document placement device has a first platform for placement of pages on the right side of an open book document on the top surface thereof and a second platform provided adjacent to said first platform for placement of pages on the left side of an open book document on the top surface thereof. The first platform slides in a rightward direction when raised thereby inducing the second platform to slide in a rightward direction while being moved in a downward direction, and the first platform slides in a leftward direction when lowered thereby inducing the second platform to slide in a leftward direction while being moved in an upward direction.

Abstract: A carrier device can receive cartridges each containing a film from a lateral direction and send them reliably, efficiently and continuously to a photoprinting machine in a straight line, while holding them in position with an arm. Cartridges are supplied one by one into the carrier device from a cartridge housing device located at the side of the carrier device. A cartridge set in a carriage or the carrier device is retained in position by the arms and transferred to the printing machine by driving the carriage with a motor of a driving unit along a guide path. The carriage has a cartridge retaining mechanism and an arm locking mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed are a photographic method which including optically dividing the picture plane of a great-size original into two areas and photographing said areas with a specified combination of a lens having a narrow angle of view with two or three pairs of mirrors to form the images of the original on the same plane, and a photosensitive material printing apparatus utilizing the above photographing method.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a LED write apparatus wherein the arrangement step of LED chips is eliminated by constituting the LED head by a single LED chip composed of LEDs and electrical connection of the respective LEDs with driving circuits is carried out with ease.A LED head chip is constituted in such a manner that 2400 LEDs in all whose width a is selected to be narrow, namely about 10 .mu.m are formed on a Si substrate having a smaller width (about 30 mm) than that of a photosensitive drum (length of A4 size: 210 mm) through a GaAs substrate and as well peripheral circuits including a driving circuit such as a transistor are integratedly formed on the Si substrate. The light from the LED head chip is magnified via a lens to form an image on the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: Process for preparing film strips for subsequent orders, the film strips belonging to a customer order. Each film strip includes a number of numbered masters which are fed into a preparation station. There, they are glued to a carrier belt and coiled into a film roll, which can be used at subsequent processing stations. Customer-specific order data regarding the desired number of copies of specific masters and, where applicable, the desired copy format, are entered via an input unit in the preparation station and stored onto a carrier medium which is compatible with the subsequent processing stations. In the process, the customer-specific order data are entered before the film strips are fed in.

Abstract: A photographic printing device and film carrier. A negative film is inserted into the film carrier. When a leading end portion of the film is placed in a set state of being nipped by rollers, a conveyed amount count value is set to zero. While the film is conveyed, the count value is updated, and a position of an image recorded on the film is detected by detecting an edge of the image. A detected image is positioned at an exposure position, and print-exposure processing is carried out. A determination is made as to whether a film end flag is on by detecting a trailing end of the film. When the flag is not on, processing waits until a PASS key or a print designation key is turned on. When the trailing end of the film has not yet been detected and the PASS key is turned on, an image is positioned, and print-exposure continues.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to scanning exposure apparatus and exposure method to achieve simultaneous projection of images of plural regions on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate with correcting an orthogonality error of a pattern on the mask or photosensitive substrate. If the pattern on the mask or photosensitive substrate has an orthogonality error causing a deviation of a certain angle in a first direction perpendicular to a scanning direction as it goes in the scanning direction, the mask and the photosensitive substrate are rotated relative to each other in the plane thereof to align one coordinate axis in a coordinate system of each pattern with the first direction.

Abstract: A prefabricated modified illumination apparatus for forming fine patterns in a semiconductor device having a copper plate with a transmission hole in the center; a plurality of first blades for intercepting the light which transmits the transmission hole, the blades being controlled by an external power-driven machine so that first blades vary the area of the transmission hole second blades of a cross-bar type, at least one of which intercepts the light transmitting the transmission hole and is controlled by an external power-driven machine, to vary the area of the transmission hole, and third blades of a length-bar type, at least one of which intercepts the light transmitting the transmission hole and is controlled by an external power-driven machine, vary the area of the transmission hole, wherein the second blade is superimposed on the third blade in the area of the transmission hole.

Abstract: A negative film masking apparatus for use in printing of a negative film has patterns of latent image data recorded thereon outside of frames and is held between a negative holder and a mask cover for an exposure operation. A view window is provided in one of either of the negative holder and the mask cover to allow each desired one of the latent image patterns of the negative film to be viewed. A light emitter is mounted on the other of the negative holder and the mask cover opposite to the view window.