Patents Examined by Mark A. Reinhart
  • Patent number: 4910531
    Abstract: An image photographing apparatus photographs an image displayed by a display unit such as a CRT monitor on a photosensitive medium such as a photographic film. The displayed image is formed on the photosensitive medium by an image-forming optical mechanism which includes the display unit for displaying the image with an electron beam. A transformer for producing a desired voltage for energizing the image photographing apparatus is substantially spaced from the display unit and oriented such that leakage fluxes from the transformer will be directed substantially parallel to the electron beam in the display unit, for allowing the image to be displayed by the display unit with high accuracy without being adversely affected by the leakage fluxes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 20, 1990
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Mitake
  • Patent number: 4908634
    Abstract: Electric-photosensitive printing is accomplished with an LD providing a laser scanning beam that is modulated to affect printing, and the power output of the LED is maintained constant through negative feedback by a holding voltage provided by a capacitor having its charge determined only during a non-printing portion of the printing period wherein a plurality of sheets are printed. During the non-printing period, contact of the scanning laser beam with the electro-photosensitive material is disabled while the laser beam is maintained on so that its power may be measured and compared with a reference level to provide a feedback signal for controlling the output of the laser beam, particularly the feedback signal being provided to the holding capacitor only during the non-printing portion of the period, and the holding capacitor being isolated from the feedback signal during the printing portion of the period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Arimoto, Susumu Saito, Yasuyuki Tsuji, Osamu Namikawa, Takeshi Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 4908632
    Abstract: A thermal printing apparatus includes a carriage body on which a thermal ribbon cassette is detachably mounted, a driving gear rotated in accordance with the movement of the carriage body, a spool shaft rotatably mounted on the carriage body for rotating a ribbon spool of a ribbon cassette, and a rotation transmitting mechanism adapted to interlink or interrupt between the driving gear and the spool shaft when a ribbon cassette is mounted on or removed from the carriage body, respectively. The thermal printing apparatus further includes a shaft operable to detect if a ribbon cassette is mounted, and the rotation transmitting mechanism includes an engaging member engageable with a disc portion secured to the shaft for holding the rotation transmitting mechanism in a state where the interlinking between the driving gear and the spool shaft is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1990
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeo Ishikawa, Hiroshi Tokuda, Akira Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 4905022
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising a photosensitive body, a scanner including a laser light source for scanning the photosensitive body by a laser beam emitted from the laser light source, a modulation circuit for pulse-width-modulating or pulse-number-modulating the laser beam by an input digital image data which is synchronized to a clock signal, and a driving circuit for driving the laser light source by an output modulated image data of the modulation circuit. The modulation circuit includes a high-speed clock generator for generating a high-frequency clock signal which has a frequency higher than the clock signal, a counter for counting pulses of the high-frequency clock signal, a resetting circuit for resetting the counter when a counted value reaches a predetermined value, and a pulse signal generator for generating as the modulated image data a pulse signal having a pulse width or number dependent on the input digital image data and the counted value of the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoto Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 4905016
    Abstract: A recorder with a pencil pen which contains a plurality of pencil leads therein comprises means for causing a lead chuck mechanism of the pencil lead to hold and release the pencil lead and means for vertically moving a pencil lead displacement mechanism of the pencil pen. Those means are alternately activated by lead feed/eject means to eject a consumed unnecessary pencil lead and drive out a new pencil lead and hold it at a recording position. Since the pencil leads can be automatically ejected and driven out, a recording efficiency is improved and long period continuous recording is attained with a single pencil pen. A lead feed/eject holder is provided to eject a residual lead of the pencil pen, and a processing unit for processing the ejected residual lead is provided. Thus, the recording efficiency is further improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Graphtec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Yukihiro Kaneko, Tikao Nakagawa, Masatoshi Noguchi, Takamichi Yoshikawa, Masashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 4903045
    Abstract: An X-Y plotter is of the type which moves a non-perforated recording paper by drive rollers and pinch rollers. The outer surface of each of the drive rollers is formed with a cylindrical reference surface and with a plurality of minute projections of sharp quadrangular pyramidal shape distributed over the whole outer surface of the roller. These reference surface and minute projections are formed by machining in the entire circumferential or outer surface of the drive roller a plurality of trapezoidal grooves extending parallel and orthogonally to the axis of the drive roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masami Sakamoto, Ryoichi Magumo, Tamio Ishihara, Takao Kobari
  • Patent number: 4903044
    Abstract: The arrangement, according to the invention, includes a positioning drive with which a record chart bundle is drivable in a recording movement direction when it is received on a centering pin which can be raised and lowered, an adjustable stop which rotates at the recording speed and compensates for an angular difference between the recording angle per record chart and a complete revolution of this record chart, a catch arm, which is formed on at the stop, cooperating in turn with a radial edge of a sector-shaped cut-out portion of the uppermost record chart in the bundle during the positioning, the sector shape being conventional in record chart bundles, and driving means which are active when a record chart bundle is positioned and which couple the record chart bundle with the recording drive, the driving means being rotatably supported at a web which is movable vertically at the centering pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Mannesmann Kienzle GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Knauer, Benjamin Saeger, Josef Wangler, Norbert Helmschrott
  • Patent number: 4899175
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus adapted for illuminating a subject with light comprises a plurality of fluorescent substances each having a different spectral characteristic, a drive device for repetitively locating the fluorescent substances at a predetermined position and a light source for illuminating the fluorescent substances. The illumination apparatus further includes a slit for focusing light on a subject to be illuminated. When the illumination apparatus is incorporated as a transfer section into a recording system such as a facsimile and a copying machine, the fluorescent substances are alternatively positioned at a predetermined location to illuminate a recording sheet, thus making it possible to obtain a clearly recorded image with high precision and at high speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Harada, Tadashi Yamamoto, Masanori Takenouchi
  • Patent number: 4896170
    Abstract: A graphic recording system includes a pen carriage supporting a plurality of pen shuttles which support a plurality of recording pens in a linear array together with means for moving the pen carriage in a carriage path. A rotary actuation system is supported by and operative to engage selected ones of the pen shuttles to move a selected one of the recording pens into contact with the recording media. The rotary actuating system is operated by an elongated actuator beam supported in parallel with the carriage path and coupled to the rotary actuating system. A brake within the rotary actuator is operative to engage the actuator beam and permit alignment of the rotary actuator with a selected pen shuttle within the pen carriage array by movement of the pen carraige. Each recording pen is secured to its respective pen shuttle by a bayonet mounting system such that the recording pens are secured to the pen shuttles in a twist-lock assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: AM International Corporation
    Inventor: Robert H. Niemeyer, III
  • Patent number: 4893136
    Abstract: An arithmetic frequency synthesizer having an accumulator for recursively accumulating a R-bit long input word at a predetermined reference frequency to generate a variable frequency bit clock for a flying spot scanner with a rotating polygon for cyclically scanning an intensity modulated light beam across a photosensitive recording medium includes means for arithmetically modulating the value of the accumulator input word on a scan cycle-by-scan cycle basis for adjusting the bit clock frequency to compensate for polygon motor hunt errors. There is a counter which is incremented or decremented during each scan cycle at a frequency which is scaled to the reference frequency, whereby the count accumulated by the counter during each scan cycle is a measure of the average angular velocity of the polygon during that cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas N. Curry
  • Patent number: 4893135
    Abstract: Endless web laser printer having enhanced copy registration. Compensation is made for the position of the laser beam along the scan line when the image scanning is to begin. The extra delay in starting the image scan is translated to an equal and extra delay for feeding the paper to the image transfer station. Up to one full line of misregistration can be corrected. Dividing the scan line into segments decreases the possible number of extra delay time quantities consistent with the perceivable improvement in registration tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Fereidoon S. Jamzadeh
  • Patent number: 4891653
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming in series a plurality of images on a photosensitive film of the long roll type having a film transporting mechanism using a stepping motor, a microstep driver for controllably driving the stepping motor in a plurality of microsteps constituting one step unit of the stepping motor and an imaging device for forming an image on the film being transported by the film transporting mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Hamada, Mitsutoshi Yagoto
  • Patent number: 4884083
    Abstract: A printing system employing a raster output scanning device is compensated for the effects of motion of the medium upon which an image is being printed. An amplitude transmittance spatial filter is positioned either in an exit pupil of the "slow scan" optics of the system or in the first Fourier transform plane of a lens positioned between the scanning device and the recording medium. Several preferred transmittance functions are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Robert P. Loce, William L. Lama
  • Patent number: 4884149
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of enabling high-speed continuous copy of a same single-color image, wherein the apparatus is incorporated a shift register between an image reader and a laser beam generator for performing imagewise exposure onto a photoreceptor. The shift register has a circulation circuit connecting between an output and an input side thereof. After an image data corresponding to a sheet of original document is inputted into the shift register, the circulation circuit is actuated and circulates the image data, thereby repeatedly outputting the image data to the laser beam generator by the number of required times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Shoji, Satoshi Haneda, Kunihisa Yoshino
  • Patent number: 4882594
    Abstract: Phase array apparatus for use with a lens system to provide a substantially smooth, uniform image of a laser array comprised of a multiplicity of lasers wherein the phase of the radiation emitted by the lasers alternates by an amount which is substantially equal to 180.degree.. The phase array includes: (1) phase means, disposed substantially at a far-field image of the laser array formed by the lens system, which far-field image comprises two prominent lobes, for changing the phase of the radiation in the two prominent lobes by 90.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: William T. Plummer
  • Patent number: 4881087
    Abstract: An electrostatic or thermal printhead and method of fabrication is provided in which dielectric material is disposed in a row of spaced depressions or in a single recess along the upper surface of an edge of a dielectric-coated conductive sheet. Electrodes are disposed along the edge of the sheet over the dielectric material and terminate at associated conductive pads or printhead circuitry on the sheet. In one embodiment, the edge is trimmed and left bare to form an inexpensive electrostatic printhead. In an alternative embodiment, resistive material is disposed over the edge to connect the electrodes to the conductive sheet to form an inexpensive thermal printhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Dynamics Research Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph J. Bakewell
  • Patent number: 4881086
    Abstract: A laser-beam image recording apparatus for recording images on a light-sensitive sheet medium through irradiation of an information-carrying laser beam, comprising a laser beam generator for emitting a laser beam, a polygonal mirror for directing the laser beam toward a linear zone and deflecting the laser beam to swing repeatedly along the linear zone, roller arrangement for transporting a light-sensitive sheet medium to pass through the linear zone, a sensor for detecting an arrival of the leading edge of the sheet medium at the linear zone, and a control circuit for modulating the laser beam to be generated by the laser beam generator, the control circuit being operative to modulate the laser beam depending on the image to be recorded on a leading portion of a light-sensitive sheet medium before the sensor detects that the leading edge of the sheet medium which has been advancing toward the linear zone reaches the linear zone and to modulate the laser beam depending on the images to be recorded on a portio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoya Misawa
  • Patent number: 4879567
    Abstract: A low-friction, low-play bearing system for use in a carriage coupling drive system for a pen plotter including a moving carriage slidably mounted on a shaft between the ends of and carrying a U-shaped pen-carrying yoke in combination therewith for sliding motion along the shaft and rotary motion about the shaft. A pair of annular ball-bearing thrust bearings are disposed over the shaft between respective ends of the U-shaped yoke and the moving carriage. An annular bias spring such as a wave spring is disposed over the shaft between the moving carriage and one of the thrust bearings to create a longitudinal expansion force resisting play between the moving carriage and the U-shaped yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Sanders Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: James Lawrence
  • Patent number: 4878066
    Abstract: An optical apparatus for an image forming apparatus has a laser emission device. The laser emission device has first and second light emission units for emitting first and second laser beams. The first and second laser beams emitted by the light emission units are collimated by a collimator lens, and their radii are regulated by a stop. These laser beams are scanned by a scanning mirror on a photosensitive drum in the main scan direction. Distortion of the scanned first and second laser beams is corrected by first and second f-.theta. lenses. In these f-.theta. lenses, power for focusing the laser beams in the sub-scan direction is larger than power for focusing the laser beam in the main scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 4878068
    Abstract: A beam recorder comprises image signal input means, a modulator for modulating a recording beam in accordance with the input image signal, and a discriminator for discriminating a characteristic of the input image signal. The modulator controls a driving current for emitting the beam so that the beam intensity is varied in accordance with the discrimination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Suzuki