Patents Examined by R. L. Moses
  • Patent number: 5712698
    Abstract: New types of apertures to vary the size and shape of the aperture area without the need to change the whole aperture plate in off axis lithography. The off axis illumination apertures allow the size and shape of apertures to be changed without having to change the aperture plates for each step in the lithographic process. The aperture plate is fitted with simple shutter mechanisms that allow the ready adjustment of the aperture openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Bernhard Poschenrieder, Takashi Sato, Tsukasa Azuma
  • Patent number: 5712699
    Abstract: A guide device is for use in a photoprinting machine to guide photosensitive materials and including a paper magazine housing a roll of photosensitive material, an exposure unit, and a feed path. The guide device has a paper guide provided along the feed path. The paper guide has a pair of guide plates provided opposite to and spaced from each other so that the photosensitive material can pass therebetween. One of the two guide plates is fixed while the other is supported so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position. If the material is jammed, it can be removed by opening the other guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Tamai
  • Patent number: 5710968
    Abstract: A dual path sheet feeder is disclosed including a bypass transport loop and a main transport loop for selectively delivering sheets from a sheet feeding module to either a printer processing module or to a finishing module, wherein a movable gate situated adjacent to the bypass transport loop is provided for directing sheets along a predetermined path of travel. The movable gate is selectively positionable between a first position for directing the sheets through the main transport loop to the processing module to produce copy sheets prior to delivering the copy sheets to the finishing module and a second position for directing the sheets through the bypass transport loop to deliver insert sheets directly to the finishing module, circumventing the processing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Clark, Terrence R. Docteur, Richard E. Eisemann, Ted A. Beer
  • Patent number: 5710957
    Abstract: In a document reproduction apparatus with an imaging station and a sheet feeding system for feeding physical document sheets in a sheet feeding path at a first velocity in a document sheet motion direction to the imaging station to be imaged, with a transmissivity sensor for measuring the transmissivity of the document sheets to provide an imaging control signal for reducing show-through imaging defects from light transmissive document sheets including opposite side images of duplex documents, there is provided a document sheet light transmissivity measurement system with a scanning system for linearly moving a single scanner on a single axis at a second velocity across the sheet feeding path orthogonally of the document motion direction in coordination with the document sheet movement at the first velocity so that the scanner diagonally scans the document on two axes before the document is imaged, to provide a more accurate transmissivity measurement of the document sheet than a single axis transmissivity sc
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Acquaviva
  • Patent number: 5710618
    Abstract: A process for recording camera and exposure information on photographic film, reading the information during photofinishing and re-recording the information magnetically on the film. According to one feature, disclosed with a single use camera, the process includes the ordered steps of recording camera capabilities on the film and then loading the film into a camera having those capabilities. The process further includes the steps of exposing the film in the camera to a scene, processing the film to develop and print the scene using the recorded camera information and re-recording the information magnetically on the film. According to another feature of the invention, disclosed with multiple use cameras, the camera optically records exposure information on the film. The photofinishing operation then reads the optically recorded information, uses the information and magnetically re-records the information on the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Dale Frederick McIntyre
  • Patent number: 5710961
    Abstract: An improved agitator containing toner box for an electrophotographic device that is easier to manufacture and assemble than conventional agitator containing toner boxes. The first of two improvements is that one, instead of two apertures are formed in the toner box to accommodate the agitator shaft. The second improvement is that instead of using bushings inserted into an aperture to prevent toner leakage from the toner box, a cone-shaped seal is placed on the shaft of the agitator and over the aperture to prevent toner leakage through the aperture. These two improvements result in a much simpler and less expensive manufacturing and assembly process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki-Hyun Jeong
  • Patent number: 5708923
    Abstract: A cartridge can contain a photoreceptive sheet(s), allow for the introduction of the photoreceptive sheet to an imaging apparatus, and receive the photoreceptive sheet from the imaging apparatus. The cartridge can store the photoreceptive sheet(s) in a curved form or in a flat form. The cartridge can include internal rollers for driving the photoreceptive sheet in and/or out of the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ty A. Duval, Thomas W. Reeder
  • Patent number: 5708954
    Abstract: This invention relates to a resupplying apparatus detachably attached to an image forming apparatus body which comprise a resupplying passage connecting a sheet material passage on a downstream side of an image forming means in the image forming apparatus body with another sheet material passage on an upstream side of the image forming means. Also, the resupplying apparatus comprises switchback conveying means placed in the resupplying passage for reversing the conveyance direction of the sheet material upon reception of the sheet material from a conveyer in the image forming apparatus body, said switchback conveying means at least partially assembled in the image forming apparatus body; and resupplying means for returning the sheet material to the upstream side of the image forming means through the resupplying passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Ando, Masanobu Kanoto, Kiyoharu Yoshioka, Kazuhide Kudo, Makoto Nishigaki
  • 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: 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: 5708950
    Abstract: Printing machines which incorporate a transfusing station having a transfusing member with a resistive heater layer, a substrate, and a release layer. The transfusing station is entrained between at least two electrically conductive contact members, such as rollers, which electrically contact the heater layer. An electrical source sends current through the conductive rollers and the heater layer, heating that layer, the substrate, the release layer, and any toner on the release layer. A backup roller adjacent the transfusing member and the conductive rollers induces pressure on marking substrates which pass between the backup roller and the transfusing member. The combination of heat from the heater layer and pressure induced by the backup roller causes any toner image on the transfusing member to fuse onto the marking substrate. The release layer assists in transferring the toner onto the marking substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1998
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Santokh S. Badesha, Werner E. Haas, Rasin Moser, Henry R. Till, Anthony M. Wallace, William H. Wayman
  • Patent number: 5703672
    Abstract: A method of making a high-quality print avoids carrying out photometry twice on images on a film. In a first transporting process for transporting the film in a first direction, photometry is carried out on all of the images on the film that are to be copied by dividing the images into a number of pixels, logarithmically transforming thus obtained photometric values into photometric data sets, and storing all thus transformed photometric data sets in correspondence with individual images on the film. At least some of the photometric data sets are used to determine a condition of selection for selecting photometric data of pixels. The photometric data thus selected is used in determining the exposure amount of the images, and photographic prints are made during a second transporting process using the determined exposure amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takaaki Terashita
  • Patent number: 5703671
    Abstract: A method of correcting the light amount irregularities for a photographic printer in which an image displayed on a two-dimensional display unit is exposed by transmitting or reflecting the light from a light source through or from the two-dimensional display unit is disclosed. An LED light source is turned on with a predetermined driving voltage applied to all the pixels of a liquid crystal panel. The image on the liquid crystal panel is exposed for a predetermined length of time by the light transmitted through the liquid crystal panel and developed thereby to produce a photographic print. The density at a point corresponding to each pixel of the liquid crystal panel is measured. The light transmittance correction amount for each pixel of the liquid crystal panel is determined in such a manner that the density measured at each point conforms to a predetermined reference density (a minimum value of density measurement, for example).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Narita, Hiroaki Nakamura, Kazuhiko Katakura, Yoshihito Nakaya
  • Patent number: 5703673
    Abstract: When images are photographed by using a photographic film at which a magnetic recording layer is provided, photographic information regarding the entire film and photographic information regarding respective image frames can be magnetically recorded. A method and an apparatus are provided for the recording or for printing the photographic information which is magnetically recorded. In a case in which a printing area is limited, magnetically-recording of or printing of non-prior information is limited so that prior information is printed on the printing area prior to the non-prior information. For example, the information regarding an image frame is printed on the printing area of the back surface of the photographic printing paper prior to the information regarding the entire film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kanji Tokuda
  • Patent number: 5701170
    Abstract: A system for generating from unimaged plates a plurality of exposed lithographic plates to be provided to a press for use in printing. The system is for use with a film exposer for exposing a negative which includes an identifying code identifying the negative. An exposing station has a first reader for reading the identifying code and has an exposer for exposing a number of unimaged plates to generate an image thereon from the exposed negative. The number of exposed plates corresponds to the identifying code read by the reader. A bending station has a second reader for reading the identifying code on the exposed plates and has an optical punch bender for bending the exposed plates in accordance with information corresponding to the identifying code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Western Litho Plate & Supply Co.
    Inventors: John Powers, Teriy Shelton, Michael Gonseth
  • Patent number: 5701563
    Abstract: A developing apparatus includes a housing having a toner holding space and toner discharging aperature, a developing roller rotated in a predetermined direction in the aperature, a toner leveling member closing a gap between a periphery of the developing roller and an edge of the aperture at which the periphery of the developing roller is moved out from the aperture in its predetermined rotating direction, and slidably pressed against the periphery of the developing roller, a toner supplying roller rotated in the space and pressed against the periphery of the developing roller, and a sliding and closing member closing a gap between the periphery of the supplying roller and a portion of the inner surface of the housing corresponding to a gap between the periphery of the developing roller and an edge of the aperture at which the periphery of the developing roller is moved into the aperature in its predetermined rotating direction, and slidably pressed against the periphery of the supplying roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TEC
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Katsura Kojima, Tadashi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 5701567
    Abstract: A transfer member includes separately addressable electrodes separated from the surface of the member by a compliant layer. Preferably, the member is an intermediate transfer member having a thin, hard outer layer usable to receive toner images from an image member and to transfer them to a receiving sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Rodney R. Bucks, Patricia A. Dwyer, Thomas N. Tombs, William B. Vreeland, Robert E. Zeman, John W. May
  • Patent number: 5699143
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing on to a photosensitive material. The apparatus includes a light source for producing light composed of at least two colors, a collimator for collimating the light produced by the light source so as form a beam of light, a modulator for modulating the beam of light in accordance with one of the predetermined color components, a filter for filtering out the color component which has been modulated, and a beam directing device for directing the modulated colored filter beam of light onto a photosensitive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Raymond Eugene Wess, Mark Marshall Meyers
  • Patent number: 5694200
    Abstract: A photographic printing method and apparatus are characterized in that negative films are provided with marks which are indicative of whether the printing of index pictures is desired prior to the process of printing, and index pictures are systematically printed when it is determined that the printing of index pictures are desired through examination of the marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Junji Yamada
  • Patent number: 5691802
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a catadioptric optical system with an arrangement for realizing a large numerical aperture and reducing the diameter of a concave mirror while ensuring a sufficient working distance on the image side, and also an exposure apparatus using this catadioptric optical system.A catadioptric optical system according to the invention includes a first imaging optical system for forming an intermediate image of a pattern on a first plane, a second imaging optical system for forming a reduced image of the intermediate image on a second plane, and an optical path deflecting member for guiding a light beam from the first imaging optical system to the second imaging optical system. The first imaging optical system has at least a first optical element group having a positive refracting power, and a second optical element group having a concave mirror and a meniscus lens component with a concave surface facing the first imaging optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Tomowaki Takahashi