Patents by Inventor Homare Sano

Homare Sano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6348940
    Abstract: An image forming system is provided with an image memory for storing a number of frame images, a composite image generator for generating a composite image bearing frame images, and a composite image recorder for recording generated composite image on a recording medium having a base layer, an adhesive layer, and a recording layer. The system is further provided with a separation former for forming a perforation line on the recording medium for dividing a specified frame image from the other frame image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Homare Sano, Junichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6079885
    Abstract: A printer allows changing the number of images printed on a single sheet of said recording medium, changing the layout of the print images, and changing the size of the print images. Said printer is provided with a means for determining whether or not each printed image size is larger or smaller than a predetermined size by comparing the size of a print image with a predetermined size. High quality print images are obtained by accomplishing image processing for contrast emphasis when an image is small than a predetermined size, and accomplishing image processing for edge emphasis when an image is larger than a predetermined size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Homare Sano
  • Patent number: 5739924
    Abstract: A photographed Image printing apparatus includes an image sensor operable to optically read a photographed image on a recording medium; an information reader operable to read photographic information on the recording medium, the photographic information indicative of photographing conditions of the photographed image; an image quality correction manager in responsive to the information reader and operable to judge based on the read photographic information whether image quality correction is necessary, and determine a proper image quality correction, if necessary; an image corrector in responsive to the image quality correction manager and operable to correct the read photographed image in accordance with the determined image quality correction; and a printer operable to print a corrected image on a printing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Homare Sano
  • Patent number: 5687965
    Abstract: A sheet supply device supplying sheets from a magazine thereof to an image forming apparatus and a mechanism for setting the magazine to a body of the image forming apparatus. The magazine storing stacked sheets is provided with reinforcing members which are disposed at side walls of the magazine to form convex portions relative thereto so as to reinforce the side walls and regulate the position of the stacked sheets in a sheet width direction. A projecting portion having an inclined surface is provided in either the magazine or a receiving portion in the image forming apparatus body to which the magazine is set. When the magazine is slid on an upper surface of the receiving portion for being set to the image forming apparatus body, a leading end of the magazine in a magazine setting direction is lifted by use of the inclined surface of the projecting portion so as to be accurately and smoothly set to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyuki Matsuda, Hajime Takei, Homare Sano, Richard R. Lemberger, Stuart J. Wyman
  • Patent number: 5685002
    Abstract: An image processing system generates a multi-picture image in which a plurality of pictures are arranged in a single frame, and includes an original picture generator such as image reader or film image scanner, a format determinator to determine a suitable visualization format for the plurality of pictures and a multi-picture image generator to generate a multi-picture image in accordance with the determined visualization format. The determinator includes a detector to detect the number of the pictures and determines a suitable format based on the number of the pictures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Homare Sano
  • Patent number: 5576836
    Abstract: A multi-picture image printing system includes a reception portion for receiving a plurality of recording mediums sequentially, each recording medium carrying a plurality of pictures; a multi-picture image generator operable to read the plurality of pictures recorded on each recording medium and generate a multi-picture image based on the read plurality of pictures; a printer operable to print the generated multi-picture image on a sheet; a medium discharger operable to discharge recording mediums; a sheet discharger operable to discharge printed sheets; a storing unit including a plurality of containers for containing discharged recording medium and printed sheet; and a controllers operable to control the medium discharger, sheet discharger, and the storing unit to place a recording medium and a printed sheet bearing a multi-picture image having pictures recorded on the recording medium in the same container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Homare Sano, Katsumi Miwa, Norimasa Kubota, Kimitoshi Hori
  • Patent number: 5181707
    Abstract: An sheet handling apparatus includes suckers for sucking up a sheet from a sheet storing unit and two sensors which are disposed on the suckers. One of the sensors detects whether the suckers come into contact with the topmost sheet of a sheet stack in the sheet storing unit, and the other sensor detects whether there is a sheet in the sheet storing unit. After the suckers were operated to suck up a sheet, these sensors detect whether the suckers catch the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Takei, Yukiyoshi Yamakoshi, Naoyuki Matsuda, Fuminori Moro, Hiroshi Tomita, Homare Sano
  • Patent number: 5127646
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a regulating member for regulating a sheet fed from the magazine in the widthwise direction, the regulating member being movable between a regulating position and a retreating position. The image forming apparatus further includes a cover member for opening and closing the magazine. When the cover member closes the magazine, the regulating member is in the retreating position, and when the cover member opens the magazine, the regulating member is in the regulating position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoyuki Matsuda, Yukiyoshi Yamakoshi, Hiroshi Tomita, Hajime Takei, Fuminori Moro, Homare Sano
  • Patent number: 5100121
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feeder comprising a magazine in which sheets are stacked, a sucker for sucking a sheet stacked in the magazine, a stepping motor for raising the sucker, and a sheet separation click which is so disposed that an edge of the sheet sucked by the sucker comes into contact with the click when the sucker is raised to a specified position. The sucker is raised at a small pitch when the edge of the sucked sheet comes into contact with the sheet separation click, whereby sheets which have been adhering to the sucked topmost sheet separate therefrom and fall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1992
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Takei, Sadanobu Murasaki, Naoyuki Matsuda, Yukiyoshi Yamakoshi, Homare Sano
  • Patent number: 5051775
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a magazine in which sheets are stacked, the image forming apparatus comprising a flexible cover member for the magazine, which cover member is capable of adhering to and separating from a flange of the magazine, a cover removing unit which removes the cover member from the flange of the magazine while moving in one direction along the flange of the magazine, and a cover sticking unit which sticks the cover member on the flange of the magazine while moving in a direction reverse to the direction in which the cover removing unit moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukiyoshi Yamakoshi, Hiroshi Tomita, Hajime Takei, Fuminori Moro, Naoyuki Matsuda, Homare Sano
  • Patent number: 5049924
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a sensor for detecting a sheet transport problem. When a sheet transport problem occurs before a sheet reaches an image forming section, the sheet is returned to a sheet feeding section, and when a transport problem occurs at or after the image forming section, the sheet is forwarded to a sheet receiving section. When the problem sheet is either returned to the feeding section or forwarded to the receiving section, the apparatus is set to an operational condition. When the problem sheet can be neither returned to the feeding section nor forwarded to the receiving section, further operation of the apparatus is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fuminori Moro, Yukiyoshi Yamakoshi, Hiroshi Tomita, Hajime Takei, Naoyuki Matsuda, Homare Sano