Abstract: A structural color changeable material includes a strain body and surface plasmon generating particles. In the strain body, a strain is produced by an external pressure or an internal change. The surface plasmon generating particles generate surface plasmon and are contained in the strain body. The surface plasmon is generated by an incident light with a wavelength of 2400 nm or less. A mean particle size of the surface plasmon generating particles is equal to or less than the wavelength of the incident light. The surface plasmon generating particles are periodically arranged parallel to an in-plane direction of a reflection surface of the incident light.

Abstract: In a displacement sensor, an illumination optical system, which converts laser light emitted from an emission unit into first converging light, and irradiates with the first converging light a detection space through which a target moves. An imaging optical system converts laser light reflected from the target into second converging light, and irradiates with the second converging light a light-receiving surface of a detection unit. The image of the emission unit into which the illumination optical system focuses the first converging light is displaced along the optical axis of the imaging optical system by a temperature change of the illumination optical system. The range in which the image is displaced is limited to be located either anterior to the front principal point of the imaging optical system, or posterior to the rear principal point of the imaging optical system.

Abstract: A drive device includes a drive member, a light source, a marker, a detector, a signal processor and a strain controller. The drive member includes at least a material which generates a plasmon. The drive member generates strain in response to input energy. The marker is formed on a surface of the drive member. Strain occurs in the marker in accordance with a deformation of the drive member and the marker reflects or transmits light emitted from the light source. The detector detects a light intensity of light reflected from or transmitted through the marker. The signal processor calculates an amount of strain which occurs in the marker based on the light intensity. The strain controller controls an amount of strain of the drive member based on the amount of strain calculated by the signal processor.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus has a first scanning optical element having a negative power in a sub-scanning direction. A first light beam and a second light beam enter the first scanning optical element through points of an input surface on a same side of a reference surface, which includes an optical axis of the first scanning optical element and being parallel to a main-scanning direction. The second light beam makes a greater angle with the reference surface than the first light beam. A first angle between the reference surface and a principal ray of a first ghost light beam is greater than a second angle between the reference surface and a principal ray of a first normal light beam and is smaller than a third angle between the reference surface and a principal ray of a second normal light beam.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus has a first scanning optical element having a negative power in a sub-scanning direction. A first light beam and a second light beam enter the first scanning optical element through points of an input surface on a same side of a reference surface, which includes an optical axis of the first scanning optical element and being parallel to a main-scanning direction. The second light beam makes a greater angle with the reference surface than the first light beam. A first angle between the reference surface and a principal ray of a first ghost light beam is greater than a second angle between the reference surface and a principal ray of a first normal light beam and is smaller than a third angle between the reference surface and a principal ray of a second normal light beam.

Abstract: In an oblique-incidence optical system, a pair of optical beams are incident from the deflection section on an optically anisotropic common scanning lens. First and second individual scanning lenses are optically anisotropic and on which the one and the other of the pair of optical beams are respectively incident from the common scanning lens. Light sources are arranged such that their respective planes of polarization are symmetrical to each other. The first and second individual scanning lenses are arranged so as to be symmetrical to each other, the common scanning lens has a symmetrical shape in the secondary direction with respect to a plane including its own optical axis, and each of the individual scanning lenses has an asymmetrical shape in the secondary direction with respect to a plane including its own optical axis.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image reading mechanism configured to read an image from a document; an image forming mechanism configured to print the image read by the image reading mechanism on a recording sheet; and an image inspection mechanism configured to read the image printed on the recording sheet in the image forming mechanism. The image reading mechanism and the image inspection mechanism each include: a light source configured to irradiate a reading target with light; and a solid-state image sensing device on which reflected light from the reading target is made incident, and configured to perform photoelectric conversion operation. Light emitting members forming the light sources of the image reading mechanism and the image inspection mechanism have the same spectral characteristics.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image reading mechanism configured to read an image from a document; an image forming mechanism configured to print the image read by the image reading mechanism on a recording sheet; and an image inspection mechanism configured to read the image printed on the recording sheet in the image forming mechanism. The image reading mechanism and the image inspection mechanism each include: a light source configured to irradiate a reading target with light; and a solid-state image sensing device on which reflected light from the reading target is made incident, and configured to perform photoelectric conversion operation. Light emitting members forming the light sources of the image reading mechanism and the image inspection mechanism have the same spectral characteristics.

Abstract: In a laser scanning optical system, at least one of one or more scanning optical elements is made of a material having a photoelastic coefficient equal to or greater than 20×10?12 [Pa?1]; wherein at least one of one or more reflectors comprises a basal plate, and a metal film and a single-layer optical thin film evaporated on the basal plate; wherein the single-layer optical thin film has a thickness greater than 0.15? and less than 0.40?, wherein ? is a wavelength of the light beam; and wherein the light beams heading to both ends of an effective scanning range of the imaging surface, of which image heights are maximum, enter the one or more reflectors at angles of incidence equal to or greater than 10 degrees and less than 55 degrees.

Abstract: In an oblique-incidence optical system, a pair of optical beams are incident from the deflection section on an optically anisotropic common scanning lens. First and second individual scanning lenses are optically anisotropic and on which the one and the other of the pair of optical beams are respectively incident from the common scanning lens. Light sources are arranged such that their respective planes of polarization are symmetrical to each other. The first and second individual scanning lenses are arranged so as to be symmetrical to each other, the common scanning lens has a symmetrical shape in the secondary direction with respect to a plane including its own optical axis, and each of the individual scanning lenses has an asymmetrical shape in the secondary direction with respect to a plane including its own optical axis.

Abstract: In a main-scanning direction, light incident on a resonance mirror is convergent light and a first lens of a second optical system has a negative refractive power. Consequently, even with a small angle of deflection, the distance from the resonance mirror to a photoconductor required for obtaining a desired scanning width in the main-scanning direction can be reduced. Moreover, in a sub-scanning direction, light incident on the resonance mirror is parallel light, and the first lens of the second optical system has a negative refractive power and a second lens thereof has a positive refractive power. In addition, the first lens has both surfaces formed with a free curved surface and the second lens thereof also has a free curved surface. This permits keeping the sub-scanning magnification uniform, thus avoiding, even in high-speed drawing with a plurality of beams, image quality deterioration due a change in an interval in the sub-scanning direction between the plurality of beams.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming section for forming and outputting a predetermined gradation patch pattern image on transfer paper; a sensor for reading and outputting the gradation patch pattern image; and a control section for correcting reading characteristics of the sensor on the basis of an output value of the sensor obtained by reading the gradation patch pattern image and a color value of the gradation patch pattern image formed on the transfer paper.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus comprising a plurality of light sources, a polygon mirror for deflecting beams emitted from the light sources in a main scanning direction, lenses for imaging the deflected beams on receiving surfaces and diverting mirrors for directing the beams which passed through the lenses to the receiving surfaces. In one side of the polygon mirror, three diverting mirrors are provided in an upper optical path, and two diverting mirrors are provided in a lower optical path. In the other side of the polygon mirror, one diverting mirror is provided in a lower optical path, and two diverting mirrors are provided in an upper optical path. Thereby, bows on the receiving surfaces have the same curving direction, and color displacement can be inhibited.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an arbitrary image including one of chromatic and/or achromatic characters, a photograph, and halftone dots, which enables a formation of color images of chromatic and achromatic character areas, a photographic area, and a screened halftone area after area identification processing and which facilitates a visual check of whether the area identification processing was correctly performed on the basis of the color images, comprising: an image processing means 36 for identifying character areas, a photographic area, and a screened halftone area of an arbitrary image upon receiving an input of image information constituting the image and for performing image processing including determining whether each of the character areas is chromatic or achromatic and an image forming means 39 for forming and outputting images with colors varying with the area type of the chromatic and achromatic character areas, the photographic area, the screened halftone area in an identification result output cha

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming section for forming and outputting a predetermined gradation patch pattern image on transfer paper and forming it inside itself; a sensor for reading and outputting the gradation patch pattern image formed inside the image forming section; and a control section for correcting reading characteristics of the sensor on the basis of an output value of the sensor obtained by reading the gradation patch pattern image and a color value of the gradation patch pattern image formed on the transfer paper.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an arbitrary image including one of chromatic and/or achromatic characters, a photograph, and halftone dots, which enables a formation of color images of chromatic and achromatic character areas, a photographic area, and a screened halftone area after area identification processing and which facilitates a visual check of whether the area identification processing was correctly performed on the basis of the color images, comprising: an image processing means 36 for identifying character areas, a photographic area, and a screened halftone area of an arbitrary image upon receiving an input of image information constituting the image and for performing image processing including determining whether each of the character areas is chromatic or achromatic and an image forming means 39 for forming and outputting images with colors varying with the area type of the chromatic and achromatic character areas, the photographic area, the screened halftone area in an identification result output cha

Abstract: A reading optical system for projecting a document image on a CCD in an image reading device, providing, sequentially from the document side, a symmetrical lens group rotatable about the optical axis, and a free curved mirror. Reflective surface shape of the free curved mirror is symmetrical in a plane perpendicular to the linear layout direction of the line CCD and includes the intersection of the optical axis of the lens group and the reflective surface of the free curved mirror. The reflective surface shape of the free curved mirror is asymmetrical in a plane parallel to the linear layout direction of the line CCD and includes the normal line (NL) at the intersection. The number of lenses of the lens group structure can be reduced to three lenses while maintaining a high optical performance by using such a free curved mirror.

Abstract: A reading optical system that forms the image of the original document on a one-dimensional imaging element, such system comprising multiple reflective surfaces only, wherein at least one of such surfaces is a free-form surface that has a symmetrical surface relative to the main scanning direction and no symmetrical surface relative to the sub scanning direction. Where the light beam that passes through the center of the original document and the center of the aperture is deemed the axial main light beam, the path of the axial main light beam that strikes the first reflective surface extends along the Z-axis, the length of the one-dimensional imaging element extends along the Y-axis, and the X-axis extends perpendicular to the Y-axis and the Z-axis, each reflective surface is arranged such that it is tilted relative to the Y-axis.

Abstract: A reading optical system that forms the image of the original document on a one-dimensional imaging element, such system comprising multiple reflective surfaces only, wherein at least one of such surfaces is a free-form surface that has a symmetrical surface relative to the main scanning direction and no symmetrical surface relative to the sub scanning direction. Where the light beam that passes through the center of the original document and the center of the aperture is deemed the axial main light beam, the path of the axial main light beam that strikes the first reflective surface extends along the Z-axis, the length of the one-dimensional imaging element extends along the Y-axis, and the X-axis extends perpendicular to the Y-axis and the Z-axis, each reflective surface is arranged such that it is tilted relative to the Y-axis.

Abstract: A reading optical system for projecting a document image on a CCD in an image reading device, providing, sequentially from the document side, a symmetrical lens group rotatable about the optical axis, and a free curved mirror. Reflective surface shape of the free curved mirror is symmetrical in a plane perpendicular to the linear layout direction of the line CCD and includes the intersection of the optical axis of the lens group and the reflective surface of the free curved mirror. The reflective surface shape of the free curved mirror is asymmetrical in a plane parallel to the linear layout direction of the line CCD and includes the normal line (NL) at the intersection. The number of lenses of the lens group structure can be reduced to three lenses while maintaining a high optical performance by using such a free curved mirror.