Abstract: A contact image sensor comprises a housing, a light source provided on the upper part of the housing to irradiate light to a document, lenses arranged in the housing and provided at least on an entering side and an outgoing side to focus reflected light from a reading position of the document, an aperture angle regulation member having an inclined surface to reflect a part of light irradiated from the light source at the reading position of the document and an aperture portion into which the reflected light enters directly to regulate an aperture angle to permit the reflected light passing through the aperture portion to be irradiated to the lens on the entering side, and a light receiving element array to receive and photoelectrically convert the reflected light focused after passing through the lenses.

Abstract: An embodiment of a document processing apparatus that has a function of correcting image scanning resolution according to the present invention includes a first carriage mounted with a first reflector that reflects reflected light from a document fixed on an original placing glass plate in a predetermined direction and a second carriage mounted with a second reflector that changes a direction of incident light from the first reflector by 180°. A correction distance from a default position of the second carriage with which predetermined resolution is obtained in plural scanning positions of the first carriage is calculated. An operation of the second carriage is controlled based on the correction distance obtained.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the invention includes: a sensor disposed under an original stand, on which an original is placed, to be in close contact with the original stand; a first light source that irradiates light on a scanning area of the original from a direction obliquely below the original; and a second light source that is disposed in a position opposite to the first light source across the sensor and irradiates light from a direction obliquely below the original opposite to a direction of the light irradiated from the first light source. When the original is not a stuck original, the first light is turned on and, when the original is a stuck original, the first light source and the second light source are turned on. According to the image forming apparatus according to the invention, it is possible to reduce power consumption while preventing occurrence of an original shade of a stuck original in a contact-type optical system.

Abstract: The present invention uses a pattern that enables image quality maintaining control to be performed at a resolution lower than that used for a normal image forming process. Thus, during an initial operation upon power-on, the image quality maintaining control is performed at the resolution lower than that used for the normal image forming process.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a CCD which photoelectrically converts optical information and outputs an image signal in an analog form, a PGA which receives an output from the CCD, amplifies the output with a programmable gain, and outputs the output, an ADC which receives an output from the PGA, A/D-converts the output, and outputs an image signal in a digital form, and a CPU which calculates a gain which makes an output from the ADC match a reference value by using an output from the ADC and the reference value, thereby setting a gain for the PGA. This arrangement makes it possible to set a gain in a short period of time and shorten the first copy time in an image forming apparatus or MFP system using the image reading device of this invention.

Abstract: An image copying apparatus includes a scanner for scanning an image of a document and a printer for forming the image, the scanner has a document table for mounting a document to be an image scanning target, and a carriage mounting one of a contact image sensor and a module type reduced optical system thereon and moving in a secondary scanning direction when scanning an image of the document mounted on the document table in the scan of the image, and a series of sensors required for scanning an image in a primary scanning direction and the secondary scanning direction are mounted on the carriage. The image copying apparatus is possible to reduce a man-hour more greatly than that in the conventional art. Therefore, it is possible to contribute to a reduction in a cost and an enhancement in quality.

Abstract: The present invention uses a pattern that enables image quality maintaining control to be performed at a resolution lower than that used for a normal image forming process. Thus, during an initial operation upon power-on, the image quality maintaining control is performed at the resolution lower than that used for the normal image forming process.

Abstract: When a switch SW1 is turned on by an HSYNC signal, a comparison circuit compares an output of a photodiode LD with a reference signal. The comparison result is stored in a capacitor C1. A main scan correction signal, which is supplied from a printer CPU, is formed to decrease a light amount at a central part in a main scan direction on a photoconductor drum 5 and to increase a light amount at both sides in the main scan direction. After the main scan correction signal is added to the voltage in the capacitor C1, a gain necessary for an APC control is provided by a gain circuit. The gain is converted to a laser drive current I1 by a transistor Tr1. The laser drive current I1 is chopped and modulated with a data signal by a transistor Tr2. Thus, the photodiode LD emits light with a high laser output at both sides in the main scan direction on the photoconductor drum and with a low laser output at the central part.

Abstract: A scanner includes a light source that scans light on a surface to be read, and an optical system that reflects the light scanned on the surface. The optical system includes a first mirror that reflects the light reflected from the surface, at least one intermediate mirror that reflects the light reflected by the first mirror, and a second mirror that reflects the light reflected by the at least one intermediate mirror. The scanner also includes a sensor that directly detects the light reflected by the second mirror, wherein the second mirror causes essentially no refraction of the light.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus for reading a document image to provide image data corresponding thereto, including a photoelectric conversion unit which converts a light-received image into an image signal, a photoelectric conversion unit which converts an optical image on a document into an image signal, an image processing unit which processes the image signal outputted from the photoelectric conversion unit, and provides the image data, a power source unit which supplies power to respective units including the photoelectric conversion units and the image processing unit of the image reading apparatus, and a power supply control unit which controls power supply from the power source unit to the photoelectric conversion unit.

Abstract: The present invention uses a pattern that enables image quality maintaining control to be performed at a resolution lower than that used for a normal image forming process. Thus, during an initial operation upon power-on, the image quality maintaining control is performed at the resolution lower than that used for the normal image forming process.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus has a photoelectric converting unit composed of a color line sensor and a monochromatic line sensor. In a color read mode, the image reading apparatus starts reading a document image at a color read start position. In a monochromatic read mode, the image reading apparatus starts reading a document image at a monochromatic read start position.

Abstract: An image reading device includes a CCD which photoelectrically converts optical information and outputs an image signal in an analog form, a PGA which receives an output from the CCD, amplifies the output with a programmable gain, and outputs the output, an ADC which receives an output from the PGA, A/D-converts the output, and outputs an image signal in a digital form, and a CPU which calculates a gain which makes an output from the ADC match a reference value by using an output from the ADC and the reference value, thereby setting a gain for the PGA. This arrangement makes it possible to set a gain in a short period of time and shorten the first copy time in an image forming apparatus or MFP system using the image reading device of this invention.

Abstract: A motor controller for an image reading apparatus including a carriage driven with the use of a DC motor is provided, which controller comprises a scale for position detection disposed along a direction, in which said carriage is driven, a sensor mounted to said carriage for detecting said scale for position detection, and a control part for enabling said DC motor to be driven based on a detection signal resulting from said sensor. Specifically, in the case where the DC motor comprises a linear motor, triangular pulses are obtained from the photosensor while the carriage runs. At a predetermined reference position, the pulse is inverted, and the inverted pulse is fed back to the motor inversely to apply the brake thereon.

Abstract: A laser scanner is adapted to cause a laser beam to scan in the main-scanning direction by deflecting the laser beam by means of a deflecting optical system. A horizontal synchronizing signal is obtained by detecting the laser beam by means of a photodetector. Forced emission of laser beam is started after a predetermined time period since the detection of the laser beam, which predetermined time period is variable as a function of the rotary speed of the deflector section. With this arrangement, a horizontal synchronizing signal can be reliably detected if the rotary speed of the deflecting operation system fluctuates.

Abstract: A laser scanner is adapted to cause a laser beam to scan in the main-scanning direction by deflecting the laser beam by means of a deflecting optical system. A horizontal synchronizing signal is obtained by detecting the laser beam by means of a photodetector. Forced emission of laser beam is started after a predetermined time period since the detection of the laser beam, which predetermined time period is variable as a function of the rotary speed of the deflector section. With this arrangement, a horizontal synchronizing signal can be reliably detected if the rotary speed of the deflecting operation system fluctuates.

Abstract: According to a quadruplex CCD of the present invention, an AGC-M0 circuit which is connected to an output terminal OS1 operates to make an electric current of a predetermined value flow into a differential amplifying circuit with use of the differential amplifying circuit, a terminal-based detection circuit, the other differential amplifying circuit, a comparison circuit, a reference control value, a reference current generating circuit, and a voltage holding circuit. The comparison result obtained by the comparison circuit is output to the AGC-S1, AGC-S2, and the AGC-S3 circuits, as a reference value of the AGC circuits. With use of the reference control value obtained in this manner, the difference in image density of the image obtained by the quadruplex CCD is corrected by the AGC-S1 circuit connected to an output terminal OS2, the AGC-S2 circuit connected to an output terminal OS3, and the AGC-S3 circuit connected to an output terminal OS4.

Abstract: A driving current is supplied via a current limiting resistor to a laser diode for emitting a red laser beam. This driving current is controlled so as to make the optical output of the laser diode have a predetermined reference value. Further, a current of a constant level is intermittently subtracted from the driving current flowing into the laser diode, on the basis of an image to be formed.

Abstract: An image carrier is scanned with a laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser. Part of the laser beam is focused on a photoelectric converter immediately before it scans the image carrier. The laser beam position is adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the laser beam scanning direction in accordance with the output from the photoelectric converter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a subunit. The subunit includes a non-volatile RAM which previously stores data items corresponding to ID information used in the manufacturing process of parts constructing the image forming apparatus, ID information of the main body of the image forming apparatus, history information of the parts used at the time of service operation and maintenance information. A support tool is connected to a communication I/F in the manufacturing process and at the time of service operation, and necessary information stored in the non-volatile RAM is read out in response to a readout instruction from the support tool and displayed on the display screen of the support tool. Data corresponding to ID information of the part incorporated in the manufacturing process and data corresponding to service information in the service operation are stored in a preset storage area of the non-volatile RAM.