Photo Scanning Patents (Class 347/129)
  • Patent number: 11036950
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device (100) for forming a two-dimensional or three-dimensional micro-structured identification structure (200) in a defined surface region (12) in a surface (11) of a component (10) or product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: FIBRO GMBH
    Inventor: Juergen Gurt
  • Patent number: 10890856
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a printer unit that prints an image on a sheet using a line head in which a plurality of light emitting devices are arranged, and a storage unit that stores information regarding light amounts corresponding to the light emitting devices of the line head. The image forming apparatus generates a mask pattern based on the information regarding the light amounts obtained from the storage unit and a target light amount, and executes mask processing on halftone image data that is in positional correspondence with the light emitting devices using the generated mask pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukihiro Shindo
  • Patent number: 10780710
    Abstract: Recording method including emitting laser light from optical fiber array to record image formed of writing units with moving recording target and the optical fiber array relatively using recording device including laser light-emitting elements and emitting unit including the optical fiber array where optical fibers configured to guide laser light emitted from the laser light-emitting elements are aligned, wherein the image includes convex-concave shapes formed by aligning convex portions relative to, as standard, vertical line to the writing units where the vertical line includes the nearest contact points at endmost side of the image in sub-scanning direction where the image is formed by overlapping or adjoining at least part of the writing units in main-scanning direction and satisfies formula below: T?0.4X where T is average height of the convex portions and X is minimum distance between centers of the adjacent writing units in the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Uetake, Yoshihiko Hotta, Ichiro Sawamura, Tomomi Ishimi, Yasuroh Yokota
  • Patent number: 10761464
    Abstract: A fixation heater heats a specific part with resistance heating. A temperature sensor detects as a detection temperature a temperature of the specific part. An alternating current switching unit turns on and off alternating current power supply to the fixation heater. A controller controls the alternating current switching unit with a heater control signal and thereby performs temperature control of the fixation heater. An estimation calculating unit derives an estimation temperature at a second time point on the basis of the detection temperature at a first time point and the heater control signal until the second time point, and the second time point is a time point when a predetermined time elapses from the first time point. An anomaly detecting unit detects anomaly on the basis of the detection temperature at the second time point and the estimation temperature at the second time point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Masatoshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10564581
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor, a charging unit, an exposure unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a detector, and a controller. The charging unit charges the photoreceptor. The exposure unit exposes the photoreceptor charged by the charging unit to light and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor. The developing unit develops the electrostatic latent image that has been exposed by the exposure unit and formed on the photoreceptor. The transfer unit transfers an image obtained by development by the developing unit to a transfer object. The detector detects strip developer, which is a strip-shaped developer image formed on the transfer object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki Kuramoto, Yasuhiro Funayama, Hirofumi Hamada
  • Patent number: 10481881
    Abstract: Methods and systems for mapping computer code to wires and gates are disclosed. An example method may include acquiring a code written in a programming language and generating, based on the code, a finite state machine (FSM). The method may further include generating, based on the FSM, a wires and gates representation, the wires and gates representation including a plurality of wires and a plurality of combinatorial logics. The method may further include configuring, based on the wires and gates representation, a field-programmable gate array. Input of each of the plurality of wires may represent a symbol selected from a set of symbols of a structured data packet. The size of the symbol can be equal to a number of bits of the structured data packet transferred per a clock cycle according to a data transmission protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: ARCHEO FUTURUS, INC.
    Inventor: Daniel Joseph Bentley Kluss
  • Patent number: 10459232
    Abstract: An augmented reality apparatus for facilitating a patient interface device fitting process includes a device or system for providing a real-time image of the patient, and a processor apparatus structured to: (i) store a plurality of augmented reality component data files, each of the augmented reality component data files relating to either a structure or an aspect of one or more particular patient interface devices or a problem that may be encountered in the fitting process, and (ii) cause an augmented real-time image to be created and transmitted by the augmented reality apparatus by augmenting the real-time image using at least one of the augmented reality component data files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Jonathan Sayer Grashow
  • Patent number: 10449782
    Abstract: Recording method including emitting laser light from optical fiber array to record image formed of writing units with moving recording target and the optical fiber array relatively using recording device including laser light-emitting elements and emitting unit including the optical fiber array where optical fibers for guiding laser light from the laser light-emitting elements are aligned wherein (A?D/A?C) that is ratio of length of diagonal line A?D to length of diagonal line A?C in the image formed in a manner that at least part of the writing units are overlapped one another in the main-scanning direction is 1.05 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Uetake, Yoshihiko Hotta, Ichiro Sawamura, Tomomi Ishimi, Yasuroh Yokota
  • Patent number: 10388064
    Abstract: Provided is a 3D data generating method of generating 3D data of a three-dimensional object combined with a solid object to obtain a target product. This method includes obtaining 3D data of the solid object (S101), generating 3D data of the target product (S102), and subtracting the 3D data obtained in S101 from the 3D data generated in S102 to generate 3D data of the three-dimensional object (S103).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Harayama, Masakatsu Okawa
  • Patent number: 10274858
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a scanner unit configured to emit light depending on image information, the scanner unit including an optical element and an optical box provided with an opening and configured to accommodate the optical element; and an outer cover of the image forming apparatus. The optical box has an open portion uncovering the optical element. The open portion of the optical box faces the outer cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 10248073
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an image forming apparatus capable of preventing members from colliding from each other upon an openable member being closed. An openable member opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body is locked in a closed state by a lock portion located at a lock position, and permitted to open upon the lock portion being moved to a release position. The apparatus body is provided with a movable portion that is moved to a first position if the openable member is opened and to a second position if the openable member is closed. The movable portion includes a block portion that is configured to block a movement of the lock portion from the release position to the lock position if the movable portion is located at the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Manabe
  • Patent number: 10211260
    Abstract: An optical writing device includes: a light emitting substrate on which light emitting device groups obtained by grouping light emitting devices is arranged; a lens array including image forming lenses condensing light emitted from the light emitting devices on an image carrier; a first base material including the lens array; and a second base material including the light emitting substrate or the lens array, wherein the first and/or second base materials, each of which includes a joint formed in a joint part with the other member, is a transparent body, the joint includes a metal layer, an intermediate layer providing a peak of total transmissivity of the joint in a first wavelength band, and a marker for alignment, the first and second base materials are joined via the metal layer, and the light emitting devices emit light of a wavelength band out of the first wavelength band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazuki Ikeda, Makoto Ooki, Hideo Uemura, Tomohiko Tagawa, Yoshinobu Ehara
  • Patent number: 10084937
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus receives a print setting for image data, determines a density correction table to be applied to a position of a pixel in the image data based on the received print setting from among a plurality of stored density correction tables, and corrects a density of the image data using the determined density correction table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Jun Nagai
  • Patent number: 9944488
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first binding unit configured to bind a sheet bundle; a second binding unit with greater number of bindable sheets than number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit; and a number-of-sheets determining unit configured to determine whether number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit. The first binding unit moves to a binding position, and if the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the first binding unit moves away from the binding position. When the number-of-sheets determining unit determines that the number of to-be-bound sheets exceeds the number of bindable sheets of the first binding unit, the second binding unit moves to the binding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kunieda, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Hidehiko Fujiwara, Katsuhiro Kosuge, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Wataru Takahashi, Makoto Hidaka, Shohichi Satoh, Koki Sakano, Takuya Morinaga, Yohsuke Haraguchi, Kota Nakashima, Shinji Tanoue, Takahiro Itou
  • Patent number: 9864322
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a charging member to charge the surface of the image bearer; an irradiating member to irradiate the surface of the image bearer to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image bearer; an developing member to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner to form a visible toner image on the surface of the image bearer; and a transferring member to transfer the toner image onto a transfer material. The image bearer includes a charge generation layer including an asymmetrical disazo pigment and a metal-free phthalocyanine pigment, and a charge transport layer. The irradiating member forms the electrostatic latent image at an irradiation energy greater than a half decay exposure of the image bearer and not greater than 2.5 times of the half decay exposure. The image bearer is not discharged every image forming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayumi Yoshihara, Koichi Kato
  • Patent number: 9592696
    Abstract: A power control device includes a heating section, an input section, and a control section. The heating section is configured to heat an object. The input section is configured to receive a power consumption value. The control section is configured to control the heating section so that a total power value obtained by adding a power consumption value of the heating section and the power consumption value received by the input section does not exceed a predetermined power value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yohei Doi
  • Patent number: 9513573
    Abstract: An image forming method includes exposing a surface of an image bearer with light according to an image pattern including an image portion and a non-image portion, the image portion constituted of a plurality of pixels, to form an electrostatic latent image correspondent to the image pattern, comparing the image pattern adjacent to each of the pixels with a comparison pattern constituted of a plurality of pixels to specify at least a group of pixels existing at a boundary with respect to the non-image portion as a group of non-exposure pixels among the pixels constituting the image portion, and executing determination of specifying at least a group of pixels adjacent to the group of non-exposure pixels as a group of high power exposure pixels exposed with light of a higher light power than a predetermined light power required for exposing the image portion among the pixels constituting the image portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroto Tachibana, Hiroyuki Suhara
  • Patent number: 9497345
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes a decoloring unit for performing decoloring processing on an image formed on a sheet using decolorable material. An image forming unit forms an image on the sheet using decolorable material. A reuse tray receives a sheet provided by a user. A processor determines whether a sheet is provided on the reuse tray based on the signal from the sensor. When it is determined that a sheet is provided on the reuse tray, the decoloring unit performs the decoloring processing on the sheet, and the image forming unit forms an image on the sheet that was subject to the decoloring processing. When the image forming unit forms an image on the sheet that was subject to decoloring processing, a rewards account of the user is updated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenta Morizumi
  • Patent number: 9447022
    Abstract: A triarylamine derivative is represented by general formula (1) shown below. In general formula (1), R1, R2, and R3 each represent, independently of one another, a halogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 1 and no greater than 6, an optionally substituted alkoxy group having a carbon number of at least 1 and no greater than 6, or an optionally substituted aryl group having a carbon number of at least 6 and no greater than 12. In general formula (1), o, p, and q each represent, independently of one another, an integer of at least 0 and no greater than 4, and m and n each represent, independently of one another, an integer of at least 1 and no greater than 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Hideki Okada, Fumio Sugai, Kensuke Kojima
  • Patent number: 9372433
    Abstract: An electrostatic latent image forming method for forming, on an image carrier, an electrostatic latent image that has a pattern where there are an irradiated area and a not-irradiated area in a mixed manner, the electrostatic latent image forming method comprises; adjusting an exposure condition of an irradiated area that is included in the irradiated area and is adjacent to the not-irradiated area so that an electric field intensity of an electrostatic latent image that corresponds to the not-irradiated area is increased so as to prevent adhesion of a developer, and irradiating the image carrier with light under the adjusted exposure condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suhara, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9342036
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including a main body and a driving force transmission, is provided. The main body supports an image forming unit which includes an image carrier. The driving force transmission transmits a driving force to the image carrier. The main body includes a first frame, a second frame, and a connecting member. The first frame is made of resin, disposed on one side of the image carrier with regard to a direction of rotation axis of the image carrier, and supports the driving force transmission disposed thereon. The second frame is made of metal and disposed on the other side of the image carrier with regard to the direction of rotation axis. The connecting member connects the first frame and the second frame with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Souda
  • Patent number: 9333766
    Abstract: An optical scanner, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a light source including a recessed portion provided on an outer circumference thereof, and a housing configured to support the light source. The housing includes a positioning unit configured to position the light source in a vertical optical axis of the light source, and a cutout provided on an inner circumference of the positioning unit. The light source is positioned to the positioning unit with the recessed portion being disposed at the cutout and then is fixed to the housing. The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to form an image on a surface thereof, and the above-described optical scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunori Watanabe, Keiichi Serizawa, Hiroshi Johno, Shuji Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 9335713
    Abstract: A photosensitive member refreshing device includes an image bearing member, an exposure device, a developing device, a detecting section, a cleaning section, and a control section. The image bearing member has a photosensitive roller rotatable about a rotation axis. The exposure device exposes the photosensitive roller to light according to an exposure pattern. The developing device supplies a toner to the photosensitive roller to form a toner image corresponding to the exposure pattern on the photosensitive roller after the exposure device has exposed the photosensitive roller to light. The detecting section detects the toner image on the image bearing member. The cleaning section cleans a surface of the photosensitive roller. The control section controls the exposure pattern based on a result of detection by the detecting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Yosuke Saito, Shigeki Tsukahara, Masaki Kadota, Ai Takagami
  • Patent number: 9304482
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes a drum cartridge including an image bearing member, a developing cartridge including a developing unit for developing the image formed on the image bearing member, and a cartridge mounting member to which the drum cartridge and the developing cartridge are detachably mountable. In addition, a transferring unit transfers a visualized image on the image bearing member onto the recording material fed along a feeding path, and an opening and closing cover is provided across the feeding path from the image bearing member. A path of removing the detachable developing cartridge is accessed by opening the opening and closing cover and extends across the feeding path so as to permit the developing cartridge to pass through the feeding path without removing the drum cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 9179030
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a red light source, a green light source, a blue light source, a white reference plate, a light-amount adjusting section, a photo-detecting section, and a signal processing section. The light-amount adjusting section sets lighting periods of the red, green, and blue light sources for reading in a monochrome mode, based on: lighting periods of the red, green, and blue light sources set for reading in a color mode; and a result of detection performed by the photo-detecting section when the white reference plate is illuminated with the red light, the green light, and the blue light respectively emitted by the red, green, and blue light sources for the respective lighting periods set for reading in the color mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9146493
    Abstract: An electrostatic latent image forming method for forming, on an image carrier, an electrostatic latent image that has a pattern where there are an irradiated area and a not-irradiated area in a mixed manner, the electrostatic latent image forming method comprises; adjusting an exposure condition of an irradiated area that is included in the irradiated area and is adjacent to the not-irradiated area so that an electric field intensity of an electrostatic latent image that corresponds to the not-irradiated area is increased so as to prevent adhesion of a developer, and irradiating the image carrier with light under the adjusted exposure condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suhara, Hiroaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9035982
    Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning device including a light source, a deflector, a scanning lens, a synchronizing sensor, a sensor lens and a control unit. The deflector causes a scanning line to be written within an effective scanning width of a surface to be scanned. The synchronizing sensor detects a light beam that is outside the range of the effective scanning width on a scanning start side of the scanning line. The control unit controls an emission operation of the light source, and starts the writing of the scanning line at a timing in which a fixed time is added to a timing that the synchronizing sensor has detected the light beam. The sensor lens includes a diffraction grating that bends the light beam in a downstream-side direction of the scanning line, and a bending degree of the light beam by the diffraction grating changes with temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Aiichiro Otana
  • Patent number: 9001403
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus include improving print quality of a bi-directionally scanning electrophotographic (EP) device, such as a laser printer or copy machine, according to ambient pressure in which operated. A moving galvanometer or oscillator reflects a laser beam to create scan lines of a latent image in opposite directions. A damping of the motion occurs per air density implicated by temperature and pressure, where the pressure changes occurring especially from altitude changes. During use, a drive signal, such as a pulse train, moves the galvanometer or oscillator at or near its resonant frequency. Based on a parameter of the drive signal, such as pulse width, the ambient pressure can be made known. In general, a high-pressure environment requires a relatively longer pulse width to resonate the galvanometer or oscillator in comparison to a shorter pulse width for a low-pressure environment. Corrections to print quality stem from the determined ambient pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Klemer, Craig P. Bush, Martin C. Klement, David J. Mickan, Wilson M. Routt, Jr., Eric W. Westerfield
  • Patent number: 8994768
    Abstract: In an optical scanning apparatus, a light source includes a plurality of light emitting elements. A light beam output from the source is scanned and deflected by a polygon mirror so as to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a light sensitive member. A control unit controls the source so that the source outputs the light beam in a first period before a second period in which the light beam deflected by the mirror forms the image. During the first period for outputting the light beam from the source a period for scanning a non-image region of the member in a state in which the rotation speed of the mirror is being accelerated or decelerated is made longer than a period for scanning the non-image region of the member in a state in which the rotation speed of the mirror is controlled at a constant speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shunsaku Kondo
  • Patent number: 8836746
    Abstract: A pixel clock generator device includes a high frequency clock generator, a phase shift data generator to generate phase shift data for controlling a phase shift amount of a pixel clock, a phase shift data pattern generator to read the phase shift data from the phase shift data generator, generate a pattern of the phase shift data for output, and when outputting a same phase shift data pattern for consecutive scan lines, generate, for a next scan line, a phase shift data pattern in which a pixel clock at a position moved by a random number of pixel clocks from a phase-shift position of a pixel clock in a phase shift data pattern for a current scan line is phase-shifted, and a pixel clock generator to generate, on the basis of a high frequency clock, a pixel clock phase-shifted in accordance with the generated phase shift data pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shintaro Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8758965
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method of manufacturing a color filter adsorbing toner nano-particles by using electrostatic force. In the apparatus for manufacturing the color filter, a laser driver generates at least one laser control signal according to electrification data, at least one laser device forming a laser irradiation unit which irradiates a laser for a predetermined time according to the at least one laser control signal. According to the irradiated laser, electrostatic latent images are formed in positions of color filter cells having a predetermined resolution standard requirements in a glass substrate, and toner nano-particles are electrostatically adsorbed to the formed electrostatic latent images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 8730007
    Abstract: A method for controlling an image processing apparatus configured to output image data includes accepting, from a user, selection about whether to permit inputting biometric information, and performing control such that outputting the image data is permitted in a case where the selection for permitting inputting the biometric information is made, and the outputting the image data is prohibited in a case where the selection for permitting inputting the biometric information is not made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ritsuko Otake
  • Patent number: 8711444
    Abstract: A light-source control device includes a light source including a first light emitter for emitting light and a second light emitter for emitting light due to the light emitted by the first light emitter; a constant current unit configured to maintain a current constant that is input via the light source from a power supply; a switching unit configured to switch the current to be input to the constant current unit at a designated duty ratio and cycle; and a control unit configured to control the current applied to the light source so that a rise transition time and a fall transition time of the current applied to the light source are nearly equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Tadaaki Oyama
  • Patent number: 8576265
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor which is rotatable with respect to a body frame, an exposing member which is movable relative to the body frame, a spacing member which is provided between the exposing member and the photoreceptor to maintain a distance between the photoreceptor and the exposing member, a positioning member which makes a contact with the exposing member to position the exposing member in a direction of rotation of the photoreceptor, and a pressing member which is provided to the body frame to press the exposing member toward the photoreceptor and the positioning member. Accordingly, it is possible to position the exposing member accurately with respect to the photoreceptor, in any of the light-axis direction and the rotational direction of the photoreceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuo Tamaru, Takuya Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8537431
    Abstract: A light source driving device for driving plural light sources is provided. The light source driving device includes a voltage booster to boost a voltage from a power source to supply the boosted voltage to each of the plural light sources; a constant current driver to regularly hold driving current of each of the plural light sources constant; a load to consume substantially the same power as the plural light sources; and a switch to selectively connect either the load or the plural light sources with the voltage booster and the constant current driver so that the load or the plural light sources are interposed between the voltage booster and the constant current driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadaaki Oyama
  • Patent number: 8531683
    Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide an image forming device which can minimize density unevenness due to interpolation processing. For solving the above problem, an image forming device according to the present invention is an image forming device including printing unit for printing an image by scanning a photosensitive body comprising correcting unit for correcting a position in which the image is printed, wherein the correcting unit outputs one of a data of a line of interest, a data of a line adjacent to the line of interest, and a data of an intermediate value between the line of interest and the line adjacent to the line of interest in accordance with a pixel shift amount and a main scan pixel position, and the printing unit scans the photosensitive body based upon the outputted data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Tamura
  • Patent number: 8494415
    Abstract: A light emitting element array that can perform a time-division driving operation with a small number of driving ICs is provided. A light emitting element array chip (1) includes n switch thyristors (S) (wherein n is an integer equal to or greater than 2), n signal transmission lines (GH) connected to N-gate electrodes (d) of the switch thyristors (S) individually, a plurality of light emitting thyristors (T) having N-gate electrodes (b) connected to one of the n signal transmission lines (GH). Anodes (e) of selection thyristors (U) are connected to the N-gate electrodes (d) of the n switch thyristors (S), and N-gate electrodes (f) of the selection thyristors (U) are connected to a common selection signal transmission line (CSL).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Hironori Kii
  • Patent number: 8400481
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive body on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; an exposure member which has a plurality of blinking sections and which exposes the photoconductive body; a support frame which is made of resin and which supports the exposure member; a roller shaft which is made of metal and provided on the support frame; a roller which is made of resin, which is rotatably provided on the roller shaft and which maintains a spacing distance between the exposure member and the photoconductive body; and a metal plate which supports and is electrically connected to the roller shaft and which is electrically grounded. With the image forming apparatus, it is possible to solve a problem caused when the roller shaft is electrically floated, and to suitably arrange parts or components around the roller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Sakai, Yasuo Tamaru, Junichi Yokoi, Yosuke Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8345074
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes: a board; plural light-emitting chips that are one-dimensionally arrayed in a longitudinal direction of the board and that are connected to a first potential and a second potential; and plural capacitors that each include a first electrode and a second electrode arranged in a short-side direction of the board, and that are arrayed in the longitudinal direction of the board so that the first electrode and the second electrode are alternately positioned between each adjacent two of the capacitors. The first electrode is connected to the first potential for the light-emitting chips, and the second electrode is connected to the second potential for the light-emitting chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sachiya Okazaki
  • Patent number: 8330993
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image data generating unit configured to convert a tone of an input value which indicates a density of a pixel by using a predetermined dither matrix and generate image data. The image forming apparatus further comprises a drive source and a gear configured to transmit a drive force from the drive source to an image carrier. The dither matrix includes a plurality of sub-matrixes arranged in a predetermined rule and a dot in each of the plurality of the sub-matrixes grows from a corresponding original point. The image forming apparatus satisfies a relation of (1) a?0.24 mm and b/a<0.78, or (2) a<0.24 mm and b/a>1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Ueda, Ryuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 8289582
    Abstract: An optical beam scanning apparatus is disclosed, including: a laser source that emits an optical beam, a deflection part that deflects the optical beam, a light receiving part that receives a returning light of the optical beam which is deflected toward the laser source by the deflection part, a signal generation part that generates a synchronization detection signal, and an optical source drive part that conducts a lighting control of the laser source. The light receiving part is arranged in vicinity to the laser source. The signal generation part detects a timing at which the light receiving part receives the returning light, by an output signal from the light receiving part to generate the synchronization detection signal. The optical source drive part conducts the lighting control of the laser source in response to the synchronization detection signal as a reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kunihiro Komai
  • Patent number: 8284446
    Abstract: Consumable reduction is achieved for a printing device by utilizing a processor (32), memory (34) and software for receiving input information representative of an image to be printed and generating output information representative of a reduced consumable image in response to consumable smear, spatial relationship between adjacent dots and an image quality degradation. Factors such as print medium characteristics, heat or humidity and composure of the consumable are considered in performing the consumable reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Pretone Ltd.
    Inventors: Ori Eizenberg, Yishai Brafman, Boaz Katz, Raphael Salamon
  • Patent number: 8233018
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described. The image forming apparatus may include a first casing and a second casing above the first casing. The second casing is provided with an upper surface including a generally horizontal surface, a lower surface extending beyond the upper surface in a generally horizontal direction and a side surface connecting an end edge of the upper surface and an end edge of the lower surface with each other over the whole area. The first casing is provided with an upper surface coming into contact with the lower surface of the second casing over the whole area and a side surface including a generally vertical surface. An inclined surface connecting the generally vertical surface of the first casing and the generally horizontal surface of the second casing with each other, is provided continuously along the first casing and the second casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Keiichiro Egami, Yosuke Mase, Yusuke Nakata, Kayo Hasui
  • Patent number: 8218202
    Abstract: Multiple images are combined where the images exhibit variations in illumination between one another. The images are of the same portion of an object, and each image is represented by a set of image data. A comparative data transform is applied to each set of image data, such that the transformed comparative image data isolates and preserves first variations in the illumination between the images but suppresses second differences in illumination between the images. At least one normalization transform is determined from the transformed comparative image data sets. When applied to at least one of the image data sets, the at least one normalization transform minimizes the variation in illumination between the image data sets. Each determined normalization transform is applied to the at least one of the image data sets. The normalized sets of image data are transformed to a single image of the portion of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew Hunter, Stephen Pollard
  • Patent number: 8144179
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes: a laser beam source; plural photoconductive members corresponding to plural colors; a modulation drive unit for performing pulse width modulation for each of colors by an image clock having a cycle of a pixel length,; a single piece of polygon mirror whose reflection surfaces are disposed in a rotation direction thereof with a plurality of different inclination angles with colors; a beam detector that is disposed adjacent to the photoconductive member; and an image clock/data switching unit configured to generate the image clock of a frequency varying with the colors for making the same a color-based image magnification, and switch the image clocks generated for each of the colors in synchronization with a detection signal coming from the beam detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Fuse, Hidehito Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8115793
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes at least one scanning unit having a deflector for scanningly deflecting a light beam from a light source, and an imaging optical system for imaging the light beam scanningly deflected by the deflector upon a plurality of photosensitive drums, wherein, at each of a plurality of light paths extending from the deflector to the plurality of photosensitive drums, at least one reflection member for turning the light path into a sub-scan direction is provided, wherein the plurality of light paths are different in the number of the reflection members, wherein a polarization direction of a light beam incident on each reflection of the plurality of light paths is S-polarized at an optical axis of the imaging optical system, wherein the reflection surfaces of all the reflection members of the plurality of light paths have the same film structure, and wherein the difference among the plurality of light paths of a total turn angle defined by the reflection surface or surfaces of the ref
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Tanimura, Manabu Kato
  • Patent number: 8106931
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, a print head comprising the semiconductor device and an image forming apparatus comprising the print head are supplied which are able to reduce cost through miniaturizing element size and minishing chip area. The semiconductor device comprises a plurality of light emitting elements; and a shift register circuit that has output terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements and stores emitting-light instruction data of the light emitting elements, wherein each light emitting element has a first electrode and a second electrode to that lightening electricity of the light emitting element flows, and a third electrode for controlling the light emitting element whether to emit light, the output terminals of the shift register circuit are respectively connected with the third electrodes of the corresponding light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Nagumo
  • Patent number: 8054502
    Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes, for example, a determination unit, a correction unit, a creating unit, and a drive control unit. The determination unit determines an amount of correction of an image clock for controlling an output timing of a beam for each pixel constituting one line in a main scanning direction of the beam. The correction unit corrects the image clock in accordance with the amount of correction that is determined. The creating unit creates an image signal that is utilized for driving a light source in accordance with the image clock that is corrected. The drive control unit controls driving of the light source in accordance with the image signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhide Koga
  • Publication number: 20110249069
    Abstract: A light source driving device for driving plural light sources is provided. The light source driving device includes a voltage booster to boost a voltage from a power source to supply the boosted voltage to each of the plural light sources; a constant current driver to regularly hold driving current of each of the plural light sources constant; a load to consume substantially the same power as the plural light sources; and a switch to selectively connect either the load or the plural light sources with the voltage booster and the constant current driver so that the load or the plural light sources are interposed between the voltage booster and the constant current driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventor: Tadaaki OYAMA
  • Patent number: 8035669
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a control method for an exposure shutter of an image forming apparatus includes, opening the shutter only to a slit glass for monochrome when monochrome printing is performed, and opening the shutter to slit glasses for monochrome and color when color printing is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaji Nakamura