Synchronization Of Light With Medium Patents (Class 347/234)
  • Patent number: 11876940
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first medium scanned with a first signal, a second medium scanned with a second signal, a rotary polygon mirror that deflects the first and second signals, a synchronization signal generation circuit that generates a synchronization signal representing a time to start scanning the first medium, and at least one pseudo synchronization signal generation circuit that generates a pseudo synchronization signal with the synchronization signal. The pseudo synchronization signal represents a time to start scanning the second medium. Based on a previously calculated period of the synchronization signal and a period of the synchronization signal counted on a particular surface of the polygon mirror, the pseudo synchronization signal generation circuit generates a particular value for generating the pseudo synchronization signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuichiro Shukuya
  • Patent number: 11555924
    Abstract: A handheld laser distance measuring device for a contactless distance measurement between the laser distance measuring device and a remote object uses a laser beam that is emitted by the laser distance measuring device. The laser distance measuring device includes a device-side coupling device paired with the device housing. The coupling device is configured for reversibly arranging at least one attachment device on the laser distance measuring device. By arranging the at least one attachment device on the laser distance measuring device, at least one additional functionality can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Thiemt, Hendrik Hesse, Volkan Akbiyik, Markus Lassmann, Lena Popiolek, Joerg Stierle, Corinna Sorg, Felix Gärtner
  • Patent number: 11448991
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detecting unit configured to detect a test image formed on an image carrier; and an obtaining unit configured to obtain a color misregistration amount using a detection result of the test image by the detecting unit. The test image includes one or more basic patterns; each one of the one or more basic patterns includes a first pattern group and a second pattern group disposed at different positions with respect to a conveyance direction of the image carrier; the first pattern group and the second pattern group each include a plurality of V-shaped patterns; and the V-shaped patterns of the first pattern group and the second pattern group have an axisymmetrical shape about an axis corresponding to a width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Mukaihara, Kazutaka Yaguchi
  • Patent number: 11420451
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a conveyance unit to convey a printing sheet in a conveyance direction, a printing unit to print on the conveyed printing sheet, a print unit, and a carriage to move in a direction crossing the conveyance direction. A detection unit detects a sheet edge of the print sheet based on output from a light receiving unit, and a control unit controls a borderless printing by the print unit that includes an extra-printing from the sheet edge to outside of the sheet. When the control unit performs the borderless printing, the control unit obtains an instruction to perform the borderless printing, and then causes the light receiving unit to obtain the output by causing the light emitting unit to emit the light, and thereafter the control unit sets an extra-printing amount by which printing extends off the sheet edge based on the obtained output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuhiro Ogushi, Toshiyuki Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 10671008
    Abstract: A drive transmitting member including: a gear portion that is formed of a first resin and has gear teeth; and a flange portion that is formed of a second resin, in which the flange portion includes a shaft portion that transmits driving force from the gear teeth to a drive transmitted member, and a rotation stopper (i) that stops rotation of the gear portion with respect to the flange portion at an outer periphery of the flange portion and (ii) that is larger than an external form of the shaft portion, so that the shaft portion and the rotation stopper are integrally molded in the flange portion, and the gear portion has a shape that covers the rotation stopper and is not overlapped with the shaft portion as viewed in an axial direction of the shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Zensai, Takamichi Matsuo
  • Patent number: 10481497
    Abstract: An imaging device has a photoconductive drum with a surface that is charged and selectively discharged to create a latent electrostatic image of an image to-be-printed for attracting toner for transfer to a media. A memory of the imaging device stores energy density values for use by the laser beam that can be accessed by a controller according to a predetermined number of media imaged by the photoconductive drum. During imaging, the controller controls the laser beam based on the stored energy density values. The energy density of the laser beam is increased or decreased when the laser beam is scanned along the photoconductive drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Wesley Brown, Mark Edwin Kirtley Lund, Steven Alan Seng
  • Patent number: 10126693
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a first control unit and a second control unit. The second control unit is connected to the first control unit and controls a light source according to a video signal received from the first control unit. The first control unit generates a video signal according and commands, stores the commands, and sends commands according to an order of earliest to latest execution timing. The second control unit receives the video signal and the commands, generates a drive signal according to the video signal and the commands and drives the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Akiba
  • Patent number: 9915890
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a polygon mirror having a first mirror surface and a controller. The controller is configured to: acquire a detection interval corresponding to one rotation of a polygon mirror; start scanning exposure with a first beam deflected by the first mirror surface, in response to elapse of a first time period after a detection signal has been detected; and start scanning exposure with a second beam deflected by the first mirror surface, in response to elapse of a second time period after the detection signal has been detected. The second time period is calculated based on the detection interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazushi Shumiya
  • Patent number: 9832332
    Abstract: In an image reader, a controller control, during a period from a timing when a detector detects an open state of a cover to a timing when the detector detects a closed state of the cover, a document detector to detect whether a document sheet is present or absent every time a prescribed time period is elapsed, and stores in a memory each set of first data indicating absence or presence of the document sheet. The controller determines a first size of the document sheet in a main scanning direction. The controller determines a second size of the document sheet in a sub scanning direction on the basis of the sets of first data. The controller determines a reading range on the basis of the first and second sizes. The reading section reads the determined reading range on the line-to-line basis to obtain an image of the document sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuichi Sunako, Seiya Sato
  • Patent number: 9477911
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, including: n laser elements arranged in the sub-scanning direction and configured to simultaneously scan an image; a pixel selection unit configured to execute a thinning process in which the pixels are thinned by selecting m pixels among n pixels arranged in the sub-scanning direction, by changing positions of the pixels to be selected according to positions in the main scanning direction; a pulse width modulation processing unit configured to sequentially convert image data corresponding to the m pixels into m pulse width modulation signals; a transmission unit configured to transmit the m pulse width modulation signals in parallel; an assignment unit configured to assign the m pulse width modulation signals to m laser elements corresponding to the positions of the m pixels; and a driving unit configured to drive the laser elements in accordance with the assigned pulse width modulation signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Yuhei Kurigata
  • Patent number: 9313353
    Abstract: A scanner is disclosed. The scanner detects when the to surface of the ADF scan glass is contaminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Dejan Depalov, Jain Chirag, Craig T. Johnson, Goudar Chanaveeragouda, Baris Efe
  • Patent number: 9285703
    Abstract: A plurality of light emitting elements is arranged in a main scanning direction. A setter is configured to set a basal exposure period of the plurality of light emitting elements, based on a clock count of frequency-spread clocks. A candidate generator is configured to add, to the basal exposure period, predetermined N alteration periods (N is an integer greater than or equal to two) having different lengths from each other, thereby generating N candidate exposure periods having different lengths from each other. A detector is configured to detect a frequency level of the clocks in a period corresponding to the basal exposure period. A selector is configured to select, as an exposure period for lighting the plurality of light emitting elements, a longer one of the N candidate exposure periods as the frequency level detected by the detector is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Abe
  • Patent number: 9268129
    Abstract: The invention provides a driving calibration apparatus of an electrostatic MEMS scanning mirror and a driving calibration method thereof The driving calibration method includes the following steps. Different reference voltages are sequentially set to drive a plane mirror of the electrostatic MEMS scanning mirror to swing. Projection positions on a projected surface corresponding to the reference voltages that the laser beam projects to are determined. A driving lookup table is established according to the reference voltages and the corresponding projection positions. Calibrated driving voltages corresponding to ideal projection positions are determined according to the driving lookup table. The pane mirror is driven to swing according to the calibrated driving voltages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Lite-On Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Chia-Hao Hsu, Yu-Nan Tsai
  • Patent number: 9106861
    Abstract: An image forming control device and an image forming control method control an image forming apparatus that forms an image at every scanning line. The image forming control device includes a pixel data generation controller and an image forming mechanism controller. The pixel data generation controller receives data of an image to be formed and an instruction for image formation, and generates image data to be input to an image forming mechanism that forms an image on a recording medium. The pixel data includes data of each pixel that makes up the image to be formed. The image forming mechanism controller controls image formation performed by the image forming mechanism according to the generated pixel data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Hideo Tanaka, Keita Yoshikawa, Akinobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9073368
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid discharging apparatus that includes a rotating drum which has a medium wound around a part of an outer circumferential surface thereof and transports the medium in a circumferential direction and in which the medium is wound at a first position and a second position in an axial direction of the rotating drum, a transport portion which transports the medium which passes through the first position to the second position on the rotating drum, liquid discharge portions which discharge liquid onto the medium at the first position and the second position, and a position correction unit which corrects the axial position of the medium at the second position by adjusting a transport direction of the medium transported by the transport portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiro Toya
  • Patent number: 9041756
    Abstract: An optical writing controller that controls a light source to expose a photoconductor and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor calculates a correction value for correcting a superimposing position where the developed images for different colors developing each of the electrostatic latent images formed on each of the multiple photoconductors are superimposed based on the detection signal output by a pattern detection sensor that detects a pattern for correcting the superimposing position, controls the multiple light sources to draw a predetermined pattern repeatedly in the sub-scanning direction so that stepwise patterns whose width in the main scanning direction varies with repetition are formed, and determines the width in the main scanning direction of the patterns for correcting based on the strength of the detection signal output by the pattern detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyadera
  • Patent number: 9024989
    Abstract: In a registration step, the temperature near a polygon mirror (83) is detected by a first temperature sensor (85), and the internal ambient temperature of an image forming apparatus (1) is detected by a second temperature sensor (86). Also, a registration adjustment value of each color is determined and stored in a memory (75). In a printing step, the registration adjustment value (A) of each color determined in the registration step is corrected based on a change in the temperature near the polygon mirror (83) and a change in the internal ambient temperature of the image forming apparatus (1). Furthermore, the write timing of an electrostatic latent image onto each photosensitive drum (13) by an optical scanning device (11) is controlled. Then, the position of the electrostatic latent image on each photosensitive drum (13) is shifted by an amount corresponding to the corrected registration adjustment value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takenori Ohtoshi, Norio Tomita, Kiyoshi Sasoh, Yuji Kumagai
  • Patent number: 9019551
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including, at least, an image data storage unit that stores image data; an inclination amount detection unit that detects a first inclination amount of a portion of the image data spanning from one end to the other end relative to a main scanning direction; an inclination amount storage unit that stores, when a gradient of the image data changes at a point in the main scanning direction, a second inclination amount of a portion of the image data spanning from the one end to the point or from the other end to the point; a correction amount calculation unit that calculates correction amounts associated with the main scanning direction by switching, at the point, whether the first inclination amount is increased or decreased by the second inclination amount; and an image correction unit that corrects an image based on the correction amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Hayashi, Tatsuya Miyadera, Motohiro Kawanabe, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Masatoshi Murakami
  • Patent number: 8963976
    Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for correcting linearity error of an electrophotographic device with a reduced number of lenses. The method and system insert additional time-slices in the data being processed by the electrophotographic device. The additional time-slices are inserted in the data in a predefined order based on a plurality of random numbers. The insertion of additional time-slices corrects the linearity error of the electrophotographic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Eric Hadady, Christopher Dane Jones, John Lemaster
  • Patent number: 8922614
    Abstract: A light scanning unit and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus are provided. The light scanning unit includes a light source emitting the light beams according to an image signal, an incident optical system including a flux-limiting element limiting the flux of light beams emitted by the light source, an optical deflector deflecting the light beams emitted by the light source in a main scanning direction, and an image forming optical system including a scanning optical element imaging the light beams deflected by the optical deflector on a scanning target surface, the light scanning unit forming an electrostatic latent image by scanning the light beams to the scanning target surface of the image bearing member. The scanning optical element of the scanning optical elements of the image forming optical system is eccentrically arranged from a central optical axis of the image forming optical system in a sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wan-Chin Kim
  • Patent number: 8878885
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sheet-linear-velocity setting unit, an image-formation-rate changing unit, a detecting unit, and first and second correcting units. When printing is performed with a first sheet linear velocity, the first correcting unit performs misregistration correction according to a result of detection of a misregistration correction pattern image by the detecting unit. When the sheet-linear-velocity setting unit sets a second sheet linear velocity other than the first sheet linear velocity, the second correcting unit corrects an adjustment amount used in the misregistration correction performed by the first correcting unit, according to a ratio between first and second coefficients. The first coefficient indicates a ratio of an actual image formation rate at the first sheet linear velocity to an ideal image formation rate, and the second coefficient indicates a ratio of an actual image formation rate at the second sheet linear velocity to an ideal image formation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyadera
  • Patent number: 8872871
    Abstract: A light scanning unit includes: a light source emitting a light beam according to an image signal; a light deflector deflecting and scanning the light beam emitted from the light source; and a synchronization detection optical system comprising a synchronization detection sensor detecting a synchronization signal by receiving a portion of the light beam that is deflected and scanned by the light deflector and a synchronization detection lens disposed between the light deflector and the synchronization detection sensor, wherein the synchronization detection lens is an anamorphic lens in which refractive power in a first direction and refractive power in a second direction different from the first direction are different, and wherein the first direction of the synchronization detection lens is inclined with respect to a main scanning direction in which a light beam incident on the synchronization detection lens is scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Gi-sung Park
  • Patent number: 8854407
    Abstract: An image-forming position displaces from an ideal position occurring due to a portion of a support substrate bending in a direction approaching a photosensitive drum. This displacement is set as a first gap data. Spot size expansion caused by bending of the support substrate can be reduced by using light amount control data that has been corrected in response to this first gap data. Furthermore, by using light amount control data corrected in response to second gap data that indicates displacement to an ideal position from exposure areas occurring due to decentering of the photosensitive drum, spot size expansion caused by decentering of the photosensitive drum can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuo Kamei
  • Patent number: 8854698
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a light source device, a reader, a plurality of strip-shaped density reference members, and a shading corrector. The plurality of strip-shaped density reference members that extend along main scanning direction. The plurality of strip-shaped density reference members are separately disposed in at least three positions including an upstream end portion, a center portion, and a downstream end portion in the moving direction of the sub scanning direction within a readable area of the reader. The shading corrector is configured to calculate shading correction data using density distribution data obtained by reading the plurality of strip-shaped density reference members with the reader and correct image data of the printed document on a pixel to pixel basis, based on the shading correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Naotaka Uchida
  • Patent number: 8837011
    Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: detection means for detecting position information indicating a scanning position; interval prediction means for predicting a first scanning line interval indicating a distance in the sub-scanning direction between the scanning line of interest and a succeeding scanning line to be scanned after the scanning line of interest; interval calculation means for calculating, by using the position information held by the holding means, a second scanning line interval indicating a distance in the sub-scanning direction between the scanning line of interest and the scanned scanning line; and rate calculation means for calculating a correction rate on an exposure amount for the scanning line of interest so that a predicted density calculated using the first scanning line interval and the second scanning line interval matches with a predicted density calculated using a predetermined reference scanning line interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Takikawa, Hideki Kubo, Takashi Ochiai
  • Publication number: 20140247316
    Abstract: The invention relates to a marking apparatus (100) for marking an object with laser light, comprising a plurality of lasers (10) and a control unit for individually activating each of the lasers to emit a laser beam according to a sign to be marked. A set of deflection means (30) for rearranging the laser beams into a two-dimensional array of laser beams is provided, the set of deflection means (30) comprises at least one deflection means (33) per laser beam, in particular at least one mapping mirror (33) or one optical waveguide per laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: ALLTEC ANGEWANDTE LASERLICHT TECHNOLOGIE GmbH
    Inventors: Kevin L. Armbruster, Brad D. Gilmartin, Peter J. Kueckendahl, Bernard J. Richard, Daniel J. Ryan
  • Patent number: 8823760
    Abstract: In the present invention, a detection timing of a density correction pattern is determined by correcting a timing that is determined in advance as a detection timing of the density correction pattern, based on a ratio between a conveying speed of a recording medium to which a developed image is transferred and a conveying speed of a conveying belt for conveying the image and based on a detection result of the positional deviation correction pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Tatsuya Miyadera
  • Patent number: 8823759
    Abstract: A method includes providing pixel data that comprises lines of pixel data and shared lines of pixel data, where the shared lines of pixel data are configured such that a first laser and a second laser of a plurality of lasers within a laser printing arrangement will print the shared lines of pixel data during printing of an image on a print medium. The shared lines of pixel data are split between the first laser and the second laser such that two shared lines of pixel data allow for printing of a single line of the image to be printed. During printing, the first and second lasers fire in accordance with lines of the shared lines of pixel data, where the firing of the second laser begins printing of lines of the image and the firing of the first laser completes printing of lines of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Douglas Gene Keithley, Gregory L Unruh
  • Patent number: 8817058
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing scan line jitter in laser scan systems employing a rotating mirror, including a controller for determining a unique time delay for each mirror facet and controlling laser sources so that video provided by each laser source is delayed in a scan line by the unique time delay corresponding to the mirror facet used in creating the scan line. The controller computes a facet map signature vector corresponding to each mirror facet matches the signature to a previously stored signature and assigns measured distance offset data to the mirror facets based upon the matching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Fei Chen, Craig Eric Hadady, Christopher Dane Jones, John Lemaster
  • Patent number: 8803935
    Abstract: An apparatus to form plural images on an image conveyor includes plural photoconductor bodies, a light exposure device, a development device, a transfer device, and a pattern detection device, wherein the light exposure device includes an optical scanning part, a first light detection part having a first light receiving face, a second light detection part having a second light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, a third light detection part having a third light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, the optical scanning part, the first light detection part, and the second light detection part being provided inside a housing of the light exposure device, the third light detection part being provided outside the housing, and a light exposure timing control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Kunihiro Komai
  • Patent number: 8792132
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which may include a forming unit configured to form a mark for image adjustment, a conveyor member configured to convey the mark formed by the forming unit and a detecting unit configured to detect the mark conveyed by the conveyor member. Further, the image forming apparatus may include a removing unit configured to remove the mark conveyed by the conveyor member, from the conveyor member; and a control device. According to aspects of the disclosure, after the forming unit has formed a mark for image adjustment, the control device may be configured to determine whether the mark has been removed from the conveyor member and based on the determination of whether the mark has been removed from the conveyor member, begin printing of print data even when the mark has not been completely removed from the conveyor member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Goto, Kentaro Murayama
  • Patent number: 8786652
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus that generates positional information relating to an energy transmitting position includes a shape information obtaining unit that obtains shape information of a region, a circumscribed rectangle generating unit that generates a circumscribed rectangle of the region, a parallel line generating unit that generates parallel lines extending across the region at a predetermined interval, an intersection calculating unit that calculates a first intersection point between a parallel line of the parallel lines and a line segment of an outline defining the region that is generated based on the shape information, and a data generating unit that generates parallel line data by dividing the parallel line at the first intersection point and removing a divided line that overlaps with the circumscribed rectangle, or by shortening an edge point of the parallel line to the first intersection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Furukawa, Daisuke Tezuka
  • Patent number: 8767028
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having: a light source for emitting a beam; a deflector for deflecting the beam; a light receiving element for receiving the beam and generating a detection signal; a converter for converting electric potentials of the detection signal into data values and generating time data associated with the data values; and a first calculator for calculating a position of center of the beam from the data values and the time data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke Fujita, Shinpei Arino
  • Patent number: 8723905
    Abstract: An optical writing device forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive element by a connected light source controlled by a light source control circuit that includes: a pixel data output unit; a pixel data correcting unit that corrects a skew between main scanning line of electrostatic latent image and photosensitive element and a local deviation of the electrostatic latent image on the main scanning line, and outputs pixel data; a pattern generating unit that outputs pixel data for forming a predetermined pattern in an electrostatic latent image; a first light source control unit for causing a first light source, that needs correction of the local deviation, to emit light; a second light source control unit for causing a second light source, that does not need correction of the local deviation, to emit light; and a switch that switches between a first transmission status and a second transmission status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Izumi Kinoshita, Kunihiro Komai, Tatsuya Miyadera
  • Patent number: 8670013
    Abstract: A light scanning device includes a semiconductor laser which emits a laser beam in response to an image forming signal, an optical deflector which scans the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser in a main scanning direction, and a liquid crystal deflecting element which changes the scanning position of the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser while desynchronized with output of the image forming signal, thereby to correct the scanning position of the laser beam in a sub-scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8659629
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that includes an optical writing device for applying light corresponding to image data to form a first image of the image data includes: a temperature detecting unit that detects temperature at a plurality of positions in the optical writing device; and an adjustment processing unit that, when a temperature difference between the positions detected by the temperature detecting unit is out of a predetermined range, forms a second image for quality verification and performs a process for adjusting color registration of the first image by using the second image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Makoto Higashiyama
  • Patent number: 8634116
    Abstract: An image reading device includes a reading unit, a first correcting unit, and a second correcting unit. The reading unit includes multiple read pixel-arrays and converts a signal charge obtained from pixels in each read pixel-array to an electric signal and outputs the electric signal as a read signal of each read pixel-array. The first correcting unit individually delays the read signals of the respective read pixel-arrays output from the reading unit so as to correct misregistration of the read signals. The second correcting unit corrects the misregistration of the read signals of the respective read pixel-arrays corrected by the first correcting unit by performing a two-point interpolation process so that a correction amount for the read signal of one specific read pixel-array among the multiple read pixel-arrays is not smaller than a correction amount for the read signal or signals of the remaining read pixel-array or pixel-arrays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sei Amagai, Noriko Arai, Kenji Ueda, Shinji Hanaoka, Chihiro Matsuguma, Atsushi Sato
  • Patent number: 8610971
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image includes: a photosensitive element; an optical scanning device that includes a light source, and scans a surface of the photosensitive element in a main scanning direction with light emitted from the light source to form a latent image; a developing unit that develops the latent image; a photosensitive element period detecting sensor that detects a rotation period of the photosensitive element; a density sensor that detects a density variation of an image developed by the developing unit, in a sub scanning direction; and a processing device that corrects a driving signal of the light source according to the image information, based on an output signal of the density sensor and an output signal of the photosensitive element period detecting sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Atsufumi Omori, Masaaki Ishida, Yasuhiro Nihei, Muneaki Iwata
  • Patent number: 8587626
    Abstract: A light source control circuit of an optical writing device, admitting connection of light sources and forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive element by controlling a connected light source, includes: a skew correction unit that corrects a skew of a main scanning line of an electrostatic latent image formed by the light source relative to the photosensitive element; a pattern generating unit that outputs image data for forming a predetermined pattern in an electrostatic latent image; a local deviation correction unit that corrects a local deviation of an electrostatic latent image formed by the light source on the main scanning line by acquiring image data processed to form the pattern and by performing a predetermined process; a light source control unit that causes the light source to emit light based on image data in which the local deviation has been corrected; and a setting value input unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kunihiro Komai, Izumi Kinoshita, Tatsuya Miyadera
  • Patent number: 8587627
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an exposure unit configured to irradiate each of a plurality of photosensitive members with a corresponding light beam, a light amount control unit configured to control a light amount of the light beams, a plurality of developing units configured to develop electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive members by exposure with the light beams, and a transfer unit configured to transfer toner images formed on the photosensitive members onto an image carrier; a pattern forming unit configured to control the image forming unit to form a misalignment detection pattern for detecting a relative misalignment between the toner images transferred onto the image carrier; a pattern reading unit configured to read the misalignment detection pattern; and a correction unit configured to correct the relative misalignment between the toner images based on the reading result obtained by the pattern reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsumi Takahashi, Shinya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8547409
    Abstract: A light emission control device images an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive element by a plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to a line in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction which is a rotational direction the photosensitive element. The light emission control device includes: a detecting unit that detects a rotational position of the photosensitive element, in the first direction, corresponding to a line in the second direction; an acquiring unit that acquires a distance between the light emitting elements and the rotational position of the photosensitive element in the first direction detected by the detecting unit; and a control unit that controls light emission by the light emitting elements according to the distance acquired by the acquiring unit and corrects a fluctuation in a density of a visible image converted from the electrostatic latent image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takuhei Yokoyama, Izumi Kinoshita, Kunihiro Komai, Tatsuya Miyadera, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Takeshi Shikama, Akinori Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8514259
    Abstract: Positions in a main scanning direction of points of exposure are determined by emission of light from two light-emitting points of each exposure device near predetermined endmost light-emitting points. A first exposure device of which a distance between the two light-emitting points is greatest is identified based on the determined positions of the points of exposure. A subset of usable light-emitting points of a second exposure device other than the first exposure device, located in positions corresponding to a range of exposure which coincides in a width direction with a range of exposure defined by the two light-emitting points of the first exposure device, is specified The number n of pairs of adjacent usable light-emitting points of the second exposure device each associated with one pixel is obtained by subtracting the number of usable light-emitting points of the first exposure device from that of the second exposure device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Yokoi
  • Patent number: 8508809
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus that optically reads a document includes: multiple line sensors provided approximately parallel to each other and each having light-receiving elements arranged in line form, each line sensor capturing respective line-shaped regions spanning in the main scanning direction of the document in respective color components; a movement unit that causes the positional relationship between the document and the multiple line sensors to move relative to the sub scanning direction that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction; a color skew adjustment unit that adjusts positional skew in the sub scanning direction in scan data of each of the color components captured by the multiple line sensors in synchronization with the movement caused by the movement unit, in accordance with an offset amount based on the distance between each of the multiple line sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Tee Boon Hock
  • Patent number: 8487973
    Abstract: An optical writing device forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive element by a connected light source controlled by a light source control circuit that includes: a pixel data output unit; a pixel data correcting unit that corrects a skew between main scanning line of electrostatic latent image and photosensitive element and a local deviation of the electrostatic latent image on the main scanning line, and outputs pixel data; a pattern generating unit that outputs pixel data for forming a predetermined pattern in an electrostatic latent image; a first light source control unit for causing a first light source, that needs correction of the local deviation, to emit light; a second light source control unit for causing a second light source, that does not need correction of the local deviation, to emit light; and a switch that switches between a first transmission status and a second transmission status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Izumi Kinoshita, Kunihiro Komai, Tatsuya Miyadera
  • Patent number: 8482588
    Abstract: An optical writing device that forms an electrostatic latent image on a photoreceptor. The device includes a pixel-information acquiring unit, a line-pixel-information storage unit that stores the acquired pixel information corresponding to a plurality of lines for each main scanning line, a light source device that exposes the photoreceptor with a period corresponding to an N-fold sub-scanning direction resolution of the pixel information, a positional-shift-information storage unit that stores a positional shift information, a sub-line counting unit that counts a sub-line period, a reading-line selecting unit that performs N times of selection that determines which main scanning line is selected as the line from which the pixel information is read out, on the basis of a calculated value from the counted value of the sub-line period and the positional shift information, and a pixel-information reading unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Kunihiro Komai, Izumi Kinoshita, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Takeshi Shikama, Takuhei Yokoyama, Akinori Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8477169
    Abstract: An optical writing device includes two or more light sources. The two or more light sources can be driven independently, are placed away from each other in a sub-scanning direction of a photoreceptor, and each distance of beams emitted from the light sources to the photoreceptor is different. A phase control unit causes a difference in phase among timing control data of two or more beams emitted from the two or more light sources by a phase change amount, which is determined on the basis of beam position of the each beam on the photoreceptor in a main scanning direction and varies depending on the beam position. The modulating unit modulates the timing control data of the respective phase-controlled beams by a same clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Toshio Ohide
  • Patent number: 8471877
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of, and a method of, correcting a color registration error. The image forming apparatus corrects a color registration error by adjusting a scan start time of, and/or the distance in a sub-scanning direction between, multiple light beams that are scanned by a light scanning unit onto several photosensitive media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Chul Choi, Young-Jin Park, Jin-Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 8471881
    Abstract: An apparatus to form plural images on an image conveyor includes plural photoconductor bodies, a light exposure device, a development device, a transfer device, and a pattern detection device, wherein the light exposure device includes an optical scanning part, a first light detection part having a first light receiving face, a second light detection part having a second light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, a third light detection part having a third light receiving face being non-parallel to the first light receiving face, the optical scanning part, the first light detection part, and the second light detection part being provided inside a housing of the light exposure device, the third light detection part being provided outside the housing, and a light exposure timing control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miyadera, Kunihiro Komai
  • Patent number: 8451308
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an optical scanning unit, a measurement unit, a first adjustment unit and a second adjustment unit. The optical scanning unit includes a plurality of light sources to emit laser beams, a single oscillating mirror deflector to deflect the laser beams used for scan processing in a main scanning direction, and a scan-focusing member to focus the deflected laser beams onto a plurality of photoconductors. The measurement unit measures a resonance frequency of the oscillating mirror deflector. The first adjustment unit adjusts a speed of the photoconductors in a sub-scanning direction. The second adjustment unit adjusts a magnification ratio of image data in the sub-scanning direction. The first adjustment unit and the second adjustment unit adjust the image magnification ratio of image data in the sub-scanning direction depending on the resonance frequency as measured by the measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Suzuki, Haruyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8446601
    Abstract: A disclosed control device includes a first unit configured to generate image data of multiple images to be superposed one on the other to form a single image and transmit the image data. The second control unit transmits to the first control unit a horizontal sync reference signal for achieving synchronization of the images in a horizontal direction. Based on the horizontal sync reference signal, the first control unit transmits to the second control unit a transfer clock signal that indicates transmission timing of the image data and an effective area signal that indicates an effective area of the image data. The first control unit asserts the effective area signal for an effective-area-signal assertion period that occurs between two consecutive reference-signal assertion periods during which the horizontal sync reference signal is asserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Tsuchida