Fuji Photo Film Company, Limited

Fuji Photo Film, Inc.

Hideo Ishizaka

Yoshio Saito

Yukihide Miyata

Takashi Koizumi

Nobuo Matsumoto

Ryoichi Yamamoto

Yoshio Ozawa

Kenji Suzuki

Shinichi Matsuda

Tadashi Uekusa

Koichi Yamada

Shinichi Nakama

Satoshi Arakawa

Yuichi Hosoi

Kenji Takahashi

Yuji Ohara

Terumi Matsuda

Kiyoshi Yamada

Hiroshi Kushima

Masakazu Murase

Yasuhiro Asai

A low cost image reading apparatus and an image reading method is obtained which allows a high speed image reading process to be performed. When a frame image recorded on a negative film is read, the amount of light of a lamp and the charge accumulation time of a CCD area sensor provided in the prescan section of a film image reading apparatus are fixed. An image buffer is also provided for holding the density values data (the image data) obtained by the fine scan section until the auto setup processing and positive image examination, which are based on the density values data, are completed.

Image reading apparatus and image reading method

An image forming method and apparatus for ejecting plural inks having different densities and/or colors from an ink ejection port while changing a mixture proportion of the plural inks based on an image signal. The ejected plural inks are transported to a moving image receiving medium such as print paper to form an image. A quantity of flow of the respective ink is controlled in such a manner that a total ejected volume flow rate of the plural inks is always maintained constant. The condition for transporting the ink liquid consisting of plural inks led to the image receiving medium is satisfied, and the smooth and highly-accurate transportation is enabled, thereby the image quality can be improved. The ejected plural inks may be transported from the ink ejection port as a continuous fluid flow to the image receiving medium, i.e., the continuous coating mode. In such mode, the image receiving medium may be a drum-like or belt-like intermediate image for receiving and temporarily holding the image formed by the ejected plural inks. The ink ejection ports may be separately provided in accordance with pixels aligned in the width direction of the image receiving medium.

Image forming method and apparatus

An image forming method and apparatus for forming an image on an image receiving medium with plural coating liquids. A plurality of types of coating liquid are combined to form a recording liquid and extruded as a continuous flow from an array of plural extruding ports which are aligned in a direction substantially orthogonal to a relative movement direction of the image receiving medium. While a mixing ratio of the plural coating liquids is varied based on an image signal, the recording liquid is continuously applied on the image receiving medium to form the image thereon. The high-speed image formation is enabled with a reduced amount of ink to be wasted. Preferably, the plurality of types of the coating liquid are not equally mixed but can be superimposed in the form of a layer in the coating thickness direction to be continuously applied.

Method and apparatus for forming image with plural coating liquids

A loop region in which a loop of a negative film is formed is provided between a pre-scan section and a fine scan section. When a frame image recorded on the negative film is read, a control circuit effects control such that respective processings in the pre-scan section and the fine scan section are performed concurrently in a state in which a length of the loop in the loop region is within a predetermined allowable range.

Image reading apparatus, image processing system, image reading method, and image processing method

A recording liquid which is obtained by changing a proportion of mixture of image forming liquid and clear liquid based on an image signal is transported as a continuous flow to an image receiving medium to form an image. An undercoating liquid is superimposed on the recording liquid at the position where the recording liquid meets the image receiving medium to form a bead so that the recording liquid is loaded on the undercoating liquid. The stream line of the undercoating liquid is bent toward the upstream side in the bead and then turned back toward the downstream side to be straightened. Accordingly, the recording liquid superimposed on the straightened undercoating liquid becomes a stable straightened flow without a sinuosity. The generation of a sinuosity of a stream line of the recording liquid is prevented to improve the image quality. Preferably, a supply amount of the undercoating liquid is set constant. The image forming liquid and the clear liquid may be superimposed in a layer in a direction of the coating thickness to be continuously applied.

Method and apparatus for forming image with coating of recording liquid and undercoating liquid

A biochemical analysis apparatus comprises a sample accommodating region, an accommodating region for test films containing a reagent which reacts with a liquid sample to give rise to a change in optical density, and a conveyor for sequentially pulling out each test film from the test film accommodating region. An applicator takes up the liquid sample from the sample accommodating region and applies it to the test film at the position to which the test film has been pulled out. An incubator incubates the sample-applied film portion for a predetermined time, and a detector measures the optical density of the sample-applied film portion during or after the passage of the predetermined time. The conveyor, the incubator and the detector are provided to correspond to each of the test films, and a movement device moves the applicator to apply the liquid sample to the test films.

Biochemical analysis apparatus for incubating and analyzing test sites

A biochemical analysis apparatus comprises a sample accommodating region, an accommodating region for a test film reacting with a liquid sample to give rise to a change, and a conveyor for sequentially pulling out the test film from the test film accommodating region. An applicator takes up the liquid sample from the sample accommodating region and applies it to the test film at the position to which the test film has been pulled out. An incubator incubates the sample-applied film portion for a predetermined time, and a measuring device measures the change at the sample-applied film portion during or after the passage of the predetermined time. Both the incubator and the measuring device are provided at the position where the sample application onto the test film is carried out by the sample application means.

Biochemical analysis apparatus

A biochemical analysis apparatus includes a sample accommodating region, an accommodating region for test films containing a reagent which reacts with a liquid sample to give rise to a change in optical density, and a conveyor for sequentially pulling out each test film from the test film accommodating region. An applicator takes up the liquid sample fromt he sample accommodating region and applies it to the test film at the position to which the test film has been pulled out. An incubator incubates the sample-applied film portion for a predetermined time, and a detector measures the optical density of the sample applied applied film portion during or after the passage of the predetermined time. The conveyor, the incubator and the detector are provided to correspond to each of the test films, and a movement device moves the applicator to apply the liquid sample to the test films.

Biochemical analysis apparatus with an integral centrifuge

A biochemical analysis method comprises the steps of accommodating a long test film in a refrigerator, repeatedly pulling the long test film out of the refrigerator until a sample-applying portion, i.e., the next unused portion of the test film, is aligned with a sample applying position, applying a liquid samples onto the sample-applying portions of the long test film at which time the sample-applying portions become sample-applied portions, incubating the sample-applied portions, and irradiating light to the sample-applied portions in order to determine optical densities, which depend on the how much of a certain constituent in a liquid sample existed and therefore reacted with a reagent in a reagent layer of the test film. The length of a sample-applying portion to which a present sample will be applied, is changed in accordance with conditions which exist after the analysis of the sample applied to the test film immediately prior to the present sample has been finished. Alternatively, nearly the whole sample-applying portion that was positioned upstream from the sample-applied portion is pulled back into the refrigerator after the above mentioned measurement of the optical density is completed, and is pulled out prior to the next application of a sample so that the sample-applying portion positioned in the refrigerator is brought to the sample applying position.

Biochemical analysis method

A biochemical analysis apparatus for applying a liquid sample onto a long test film, incubating the sample-applied film portion by an incubator, and measuring the degree of color formation at the sample-applied portion comprises a test film conveyor for continuously conveying at least the part of the long test film inside of the incubator so that a speed v [cm/min.] at which the part of the long test film inside of the incubator is conveyed is expressed as v=n.l. The incubator is constituted so that a length L [cm] of the incubator in the direction of conveyance of the long test film satisfies the condition of L.gtoreq.(nt+1).l, where l [cm] denotes the length of a portion of the long test film necessary for a single step of sample application, t [min.] denotes the incubation time, and n [number/min.] denotes the number of repetitions of sample application per unit time.

Biochemical analysis apparatus with a positionable sensor

A long-test-film cassette for biochemical analysis comprises an unused film cassette part accommodating an unused long test film for biochemical analysis, and a used film cassette part for accommodating the long test film which has been pulled out of the unused film cassette part and used for biochemical analysis. A leading edge of the film is secured to a reel in the used film cassette part. In a cassette loading system, the unused film cassette part is provided with a protruded test film outlet portion and is loaded to a refrigerating compartment of an analysis apparatus with the test film outlet portion fitted in a hole of the refrigerating compartment.

Long-test-film cassette for biochemical analysis, and system for loading

A biochemical analysis apparatus comprises a sample accommodating region, a refrigerator for keeping cool a long test film containing a reagent which reacts with a liquid sample to give rise to a change in optical density, and a test film conveyor for sequentially pulling out the long test film from the refrigerator. A sample applicator takes up the liquid sample from the sample accommodating region and applies it to the long test film at the position to which the long test film has been pulled out of the refrigerator. An incubator maintains the sample-applied portion of the long test film at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time. A detector irradiates light to the sample-applied portion of the long test film, and measures the optical density given rise to by the reaction during or after the passage of the predetermined time.

A refrigerator comprises a cassette accommodating section which is enclosed by a wall, kept at a low temperature, and capable of accommodating a film feed cassette in such a way that it can be released therefrom. The film feed cassette houses therein a long test film containing a reagent which will react with a liquid sample and give rise to a change in optical density. The film feed cassette has a film outlet through which the long test film is fed out. The refrigerator has a film outlet which is formed in the wall at a position corresponding to the position of the film outlet of the film feed cassette and through which the long test film is pulled out. An air stream jetting system jets dry air to the surface of the portion of the long test film positioned between the film outlet of the film feed cassette and the film outlet of the refrigerator. The air stream jetting system comprises a device wherein two air drying chambers are alternately operated, which allows dry air to be generated approximately continuously, and wet air does not enter a dry air feed-out path even for an instant.

Refrigerator, dry air generating device for the same, and method for

A new mechanism for supplying in sequence unused regions of an analytical tape by predetermined length to an analytical section arranged in an apparatus for biochemical analysis of a liquid sample is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a driving means for moving the analytical tape to supply its unused regions to the analytical section; a means for detecting length of the unused regions of the tape supplied to the analytical section comprising a roller which is arranged in contact with a surface of the tape so that it rotates with movement of the tape for the supply of the unused regions to the analytical section and a means for detecting number or angle of the rotation of the roller, and a means for controlling operation of the driving means according to the detected number or angle of the rotation of the roller.

Mechanism for supplying analytical tape for biochemical analysis by

An image read-out apparatus includes a main scanning device for scanning a sheet carrying an image recorded thereon with a light beam in a main scanning direction and obtaining light carrying the image information from the sheet, a sub-scanning device for moving the sheet with respect to the light beam in a sub-scanning direction approximately normal to the main scanning direction, and a light detector for detecting the light obtained from the sheet. The light detector comprises a long photomultipler having a light receiving face extending along the main scanning line and positioned close to the sheet.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Hideo Ishizaka