Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Kazuo Koike

Kenichi Yamada

Tasuku Kohara

Taisuke Omi

Tsuyoshi Endoh

Hiroshi Takeda

Takashi Inoue

Hiroki Tsuruoka

Yoshiaki Nishizaki

Masaaki Kawamura

Akira Imai

Junji Kawada

Yuzo Sakamoto

Hideharu Shiota

Toshikazu Hayashi

Takeshi Kumakura

An image processing apparatus includes an exposure glass on which an original is to be placed; a scanner cover to openably cover the exposure glass from above, a tip of the scanner cover is lifted to open the exposure glass; a document scanner to read a two-dimensional objet of the original on the exposure glass and output read image data; a camera unit to capture an image of a three-dimensional object of the original on the exposure glass and output captured image data; photography lighting equipment including movable light source unit to illuminate the three-dimensional object put when the camera unit captures the image of the three-dimensional object; an image forming unit to convert the read image data and the captured image data to form a printed image on a recording medium; and a setting controller to control a reading process, a capturing process, and an image forming process.

Image processing apparatus and method for three-dimensional objects

The height of an image reading unit or an operating panel in an image forming apparatus is adjusted to facilitate their operation depending on the physical characteristics of a user, such as his height or use of a wheel chair. A second operating panel and a second automatic document feeder (ADF) are disposed on the side of the image forming apparatus, so that a user on a wheel chair can access them easily. The second ADF houses plural sheet trays that are configured to open or close together. When the sheet trays are closed, a first operating panel disposed at the top of the apparatus is activated while the second operating panel on the side is deactivated. When the sheet trays are open, the second operating panel is activated while the first operating panel is deactivated.

Image forming apparatus with dual operating locations

An electronic apparatus includes a main body of the electronic apparatus; an operation unit including an operation block having a display unit, the operation block being detachable with respect to the main body of the electronic apparatus, and the operation block enabling at least a bidirectional wireless communication with the main body of the electronic apparatus; and a detection unit configured to detect relative positional information between the operation block and the main body of the electronic apparatus, when the operation block is detached from the main body of the electronic apparatus. The operation block being detached from the main body of the electronic apparatus is able to display information corresponding to the relative positional information on the display unit, in accordance with a condition of the main body of the electronic apparatus.

Electronic apparatus and information displaying method

Provided are a control panel or a display as well as an image processing apparatus and an electronic calculating apparatus using the electronic device or the display, the electronic device and the display each using a light transmissive solar cell for electric power generation so as to allow a solar cell part and a display part to be disposed to overlap an input part so that a larger electric power than the conventional cases can be generated without increasing the size of the whole operation panel and the whole display. An electronic device of the present invention includes: a display part capable of electrically and magnetically changing a display region and displaying of a display content displayed in the display region; a solar cell part that transmits light in a visible light region; and an input part that detects whether or not any part of the display region is manipulated, and that transmits light in a visible light region. The solar cell part and the input part are disposed on a display surface side of the display part in such a manner to form layers. An electric power generated by the solar cell part allows the electronic device to change what is displayed in the display part and detect a manipulation of the input part.

Electronic device, display, image processing apparatus and electronic calculating apparatus

An image reading apparatus includes a contact glass having a light control glass part having transmittance changeable by an applied voltage; a scanner part reading an original placed on an original placement surface of the contact glass and outputting image data in a storage part; a projector part projecting image information onto the contact glass from a side opposite to the original placement surface; and a control part controlling the voltage applied to the light controlling glass part. When the scanner part is operated, the control part causes the transmittance of the contact glass to increase and the projector part stops projecting the image information, and when the scanner part is not operated, the control part causes the transmittance of the contact glass to decrease and the projector part projects the image data stored in the storage part onto the contact glass.

Image reading apparatus and image forming apparatus

An input apparatus for a user to input an instruction into a body apparatus is disclosed. The input apparatus includes: a projection unit configured to project images of a plurality of virtual keys onto a projection area on a floor surface; a position detection unit configured to detect position information of a foot of the user put on the projection area; and a key detection unit configured to detect a virtual key corresponding to a position of the foot of the user from among the virtual keys based on information on the images of the virtual keys and a result of detection by the position detection unit.

Input apparatus and image forming apparatus

An image reading apparatus includes a scanner part reading an original on a contact glass, and a projector part projecting image information onto the contact glass as first image displaying. The projector part projects thumbnails or an image to have an image processing operation carried out or be printed. The display part carries out second image displaying obtained from reducing the first image displaying in size. At a time of the scanner part being operated, transmittance of the contact glass is increased and the projector part stops projecting the image information, and at a time of the scanner part not being operated, the transmittance of the contact glass is decreased and the projector part carries out the first image displaying. Setting of the image processing operation for the image data is reflected on the first image displaying and the second image displaying.

An input apparatus for enabling a user to enter an instruction into a main apparatus has high durability and offers superior operability. The input apparatus includes a table device having a table with a variable size. An image of plural virtual keys that is adapted to the size of the table is projected by a projector unit onto the table. Position information about a finger of the user that is placed on the table is detected by a position detecting device contactlessly. One of the plural virtual keys that corresponds to the position of the finger of the user detected by the position detecting device is detected by a key detecting device based on information about the image of the plural virtual keys and a result of the detection made by the position detecting device.

An input control device and an image forming apparatus capable of providing an easy-to-use operating environment even for a user having difficulties operating such conventional devices and apparatuses due to his/her height, color vision deficiency, weak vision, use of a wheelchair, and the like is disclosed. In the input control device, based on the detected distance between an instruction item on the display and an operation direction element (such as a user's finger), the display mode of the instruction item is changed (by, for example, changing positions, colors, and combinations). Further, as the operation direction element approaches, the size of the instruction item on the display becomes larger, thereby improving the operability especially for a user with color vision deficiency or weak vision.

Input control device and image forming apparatus

An angular position adjusting apparatus for adjusting the angular position of a control panel of an image processing apparatus is disclosed that includes a rotary member attached to the control panel, an input part for generating an input signal indicative of changing the angular position of the control panel, a motor part connected to the rotary member for changing the angular position of the control panel by driving the rotary member, and a setting part for setting the angular position of the control panel in correspondence with the power status of the image processing apparatus.

Angular position adjusting apparatus, angular position adjusting method, and computer-readable recording medium for angular position adjustment

An image forming apparatus is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes an operations section that operates the image forming apparatus, the operations section being rotatably supported by an apparatus main body; an operations section holding unit that holds the operations section at a predetermined angle with respect to the apparatus main body; an external force detecting unit that detects an external force applied to the operations section in a rotational direction of the operations section; an operations section rotating unit that rotates the operations section in a direction of the external force; and a control unit to activate the operations section rotating unit in response to detection of the external force by the external force detecting unit.

Image forming apparatus

A setting angle adjusting device, includes a first input part configured to input an instruction for changing a setting angle of an operations panel in a first direction; a second input part configured to input an instruction for changing the setting angle of the operations panel in a second direction different from the first direction; a rotation part configured to change the setting angle of the operations panel; and a driving part configured to rotate the rotation part in a designated direction as corresponding to either the first input part or the second input part.

Setting angle adjusting device and setting angle adjusting method

In an image forming device which acquires image information of a document and forms an image on a recording sheet, an image forming device body has a first reading unit and a processing unit, wherein the first reading unit acquires image information of a document and the processing unit forms an image on a recording sheet based on the image information. An image input device has a second reading unit which acquires image information of a document. The image input device is arranged in the image forming device body at a position lower than a position of the first reading unit.

Image forming device and image input device

An operations panel is disclosed that comprises plural operations blocks attached to a main body of an electronic apparatus; a selection information output unit that outputs a selection information item indicating a selection item selected in the operations block; a display operations block that is removably attachable to the main body, including a display unit that shows display selection items used for selecting operational functions, a selection detecting unit that detects the selected display selection item, and a display control unit that causes the display unit to show the selection items corresponding to the operations blocks together with the display selection item when the display operations block is removed from the main body; and a selection information retrieving unit that retrieves, as the selection information item, a selection result detected by the selection detecting unit of the display operations block removed from the main body.

Operations panel and image forming apparatus

A support apparatus for the magnetic heads of a two-sided floppy disk drive has a first magnetic head which is elastically supported on the front portion of a carriage so as to be able to move in the normal direction of a floppy disk, and a second magnetic head which is supported by the front portion of a rotating arm. The rotation of the arm towards the floppy disk is restrained by an arm support. In a first embodiment, the first magnetic head is supported by a first gimbal spring which is secured to the carriage, and the second magnetic head is secured to a steel plate which is secured to the arm. In a second embodiment, the second magnetic head is supported by a second gimbal spring which is secured to the arm which has a greater stiffness than the first gimbal spring.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Kazuo Koike