Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Minolta Camera Co., Ltd.

Kenichi Wada

Tomohiko Masuda

Susumu Tanaka

Tsukasa Yagi

Ken Matsubara

Masaya Ogawa

Hiroshi Murasaki

Yuji Enoguchi

Itaru Saito

Takao Fujiwara

Tateki Oka

Kenji Tabuchi

Hirohisa Kitano

Takaji Kurita

Hidetoshi Kawabata

Atsushi Fujita

Yuji Kamoda

Kouichi Shingaki

Kohichi Shingaki

Koji Wakamiya

Mikio Masui

Hiroaki Mizunoe

Itaru Saitoh

Isao Doi

Yoshihiro Isono

Yoshihiko Yasue

Hirchisa Kitano

A method for driving an optical write device, in which a time for formation of a pixel is divided into a plurality of periods, and tone level control based on multi-tone image, data is performed in each of the periods. For example, the time for formation of a pixel is divided by applying a train of pulses with widths weighted in the ratio of 4:2.1, and in each duration of the pulses, a clock signal for 64 tone levels is given.

Method for driving an optical write device

Disclosed is a method for measuring light quantities emitted from an array of light shutter elements aligned in a main scan direction. The method measures the light quantities by scanning and sensing a recording paper on which an image is formed by the light shutter elements. The scan direction is orthogonal to a direction in the image corresponding to the main scan direction of the array.

Optical quantity measuring method and optical quantity measuring apparatus using same

When a fare is inserted, a receipt on which a password assigned to the user is printed is issued, and a sheets each bearing a printed image is housed in a storage bin or a storage box. When the password printed on the receipt is inputted, the corresponding storage bin (storage box) is shifted to a sheet outlet, thereby allowing the user to take this out. Thus, it is possible to provide a print system that is superior in the operability and allows the user to positively obtain his or her own job, and a sheet-processing device suitable for such a system.

Print system and a sheet-processing device suitable for such a print system

An image forming apparatus which is capable of composing an image with a high accuracy on an image receiving member with use of a plurality of light signal emitting heads. The image forming apparatus, which is used for forming an image on the image receiving member such as a photographic paper or a electrophotographic photosensitive member. Each light signal emitting head turns on and off a plurality of light signal emitting elements extending in a main scanning direction in accordance with image data. The image receiving member is guided by a cylindrical guide roller with being adhered to the curving section of the guide roller at an exposure position. The light emergent from each light signal emitting head is changed its optical path at a dichroic prism or a half mirror and exposes the image receiving member linearly.

Image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of light signal emitting heads

A method for measuring the quantity of light emitted from an optical write head which drives an array of light shutter elements extending in a main scanning direction individually in accordance with image data. In order to measure the quantity of light outputted from each of the light shutter elements, a photosensor is moved in the main scanning direction at a constant speed while the light shutter elements are driven in such a way that adjacent elements are not driven at a time. While light shutter elements which are in odd numbers in the array are driven, the photosensor is moved forward to measure the quantities of light outputted therefrom, and while light shutter elements which are in even numbers in the array are driven, the photosensor is moved backward to measure the quantities of light outputted therefrom. The optical write head is employed in a printer together with a light-quantity measuring unit for the optical write head, so that light-quantity measurement and production of light-quantity correction data are possible at real time.

Method for measuring the quantity of light emergent from an optical tip array and image forming apparatus provided with an optical tip array

A liquid crystal panel displays an image, while a lens projects, as a virtual image, an image displayed by the liquid crystal panel. A control system controls either the liquid crystal panel or the lens so as to periodically effect a changing of the position of the virtual image, each changing occurring over a predetermined time period. The control can be accomplished by changing the position of the liquid crystal panel or of the lens along an optical axis at a speed of less than 0.1 mm/sec so as to avoid burdening the eye of the observer. The motion can be at a uniform speed through most of the range of the motion, while permitting a slowing down to a stop at each end of the range and then an acceleration to the uniform speed in the opposite direction. A rest period (i.e., a full stop for a period of time) can be provided at one or both ends of the motion range, either for each cycle of motion or after the occurrence of a plurality of such cycles. When used in a situation in which the size of the viewed image is of particular importance, the size of the display region can be changed so that the apparent image size remains constant with a change in the position of liquid crystal panel.

Image display having control system for periodically effecting a change of position of virtual image

A PLZT optical shutter array includes an optical shutter array, a driving circuit, a temperature compensating circuit, an IC control unit, a driving IC and a temperature sensor. Temperature of the optical shutter array is detected by the temperature sensor, and based on a voltage representing the temperature and a reference voltage for driving optical shutter element, a driving voltage for the optical shutter element is generated in the temperature compensating circuit. The driving voltage is applied to the optical shutter element through the IC control unit and a driving IC. As a result, a voltage applying apparatus for a light signal emitter which has a simple structure and allows cost reduction is provided.

Voltage applying apparatus facilitating adjustment of a driving voltage

Disclosed is a light shutter device comprising a plurality of optical element for modulating light passing therethrough. Each optical element is made of PLZT and the surface of a light modulating region of each optical element is coated with a thin film. The surface electrical resistance on the thin film is 10.sup.10 .OMEGA./sq or less.

Optical element and light shutter device using the same

An optical shutter device wherein a light emitted from a light source is allowed to be incident to a polarization shutter chip through a fiber array and then the light is caused to pass through the chip by turning on a voltage to be applied to electrodes connected to transmittable portions corresponding to pixels, so that a receptor surface is lighted through an imaging lens array. Light which is incident to the polarization shutter chip at an angle .theta..sub.0 is reflected from electrode vertical surfaces, and then the light outgoes from the transmittable portions in the form of leakage light. However, the aperture angle of a lens unit of the imaging lens array is set smaller than the incident angle .theta..sub.0, and thus the light (which were incident) at the angle .theta..sub.0 (leakage light) is not focused on the receptor surface by the lens unit.

Optical shutter device

The differences in the detected values of temperature and humidity between the time at which the suspension of operation begins and the time at which operation is restored are sought, and the differences are compared with their respective prescribed thresholds. If the difference in temperature is less than the threshold and the difference in relative humidity is less than the threshold, as an example, it is determined that the environmental change during the period of suspension of operation is less than the threshold, and the copying machine is made ready immediately without performing image stabilizing control. On the other hand, where the difference in temperature equals or exceeds the threshold, or where the difference in relative humidity equals or exceeds the threshold, it is determined that the environmental change during the period of suspension of operation equals or exceeds the threshold, whereupon image stabilizing control is executed and the image forming operation parameters are set. The copying machine is then made ready.

Image stabilizing control method offering a short waiting time for

An optical writing device by which an image with desired tone can be obtained. The optical writing device includes a write head and a modulation unit. A time for scanning of one picture element is divided into some periods by the modulation unit. The modulation unit judges whether the picture element will be in an imaged region or in a blank region and whether the picture element must be provided with a supplementary exposure value. The picture element will be provided with an accumulated exposure value corresponding to a desired level of tone by being provided with the supplementary exposure value by order of the modulation unit.

Optical writing device

A light signal generating device wherein a line of light shutter elements made of PLZT are turned on and off individually in accordance with a driving signal corresponding to image data, and each turned-on light shutter element generates a light signal. The light shutter elements are impressed with a specified voltage by order of a composite signal made by combining a modulation signal modulated in accordance with the image data and a micro duration pulse signal.

Light signal generating device with reduced light leakage

An optical shutter device for use, e.g., in an optical printer includes a plurality of electrooptic chips each having a plurality of very small segments for optical modulation. The optical shutter device has a voltage adjusting circuit which individually supplies the driving voltage to the chips depending on the light transmitting characteristics intrinsic to the chips. Thus, even when the chips have different light transmitting characteristics, the image produced by the chips will have a uniform intensity.

An image forming apparatus for producing completed copies includes a main body. An image forming device is provided in the main body for forming images on paper to produce the completed copies. A tray is also provided in the main body for receiving and stacking the completed copies produced by the image forming device. A sheet transport path transports the completed copies from the image forming device to the tray. In addition, a support mechanism movably supports the tray from a first position inside of said main body where the completed copies are received and stacked thereon to a second position outside of the main body where the completed copies can be manually removed therefrom.

Image forming apparatus having a movable sheet receiving tray

A method and device for driving an electro-optical light shutter array including a plurality of shutter elements each having an electro-optical effect to polarize an incident light by setting up an electric field. The device includes a plurality of individual electrodes provided on the respective shutter elements and a common electrode provided on the respective shutter elements electrically in common. A square pulse is applied to the arbitrary individual electrode while a triangular pulse is applied to the common electrode to set up an electric field of which an intensity continuously varies within one driving period. Moreover, an alternating electric field may be set up in the electro-optical light shutter array in a recovery period. In this case, a first light amount when the positive electric field is set up and a second light amount when the negative electric field is set up are detected. A recovery operation is carried out until the first and second light amounts become substantially equal with each other.

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Takatsuki, Japan

Kenichi Wada