Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Minolta Company, Ltd.

Sharp Kabuskiki Kaisha

Shinya Kawanishi

Kouichi Furuta

Keiichi Okada

Takatoshi Mizoguchi

Mitsuo Kobachi

Akihiro Fujita

Nobumasa Ono

Kiyoshi Ebina

Tatsuya Eguchi

Akifumi Yamaguchi

Akira Takasu

Takashi Takaoka

Noboru Kawai

Kazuhiro Mizuo

Atsuo Fujikawa

An optical distance measuring sensor has a plurality of light-emitting elements, a light-emitting lens, a photodetector having a light-receiving surface, a light emission driving part to sequentially drive the light-emitting elements, and a distance signal outputting part. Light emitted from each light-emitting element passes through the light-emitting lens, then is reflected by an object to be detected, and then gets incident on the light-receiving surface of the photodetector, which outputs a signal corresponding to a position of the incident light in the light-receiving surface. Upon receipt of the signal, the distance signal outputting part outputs a distance signal representing a distance to the object.

Optical distance measuring sensor and self-propelled cleaner

A distance measuring sensor includes a case subassembly having inside a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and a lens case subassembly having a projection lens projecting a light output from the light emitting element and a condenser lens condensing the light reflected from the object, and attached to a front side of the case subassembly. The condenser lens is movably attached to the lens case subassembly, and after an output is adjusted, this condenser lens is fixed thereto. Thus, the distance measuring sensor enabling easier adjustment of an output can be provided.

Distance measuring sensor and method for manufacturing the same

Infrared light emitted from an infrared light-emitting diode and reflected by a toner that is an object to be detected. Then, the reflection light is received by a photodiode. A signal detection circuit is composed of an amplifier for converting an output current into a voltage, an amplifier in which a circuit constant is optimized for detection of color toner density, an amplifier in which a circuit constant is optimized for detection of black toner density and an amplifier in a circuit constant is optimized for detection of toner misregistration. These amplifiers are connected to each other in two steps. The first step amplifier's output is further amplified by the second step amplifiers to output as a color toner detection output voltage Vo a black toner detection output voltage Vo and a toner misregistration detection output voltage Vo

Toner misregistration detection sensor, color image-forming apparatus using the same, and method for toner misregistration detection

An object of the invention is to provide a toner density sensor capable of detecting toner density with high accuracy without being affected by the temperature change. A light-emitting diode emits infrared light toward the toner attached to the surface of a photosensitive drum, and the infrared light reflected from the toner is received by a photodiode. An amplifier circuit for detecting color toner density and an amplifier circuit for detecting black toner density, of which both amplify outputs from the photodiode, each employ a thermister for the feedback resistance of the amplifier. An input resistance in the amplifier circuit and the thermister adjust the gain of the amplifier circuit so as to obtain optimal outputs.

Toner density sensor

The input device which includes a reflection type optical sensor having light emitting means and light receiving means; an operation section disposed facing the optical sensor, the operation section being tilted when a load is applied thereto; and output means for detecting a tilt status of the operation section based on signals from the light receiving means and outputting detected results to a computer body as positional information.

Input device for a computer and the like and input processing method

A document reading device comprises a plurality of distance sensors, an original document size detection board, and a main unit control board. The plurality of distance sensors measure distance as for each certain position of an original document table. The original document size detection board comprises an EEPROM for storing a threshold value and an original document size detection CPU 1 for implementing a program for original document size detection. The original document size detection board judges the presence or the absence of an original document at each preset position of an original document table by comparing each threshold value from the plurality of distance sensors with the threshold value, detects the size of an original document according to the judging result from the original document size detection board, and outputs data indicative of the detected original document size. The main unit control CPU 2 implements a program for original document reading control.

Device for dtecting the size of an original document in a document reader

A light-emitting elements emits a light beam onto a predetermined sensing position, and a reflected beam from an original is received by a light-receiving element. The light-receiving element, which is a position sensitive detector for detecting a spot position of the reflected beam, releases a pair of currents that vary according to the spot position. A signal processing circuit detects the presence or absence of the original based on the ratio of the currents. The pair of currents released by the light-receiving element fluctuate in response to changes in reflection factor due to the individual color of the original, while the ratio of the pair of currents does not fluctuate even if the reflection factor changes. Thus, detection accuracy is improved, and erroneous detection can be prevented in comparison with an arrangement wherein the presence or absence of the original is detected by detecting and comparing the amount of light.

Detection system and detection method of document size for use in a

A light emitting element and a light receiving element are installed on a wiring board mounted in a housing case. Light emitted from the light emitting element is irradiated on an object to be detected through a first lens installed in the housing case. Light reflected by the object to be detected is received by the light receiving element through a second lens installed in the housing case. The housing case is formed of a grounded conductive material, and the wiring board is formed of a material having a coefficient of linear expansion equivalent to that of the housing case.

Growing community of inventors

Tenri, Japan

Shinya Kawanishi