Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.

Sony Corporation

Oki Data Corporation

Takashi Itaya

Hiroshi Kikuchi

Hiroto Kawaguchi

Yoshinori Koshida

Jiro Tanuma

Fumihiko Iida

Takayuki Tanaka

Taizo Nishimura

Yukio Ota

Kuniharu Hayashi

Hayato Hasegawa

Shyoichi Watanabe

Toshio Kano

Hiroyuki Yajima

Tetsuro Goto

Shogo Shinkai

Hiroshi Mizuno

Akira Ebisui

Tomoko Katsuhara

Tomoaki Suzuki

Kei Tsukamoto

Kazuyoshi Yoshida

Kazuhiko Nagaoka

Masanori Maekawa

Yoshitatsu Okiyama

Syuichiro Ogata

Yuji Takahashi

Hideo Tanaka

Minoru Mizutani

Toru Ishihara

Yasuyuki Abe

Yoshiteru Taka

Naohiro Takahashi

Makoto Yabuki

Yasushi Itoshiro

Ryota Kitamura

Toshihiro Nakano

Masakuni Anada

Provided are an input device and an electronic apparatus each including capacitive elements and being capable of allowing a plurality of information items to be separately input by simple operations. The input device includes: a capacitive element; a conductor that can be electrostatically coupled to the capacitive element; an operation portion that allows a load to be applied to the conductor; and a retaining portion that retains the conductor apart from the capacitive element. The retaining portion is capable of displacing the conductor with respect to the capacitive element in a stepwise manner in accordance with the load that is applied to the conductor through intermediation of the operation portion, and is capable of retaining the conductor at a plurality of positions with respect to the capacitive element.

Input device and electronic apparatus

There is provided an information processing device including a capacitance variation detection unit configured to detect an operation input to each of a plurality of key regions as a capacitance variation amount of a capacitive element, the key region being provided on a sheet-like operation member, the capacitive element being provided in association with each of the key regions, the capacitance variation amount being dependent on a change in a distance between the key region and the capacitive element, and an input state determination unit configured to determine whether an input state of the key region is an ON state based on the detected capacitance variation amount, the ON state being a state in which the operation input to the key region is decided to be valid. The input state determination unit determines an end of the ON state based on a differential value of the capacitance variation amount.

Method and apparatus for controlling an input device

There is provided a sensor device that includes a flexible first conductor layer and an electrode substrate. The electrode substrate includes a plurality of first electrode wires, a plurality of second electrode wires, capacity sensors being formed at capacitively coupled portions of the first and second electrode wires, and a flexible substrate that supports the first and second electrode wires. The sensor device also includes a first supporting body including a plurality of first structures that connect the first conductor layer and the electrode substrate.

Sensor device, input device, and electronic apparatus

An input apparatus including a deformable sheet-like operational member having a plurality of key areas.

Deformable keyboard with adjustable layout

A sensor unit is provided and includes a first substrate, first and second electrodes, an input portion disposed so that a gap exists between the substrate and the input portion, a plurality of first structures disposed in the gap and extending at least partially between the first substrate and the input portion, and a second insulating structure disposed on a side of the first structures that is away from the input portion, or between adjacent first structures. The sensor unit is configured to detect a change in capacitance between the first and second electrodes upon a change in position of the input portion relative to the first substrate.

Sensor unit, input device, and electronic apparatus

A sensor apparatus includes: a sensor panel that includes an input operation surface and is configured to detect positional coordinates of a detection object that comes into contact with the input operation surface; a casing; and a pressure-sensitive sensor that includes a first electrode fixed on the sensor panel side, a second electrode fixed on the casing side, and an elastic member that is provided between the sensor panel and the casing and elastically supports the sensor panel with respect to the casing, includes, between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first area formed with a first capacitance and a second area formed with a second capacitance larger than the first capacitance, and is configured to detect a pressing force input to the input operation surface as a change in a capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.

Sensor apparatus and information processing apparatus

Provided is a capacitance sensor including: a first electrode including a first region gradually larger in height with respect to a width direction parallel to a first direction in parallel with a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a second region gradually smaller in height with respect to the width direction, and a third region causing the first and second regions to be opposed; a second electrode opposed to the first region in the second direction, and gradually smaller in height with respect to the first direction in parallel with the second direction; a third electrode opposed to the second region in the second direction and gradually larger in height with respect to the first direction in parallel with the second direction; and a support body supporting electrode groups including the first to third electrodes while connected via the third region, and arranging those groups along the second direction.

Capacitance sensor and information input apparatus

A method of forming an electrostatic latent image includes printing operation and toner recovering operation. The printing operation includes charging, forming an electrostatic latent image, developing, and transferring operations. The toner recovering operation includes the step of charging the photosensitive drum in timed relation to the rotation of the photosensitive drum after printing operation so that reversely charged toner deposited on the charging roller migrates from the charging roller to the photosensitive drum. The toner migrated from the charging roller to the photosensitive drum is recovered into a developer. An apparatus for forming an image includes a charging roller, photosensitive drum, developing roller, and transfer roller. The apparatus further includes a reversely-charged-toner recovering device which causes the photosensitive drum to be charged in timed relation to the rotation of the photosensitive drum after printing operation so that the reversely charged toner deposited on the charging roller migrates to the photosensitive drum. The developer recovers the toner which has migrated to the photosensitive drum from the charging roller.

Method and apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image with

A method of forming an electrostatic latent image includes printing operation and toner recovering operation. the printing operation includes charging, forming an electrostatic latent image, developing, and transferring operations. The toner recovering operation includes the step of charging the photosensitive drum in timed relation to the rotation of the photosensitive drum after printing operation so that reversely charged toner deposited on the charging roller migrates from the charging roller to the photosensitive drum. The toner migrated from the charging roller to the photosensitive drum is recovered into a developer. An apparatus for forming an image includes a charging roller, photosensitive drum, developing roller, and transfer roller. The apparatus further includes a reversely-charged-toner recovering device which causes the photosensitive drum to be charged in timed relation to the rotation of the photosensitive drum after printing operation so that the reversely charged toner deposited on the charging roller migrates to the photosensitive drum. The developer recovers the toner which has migrated to the photosensitive drum from the charging roller.

Image drum cartridge

A fusing apparatus 14 for fusing toner onto paper includes a heater roller 2 and a separating unit 15 with a separation claw 16. The separation claw 16 is provided with a paper guide member 17 having a curvature in a direction opposite to the curvature from a point a to a point c on the heater roller 2. After fusing, the front end 10a of the separated paper 10 is guided by the paper guide member 17. The paper guide member 17 reforms a curl imparted by the heating roller 2 curl into the original state, even if the paper 10 sticks to the heater roller 2 until the point c.

Fusing apparatus having a paper separating unit

A continuous sheet guide mechanism for a printer having a rotatable cylindrical platen and a bottom guide plate disposed below the cylindrical platen forming a sheet guide path therebetween as well as a sheet inlet opening and a sheet outlet opening, a sheet guide plane formed upstream of the bottom guide plate for guiding a sheet into the sheet inlet opening and a pair of tractor units provided near the sheet outlet opening, the tractor units being supported on a fixed support shaft disposed near and parallel to the platen, and on a driving shaft for driving the tractor units, extending parallel to the support shaft. A sheet guide member is slidably mounted on the fixed support shaft and rotatably mounted on the driving shaft, the sheet guide member being composed of an upper gide wall for guiding the continuous sheet wound around the platen, a guide leg depending from the upper guide wall and having an inclined section forming an obtuse angle with the sheet guide plane so as to guide the continuous sheet downward toward a space below the platen and allow the sheet to be wound correctly around the platen. The guide leg includes a supporting section defining a recess which engages the driving shaft and a front end of the supporting section is rounded for guiding the sheet in the upward and reverse directions. The guide mechanism can include a paper separator for separating a sheet being guided from the printer.

Continuous sheet guide mechanism

A printer includes a first paper feed passage extending from the rear of a platen to a printing position through the lower part of the platen, and a second paper feed passage extending from substantially just under the printing position to the printing position. A first pinch roller is disposed on the way to the first paper feed passage for pressing a first paper against the platen. The first paper is fed by rotating the platen. A second pinch roller is disposed on the way to the second paper feed passage for pressing the second paper against the platen. Rotation of the platen causes the second paper to be fed. In addition, a paper insertion device includes a flat part for placing a paper thereon and a slit for converting the advance direction of a paper from horizontal to vertical. With the second paper placed on the flat part and inserted into the printer, the paper is directed upwardly by a curved surface defining the slit and is allowed to enter the second paper feed passage with ease for further advance.

Printer and paper insertion device suitable therefor

An ink ribbon cassette to be used in wire dot printer has an ink supply to lengthen a life cycle thereof. An ink ribbon is held between a drive gear and an idle gear and is delivered thereby. The ink supply contacts the idle gear so that ink is supplied from the idle gear to the ink ribbon. The teeth of the idle gear are specifically shaped such that the bottom of the teeth are formed in the shape of a circular arc so that the ink is uniformly supplied to the ink ribbon.

Ink ribbon cassette including gear teeth configured to re-ink the ribbon

A printer includes a platen having a longitudinal axis and a printing head mounted in opposition to the platen. The guide shaft is mounted to extend parallel to the axis of the platen. A carriage supports the printing head and includes a carriage frame mounted on the guide shaft for movement axially therealong and for movement rotatably thereabout and a base plate having a first end integral with the carriage frame and a second end directed away therefrom. A guide plate is fixed at a position below the second end of the base plate and extends parallel to the guide shaft. A parallel link mechanism includes a fixing member attached to a lower surface of the second end of the base plate and a slider memebr connected to the fixing member. The slider member has a slot within which fits the guide plate, such that movement of the carriage axially of the guide shaft causes the parallel link mechanism and the second end of the base plate to be guided by the guide plate. An adjusting screw is threaded through a hole in the second end of the base plate and has a tip end in engagement with the slider member. Thus, upon rotation of the adjusting screw the slider member and the second end of the base plate are moved relatively toward or away from each other, thereby moving the carriage and the printing head rotatably about the guide shaft to increase or decrease the platen gap. A flexible member connects the slider member to the fixing member to prevent the slider member from becoming inclined relative to the guide plate.

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Tokyo, Japan

Takashi Itaya