Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Sony Group Corporation

Ntn Corporation

Takuro Kamiya

Koichi Kudo

Junya Takigawa

Yuichi Hirose

Hiroaki Takagi

Makoto Nakura

Shingo Takai

Satoshi Ueda

Naoto Ueda

Akira Kobashi

Shuntaro Aotake

Hiromichi Matsuda

Shun Kaizu

Shinichi Namekata

Toshihiro Okamoto

Katsuya Kawagoe

Hideyuki Takayama

Tomonori Masuno

Hideaki Kibune

Satoru Tao

Michihito Ohashi

Noritaka Masuda

Yoshimi Asayama

Hideaki Sugata

Kazuya Nagao

Hiroki Tsubouchi

Hajime Mihara

There is provided a signal processing device, a signal processing method, and a distance-measuring module that allow improvement in distance measurement accuracy. The signal processing device includes an estimation unit that estimates, in a pixel including a first tap that detects a charge photoelectrically converted by a photoelectric conversion unit and a second tap that detects the charge photoelectrically converted by the photoelectric conversion unit, a sensitivity difference between taps of the first tap and the second tap by using first to fourth detection signals obtained by detecting reflected light generated by emission light reflected by an object in first to fourth phases with respect to the emission light. The present technology can be applied to, for example, a distance-measuring module that performs distance measurement by the indirect ToF method, and the like.

Signal processing device, signal processing method, and distance-measuring module

A ranging processing device includes: a four-phase ranging operation unit that performs an operation to calculate depth indicating a distance to an object by using all eight detection signals two of which are detected for each of irradiated light of first to fourth phases; a two-phase ranging operation unit that performs the operation to calculate the depth indicating the distance to the object by alternately using four detection signals based on the irradiated light of the first phase and the irradiated light of the second phase and four detection signals based on the irradiated light of the third phase and the irradiated light of the fourth phase among the eight detection signals; and a condition determination unit that makes condition determination based on the detection signals and switch between the four-phase ranging operation unit and the two-phase ranging operation unit to be used.

Ranging processing device, ranging module, ranging processing method, and program

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet including a drive roller, a driven roller, and a rotary encoder provided on a rotational axle of one of the drive roller and the driven roller; a conveying amount measuring unit that measures a conveying amount of the sheet; a first detection unit positioned downstream of the sheet conveying unit, the first detection unit being positioned apart from the drive roller and the driven roller not to overlap with the drive roller and the driven roller in the conveying direction; a second detection unit positioned upstream of the sheet conveying unit; and a conveying distance calculation unit that calculates a conveying distance of the sheet based on the measured result by the conveying amount measuring unit and the detected results detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

Sheet conveying apparatus, image forming apparatus, sheet conveying distance calculation apparatus and sheet length calculation apparatus

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a sheet conveying unit that conveys a sheet; a conveying amount measuring unit that measures a conveying amount of the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveying unit; a first detection unit that detects the sheet downstream of the sheet conveying unit in a conveying direction of the sheet; a second detection unit that detects the sheet upstream of the sheet conveying unit in the conveying direction of the sheet; and a conveying distance calculation unit that calculates a conveying distance of the sheet based on the measured result by the conveying amount measuring unit and the detected results detected by the first detection unit and the second detection unit.

An image forming apparatus is disclosed that includes an image carrier, a driving source, a rotation detection unit, and a control unit that performs fluctuation pattern recognition processing, control pattern construction processing, speed fine-adjustment processing, and remaining pattern recognition processing. The control unit is configured to perform control pattern correction processing for setting a frequency band of a remaining speed fluctuation to be detected by the remaining pattern recognition processing narrower than a frequency band of a speed fluctuation to be detected by the fluctuation pattern recognition processing and correcting the speed control pattern so as to be a pattern capable of reducing even the remaining speed fluctuation based on a remaining speed fluctuation pattern recognized by the remaining pattern recognition processing.

Image forming apparatus for detecting speed fluctuation

A steering controller uses a photointerrupter that detects the position of a filler when a steering roller is in a predetermined reference inclined position. The steering controller drives a steering motor to bring the steering roller to the reference inclined position based on a detection result obtained by the photointerrupter every time predetermined adjustment timing arrives or every time the power is turned on. Using the rotation angle of the steering motor in this condition as a reference rotation angle, the steering controller controls the rotation of the steering motor.

Belt driving device and image forming apparatus using the same

A belt conveying device includes an endless belt stretched by a plurality of rollers; a drive unit that is connected to one of the plurality of rollers and drives the roller; a plurality of belt velocity detectors that are arranged at a plurality of locations along a belt width direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the endless belt and detect conveyance velocities of the endless belt; and a belt-inclination calculating unit that calculates an inclination of the endless belt in the moving direction from a difference between conveyance velocities of the endless belt detected by the plurality of belt velocity detectors.

Belt conveying device and image forming apparatus

A coupling unit includes two constant velocity joints arranged in series in the shaft direction. The coupling unit couples a driven shaft and a drive shaft. Each constant velocity joint includes a ball non-retaining member and a ball retaining member. The ball non-retaining member has an annular space with one opened end and a plurality of track grooves extending in the shaft direction on an external wall surface of the annular space at a constant interval in a circumferential direction. The ball retaining member has a portion that engages with the annular space of the ball non-retaining member, and that retains a ball that slides along each of the track grooves formed in the ball non-retaining member.

Coupling device, and image forming apparatus

A position detecting device includes a plurality of detecting units that detects marks on an object, a plurality of housing units that houses the detecting units, and a holding member that fixedly holds the housing units. A total expansion amount of the housing units due to temperature change is substantially equal to an expansion amount of the holding member between the fixed positions due to temperature change. The total expansion amount represents a total amount of expansion of the housing units from a fixed-position plane including a fixed position to a detection-position plane including a detection position in a direction parallel to a moving direction of the object. The fixed-position plane and the detection-position plane are perpendicular to the moving direction of the object.

Position detecting device and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes an image transferring device having a belt transfer unit for effectively performing an image transfer operation. The belt transfer unit includes a transport mechanism transporting a toner image, a scale provided around an entire perimeter of a surface of the transferring member and including at least one colored resin layer, and a scale reading mechanism arranged facing the scale and reading the scale. With the above-described belt transfer unit, a feedback control can effectively be performed to maintain constant reading accuracy and to prevent a voltage leak from a transfer mechanism.

Image forming method, and image transferring mechanism, a method of scale reading, a belt transfer unit, and image forming apparatus, which use or include a non-metallic scale with a colored resin layer

A driving device, an image forming device, and an image forming apparatus are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the image forming device includes a first rotator and a second rotator, which are arranged in parallel with each other. The driving device rotates the first rotator with a rotational speed different from a rotational speed of the second rotator.

Driving device, an image forming device, and an image forming apparatus

A mark detector optically detecting a scale having multiple marks formed successively at predetermined intervals along the moving direction of an endless belt member, and outputting an electrical signal corresponding to the presence or absence of the marks when the endless belt member moves is disclosed. The mark detector includes a light illumination part configured to illuminate the light illumination surface of the endless belt member on which surface the scale is formed with parallel light rays; a light receiving part configured to receive reflected light from the light illumination surface; and a variation prevention part configured to prevent a variation of the light illumination surface. The variation prevention part includes a holding member configured to hold the endless belt member in the vicinity of the light illumination surface movably in the moving direction from the exterior surface side and the interior surface side of the endless belt member.

Mark detector, drive controller, belt drive unit, and image forming apparatus

An apparatus having a photosensitive body and intermediate transfer body for successively transferring color toner images formed on the photosensitive body onto the intermediate transfer body to form an overlay transfer image which is transferred in batch onto transfer paper. Passage of a mark in a portion of the intermediate transfer body is detected by a mark detector in a passage area for the mark. A primary transfer device is provided in a primary transfer section of the appartus so as to contact the photosensitive body. An electrifying device is provided at a position of upstream in a rotating direction of the photosensitive body from the primary transfer device. A control device provides control such that in a standby state prior to starting the image forming, the distance from the mark detector to the downstream mark, viewed with respect to the direction of rotation of the intermediate transfer body, is always longer than a corresponding distance of the photosensitive body from a downstream position of the electrifying device with respect to the direction of rotation of the photosensitive body to the primary transfer section.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Takuro Kamiya