Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Tetsuya Nagase

Kazuo Yoshinaga

Nobuatsu Sasanuma

Shinobu Arimoto

Takehiko Nakai

Toshio Hayashi

Tsutomu Utagawa

Hiroshi Tanioka

Katsuichi Shimizu

Yutaka Komiya

Masahiko Yokota

Hiroshi Nakahata

Yoshiki Uchida

Toshihiko Kudo

Yukihiro Fujiwara

Yoshinobu Sato

Junko Kuramochi

At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a first airflow guide device covering an upper portion of a polygon mirror and having respective opening portions in an upper surface and a lower surface. The lower surface opening portion can have an annular wall opened in the direction all around the perimeter of the polygon mirror, facilitating an airflow path capable of circulating an airflow between the upper surface opening portion and the lower surface opening portion. Thus, airflow generated in a vertical direction in association with the rotation of the polygon motor, is guided, and variations in pressure applied to the polygon motor are reduced, thus facilitating an increase in the rotation accuracy of the polygon motor.

Optical scanning apparatus having an air path for airflow generated by a rotating mirror

The present invention relates to a sheet conveying apparatus comprising a communication device, which performs communications with an RFID tag attached to a sheet material passing through a conveyance path, wherein a maximum communicable distance between the communication device and the RFID tag on the conveyance path is smaller than a sum of an interval between sheet materials to be sequentially conveyed onto the conveyance path and a length of the sheet material in a conveyance direction.

Sheet conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus

There is provided a light beam scanning apparatus which deflects a light beam from a light source by using a deflector and scans the surface of a photosensitive member with a focused light beam. The light beam scanning apparatus includes a first electro-optical element placed on the optical axis of the light beam between the light source and the deflector. The first electro-optical element includes an electro-optical crystal and transparent electrodes respectively provided on surfaces of the electro-optical crystal which oppose each other in the optical axis direction.

Light beam scanning apparatus with electro-optic crystal

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising: an exposing means and a developing means. The developing means comprises a plurality of developing devices, a rotating member rotatable while supporting the plurality of the developing devices, and a driving means for the rotation drive of the rotating member for selectively moving the plurality of the developing devices to the developing position such that the driving means transmits driving force to the rotating member via a gear at a drive transmitting position. An angle &#x3b8;e(&#xb0;) formed by a straight line linking the rotation center of the rotating member and the drive transmitting position and the tangent of the image bearing member at an exposing position in the image bearing member moving direction satisfies the following relationship with the premise that an pressure angle of the gear is &#x3b1;(&#xb0;) and the image bearing member rotating direction is positive:&#x2212;&#x3b1;&#x2266;&#x3b8;e&#x2266;&#x3b1;.

Image forming apparatus configured so that an angel is formed by straight line connecting a rotation center of a rotary and a drive transmitting position, and a tangent line at a transfer position of an image bearing member

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising: an exposing means and a developing means. The developing means comprises a plurality of developing devices, a rotating member rotatable while supporting the plurality of the developing devices, and a driving means for the rotation drive of the rotating member for selectively moving the plurality of the developing devices to the developing position such that the driving means transmits driving force to the rotating member via a gear at a drive transmitting position. An angle &#x3b8;e(&#xb0;) formed by a straight line linking the rotation center of the rotating member and the drive transmitting position and the tangent of the image bearing member at an exposing position in the image bearing member moving direction satisfies the following relationship with the premise that an pressure angle of the gear is &#x3b1;(&#xb0;) and the image bearing member rotating direction is positive: &#x2212;&#x3b1;&#x2266;&#x3b8;e&#x2266;&#x3b1;.

Image forming apparatus

This invention provides an image reading device capable of precise detection of the optical signal over a wide wavelength range, by forming a photoelectric converting unit for converting the visible light into an electrical signal and a photoelectric converting unit for converting the invisible light into an electrical signal, in monolithic manner on a single semiconductor chip.

Image reading device

An image processor includes a first reader which obtains a first signal corresponding to visible information read on an original, and a second reader which obtains a second signal corresponding to invisible information on the original. A comparator compares the first and second signals to discriminate a predetermined pattern on the original.

Method and apparatus for determining a predetermined pattern on an original based on visible and invisible information on the original

An invisible information detection apparatus includes parts that irradiate a light onto a medium, detect infrared light generated from the medium, and judge a specific pattern consisting of a combination of two areas on the medium in accordance with the detection result. One of the areas represents higher reflectance than the reflectance of the medium in substantially the same infrared wavelength region, and the other area represents lower reflectance than that of the medium. An invisible information detection method comprises an irradiation step, a detection step and a judgment step. The judgment step judges a specific pattern of a combination of two areas on the medium in accordance with the result from the detection step. One of the areas represents higher reflectance, and the other area represents lower reflectance, as compared to the reflectance of the medium, in substantially the same infrared wavelength region.

Invisible information detecting apparatus

Image reading device with offset faces for visible and non-visible light

An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus and an image processing method both offering a high-precision and general-purpose capability of identifying an image and performing appropriate processing depending on whether identification is effected. In the image processing apparatus and image processing method, image data is detected in visible and invisible light reflected from each of a target pixel and surrounding pixels. Based on the image data detected in visible and invisible light, a specific pattern is identified. The specific pattern appears substantially the same in color as a surrounding area under visible light but different in characteristic therefrom under invisible light, which is identified using the image data of the target pixel and surrounding pixels provided by a detector. The image processing apparatus is controlled depending on whether the identification is effected.

Image processing apparatus and method, and image reading apparatus

Visible information of the document sheet and information other the visible information are efficiently read by an image sensing apparatus including a first line sensor for reading the visible information of the document sheet and a second line sensor for reading the information other than the visible information.

Photosensor with filter for cutting off the input of invisible

A method and apparatus for processing a medium on which an identification mark is formed using a plurality of recording materials having fluorescent characteristics in wavelength regions almost overlapping with each other and having maximum absorbing characteristics at different wavelengths. The method and apparatus include the features of detecting, on the medium, the identification mark which is comprised of the plurality of recording materials and controlling an operation of a processing apparatus in accordance with a result of the detecting of the identification mark.

Non-visualized information recording medium and apparatus for detecting

To properly cut light except for visible light and improve read precision, there is provided an image reading apparatus having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements. The image reading apparatus includes an image information detecting unit in which the photoelectric conversion elements are arranged on a single chip, a first light-shielding unit, arranged near the photoelectric conversion elements, for transmitting specific visible light, and a second light-shielding unit, arranged near the photoelectric conversion elements at a position different from that of the first light-shielding unit, for partially shielding light except for the visible light.

Image reading apparatus and image processing apparatus for reading

An image reading apparatus includes, as an arrangement for discriminating a specific image with high precision, first illumination means for illuminating an object image so as to perform a normal reading operation, second illumination means for illuminating the object image with light having characteristics different from those of the light from the first illumination means so as to discriminate whether or not the object image is a specific image, and means for adjusting the quantity of light emitted from the first and second illumination means.

Image reading and copying using plural illumination sources having

A specified original that is not supposed to be copied is marked with a pattern that is formed by infrared reflected light. A copying apparatus includes a detecting unit for detecting the pattern and determines that an original is the specified original in accordance with the detection by the detecting unit. A copying operation is controlled in accordance with the determination of whether the original is the specified original that is not supposed to be copied.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Tetsuya Nagase