Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Sharp Corporation

Toshihisa Matsuo

Yoshikado Yamada

Yoshiteru Mori

Masakiyo Okuda

Atsushi Narukawa

Junichi Kajiwara

Yoshiyuki Noda

Junya Masuda

Toshio Yamagishi

Koji Katamoto

Hideo Taniguchi

Norihide Kunikawa

Kaoru Suzuki

Masashi Toyoda

Katsutoshi Ishikawa

Tadashi Okada

Tohru Hanaoka

Kazuyuki Ougita

Kohhei Matsuo

A cleaning robot () which is an autonomous mobile system performs coordinate conversion of three-dimensional coordinate data acquired by measurement in a distance image sensor () which is arranged in a frontward and obliquely downward direction to generate three-dimensional coordinate data of a floor surface reference. Labels are applied to this data by judging a level difference or an obstacle according to height from a floor surface (F) to create overhead view image data seen from directly above a cleaning robot main body. The overhead view image data is scanned, and only when the labels are arranged in a specific order, processing for substituting an unspecified area with a level difference is performed. Thereby, positional deviation of an edge of the level difference, which is caused by a blind spot, is corrected and a position of the level difference is able to be grasped accurately.

Surrounding environment recognition device, autonomous mobile system using same, and surrounding environment recognition method

An optical transmission controller includes a semiconductor-laser, a semiconductor laser driver, a monitor photoreceptor, a waveform detector and a phase relation adjuster. The semiconductor laser driver allows the semiconductor laser to output an optical signal. The monitor photoreceptor monitors the optical signal output. The waveform detector detects a fall state of the optical signal output. The phase relation adjuster adjusts a phase relation between a fall timing of an input current and a variation timing of a relaxation oscillation of the optical signal output in accordance with a detection result of the waveform detector.

Optical transmission controller

In an optical recording medium of the present invention, plural pits which carry main information recorded in a user area and tangential push/pull (T-PP) information required for reproducing the main information recorded in T-PP area are formed. The pit length in a track direction is formed according to the main information, and the pit depth is formed according to the T-PP information, and copyright protection information by digital watermarking is embedded in the main information. Also, if the optical disk by unauthorized copying is loaded, a reproducing apparatus restricts the reproduction thereof.

Optical recording medium and reproducing apparatus

A CPU detects the available space A of a first recording medium, the available space B of a second recording medium and a preprogrammed image information amount C necessary for preprogrammed recording by first and second recording medium space managing portions and the contents of preprogrammed recording input from an operation portion by the user. When the preprogrammed image information amount C is larger than the available space A of the first recording medium, an amount of shortage in recording space for preprogrammed information D is obtained from the CPU by subtracting the available space A of the first recording medium from the preprogrammed image information amount C. A larger amount of image information than the recording space shortage D is selected from the image information stored on the first recording medium, and the selected image information is moved to the second recording medium.

Image recording system and method for controlling the image recording system

An image recording apparatus includes a reference clock signal generating unit which generates a reference clock signal; a light beam generating unit which generates a plurality of light beams; a beam detect sensor which detects the plurality of generated light beams to output a plurality of light beam detection signals; an image clock signal. generating unit responding to the reference clock signal and the plurality of light beam detection signals to successively generate a plurality of image clock signals. These clock signals have the same period, and correspond to the plurality of light beam detection signals. Additionally, included is a modulating unit responsive to the plurality of image clock signals to modulate the generated plurality of light beams based on the plurality of image data; a driving circuit which drives the light beam generating unit based on the plurality of modulated light beams; a light beam scanning unit which performs a period scan on a photoreceptor with the plurality of generated light beams; and an image recording unit that records an image based on the plurality of light beams used to scan the photoreceptor.

Image recording apparatus simultaneously recording a plurality of line images with a plurality of light beams

A light beam deflection scanner includes a plural number of semiconductor laser beam elements which are correctable so that they emit beams having an amount of light equal to each other. A light amount correcting circuit in the light beam deflection scanner, effects a correcting process comprising the steps of: emitting a light beam with a predetermined voltage applied to one semiconductor laser beam element; measuring a recovery time from when the light beam detecting sensor detects the light beam until the output voltage from the light beam detecting sensor returns to a predetermined level of voltage, and correcting the light amount of the light beam of the semiconductor laser beam element based on the recovery time.

Light beam deflection scanner

A sheet registration apparatus for registering sheets all at one time by regulating them at a reference position on the side of the sheet transport direction and on the side perpendicular to the sheet transport side. The sheet registration apparatus comprises: a regulation plate for regulating the side of the sheets perpendicular to the discharge direction (or transport direction) thereof with respect to sort bins for receiving the sheets which have been imaged by an image forming apparatus; and a reference wall for regulating the side of the sheets in the transport direction. On the other hand, a registration rod, as extended through inclined openings formed in the sort bins, are moved toward the regulation plate and turned to the direction to feed the sheets toward the reference wall, so that the sheets are registered while being regulated by the regulation plate and the reference wall in accordance with the movement for the registration of the registration rod.

Sheet registration apparatus

An image forming apparatus of the invention includes: a sheet-type determining device which determines whether the fed sheet is of plain paper or of OHP film; a first timer which sets up the arrival timing of the sheet for the high-speed mode; a second timer which sets up the arrival timing of the sheet for the low-speed mode; a selecting device which selects the first timer when the type of the sheet determined by the sheet-type determining device is plain paper and selects the second timer in the case of OHP film; and a warning device which, if in either of the modes, the sheet does not reach a predetermined site within the predetermined arrival time, determines that the sheet has jammed and informs the user of the point of jamming.

Image forming apparatus having a plurality of sensors for detecting

A copy material feeding device in accordance with the present invention includes at least one rotatable cassette having a copy material orientation changing device for shifting copy material thereon in at least two feeding positions from which the copy paper is fed; and at least one fixed cassette without the copy material orientation changing device. The feeding device has an arrangement wherein the rotatable cassette is disposed in such a position that a transport path from the rotatable cassette to the copying apparatus is allowed to be shorter than that from the fixed cassette to the copying apparatus. Accordingly, with respect to copy paper of a predetermined size stored in the rotatable cassette, both lateral and longitudinal feeds are performed by way of the shortest transport path, that is, in a minimized transport time, and therefore the arrangement permits the copy paper to be transported to the copying machine at high speeds.

Image forming device having a plurality of copy material feeding members

A feeding device for enabling continuous copy paper feed from a first and second cassette. When copy material of the same size is stored in a first cassette and an absence of copy material is detected in the first cassette, orientation of the second rotatable cassette is altered, if necessary to coincide with that of the first cassette, and paper feed continues from the second rotatable cassette. Still further, the second rotatable cassette may be selected for continuing copy paper feed if copy material within the first cassette is detected to be less than a predetermined amount.

Feeding device for enabling continuous copy paper feed from plural copy

A sheet feeding device, includes a lift down sensor for detecting a rotating plate of a rotatable cassette lowered down to a planar position, a lift up sensor for detecting the rotating plate lifted up to a sheet feeding position, a lateral feed position detecting sensor for detecting the rotatable cassette situated in the lateral feeding position, a longitudinal feed position detecting sensor for detecting the rotatable cassette situated in the longitudinal feeding position, and control means for controlling the drive mechanisms of the sheet feeding device. In the rotating operation of the rotatable cassette, if the lift down sensor is not turned on, the rotating plate is lowered so as to turn on the lift down sensor, thereafter the rotatable cassette is rotated to the predetermined longitudinal or lateral feeding position, and after the lateral or longitudinal feed position detecting sensor is turned on, the rotating plate is lifted up until the lift up sensor is turned on.

Sheet feeding device having movable sheet placing unit for use in a

An electronic photo-copying apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises: at least one paper feed device comprising a paper feed cassette rotatably supported so as to move in the feeding direction thereof interchangeably between the longitudinal and lateral directions and a driving device for rotating the paper feed unit; and, a control device for controlling the paper feed device so as to permit it to switch the feeding direction of copy paper interchangeably between the longitudinal and lateral feeding directions by rotating the paper feed device by the driving device regardless of operation conditions of an electronic photo-copying apparatus main body. With the above arrangement, since the paper feed cassette can be rotated in the direction interchangeably between the longitudinal and lateral directions even when the electronic photo-copying apparatus main body is in operation, waiting time can be eliminated which is required for switching the feeding directions of copy paper stored in the paper feed cassette, and therefore working efficiency can be improved.

Electronic photo-copying apparatus

A feeding device comprises lateral and longitudinal feed position sensors for detecting that a rotatable cassette is placed in lateral or longitudinal feed positions, respectively, and a control device for controlling a cassette rotating motor based on the input from the lateral feed position sensor or the longitudinal feed position sensor, such that the longitudinal or lateral feed positions of the rotatable cassette and a fixed cassette differ. Accordingly, a situation can be avoided where the rotatable cassette and the fixed cassette that contain copy paper sheets of the same size are placed in the same longitudinal or lateral feed direction. The time can therefore be shortened for feeding the required amount of copy paper sheets in the apparatus to which the feeding device is attached. In addition, a rotation prohibition input device can be provided for inputting to the control device an instruction prohibiting the rotation of the rotatable cassette. The device is arranged such that the control device cancels the control to the cassette rotating motor in response to input from the rotation prohibition input device. Consequently, the time needed for feeding the required amount of copy paper sheets may be shortened. In addition, when the rotatable cassette and the fixed cassette contain copy paper sheets of the same size and are placed in the same longitudinal or lateral feed direction, a large amount of copy paper sheets can be supplied continuously when necessary.

Feeding device

An image forming apparatus comprising rotatable cassettes rotated by cassette rotating means between a longitudinal feeding station from which paper is fed in a longitudinal direction thereof and a lateral feeding station from which paper is fed in a lateral direction thereof, wherein memory means stores a cassette rotation signal, when the cassette rotation signal is entered therein and cassette rotating means is controlled in accordance with the cassette rotation signal stored in the memory means when a cassette rotation permission signal for permitting the rotation of the rotatable cassette is generated, so that the rotatable cassette is set in a predetermined feeding station. The invention also provides an image forming apparatus capable of storing the feeding station of the rotatable cassette in the memory means and rotating the rotatable cassette to the feeding station stored in the memory means when the rotatable cassette is out of both longitudinal feeding station and lateral feeding station. Further, the invention provides an imagae forming apparatus capable of selecting a desired cassette from a plurality of cassettes and instructing to rotate the rotatable cassette by depressing a minimum number of operation keys. The invention further provides an image forming apparatus wherein the rotatable cassette is taken out therefrom by setting the rotatable cassette in either of the longitudinal feeding station and the lateral feeding station, characterized in that the rotatable cassette is set in the feeding station specified as a rotatable cassette taking-out/insertion position each time an image formation is completed.

Image forming apparatus

A position detector outputs an electrical signal of a level corresponding to a pressed position. The detector has at least three reference points, each reference region begin set therebetween. When the position detector is pressed, the region to which the pressed position belongs is discriminated, and the pressed position is operated relative to the two reference points defining the region, on the basis of the previously stored outputs from the reference points and the output from the pressed position. The position detector has a strip of upper and lower electrode both with wiring members and a grounded conductor provided under the lower electrode. The upper and lower electrodes and the wiring members for the electrodes are disposed so that they are positioned inwardly of the periphery of the conductor at least by the distance equal to that from the upper surface of the upper electrode to the upper surface of the conductor. The electromagnetic effects to the apparatus are absorbed in the grounded conductor, protecting the electrodes and wiring members from noise. On the upper surface of the upper electrode is attached are a plurality of touch protrusions.

Growing community of inventors

Nara, Japan

Toshihisa Matsuo