The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 18, 2013
Filed:
Aug. 23, 2010
Hidemasa Suzuki, Kanagawa, JP;
Koji Masuda, Kanagawa, JP;
Takeshi Ueda, Tokyo, JP;
Ricoh Company, Limited, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A reflective optical sensor detects a position and/or a toner density of the toner pattern. The reflective optical sensor includes an illuminating system that has at least three light-emitting units, a light-receiving system that has at least three light-receiving units and receives light output from the illuminating system and reflected by the toner pattern, and an illuminating optical system that includes at least three illuminating condenser lenses individually corresponding to the at least three light-emitting units and that guides the light output from the illuminating system to the toner pattern. The at least three light-emitting units and the at least three light-receiving units are both arranged in equal distance with respect to one direction. Optical axes of the at least three illuminating condenser lenses are off-center in parallel to an axis passing through a center of and perpendicular to the corresponding light-emitting unit.