Patent US5289147A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5289147A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image forming apparatus having system for reducing noise
Assignee: Ricoh Co Ltd
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Filing: 1992-05-05
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Granted: 1994-02-22
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Expires: 2012-05-05
Abstract
Abstract An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a mechanism, mounted in the housing, for forming images on a medium, an operation panel formed on the housing, the mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from the operation panel by an operator, a microphone, provided in the housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of the mechanism, and a noise canceling unit for outputting an acoustic wave to an area adjacent to the operation panel of the housing, the acoustic wave being generated based on the noise detected by the microphone so that the acoustic wave and a noise present in the area cancel out, whereby the noise present in the area is reduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Tadao Koike
- 👤 Kenji Fukumizu
- 👤 Hiroo Kitagawa
- 👤 Fumihiko Ishikawa
- 👤 Tkaaki Yanagisawa
- 👤 Satoshi Kanda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 23:44
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; B; B41; B41J; B41J29/00; B41J29/10; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/16; G10K11/175; G10K11/178; G10K11/1785; G10K11/17853; G10K11/17854; G10K11/17857; G10K11/1787; G10K11/17879; G10K11/17881; G10K2210/00; G10K2210/10; G10K2210/105; G10K2210/1052; G10K2210/12; G10K2210/30; G10K2210/301; G10K2210/3019; G10K2210/3046
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a housing; a mechanism, mounted in said housing, for forming images on a medium; an operation panel formed on said housing, said mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from said operation panel by an operator; noise detecting means, provided in said housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of said mechanism; and noise canceling means, coupled to said noise detecting means, for outputting an acoustic wave to an area adjacent to said operation panel of said housing, said acoustic wave being generated based on the noise detected by said detecting means so that said acoustic wave and a noise present in said area cancel out, whereby the noise present in said area is reduced.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a housing; a mechanism, mounted in said housing, for forming images on a medium; an operation panel formed on said housing, said mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from said operation panel by an operator; noise detecting means, provided in said housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of said mechanism; and noise canceling means, coupled to said noise detecting means, for outputting an acoustic wave to an area adjacent to said operation panel of said housing, said acoustic wave being generated based on the noise detected by said detecting means so that said acoustic wave and a noise present in said area cancel out, whereby the noise present in said area is reduced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said noise detecting means includes a detector for detecting a vibration of a driving source in said mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said noise detecting means includes a microphone for detecting a noise present at a predetermined position in said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said noise canceling means comprises: filter means for filtering a first signal corresponding to the noise detected by said noise detecting means and for outputting a second signal corresponding to said acoustic wave; and outputting means for outputting said acoustic wave in accordance with said second signal supplied from said filter means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: memory means for storing a filter coefficient used in a process of said filter means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the filter coefficient stored in said memory means has been previously determined based on a noise detected in said area when said mechanism is driven.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein: said noise detecting means includes a microphone for detecting a noise present in said area when said mechanism is driven; and the apparatus further comprises determination means, coupled to said microphone, for determining the filter coefficient used in a process of said filter means based on the noise detected by said microphone, wherein said microphone and said determination means are periodically activated so that the filter coefficient stored in said memory means is updated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said determination means has an adaptive signal processing circuit for processing, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, a signal corresponding to the noise detected by said microphone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said outputting means has a loudspeaker for outputting the acoustic wave.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said image forming apparatus is a copy machine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a housing; a mechanism, mounted in said housing, for forming images on a medium; an operation panel formed on said housing, said mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from said operation panel by an operator; noise detecting means, provided in said housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of said mechanism; and noise canceling means, coupled to said noise detecting means, for outputting acoustic waves to respective areas, each of said acoustic waves being generated based on the noise detected by said detecting means so that each of said acoustic waves and a noise present in a corresponding one of said areas cancel out, whereby the noise present in each of said areas is reduced.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
126 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a housing; a mechanism, mounted in said housing, for forming images on a medium; an operation panel formed on said housing, said mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from said operation panel by an operator; noise detecting means, provided in said housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of said mechanism; and noise canceling means, coupled to said noise detecting means, for outputting acoustic waves to respective areas, each of said acoustic waves being generated based on the noise detected by said detecting means so that each of said acoustic waves and a noise present in a corresponding one of said areas cancel out, whereby the noise present in each of said areas is reduced.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said noise detecting means includes a detector for detecting a vibration of a driving source in said mechanism.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said noise detecting means includes a microphone for detecting a noise present at a predetermined position in said housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 further comprising: control means, coupled to said noise canceling means, for controlling said noise cancelling means so that said noise cancelling means selectively outputs one or a plurality of said acoustic waves to a corresponding one or a plurality of said areas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
135 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said noise canceling means comprises: filter means, coupled to said noise detecting means, for filtering a first signal corresponding to said noise detected by said noise detecting means and for outputting a second signal; a plurality of output units coupled to said filter means, each of said output units corresponding to one of said areas, each of said output units outputting one of said acoustic waves to a corresponding one of said areas in accordance with the second signal supplied from said filter means; control means for selectively activating one or a plurality of said output units; supplying means for supplying a filter coefficient to said filter means, said filter coefficient corresponding to said one or a plurality of said output units selected by said selecting means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein said supplying means has memory means for storing filter coefficients, and selecting means for selecting one of said filter coefficients stored in said memory means, said filter coefficient selected by said selected means being supplied to said selected one or a plurality of said output units.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said filter coefficients stored in said memory means have been previously determined based on noises detected in said areas when said mechanism is driven.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 16 further comprising: microphones for detecting noises in respective said areas when said mechanism is driven; and determination means, coupled to each of said microphones, for determining the filter coefficients used in a process of said filter means based on the noise detected by each of said microphones, wherein said microphones and said determination means are periodically activated so that the filter coefficients stored in said memory means are updated.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said determination means has an adaptive signal processing circuit for processing, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, signals corresponding to the noises detected by respective said microphones.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of said output units has a loudspeaker for outputting the acoustic wave.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said image forming apparatus is a copy machine.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said areas are adjacent to said housing.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
115 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: a peripheral equipment connected to said housing and operatively connected to said mechanism, said peripheral equipment capable of being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from said operation panel by an operator; and wherein said noise canceling means has first means for outputting a first acoustic wave to a first area adjacent to said operation panel so that said first acoustic wave and a noise present in said first area cancel out, and second means for outputting a second acoustic wave to a area adjacent to said peripheral equipment so that said second acoustic wave and a noise in said second area cancel out.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 23 further comprising: control means for selectively activating one or both of said first and second means of said noise canceling means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said control means selects one or both of said first and second means of said noise means in accordance with the operating instructions input from said operation panel by the operator.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said areas are remote from said housing.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein each of said output units has a loudspeaker for outputting one of said acoustic wave to a corresponding one of said areas, and wherein said loudspeaker is mounted in a partition wall set up at a position remote from said housing.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein each of said output units has a loudspeaker for outputting one of said acoustic waves to a corresponding one of said areas, and wherein said loudspeaker is provided close to a desk set up in a position remote from said housing.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
121 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a housing; a mechanism, mounted in said housing, for forming images on a medium; an operation panel formed on said housing, said mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from said operation panel by an operator; noise detecting means, provided in said housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of said mechanism; and noise canceling means, coupled to said noise detecting means, for outputting an acoustic wave to an area remote from said housing, said acoustic wave being generated based on the noise detected by said detecting means so that said acoustic wave and a noise present in said area cancel out, whereby the noise present in said area is reduced.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
121 words
An image forming apparatus comprising: a housing; a mechanism, mounted in said housing, for forming images on a medium; an operation panel formed on said housing, said mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from said operation panel by an operator; noise detecting means, provided in said housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of said mechanism; and noise canceling means, coupled to said noise detecting means, for outputting an acoustic wave to an area remote from said housing, said acoustic wave being generated based on the noise detected by said detecting means so that said acoustic wave and a noise present in said area cancel out, whereby the noise present in said area is reduced.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said noise detecting means includes a detector for detecting a vibration of a driving source in said mechanism.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said noise detecting means includes a microphone for detecting a noise at a predetermined position in said housing.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said noise canceling means comprises: filter means for filtering a first signal corresponding to the noise detected by said noise detecting means and for outputting a second signal corresponding to said acoustic wave; and outputting means for outputting said acoustic wave in accordance with the second signal supplied from said filter means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 32, further comprising: memory means for storing a filter coefficient used in a process of said filter means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein the filter coefficient stored in said memory means has been previously determined based on a noise detected in said area when said mechanism is driven.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 33 further comprising: a microphone for detecting a noise in said area when said mechanism is driven; and determination means, coupled to said microphone, for determining the filter coefficient used in a process of said filter means based on the noise detected by said microphone, wherein said microphone and said determination means are periodically activated so that the filter coefficient stored in said memory means is updated.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein said determination means has an adaptive signal processing circuit for processing, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, a signal corresponding to the noise detected by said microphone.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein said outputting means has a loudspeaker for outputting the acoustic wave.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said image forming apparatus is a copy machine.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-02-21 | 1997-08-23 | 1998-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-02-21 | 2001-08-23 | 2002-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-02-21 | 2005-08-23 | 2006-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |