Introduction of Core Technologies

In Konica Minolta Group, we have wide array of specialized technologies and technologies that support competitiveness and attractiveness of our products. These technologies are defined as our core technologies, totaling twelve four in materials, two in optics, two in nano-fabrication and four in imaging fields. Material Field

Optical Field Nano-fabrication Field Imaging Field

Applications
Next-generation Energy: Solar Thermal Power Generation

Introduction of OLED Technology

Konica Minolta' s Spirit of Innovation Creation of Five Values What is OLED Illumination?

Environmental Technologies

Induction Heating Fusing Technology Simitri Toner Technology to extend the service life of the imaging unit Technology to increase durability of the photoconductor Technology to increase durability of the developer Energy saving technology for the medical dry imager

Material Field
Material Field technology contributes to improvement of image quality, durability, sensitivity, and productivity for such products as color materials, organic electronics, and functional display films.

Product icon explanation

This technology is to synthesize organic material with superb image quality, durability and sensitivity used for toners, graphic art and medical films and organic light emitting diode materials.

Organic EL materials Ink for inkjet textile printers Color materials for color proofing system Organic photoconductor for electro photography

This technology is to design appropriate multi-layer structure for devices such as photoconductors and radiator to enhance sensitivity and durability.

Organic photoconductor for electrophotography Organic EL material

This technology is to form nanometer to micrometer ultra-fine inorganic or organic grain uniformly, which is essential for securing high image quality for polymerized toner and medical and graphic arts films.

Fluorescent materials for X-ray system Polymerization toner Silver halide fine grain forming technology

Introduced here are film-making technology for such base film as PET and TAC, and coating technology to coat materials onto these base films and glasses. Both of these technologies support material technologies.

Making protecting film for polarizers Simultaneous multi-layer coating technology Nano-coating technology Thin film coating technology Thick layer vapor deposition

Research of next-generation flat panel display materials

Liquid crystal display (LCD) widely used now for flat panel displays is thinner and lighter than CRT displays and PDP, but it requires a back light separately because it is not a light-emitting type. Compared to this, an organic EL display of a light-emitting type has advantages that it can be made to be thinner and lighter than LCDs, and power consumption is less and visibility is higher.

Thickness (Thin)

Weight (Light)

Energy (Low power consumption)

Moving image fitness

Organic EL

Latent capability

Present condition

Liquid crystal

Latent capability

Present condition

Life (Long)

Size-enlarging

Number of primary parts (Less)

Organic EL

Latent capability

Present condition

Liquid crystal

Latent capability

Life (Long)

Size-enlarging

Number of primary parts (Less)

Present condition

In Konica Minolta, we are developing materials of organic EL which are drawing attention as a next generation technology, by using a design for materials and a precision organic composition technology which we pioneered for development of photosensitive materials and of dyes.

Development of organic EL materials for emission of blue phosphorescence

As an organic EL material, a fluorescence emission type has already been commercialized. However, a phosphorescence emission type has overwhelming advantages, and it is expected to be the nextgeneration material. In Konica Minolta, we paid close attention to phosphorescence emission type materials, and we have been studied blue emission materials considered to be difficult in principle. Among them, we developed organic EL element having higher emission efficiency, by devising emission host materials having shorter wavelength. Newly developed material CDBP is based on a simple structure change in which a methyl group is put in CBP that is conventionally only an emission host material, from the viewpoint of chemical structure, but its electronic conditions are expected to change greatly, and the phosphorescence wavelength is expected to be shortened by about 50 nm.

It has been confirmed that a series of materials in the course of development can be applied not only to a blue color, but also to a green color and a red color.

Material Field
Polymerization toner Toner that realizes a sharp prints at high quality

Compared to conventional toner, the polymerization toner realizes a clearer prints of enhanced contours because its particle is fine and uniform in a form.

Comparison of production methods between polymerization toner and pulverized toner

Production method of polymerization toner

Substances underlying plastic are coupled through a chemical reaction to produce toner particles. In this method, an effect to reduce an environmental load can be obtained, because the amount of energy used in this method is less than that in the conventional method. Characteristics: Since the toner particles are produced through the coupling by chemical reaction, the size of particles is smaller than that in conventional particles, and their sizes are uniform.

How to produce toner produced by a pulverized toner (conventional toner)

Plastic materials are heated to be melted, and then, are blown away by a strong air flow while they are cooled again, to hit a wall to be crashed, thus, toner particles are produced. Characteristics: Compared to polymerization toner, the particle size is larger, and form and size are not uniform.

Comparison of results of prints between polymerization toner and pulverized toner

Mechanism of printing: Toner powder is placed on a portion to be printed on a print sheet, and the toner is heated and crushed while it is melted, to be fixed.

Compared to conventional toner, the polymerization toner makes it possible to obtain a sharp print, and is a product having less environmental load in an aspect of materials, because the used amount of toner is less.

Silver Halide Fine Grain Forming Technology Long awaited maximum density 4.0 in the field of medical imaging

Silver halide crystallization technology is a material technology to handle micrometer to nanometer size materials in the field of silver halide photography. Currently, even higher image quality is required for dry processing X-ray film. In recent years, higher density to improve contrast became more important issue for X-ray films. With its long years of experience in silver halide grain forming technology, Konica Minolta obtained the worlds first maximum density 4.0 and succeeded in improving image quality capable of detecting extremely minute extraordinary spots.

Succeeded in forming ultra-fine grain with average grain size less than 50 nanometer

Silver halide grains produced via conventional technology (left) and via new technology (right). In order to maximize density of X-ray film, it is necessary to increase a number of silver halide grains. However, if merely coating volume is increased, it leads to a drop in image stock stability. So, for increasing a number of grains while maintaining coating volume, it is necessary to develop a technology to reduce silver halide grain size. Konica Minolta, as one of leading silver halide film manufacturer, has technology to form nanometer size grains as one of its core technologies since more than 30 years ago. One of its latest developments is to reduce average grain size to less than 50 nanometers where as the conventional average grain size ranges from 100 to 50 nanometers for medical imaging film. In the process of forming nanometer size silver halide grains, a phenomenon called Ostwald ripening often occurs. Konica Minolta succeeded in controlling this phenomenon while obtaining uniformed ultra-fine silver halide grains by low temperature grain forming technology, thus attained the maximum density 4.0 enabling high contrast imaging film.

Simultaneous multi-layer coating technology Technology to simultaneously generate multiple coated layers
Konica Minolta has accumulation of technologies to generate coating layers at a uniform precision in nano-order developed in manufacturing of silver halide films. Owing to know-how of these technologies, it is possible to give characteristics according to a use such as photo-sensitivity, heat-sensitivity or ink absorption to the surface of materials including various types of film sheets, glass plate or metal. The technology to coat a uniformly thin layer containing functional fine-grains or functional materials at a high rate is playing an active part in manufacturing of consumer goods and production goods in various fields, including manufacturing of functional films.

Special features of simultaneous multi-layer coating technology

To improve productivity, it is necessary to coat plural layers (10 or more layers) simultaneously at a high rate, without coating one layer at a time. To realize such high rate and stable production, various peripheral technologies are combined such as technologies for optimization of physical properties of solutions and for simulation of hydrodynamics, a technology for designing a coating apparatus for realizing uniformity in coating width direction and rectified flow (uniform flow), the technology to make a precision coating apparatus that requires micron-order finish, high speed and uniform drying technology and the technology of automatic coating failure detection of a nondestructive type.

Nano-coating technology Coating technology employing atmospheric pressure glow plasma processing
As a generating method for a thin optical film that is coated on the surface of a lens or a prism to control reflection and transmission of light, and for a highly functional film using a phosphor, a vacuum deposition, sputtering and ion plating are used generally. In Konica Minolta, its own vacuum deposition technology is put on practical use, and at

the same time, we are investigating the development of the atmospheric pressure glow plasma processing that can coat a large image area uniformly without using vacuum. What has arrived at the level of practical use first in the world is the system to generate a thin film at high speed, by using nitrogen as discharging gas, and by causing high density plasma glow discharge under the air pressure, eliminating use of a vacuum. According to a common opinion, this system is an extremely difficult technology which had been considered impossible because the thin film absorbs the gas, and therefore, high quality cannot be obtained.

Special features of atmospheric pressure glow plasma processing

Because of low temperature deposition, the deposition can be carried out also on a resin base, and this system can be developed to various products. This system can easily be interlocked with another process such as coating, in addition to possibility of continuous deposition, and it can cope with the trend to multiple layers and higher functions.

Examples of practical use of atmospheric pressure glow plasma processing

There have been developed various production techniques coping with various uses such as antireflection coating as optical products, water-repelling and oil-repelling films that control adhesion of contamination, transparent conductive film necessary for flat panel displays and antistatic coatings.

Coating on a material that is not resistant to heat and coating on roll-shaped film have become possible, thereby, high speed production, flexible members and large areas have been made possible.

A nano-thin-film lamination forming technology is drawing public attention as a technology indispensable for higher functions of members in a flat panel display field such as liquid crystal, organic EL and electronic paper, as well as in optical fields.

Thin Film Coating Technology Thin Film Coating Technology that Supports High Precision Optical Components
Konica Minoltas optical components are coated with metallic or dielectric thin layers in order to increase transmittance of light, selectively reflect colors, and harden surface to prevent scratches. Through this coating process, new features, never attained only by lens or prism, are added to optical components.

Especially, the dichroic prism, which selectively reflects or transmits only certain colors, plays a significant role in digital imaging devices, Blu-rays, and DVDs since it determines the image quality and characteristics of those products.

The light reflects at the interfacial surface, where refractive index differs. Due to the nature of light to form wave, by adequately controlling light reflected from thin coated layers, light can be mutually fortified or interfered to eliminate reflection. Adversely, it is also either possible to reflect 100 percent of light or transmit or reflect only certain colors of light.

To achieve this, it is necessary to precisely over-lay dozens of thin layers as thin as approximately quarter wavelength at ultra-high-precision nanometer order (equivalent to several numbers of atoms). It is popular to melt metal-oxide within vacuum chamber to deposit vapor onto substrate. This is called vacuum deposition method. In this thin film-coating process, quality of the layers greatly depends upon surface and vacuum conditions.

On the basis of long experience in surface process technologies, Konica Minolta developed such cutting-edge technologies as technology to calculate minute reflectance in order to over-lay thin layers at the accuracy of several numbers of atoms, and plasma technology to stably coat thin film layers. These state-of-the-art technologies allow us to realize extremely precise multi-layer thin film-coating at full-scale.

Konica Minoltas highly-precise state-of-the-art thin film technology, which is adopted in various optical products such as optical components for pick-up lens, projector of digital cinema, special inspection device, digital camera unit, and micro lens, is recognized as one of the top level technologies in the world and is renowned among our customers.

Thick layer vapor deposition

The image quality improvement and the decrease of the amount of radiation exposure are obtained by efficiently converting X-ray information into the image information.

Improvement in X-ray capturing efficiency

Since the quantum noise of the X-ray is dominant as the image granularity of an X-ray image, use of a highly X-ray absorbent material as a phosphor is important to the improvement of the image granularity. The cesium bromide (hereinafter referred to as "CsBr") has a high absorption coefficient in a wider X-ray energy area, and has excellent properties as a fluorescent material. Further, CsBr allows formation of a layer by vapor deposition. This is expected to ensure improvement of the fill factor -- another advantage of this technology.

Light guide effect by pillar-shaped crystal

Fig.1 Light guide effects of a pillar structure In the conventional CR(Computed Radiography) plate using a granular type phosphor, the phosphor particles are dispersed on a resin binder, and layer formation is made by coating. When this plate produced by coating is used, light scattering occurs on the interface between the phosphor particles and resin, and image sharpness is reduced by the scattering of the scanning laser beam. Further, due to the light scattering inside the layer, a loss easily tends to occur to the photostimulable luminescence in response to the X-ray information captured by the lower layer of the

plate, when detected by a light receiving section on the surface layer. By contrast, in the vapor deposition plate, the phosphor crystal is formed in the shape of a column. Thus, the intra-layer scattering of LD(Laser Diode) beam for scanning is reduced by the light guiding effect; further, this pillar-shaped structure ensures effective introduction of the photostimulable luminescence to the light receiving section. This arrangement is a very effective technological feature that improves the image quality of the CR plate (Fig. 1).

Phosphor layer formation

Fig.2 Sectional scanning electron micrograph view of CsBr phosphor

Fig. 3 Transmittance images of phosphor layer In the layer formation of the phosphor, vapor deposition conditions as such as a degree of vacuum and substrate temperature are adjusted in such a way that a phosphor will be formed in a pillar-shaped crystal structure according to the vacuum vapor deposition. A heat-resistant 17 x 17-inch smooth substrate is installed in the large-sized chamber. While adjusting the vapor deposition conditions such as a degree of vacuum and substrate temperature, the vapor deposition material is heated whereby uniformity in the vapor-deposited area is achieved. The thickness of the phosphor layer is determined while adjusting the sharpness of the image performance and the granularity, in such a way that the layer thickness will be 1.5 times that of the coated plate formed of a granular phosphor.

To examine the crystal shape of the CsBr formed into a layer, the cross section of the phosphor layer was observed using a scanning electron microscope. It has been confirmed that the CsBr phosphor forms a pillar-shaped structure, as shown in Fig. 2. Further, the phosphor layer was separated from the substrate and a spot light was applied from the back. Then it was examined from the front side. It has been revealed that a clearer image is provided by the vapor deposition plate than the coated plate (Fig. 3). This suggests a high degree of light guiding properties of the CsBr phosphor layer.

DQE (Detective quantum efficiency)

DQE is a characteristic value indicating the efficiency of converting the MTF(Modulation Transfer Function) and WS(Wiener Spectrum) to image performances with respect to a predetermined number of X-ray quantums. The greater this value, the smaller the S/N ratio of the output as compared to the signal-to-noise ratio of the input (hereinafter referred to as "S/N ratio"). In other words, the higher the DQE means the higher the S/N ratio of the output image, and this signifies an image of higher visibility. The DQE of the vapor deposition plate was calculated using the result of evaluating the image performances such as MTF and WS. The DQE is an evaluation value used as an index to express the image performance. DQE(u) in the space frequency u can be expressed by the formula (1): DQE(u) = {Y2 MTF2(u)/WS(u)}/q ... (1) where q denotes the number of incoming X-ray photons, and V shows image contrast. The DQE of the vapor deposition plate obtained from the formula (1) has been found out to be two or more times that of the coated plate. The vapor deposition plate provides a substantial improvement in the image sharpness and granularity in conformity to the image performance. Excellent results have been recorded in the visibility of the shadow of the crest of the ribs of the pectoral region and the tissue of the lung field, as compared with that of the coated plate.

Optical technology is indispensable for designing compact and high-precision optical units for MFPs and cameras, and optical measuring units such as three-dimensional measuring instruments and spectrophotometers.

Product icon explanation

This technology is to design and evaluate special lenses and optical units, so that optical units become compact and highly precise.

Optical system with a light source of a diffraction type element Optical exposure units for printers Refractive optical technology Wearable display Making protecting film for polarizers

This technology is to precisely measure color and three dimensional objects using reflected and projected lights, and mainly used in spectrophotometers and three-dimensional measuring instruments.

Multiangle spectrophotometer technology 3-dimensional measuring technology

Optical system with a light source of a diffraction type element Technology to downsize a light source optical system for a laser scanning system via integration

In digital copying machines and laser beam printers, a laser beam, turned on and off based on characters or patterns of images is applied on a charged photoconductor drum, to write an electrostatic latent image which is made visible by applying toner onto the electrostatic image with electrical force. A laser optical scanning system which guides the laser beam onto the photoconductor drum is composed of a laser diode, various types of lenses and a polygon mirror.

A laser beam emitted from the laser diode is collimated by a collimator lens into parallel light beams, and is further converged on the polygon mirror by the cylinder lens to be linear. The laser beam is reflected on the polygon mirror, and uniform rotation of the polygon mirror enables the laser beam to function for scanning. The reflected laser beams are converged on the photoconductor drum by the scanning lens.

Trend of using resins for the light source optical system

Konica Minolta has succeeded in realization of a unified resin-made light source optical system which has been composed of several glass lenses. Use of resin-made light source optical system for color as well as monochromatic laser beam printers contributes to downsizing of such printers.

Special features of the light source employing a diffraction type element

To avoid an influence of changes in the refractive index of resins caused by temperature changes, a reflecting surface is used instead of a refracting interface. Shifting of the light-convergence position generated slightly even when the reflecting surface is used, is eliminated by also using a diffraction surface. Owing to this, shifting of the light-convergence position due to temperature changes can be controlled to be

smaller than in the case of conventional optical light source systems, and contributes to stabilization of image quality of prints produced by laser beam printers and digital copying machines.

Refractive Optical Technology Refractive Optical System That Makes Digital Cameras Thinner
Conventionally, the "retractable optical system" that moves and stores the lens perpendicular to the CCD (charge-coupled device) was the mainstream as the photographic optical system for digital cameras. However, with the "retractable" type, the lens was mounted in the same direction where the camera is thickened, restricting to make the camera thinner. We, at Konica Minolta, succeeded in the development of the "refractive optical system" in which the thickness of the lens will not be directly associated with the thickness of the camera. We incorporated this system the first time in digital cameras, shocking the industry with its extraordinary thinness. Nowadays, the "refractive optical system" has become the mainstream optical system for thin compact digital cameras. Konica Minolta took a role of a pathfinder and will further promote the evolution of the "refractive optical system" in the future.

Superior Production Technology for Achieving the Refractive Optical System

In the refractive optical system, a "prism" that refracts light is placed in front of the optical system. However, the error when assembling the prism enlarges the image point of the optical system, leading to the deterioration of shooting performance. Konica Minolta established the high precision simulation technology that forecasts performance deterioration due to error occurrence, and based on the super high precision lens centering technology and the aspheric glass mold lens technology that were advanced from the optical technologies cultivated from the silver salt photography age, we succeeded in the mass production of the refractive optical system. These top level production technologies in the industry are the source for producing optical systems that lead the world.

Wearable Display Using a Holographic Optical Element

Holographic Optical Element
A hologram has various features. By utilizing a hologram as an optical element, an optical element having specific characteristics can be realized. An optical element that utilizes a hologram is called a holographic optical element (HOE). It is widely used in the industry as an optical element for optical disk units. By utilizing the wave front reconstruction function--a feature of the hologram--as a lens, and by further utilizing the wavelength selection function as a combiner that superimposes two fluxes of light, a compact see-through information display device can be achieved by superimposing an external image and an information image from the display element.

Wave front Reconstruction Function

A hologram is created by irradiating two fluxes of light with high coherence, such as laser, onto a photosensitive material, and by recoding that coherent state. If one of the fluxes of light used when creating the hologram is given to the hologram created, the other flux of light used when creating the hologram is reconstructed. This is called the wave front reconstruction function of holograms. Because this function converts light, it can be used as a lens function.

Wavelength Selection Function

A hologram has a characteristic to react to only the wavelength of the light used when it was created using the reflection type. This is called the wavelength selection function of holograms. For example, a reflection type hologram created using a red laser beam at a wavelength of 633nm only reflects red light beams near 633nm, and transmits light beams at other wavelengths. By effectively utilizing this feature, a combiner function that effectively superimposes two fluxes of light can be realized.

Wearable Display
Conventionally, a half mirror or polarization beam splitter was used as a combiner that superimposes a display image and an external image. However, it had a large optical loss ratio and a good see-through function could not be achieved. With efficient optical superimposition using an HOE, the high see-through characteristic that seldom loses external light and bright image display can be achieved together. Furthermore, by providing the HOE itself with a lens function, the structure can be simplified by combining functions. By using the HOE having these features as an ocular eyepiece that projects enlarged display images and by further combining it with an image flux folding function using the internal reflection of a prism, a super lightweight wearable display with high see-through characteristic can be realized.

This is a display that the observer wears on the head, just like a pair of eyeglasses, and is generally called the head mounted display (HMD). This product can be used as a personal display in mobile and ubiquitous applications that will become generally available in the near future.

Multi angle Spectrophotometer Technology Metallic Coatings Should Be Measured with Multi angle Instruments
Spectrophotometers illuminate the measurement subject, receive the light reflected by the subject, separate the light into wavelength components, and calculate numerical values to express the color. The direction at which the subject is illuminated and the direction at which the receiver receives the light are termed the "geometric conditions" of the instrument. The CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage) defines several sets of geometric conditions, such as those shown in Figure 1 below.

When light from a single direction illuminates objects such as a mirror or metal objects, almost all the light is reflected specularly (as if from a mirror), but for most objects such as solids, when the surface is illuminated from a single direction, the light is reflected as shown in Figure 2, with the surface (gloss surface) reflecting some light specularly like a mirror and reflecting the rest of the light diffusely in all directions.

Humans determine the color of an object by seeing this diffuse light. When specularly reflected light is viewed, the color of the light source is reflected almost unchanged, and it's difficult to see the color of the object.

Metallic paints contain lustrous particles like flakes or wafers made of mica or other material that act as tiny mirrors, so that when light illuminates a metallic coating from a single direction, in addition to specularly reflected light and diffusely reflected light, there is also light reflected from the surfaces of the lustrous particles (Fig.4). Metallic and pearlescent paints use the variations in reflected light from the lustrous particles to provide an effect in which the paint appearance varies according to the angle from which it is viewed.

When measuring coatings having this effect with a color-measuring instrument, if the light received in only one direction is measured, it is not possible to evaluate the effect of the lustrous particles that cause the paint appearance to vary according to the angle from which the paint is viewed. Because of this, for measuring colors which contain lustrous particles, a multiangle color- measuring instrument that measures the light from several angles (Fig.5) is necessary.

Judge the Color of Pigments Using H At 45

L*C*h is a color system that expresses color in 3 dimensions, with the vertical scale being lightness L*, the distance from the center being chromaticity C*, and the rotation angle in the horizontal plane being the hue angle h. Since pigment color differences are most noticeable as hue differences, evaluation of color differences between a target and sample can be evaluated using H (hue difference) in the L*C*h color system. In the highlight direction (25), the mirror-surface reflection component from the lustrous particles is too strong, and in the shade direction (75), the diffuse reflection component is weak, making these two directions unsuitable for pigment color evaluation. 45 is a geometric condition which is also used in general color evaluation, and is ideal for judging the color of pigments.

Konica Minolta's Multiangle Spectrophotometer

A variety of geometric conditions for multiangle spectrophotometers to measure metallic paints have been proposed by various industrial or national standards. Konica Minolta initially developed instruments with two different 3-angle illumination/1-angle receiving geometric conditions (Fig.5)--the 25/45/72.5 illumination, 45 receiving geometry defined by DIN, and the 15/45/110 illumination, 45 receiving geometry advocated by Dupont (E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.). However, when actual automobile bodies were measured, the results of measurements were unstable with variations. In order to improve stability, Konica Minolta developed the 3-angle circumferential illumination, 1-angle viewing geometry (Fig. 7).

Main Features of 3-angle circumferential illumination

3-angle circumferential illumination with highlight/45/shade is able to measure pigment color at 45 measurement, and is able to evaluate the level of variation of lustrous particles by highlight/shade measurement ratio, so that it is suitable for judging acceptance in quality control and inspection processes. One particularly remarkable cause of variations in measurement values when measuring actual automobile bodies is tilting of the instrument when measuring curved surfaces (Fig.8). Circumferential illumination reduces measurement variations due to instrument tilt, providing more stable measurement values.

Products based on this technology

CM-512m3 represents products using this technology

3-dimensional measuring technology Non-contact 3-dimensional digitizer that can measure a form of an object even when the object is just exposed to light
The non-contact 3-dimensional digitizer is a device that conducts operations (modeling) to take 3dimensional data obtained by scanning the existing 3-dimensional object into the computer. In recent years, even in the industrial field, together with fields of research organizations and of CG image making, an attempt to utilize this digitizer for reverse engineering and inspection and to shorten the lead time of development and manufacture is drawing public attention. In Konica Minolta, we have developed a noncontact 3-dimensional digitizer that is highly accurate and is portable in a compact shape, and can be operated simply in feeling of a camera.

Principle of non-contact 3-dimensional digitizer

As a basic principle, a light cutting method by slit light is used. A slit laser beam, generated by a light projecting optical system, is applied on an object to be measured, and its reflected light is received by a CCD camera for triangulation. Then, 3-dimensional distance data for one line of slit light is obtained. By

scanning slit light with a galvanic mirror, 3-dimensional data for the entire object to be measured are obtained.

By measuring angle , formed by baseline length L (distance between the light-receiving optical system and the light-projecting optical system), and by a laser beam to be projected, and angle of incidence to the light-receiving optical system, absolute coordinates for laser beam position on the surface of the object to be measured are obtained from congruence conditions of a triangle. The symbol is determined by an instruction value of a galvanic mirror, and is determined by incidence position coordinates n on the observation surface (CCD).

In Konica Minolta, with respect to each pixel of CCD, by obtaining time barycenter of slit light passing over the pixel, the light projecting angle of the slit light is obtained accurately, and highly accurate 3-dimensional distance information is obtained. Compared with a method to obtain space barycenter, there is the advantage that influence of sensitivity dispersion between CCD pixels and influence of dispersion in partial light and shadow of an object to be measured are hardly exerted.


Galvanic mirror: Mirror on which the rotation angle is made to be changed according to electric signals, by providing a shaft

Nano-fabrication Field
This is essential processing technology for plastic and glass lenses, hard-disk glass-substrate and optical units for printers to make them compact and highly precise.

Product icon explanation

This processing technology is to form precise optical surface either plastic or glass, characterized by highly precise processing and high-productivity in the field of optical components.

Precision lens technology Refractive optical technology Precision mold processing technology

This is technology to control roughness of surface or improve physical characteristics of surface and used to polish HD glass substrate surface and to process surface of graphic arts printing plates.

High-functional hydrophilic layer Manufacturing technology of glass substrates for magnetic disks

Precision lens technology Manufacturing technology for small-sized and untra-precision plastic lenses

Lenses manufactured by Konica Minolta are used in various imaging equipment and input and output equipment, such as digital cameras, SLR cameras, mobile phones with camera functions, optical disc pickups, laser beam printers and projectors

To meet these various needs, we are widely developing advanced lens technologies such as optical system evaluation, processing of dies for molded lenses, molding and coating including optical design, and mechanism design for zoom lenses.

In the field of pickup lenses, among the various fields mentioned above, we have already developed a molded aspheric lens to simplify the conventional 5 glass spherical lenses into one plastic lens in terms of structure. Due to the highly precise and small-sized plastic precision lens, development to various fields such as CD players and mobile equipment is possible, and we are contributing to the spread of those equipment.

Diffraction type optical disc lenses

We are developing and producing diffraction type optical disc lenses which conform to DVDs and CDs, utilizing the technology for untra-precision and aspheric surface plastic lenses. Through this lens, the diffracted light generated by the microscopic zones on the surface of the lens is converged on each disc as a spot. We have also successfully developed an optical disc lens conforming to both the next-generation optical disc and DVD using a blue laser.

Refractive Optical Technology Refractive Optical System That Makes Digital Cameras Thinner
Conventionally, the "retractable optical system" that moves and stores the lens perpendicular to the CCD (charge-coupled device) was the mainstream as the photographic optical system for digital cameras. However, with the "retractable" type, the lens was mounted in the same direction where the camera is thickened, restricting to make the camera thinner. We, at Konica Minolta, succeeded in the development of the "refractive optical system" in which the thickness of the lens will not be directly associated with the thickness of the camera. We incorporated this system the first time in digital cameras, shocking the industry with its extraordinary thinness. Nowadays, the "refractive optical system" has become the mainstream optical system for thin compact digital cameras. Konica Minolta took a role of a pathfinder and will further promote the evolution of the "refractive optical system" in the future.

 Superior Production Technology for Achieving the Refractive Optical System

In the refractive optical system, a "prism" that refracts light is placed in front of the optical system. However, the error when assembling the prism enlarges the image point of the optical system, leading to the deterioration of shooting performance. Konica Minolta established the high precision simulation technology that forecasts performance deterioration due to error occurrence, and based on the super high precision lens centering technology and the aspheric glass mold lens technology that were advanced from the optical technologies cultivated from the silver salt photography age, we succeeded in the mass production of the refractive optical system. These top level production technologies in the industry are the source for producing optical systems that lead the world.

Precision mold processing technology Processing technology of a molding die for transferring highly precise optical surface
Konica Minolta's pickup lenses for optical discs enjoying a high market share are supported by epochmaking and high optical design technology. Further, a large number of highly precise lenses are stably supplied by free use of core technologies such as optical materials evaluation technologies for stable

production, high precision plastic molding technology, technology of processing precision dies, measurement and evaluation technology for optical efficiency and optical thin film (coating) technology.

Lenses produced under the support of the above technologies are playing an active part in optical disc systems used throughout the world.

Special features of the technology of processing superfine die

To produce superfine optical elements (lenses and prisms) efficiently, an appropriate method is to press a material, such as heated and softened plastic or glass, against a molding die. Molding an optical surface through transfer having a direct influence on optical capability of the lens, requires an extremely high precision for a form and a molding die with smooth surfaces are required.

In Konica Minolta, a superfine lathe that processes a die while controlling generation of heat and vibration at accuracy of 0.05 micron (1/20,000,000 meter) and a highly accurate diamond tool are used to manufacture highly refined and highly efficient pickup lenses. In addition, we are developing novel technologies and preparing next-generation manufacturing structure through research and development of materials and processing methods for blue laser optical pickup lens which requires high accuracy and high capacity.

 Micromachining High-functional hydrophilic layer Roll-like printing plate based on a hydrophilic layer forming film substrate
In the offset printing method based on a planographic printing plate, a thin water membrane is formed on a non-image portion of the printing plate to repel oily ink, whereby ink is received only on the lipophilic image portion. Then an ink layer formed like an image on the surface of the printing plate is transferred to paper through a rubber roller (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1: Sketch of printing method based on planographic printing plate

In a commpnly employed planographic printing plate, an aluminum plate having a hydrophilic surface provided with microscopically roughening (also called graining) is used as a substrate. Konica Minolta Co., Ltd. has developed a printing plate substrate having a hydrophilic layer formed on the polyesterf substrate capable of replacing the aluminum grain substrate. Use of a film substrate allows a printing plate to be supplied in a rolled form. This permits a space-saving, highly automated plate-making and printing system to be configured. A rolled process-less printing plate (printing plate eliminating the liquid

development processing) made by Konica Minolta Co., Ltd. is used in the Truepress 344 manufactured by Dainippon Screen Incorporated Co., Ltd.

High-functional hydrophilic layer characterized by compatibility between hydrophilicity and durability by multiple roughened structure
A hydrophilic layer used in the printing plate substrate is required to have both a high degree of hydrophilicity for forming a uniform thin water membrane, and a wear resistance for withstanding stress during tens of thousands of printing operations. A high degree of hydrophilicity of the hydrophilic layer can be achieved by a synergistic effect between the hydrophilicity ensured by material structure and water retentivity ensured by surface form control. The hydrophilic layer is formed by metallic oxide particles bonded by a porous organic/inorganic composite binder, and is mainly made up of a highly hydrophilic metallic oxide. Metallic oxide particles having a microscopically roughened structure on the surface are adopted as metallic oxide particles, and the particle diameter is assigned with an adequate distribution, thereby forming a multiple roughened structure where the wavelength components ranging from several tens of nanometers to a few m are superimposed (Fig. 2).

A uniform microscopically roughened structure on the surface causes an increase in the specific surface area. This arrangement ensures further improvement in the water retentivity of the highly hydrophilic metallic oxide layer. Further, a high-strength protruded structure arranged at an interval of several tens of m receives the distributed form of the stress applied to the plate surface, whereby the wear resistance o the entire hydrophilic layer is improved.

Fig. 2: 3D surface structure hydrophilic layer

Manufacturing Technology of Glass Substrates for Magnetic Disks

Konica Minolta has entered the business of glass substrates for magnetic disks from the 1990's basing on the development and manufacturing technology of glass lenses possessed by the company. At present, substrates of less than 2.5 inches are being manufactured by our Konica Minolta Glasstech Inc.

In order to manufacture this product, it is necessary to collect together a wide range of key technologies from development of glass composition to polishing, cleaning, and evaluation, etc.

The key technologies with good features possessed by our company are explained below.

1. Design of Glass Composition

The key factor in development is the hardness (relative strength) unlike in optical glass. Further, from the point of view of productivity and quality requirements, it is necessary to pursue mutually contradicting performance characteristics of low melting point, high transition temperature, low alkalinity, polishing characteristics, etc. By understanding in detail the effects of doping elements on various types of lattice structures, it is possible to carry out appropriate composition design in a short time. The glass compositions developed and put in the market by our company are the following.

Strength Comparison of Developed Glass Materials

KONICA MINOLTA

Ordinary Glass

Raw plate MEL3 EX5 TUF (soda lime glass)

Strength Comparison of Developed Glass Materials

KONICA MINOLTA

Ordinary Glass

Raw plate MEL3 EX5 TUF (soda lime glass)

Features of Glass

High-toughness glass

Glass ceramics

High-hardness glass ceramics

Most common glass

Density: d

g/cm3

2.46

2.60

2.82

2.51

Young's modulus: E

GPa

83

100

120

73

Elastic modulus: E

GPacm /g
3

33.9

38.2

42.6

29.3

Vickers hardness number: Hv

kg/mm2

580

790

850

540

2. Technology of Glass Melting and Molding

It is necessary to suppress the number of bubbles and foreign materials within the glass to a level of 1-2 digits lower than that of optical glass. In addition, due to the accumulation of technology and know-how regarding glass molding over many many years, we have realized reduced thickness of molded items and high flatness, and have achieved high productivity by reducing the load of finishing processes.

3. Technology of Machining Brittle Materials


Utilizing the technology of machining brittle materials accumulated in machining optical lenses or molds of ultra-hard or ceramics materials, we have completely eliminated machining by released abrasive particles in all the processes of rough machining and finishing machining. As a result, we have not only reduced the contamination to the product but also have realized great reductions in the quantity of waste materials at the same time.

4. Precision Cleaning Technology

The size of the magnetic film formed on the glass substrate is in the submicron range, and the level of surface defects required of the substrate is on the order of 0.1m. By combining several types of cleaning methods, our company has not been able to remove effectively the adhering matter in the pre-processing steps, but have also established a process of suppressing fine defects during the cleaning process in a stable manner.

5. Evaluation Technology
The glass substrates of our company are installed in hard disk drives as magnetic media, and are being used as bookshelves by the end-user customers. It is not possible to cause trouble to the customers because of broken bookshelves. Exploiting the latest evaluation technology possessed by the Konica Minolta Group, we are carrying out thorough quality analysis from raw materials to finished products, and are providing the highest quality products to our customers.

Imaging FieldImaging Field

This is image processing and system designing technology for a variety of equipment and systems in the field of information, medical, industrial, and sensing to improve image quality, usability and processing speed.

Product icon explanation

This technology is to convert information to make it more user-friendly by compressing and processing information attained through input system.

Color management technology Medical image processing Image compression (compact PDF) Phase contrast technology 3-dimensional measuring technology Multiangle spectrophotometer technology

In order to attain such features as high image quality and high-speed, it is important to design appropriately by analyzing mechanism of various process concerning electro-photography, silver-halide, and inkjet images.

Non-contact developing technology Shear mode piezo inkjet head

Through this mechanical design technology, paper, film and textile having various characteristics can be fed and finished stably and speedy.

Finishing for light production Belt conveying system for fabric conveyance

For input/output devices such as MFPs, laser printers, and digital cameras, one of our essential technologies is to design compact and highly-precise driving mechanism for exposure units and optical units.

Piezoelectric ultrasonic linear actuator

Color management technology Technology that realizes natural color reproduction and smooth gradation
In color prints, more colorful and natural color reproduction can be realized by combining special colors (hifi colors) of red, green and blue, with four colors including three primary colors of cyan, magenta and yellow, plus black.

However, as the number of colors is increased, the number of patterns of combinations of color ink for finding out the target color also increases. Therefore, in a simple method, such as conventional UCR and UCA, there have been problems that continuity of gradation tends to be lost and the method is easily influenced by fluctuation of each equipment. In Konica Minolta, we noticed color reproduction by multicolor from way back, and have studied methods to realize smooth gradation while realizing a wide color area (area of reproducible colors) by controlling these colors properly.

We have developed color management software in which combination patterns of various types of color ink leading to the same color reproduction results are calculated, and the best combination of color ink for reproducing smooth gradation can be obtained, according to characteristics of the equipment. Thus, it has become possible to conduct measurement of equipment characteristics up to color reproduction in a consistent process. This color management technology is now active in inkjet textile printes. UCR: Under Color Removal is a method to replace a gray portion where three colors of cyan, magenta and yellow are superposed with black. UCA: Under Color Addition is a method to add black to each color component of cyan, magenta and yellow in the shadow portion.

Products based on this technology

Textile Printer Nassenger V is a product using this technology.

Medical image processing Optimization of medical image processing

This system analyzes the medical image acquired from a digital image apparatus such as REGIUS Series and automatically determines the image processing conditions, thereby providing a processed image best suited to the clinical diagnosis. Optimization of diagnostic images depends on a great variety of image processing techniques such as processing of feature extraction based on morphology computation, image recognition based on statistical pattern recognition, and image enhancement based on a signal analysis technique such as a filter bank. We improve the diagnostic performance through the high-quality digital medical image based on the state-of-the-art technology, and make a significant contribution to the present-day medical treatment.

Products based on this technology

REGIUS Series

Computer aided detection (CAD)

We are developing a cutting-edge image recognition technology whereby a computer analyzes the abundant information of an x-ray image to provide the added value that assists radiologists' diagnosis. Advanced pattern recognition methods and related discriminators are utilized to automatically detect shadows suggesting possible lesions from an image. For example, this system will assist a radiologist in the diagnosis of breast cancer by mammography, thereby aids the early detection.

Image compression (compact PDF)

Fig.1 Concept of Compact PDF The digital multifunction machines for business become have various functions to enhance the value of each model. Among those the functions, the technology to convert scanned document image into PDF file which is smaller than existing JPEG compressed image has been focused with the increasing cases of using colored documents. With this technology, communication time of "Scan to mail" sending scanned image by e-mail can be reduced. As the result, it can be easier to use the digital multifunction machines. Generally speaking, when file compression is performed, the quality of image becomes worse. However, in our development project, we have succeeded in the technology to convert into small file size of PDF with keeping the image quality by separating text and photo from the scanned image, and compressing each of them separately. Conversion process of Compact PDF is as follows;. * To separate text and photo accurately from the document image. * To perform an optimize compression for each text and photo. * To convert each text and photo into each layer and put them together. And to unite them as a PDF file format.

With this process, it is possible to convert into the smaller file size than conventional simple compression. The features of compact PDF conversion technology are as follows;

1.

Automatic separation of a document image into "Text" and "Photo" areas (area separation by composite detection of text and photo)

2.

The text area and photo are each applied to the suitable compression separately, and are converted into PDF (compression and conversion into PDF)

Area separation technique by composite identification of image and text

As for the separation of photo and text in the document, many different methods have been researched and developed. The area separation of the photo and text is the most important technology in the compact PDF conversion technique, and this performance greatly depends on this technique. We have developed this separation algorithm based on our own great research experiences in image processing field. The most important feature is to detect photo and text with each criterion, to analyze the result and to separate them more accurately based on the correlation. So far, an existing separation is not performed accurately because of detecting and separating them based on just one criterion. In the photo area, even small photo area sometimes can be separated accurately by analyzing various features. So far, small photo images could not be distinguished from text. However, we have succeeded in improving accurate detection of photowith this technology. In the text area, only text can be accurately separated using the text layout information based on the technique of text extraction technique which is our experience of photocopier development. As the result, this technology has greatly improved the following errors; * Detect the part of image as text mistakenly. * Impossible to detect text liked to image. * Detection is affected by back ground color of paper.

Fig.2 Photo/text separation Even if accurate photo/text separation is performed, text composed of multiple colors used to become wrong color. Our technology can extract unnatural portion by the color and the size of each letter from the area recognized as text and modify accurate coloring of letters. Fig. 3 shows a sample. In the conventional processing illustrated in Fig. 3-(2), "W" and "r" are linked with other letters, and they are identified as a single letter, and all the letters become black. In our technology, each letter is separated to be correct color, as shown in Fig. 3-(3).

Fig. 3 Resultant letters

Compression and conversion to PDF

After separation of photo and text, each part is modified into the most suitable format to the PDF layer configuration. The text is binarized and is performed to G4 compression used in a fax machine. The photo is modified to have an adequate resolution and is performed to JPEG compression. Each of them as a layer is converted into a PDF file. In the "Scan to Mail" sending a scanned image by e-mail, our new technology allows you to send compact and highquality images when transmitting a plurality of colored documents which are not used often because of size problems. Furthermore, because of no impact to OCR, it is expected to provide security tools related to archive or copy log. Today, we are researching and improving quality and performance of technology to separate photo and text which are our core technology with a global method for layout detection.

Phase Contrast Technology Principle of Phase Imaging

When X-rays transmit through an object, an X-ray image is formed (Fig. 1). This is the principle of X-ray imaging, and is called the absorption contrast On the other hand, because X-rays are electromagnetic waves similar to visible light rays, when X-rays transmit through an object, the X-ray phase changes. This phase change is generally observed as a refraction or interference. The X-ray intensity difference or image contrast based on this phase change is the phase contrast.

What Is a Phase Contract Image?

You can see that this phase contrast image has better sharpness compared to the images taken by the conventional contact photographing. You can see a black line at the boundary with the air, and the outer edges of air bubbles inside the tube are shown in white. It has bee said so far that the phase contrast is generated by X-ray interference. With the X-ray tubes used for medical treatments, it was considered that the phase contrast disappears by geometrical unsharpness in macrophotography that keeps the X-ray detector apart form the subject during photographing. Under the assumption that x rays do not interface, we have found from a geometric optical theoretical analysis that the phase contrast can be obtained with a small focal point of 0.1mm of a Mo anode X-ray tube for mammography, when the distance from that focal point to the subject is 0.5m or more, and the distance from the subject to the X-ray detector is 0.25m or more.

PCM Image (Left) and Conventional SF Image (Right)

Fig. 3 shows an example of a clinical image (provided by Shiga University of Medical Science). When we compare the PCM image (left) with the conventional SF image (right) photographed using the same subject dose, the breast structure is shown much clearly in the PCM image. And, as a result of examining many clinical images, the representation of fine calcification images--so called the mission of mammography--was evaluated to be better than conventional SF images. We strongly hope that this system will contribute to early detection of breast cancers in the future.

Digital PCM System

A system developed by applying the phase contrast technology is the digital PCM system. It consists of a mammography unit (MERMAID), a computed radiography unit (REGIUS190), and a dry silver salt image printer (DRYPRO793). This system uses the phase contrast technology first time in the world. Output images have the similar resolution as that of the conventional SF system. Furthermore, images are output to dry film with the maximum density of 4.0.

3-dimensional measuring technology Non-contact 3-dimensional digitizer that can measure a form of an object even when the object is just exposed to light
The non-contact 3-dimensional digitizer is a device that conducts operations (modeling) to take 3-dimensional data obtained by scanning the existing 3-dimensional object into the computer. In recent years, even in the industrial field, together with fields of research organizations and of CG image making, an attempt to utilize this digitizer for reverse engineering and inspection and to shorten the lead time of development and manufacture is drawing public attention. In Konica Minolta, we have developed a non-contact 3-dimensional digitizer that is highly accurate and is portable in a compact shape, and can be operated simply in feeling of a camera.

Principle of non-contact 3-dimensional digitizer

As a basic principle, a light cutting method by slit light is used. A slit laser beam, generated by a light projecting optical system, is applied on an object to be measured, and its reflected light is received by a CCD camera for

triangulation. Then, 3-dimensional distance data for one line of slit light is obtained. By scanning slit light with a galvanic mirror, 3-dimensional data for the entire object to be measured are obtained.

By measuring angle , formed by baseline length L (distance between the light-receiving optical system and the lightprojecting optical system), and by a laser beam to be projected, and angle of incidence to the light-receiving optical system, absolute coordinates for laser beam position on the surface of the object to be measured are obtained from congruence conditions of a triangle. The symbol is determined by an instruction value of a galvanic mirror, and is determined by incidence position coordinates n on the observation surface (CCD). In Konica Minolta, with respect to each pixel of CCD, by obtaining time barycenter of slit light passing over the pixel, the light projecting angle of the slit light is obtained accurately, and highly accurate 3-dimensional distance information is obtained. Compared with a method to obtain space barycenter, there is the advantage that influence of sensitivity dispersion between CCD pixels and influence of dispersion in partial light and shadow of an object to be measured are hardly exerted.

Galvanic mirror: Mirror on which the rotation angle is made to be changed according to electric signals, by providing a shaft

Multiangle Spectrophotometer Technology Metallic Coatings Should Be Measured with Multiangle Instruments
Spectrophotometers illuminate the measurement subject, receive the light reflected by the subject, separate the light into wavelength components, and calculate numerical values to express the color. The direction at which the subject is illuminated and the direction at which the receiver receives the light are termed the "geometric conditions" of the instrument. The CIE (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage) defines several sets of geometric conditions, such as those shown in Figure 1 below.

When light from a single direction illuminates objects such as a mirror or metal objects, almost all the light is reflected specularly (as if from a mirror), but for most objects such as solids, when the surface is illuminated from a single direction, the light is reflected as shown in Figure 2, with the surface (gloss surface) reflecting some light specularly like a mirror and reflecting the rest of the light diffusely in all directions.

Humans determine the color of an object by seeing this diffuse light. When specularly reflected light is viewed, the color of the light source is reflected almost unchanged, and it's difficult to see the color of the object.

Metallic paints contain lustrous particles like flakes or wafers made of mica or other material that act as tiny mirrors, so that when light illuminates a metallic coating from a single direction, in addition to specularly reflected light and diffusely reflected light, there is also light reflected from the surfaces of the lustrous particles (Fig.4). Metallic and

pearlescent paints use the variations in reflected light from the lustrous particles to provide an effect in which the paint appearance varies according to the angle from which it is viewed.

When measuring coatings having this effect with a color-measuring instrument, if the light received in only one direction is measured, it is not possible to evaluate the effect of the lustrous particles that cause the paint appearance to vary according to the angle from which the paint is viewed. Because of this, for measuring colors which contain lustrous particles, a multiangle color- measuring instrument that measures the light from several angles (Fig.5) is necessary.

Judge the Color of Pigments Using H At 45

L*C*h is a color system that expresses color in 3 dimensions, with the vertical scale being lightness L*, the distance from the center being chromaticity C*, and the rotation angle in the horizontal plane being the hue angle h.

Since pigment color differences are most noticeable as hue differences, evaluation of color differences between a target and sample can be evaluated using H (hue difference) in the L*C*h color system. In the highlight direction (25), the mirror-surface reflection component from the lustrous particles is too strong, and in the shade direction (75), the diffuse reflection component is weak, making these two directions unsuitable for pigment color evaluation. 45 is a geometric condition which is also used in general color evaluation, and is ideal for judging the color of pigments.

Konica Minolta's Multiangle Spectrophotometer

A variety of geometric conditions for multiangle spectrophotometers to measure metallic paints have been proposed by various industrial or national standards. Konica Minolta initially developed instruments with two different 3-angle illumination/1-angle receiving geometric conditions (Fig.5)--the 25/45/72.5 illumination, 45 receiving geometry defined by DIN, and the 15/45/110 illumination, 45 receiving geometry advocated by Dupont (E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.). However, when actual automobile bodies were measured, the results of measurements were unstable with variations. In order to improve stability, Konica Minolta developed the 3-angle circumferential illumination, 1-angle viewing geometry (Fig. 7).

Main Features of 3-angle circumferential illumination

3-angle circumferential illumination with highlight/45/shade is able to measure pigment color at 45 measurement, and is able to evaluate the level of variation of lustrous particles by highlight/shade measurement ratio, so that it is suitable for judging acceptance in quality control and inspection processes. One particularly remarkable cause of variations in measurement values when measuring actual automobile bodies is tilting of the instrument when measuring curved surfaces (Fig.8). Circumferential illumination reduces measurement variations due to instrument tilt, providing more stable measurement values.

Products based on this technology

CM-512m3 represents products using this technology

Non-contact developing technology Technology that offers prints on which even microscopic dots are of high definition
In a laser beam printer and a digital copying machine, an image is written on a charged photoconductor with a laser beam, and toner is moved by electric force to the written image, thus the written image is visualized. This process (developing) includes two types; one is a contact method and the other is a non-contact method. Konica Minolta makes it possible to reproduce high definition images by using a non-contact developing (SMT developing) system which makes toner to fly with an oscillatory electric field for the latest model of a color laser beam printer.

Comparison between a non-contact developing system and a contact developing system

Special features of the SMT developing system

In the case of the non-contact developing system in which the strong oscillatory electric field causes toner to fly to a photoconductor, and a developing electric field on the photoconductor is optimized, toner adheres uniformly with exact amount even for microscopic dots, so that clear images are obtained. In the contact developing system, adhesion of toner is not uniform for microscopic dots because the developing electric field on the photoconductor is weak, resulting in a coarse image.

Realization of resolution exceeding ordinary commercial printing

Even in the area of at least 175 lines (70 lines in a newspaper) used in ordinary printing, development at high fidelity of input data is possible.

Shear mode piezo inkjet head Head that has achieved the trend for smaller droplets, higher speed and higher driving efficiency
The system used generally in an inkjet printer includes a thermal system to print by emitting ink with a pressure of a bubble generated from boiling of ink by heat generation and a piezo-system to print by emitting ink with a pressure of a piezo-element that changes its form when voltage is applied. Konica Minolta has developed an inkjet head using a share mode type piezoelectric element that is one of piezo-elements. The shear mode piezo inkjet head emits ink with deformation of piezoelectric element, not by its expansion and shrinkage but by its shearing. It has the advantage that multiple channels are possible and various types of ink having respective characteristics can be used, because it can be driven under a low electrical power. The trend for smaller droplets, higher speed and higher driving efficiency has been realized in this head by optimizing the shape of the ink channels (pressure chamber) and the form of the nozzles.

Development of the structure of the head based on analyses via simulation

Highly accurate design and development are carried out based on the results of analyses using computer simulation about characteristics of the head, which are difficult to measure because of microscopic structure. We have developed a head structure which offers greater displacement under low voltage, on the basis of structural analyses and electrical field analyses about characteristics of an actuator (pressure chamber partition). In addition, the form and size are optimized based on data about hydrokinematic analyses and bubble exclusivity analyses for the flow channel including an ink channel (pressure chamber) and nozzles.

Mechanism of ink ejection

Ink is ejected from a nozzle as droplets, when voltage is applied to the actuator (pressure chamber partition) made of a piezoelectric material and the form of the actuator is changed in the direction to increase internal pressure within the channel. Ink is supplied from an ink chamber to the nozzle by capillary attraction to make up for the used ink, so that the nozzle is continually ready for the next ink ejection.

* Red shows the state of pressurization and blue shows the state of decompression.

Shearing means that two forces which are the same in strength, but opposite each other, are applied respectively on both sides of the plane in an object, and slippage is caused in the object.

Products based on this technology

Textile Printer Nassenger V is a product using this technology.

Finishing for light production

Characterized by improved image quality and higher speed, the electronic photocopiers is increasingly launching into the commercial printing area in recent years. There has created an intense demand for a high-quality and versatile finishing system that can be directly connected to the electronic photocopier. Based on a high-precision paper handing technology having been cultivated through years of research and development efforts in the field of electronic photocopiers, Konica Minolta Co., Ltd. has been providing the industry with the state-of-the-art finishers capable of performing various finishing jobs such as bookbinding by pasting, bookbinding by saddle sticking, bookbinding by side stitching, folding, and punching.

 Bookbinding by pasting
A booklet containing a maximum of 600 pages can be bound by pasting to produce a booklet characterized by book-level quality, based on various forms of techniques for superimposing sheets, uniform pasting, measuring the thickness of a booklet, cutting and trimming the cover sheet, folding the cover sheet, covering the booklet. Eye-pleasing finishing is ensured by a combination of these techniques and optimization.

Bookbinding by saddle stitching

A booklet containing a maximum of 200 pages can be bound by saddle stitching to produce a booklet characterized by weekly-level quality. Beautiful finishing is provided by a saddle stitch method that ensures a rigid fold appropriate for a thick booklet as well as high-precision alignment, and a unique power-saving cutting and trimming method.

Folding
We offer six forms of folding -- a feature second to none in the industry concerned. We use a unique folding method for performing high-precision folding work with the minimum skewing in folding, even when slightly thermo-deformed sheets specific to an electronic photocopier are utilized.

Belt conveying system for fabric conveyance

We have adopted a "belt conveying system" for stable conveyance of a great variety of fabrics. In the stable conveyance of fabrics, this method is required to ensure that the belt should be kept at a specified position without being deviated in the lateral direction. In the conventional method, it was necessary for the stable conveyance that the peripheral length of the belt is lengthened and a complicated

mechanical configuration was used for control. By contrast, Konica Minolta Co., Ltd. uses a newly developed "belt meandering control", whereby downsizing and simplification of the equipment have been achieved, with the "belt conveying system".

Belt conveying system and belt meandering control

The belt conveying system is made up of a belt and a three-shaft roller set, which is composed of a drive roller for driving the belt in the direction of conveying fabrics, a tension roller for applying tension to the belt, and a control roller for controlling the meandering of the belt. The belt meandering control is designed in such a way that one side of the control roller is axis-traveled along the elliptical orbit formed on the basis of the drive and tension rollers as focuses. Because of this mechanism, since uniform stress is applied to the belt in one direction, this will facilitate belt control.

The belt meandering control was checked by simulation. It has been revealed that the gradient of the stress occurring to the belt is very small, and various control factors which is deviated the belt in the lateral direction can be reduced by the traveling of the control roller alone. This arrangement reduces the peripheral length of the belt and simplifies the structures, whereby downsizing of the equipment is achieved.

Piezoelectric supersonic linear actuator

Technology to realize camera-shake correction of CCD shift type

As an actuator used in an active optical system, such as a camera, a DC motor and a step motor have generally been used, and a voice motor (moving coil motor) and a circular supersonic motor have been used for special applications. However, any of them failed to be made small while keeping a necessary thrust. Piezoelectric supersonic linear actuator (SIDM: Smooth Impact Drive Mechanism) developed solely by Konica Minolta is a device using quick response of a piezoelectric element and friction. It has advantages that a degree of freedom for the placement is high because it is small in size, very precise, responsive and its resolving power is high. Thus, locking mechanism is not needed because its self-holding capacity is excellent, and it is quiet because of its supersonic drive.

Principles of driving the piezoelectric supersonic linear actuator

Camera-shake correction mechanism of CCD shift type

The SIDM is used for the camera-shake correction mechanism that is built in a digital camera body. We have realized the highly accurate and highly responsive camera-shake correction, by detecting the amount, speed and direction of

the camera-shake via an angular velocity sensor, and by driving the CCD base board in the directions (X axis and Y axis) perpendicular to the optical axis for photographing on a real time basis.

Zoom mechanism for microfilm camera

SIDM is applied also to the control of zooming, auto-focusing and of aperture for the microcamera that is required to be downsized.

CCD sensor; Charge Coupled Devices

Imaging sensor using CCD Angular velocity sensor Sensor detecting angular velocity by using the Coriolis force

others
Equipment-linked application software technology Total solution of output equipment/document control
This is technology to design application software which operates under surroundings of various networks, in cooperation with network attached equipment including a personal computer. Konica Minolta is developing and operating its own software group to provide solutions for respective offices.

Network and Device management

By controlling centrally multifunctional machines and printers connected to the network by the use of Web browser, it is possible to realize not only reduction of controlling cost caused by improved efficiency of operation and management but also a more pleasant network environment.

Products based on this technology

PageScope Net Care, a product using the technology

Document work flow management

By total control and sharing of data digitized by scanning with a multifunctional machine and data prepared by various applications of a personal computer, necessary document and images can be searched, outputted and distributed quickly. Total solution for utilizing network environment effectively can be realized, independently of document form and differences among applications.

Products based on this technology

ePware, PageScope Cabinet Pro are products using this technology

Outline of applications (PageScope)

It is possible to dramatically improve efficiency of office work by cooperating with output equipment made by Konica Minolta on the network.

Technologies Adopted in Products

MFPs and printers Optical components Inkjet Functional film Measuring instruments Medical imaging products Graphic Arts products Next generation product

MFPs and printers

Technologies used for MFPs and printers are functional organic material design, functional organic material synthetic and functional fine grain forming technologies within the material field, image processing, mechanical processing,

feeding technologies within the imaging field, optical design technology within the optical field, and application software technology for networking. Field Core Technologies Technologies

Material Field

Functional Organic Material Design Technology

Organic photoconductor for electrophotography

Functional Organic Material Synthetic Technology

Organic photoconductor for electrophotography

Functional Fine Grain Forming Technology

Polymerization toner

Imaging Field

Image Processing Technology

Image compression (compact PDF)

Mechanical Processing Technology

Non-contact developing technology

Feeding Technology

Finishing for light production

Optical Field

Optical Design Technology

Optical system with a light source of a diffraction type element

Optical exposure units for printers

Others

Equipment-linked application software technology

Solar Thermal Power Generation-the Centre of Attention Clean energy that can generate power continuously around-the-clock

Solar thermal power generation systems use mirrors to collect sunlight and produce steam by solar heat to drive turbines for generating power. This system generates power by rotating turbines like thermal and nuclear power plants,and therefore,is suitable for large-scale power generation. For its ability to generate power around-the-clock by use of stored heat,as well as high energy conversion efficiency,solar thermal power generation is now attracting increasing attention as the most promising next-generation system. Unlike conventional power generation systems that are dependent on oil and other depleting resources,solar thermal power generation uses clean energy and thus is free from pollution. Today,construction of solar thermal power plants is underway in many parts of Europe and the U.S. In this light,a rapid increase in the share of this system in the power generation market is anticipated after 2020. Konica Minolta is currently engaged in development of this future-oriented energy in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates,in cooperation with Abu Dhabi's governmental agency (MASDAR-ADFEC),Cosmo Oil Co.,Ltd.,the Tokyo Institute of Technology,and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co.,Ltd.

Note: Figures are estimate and forecast Source: Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V

Innovative solar thermal power generation systems that employ the beam-down process

For this project,the"beam-down"solar power collection process is employed. In this process,the sunlight is first reflected by mirrors on the ground and redirected by a central reflector installed above the ground. Then,the solar heat is finally captured for storage. The mirrors on the ground are called"heliostat mirrors",which track the sun and reflect the sunlight onto a central reflector attached to the tower. The central reflector redirects the sunlight to the receiving unit on the ground where the solar heat is stored. The effectiveness in collecting sunlight and the greater ease of handling solar heat storage materials will eventually make this process advantageous over other more conventional processes. Development of the central reflector,the core of this new solar thermal power generation system,is undertaken by Konica Minolta Opto,Inc.

Effective Solar Thermal Power Generation Made Possible by Konica Minolta's State-of-the-Art Technology: the Central Reflector Pursuit of higher reflectance
The central reflector to which the solar heat is directed by the heliostat mirrors on the ground receives energy greater than 30 times the energy of sunlight. Commonly used metal mirrors absorb light due to insufficient reflectance,which results in the rise of surface temperatures to more than 200C. Furthermore,such mirrors can be subjected to pressure from strong winds of more than 20 mph. Accordingly,the beam-down process requires,among other

things,development of a new mirror with higher reflectance and resistance to wind pressure. Accomplishing this highly challenging task was the mission imposed on Konica Minolta.

High reflectance enables full exploitation of optical energy

Drawing on its expertise in dielectric multilayer films,which was accumulated through years of efforts in pursuing higher-level lens technology,Konica Minolta succeeded in developing a central reflector with 98% or higher reflectance,allowing for the full use of the optical energy as heat.

Thus,high reflectance is achieved in a wide range of wavelengths,from ultraviolet to infrared,preventing the temperature rise of the central reflector. This technology is based on Konica Minolta's leading-edge,thin film technology,such as anti-reflection coatings for camera lenses,and demonstrates excellent environment resistance,such as corrosion resistance.

Introduction to the core technologies

Film-making and coating technology

Konica Minolta' s Spirit of Innovation

Vol. 01 - White OLED Combining High Efficiency With Long Life

Creation of Five Values

Konica Minolta' s Spirit of Innovation

Vol. 01 - White OLED Combining High Efficiency With Long Life

In June 2006 Konica Minolta announced its development of an OLED lighting device with the light emission efficiency and long life equivalent to that of a fluorescent lamp. Here we take a look at the features of the device.

Phosphorescent material with 100% light emission efficiency

Currently, OLED is being developed in a variety of fields. There are two types of material in the luminous part. One is fluorescent material, already being utilized in mobile phone displays and

so forth. The other is phosphorescent material, which Konica Minolta is employing in its OLED illumination devices. These two materials differ significantly in terms of light emission efficiency. Whereas the rate for fluorescent materials is a mere 25%, phosphorescent materials allow 100% light emission efficiency (both are theoretical values). A device with high light emission efficiency offers the dual benefits of low heat generation and energy saving. In actual fact, therefore, phosphorescent material is ideal for use in illumination and displays.

Succeeded in developing blue phosphorescent material

So why is it that until now applications have favored the use of fluorescent materials? The fact is that long-life phosphorescent material was considered harder to develop, with the development of short-wave blue phosphorescent material regarded as extremely difficult. Blue, one of the three primary colors of light, is indispensable for the development of illumination that emits white-colored light. Konica Minolta carried out research into blue phosphorescent material and succeeded in developing the best blue phosphorescent material in the world combining high light emission efficiency with long life. This was made possible by utilizing its expertise in synthesis technology acquired during the process of developing photoreceptors for color copiers and photographic film.

Focus on illumination, aim to find practical application

Illumination is the most effective way of combining this newly developed blue phosphorescent material with Konica Minoltas expertise in design and production techniques. Until now, OLED lighting was inferior to fluorescent lamps in terms of light emission efficiency and durability. However, in laboratory experiments OLED lighting developed by Konica Minolta has achieved light emission efficiency of 64 lumens per watt and approximately 10,000 hours of life, which compares favorably with fluorescent lamps. OLED lighting possesses many advantages not offered by fluorescent lamps ability to emit light from a surface, thin and flexible, low heat generation, and environmentally sound and its development by Konica Minolta has brought it much closer to practical application. Comparison of light emission efficiency and light emission life between OLED and existing forms of illumination

OLED white-colored light device (Konica Minolta) *2

Incandescent light bulb

Fluorescent lamp

LED

Light emission efficiency (lm/W)*1

64

10 - 20

60 - 100

50 - 70

Light emission life (hours)

10,000

Up to 3,000

5,000 - 10,000

Up to 40,000

*1 Lamp efficiency *2 Evaluated at initial luminance of 1000cd/m2, life means 50% lumen maintenance

Creation of Five Values

Flat Design Slim Design Curved Design Lower Design Environmentally Sound Design

Light that envelops people and space

Emits a uniform light over the whole surface ... This totally new style of emission greatly extends the possibilities of light. Gentle on the eyes and allowing the floor, walls, and ceiling to be used as illumination devices with no significant increase in thickness, the natural luminescence produces a light that envelops people and space.

A style of illumination perfect for lighting up large areas

Until now, illumination meant lighting up space using a point light source or linear light source. Even illumination that senses when a surface is flat is, strictly speaking, a light source of multiple points and lines with a surface lighting cover. A point light source is best suited to shining a concentrated light on a small area, as with a spotlight, for example. A surface light source, on the other hand, is best suited to illuminating a large area. Situated between these two types of light source is the fluorescent light, which is a linear light source. Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) lighting is not dependent on a particular lighting device. Rather, it is the first type of illumination to emit light using itself as the surface. Thus, with OLED lighting we finally have a method of illumination that is suited to shining a uniform light over a large area. Being a surface light source it has other advantages too. Its low glare makes it gentle on the eyes, and it takes up less space. From the design perspective, it is well-suited to the flat surfaces of interior dcor, offering surprising new lighting possibilities such as illumination from wall and table surfaces, as well as from curtains and clothing.

Advantages of surface light source

First type of illumination to transmit natural light over a large area Emits an even, attractive light that is gentle on the eyes

Less space required for installation and lower cost Interior surfaces such as walls and table tops can easily be used to illuminate a room

Slim and lightweight

Measuring less than 1mm, it is incredibly thin. This means it takes up less space, and installing it is more a matter of simply affixing it to a surface. Creating new lighting effects by turning shelves or doors into sources of illumination, and looking at potential ways of utilizing its light weight to enhance the fuel economy of cars or airplanes. These are the type of applications that are likely to be popular initially.

Space required for installation minimized by using thickness of a single sheet of glass

Fluorescent lamp

OLED lighting OLED lighting is characterized by its thin, simple construction. The luminescent part is a mere 1/10,000mm thick, so the thickness of the lighting device is almost the same as the thickness of the glass or plastic used to form the panel. When we envisage actual installation of the OLED lighting device, its slimness is even more remarkable. In the case of fluorescent lamps, which emit light using lines, a panel diffuses light to illuminate a large area. This increases the thickness of the panel, as well as generating more heat. As a result, a larger space is required for its installation. OLED lighting, on the other hand, emits light using a surface, so the light source itself serves to illuminate a large area. Being lightweight and slim, the heat generated is minimal, doing away with the need for a heat diffusion device. This in turn means that the space required for installation is kept to a minimum. In addition to its anticipated use in areas where space is extremely limited, such as in the interiors of cars or airplanes, OLED lighting may also be used to light up signage such as posters.

Advantages of slim, lightweight illumination

Ideal for illuminating narrow spaces Expected to reduce space and cost Expected to improve fuel-efficiency for motorcars, airplanes, and so forth Expected to offer an innovative and unprecedented style of illumination

Light that can be curved for creative effect

The plastic substrate used in the panel enables light to be curved flexibly. As well as being effective for illumination of complex curved surfaces in restricted spaces, such as the interiors of motorcars, this also allows a significantly greater degree of freedom in terms of lighting design.

Flexibly curves to allow freedom in lighting design

OLED lighting has one feature that no other type of illumination offers, and that is its ability to curve. While the current trend in new developments is to use glass for the panel that supports the light emission layer, the use of materials such as plastic substrate make it possible to achieve lighting that can curve flexibly. With the significantly greater degree of design freedom imparted by its slim form and ability to curve flexibly, OLED lighting is attracting considerable attention not only from illumination designers but from interior designers as well. As a result, we can expect to see a rapid succession of innovative design ideas emerging in the form of radically new types of lighting.

A further major advantage of OLED lighting is that it can be installed by affixing to complex surface shapes such as car or airplane interiors, as explained in the section Slim Design.

Advantages of illumination that curves

Easy to affix to complex surface shapes such as car interiors Expected to greatly expand scope for design of illumination and space

Soft light that can be placed beside the object to be illuminated

One feature of OLED lighting is that it generates an extremely small amount of heat compared with conventional forms of lighting. This minimizes the damage to perishable foods, paintings or leather goods, making it a likely choice for POP where beauty of presentation is desired.

Attractively illuminates heat-sensitive products from close range

OLED lighting emits light efficiently using a surface, so the amount of heat generated per unit area is very low compared with both incandescent light bulb and fluorescent lamp. This makes it suitable for illuminating from close range in an attractive way for items that are susceptible to damage by heat and therefore subject to strict lighting limitations, such as perishable foods, leather goods, and paintings. Whether used inside refrigerators or for displaying perishable foods directly on an OLED illuminated surface, light seems set to play an increasing role in ways previously considered impossible.

Advantages of low heat-generation lighting

Suitable for use in appliances that require sensitive temperature control, such as refrigerated showcases

Easy to use with perishable foods, leather goods, paintings, and other heat-sensitive items

Curbs rises in room temperature caused by illumination, creating an efficient form of cooling

An environmentally sound light that unites man and nature in a harmonious whole
The high energy efficiency of OLED lighting results in energy savings that in turn have a major impact on reducing CO2 emissions. Moreover, it contains no hazardous substances such as mercury, and therefore presents fewer problems for recycling. From an environmental perspective too OLED is a clean form of lighting suitable for the next generation.

Highly efficient light emission produces energy savings

OLED lighting is currently in the early stages of development but has the potential for highly efficient light emission, and is already almost as efficient as fluorescent light. Furthermore, since it emits light from a surface, its practical application as an actual illumination device results in little waste, offering future potential energy savings of around 30% compared with fluorescent lamp (according to our calculations). Assuming that 50% of fluorescent lamps and 40% of incandescent light bulbs are replaced with OLED lighting devices by 2030, it is possible to reduce overall power consumption for illumination by around 20% compared with the case where no replacement at all occurs (according to our calculations). With energy conservation and the reduction of CO2 emissions

posing an urgent challenge on a global scale, high expectations are being placed on the practical application of OLED lighting.

*1 IEA : Light's Labours Lost : Policies for Energy-efficient Lighting *2 Our calculations : OLED lighting saves energy by approximately 30% compared with fluorescent lamps, and approximately 85% compared with incandescent light bulbs

Clean illumination that does not use hazardous substances

In Japan at least 85% of fluorescent lamps are dumped in landfills rather than recycled. Fluorescent lamps contain mercury, which has been designated as a hazardous substance by the RoHS Directive (EU directive to restrict the use of certain substances). However, because

no substitute for mercury has yet been developed fluorescent lamps have received a special exemption (*3)and continue to be used. OLED lighting does not use substances that pose a hazard at the time of disposal. It is a clean form of illumination ideally suited to lighting up the earth for the next generation. *3 Source : Stipulated as exemption by RoHS Directive Annex

What is OLED Illumination?

OLED Illumination : The Basics Comparison with existing forms of illumination

OLED Illumination: The Basics The term OLED is becoming an increasingly familiar sight. Its practical application in mobile phone displays has begun already, and it is being touted as the favorite to succeed LCD and plasma in next-generation slim TVs. OLED is so revolutionary that in the field of illumination it is being hailed as the first discovery since Edison. What is OLED? OLED stands for Organic EL (Electro-Luminescence), and is the phenomenon of light emitted by organic materials to which a voltage has been applied. The molecular structure of organic materials has limitless combinations, each of which varies in its color and durability. Research into causing organic materials to emit light electrically has been going on for more than 20 years, with the increased attention currently being paid to OLED signifying that at last researchers have begun to discover organic materials that possesses the light emission efficiency and durability suitable for use in illumination and displays. Surface construction of OLED illumination

The construction of OLED consists of laminated organic thin films laid on top of a substrate. Put simply, it features a thin, simple construction where organic materials are sandwiched between two electrodes and laid on a glass or plastic substrate. To be more specific, the organic device is normally constructed of three layers. An emissive layer is sandwiched between two transport layers that come into contact with the cathode and anode respectively. The function of the transport layers is to carry the electric charge smoothly from the respective electrodes to the emissive layer. Light emission principle of OLED illumination

When a voltage is applied to OLED, the holes and the electrons are generated from each of the two electrodes, which have a positive and negative electric charge respectively. When they recombine in the emissive layer, organic materials make the emissive layer to turn into a high energy state termed excitation. The light is emitted when the layer returns to its original stability.

The combinations of molecular structure in organic materials are limitless. Within these limitless combinations, identifying organic materials that provide high efficiency and long life will determine its practical application. Conceptual illustration of the flow of light emission

The flow of light emission can be illustrated by the concept of a person going down the big slide. The state of sitting on the top of the slide corresponds to excitation, and the act of sliding down corresponds to light emission. To emit light continuously for 10,000 hours means that the organic material of the emissive layer repeats this act without interruption over several hundred million of times. Using a phosphorescent substance with high light emission efficiency to artificially synthesize organic materials that can withstand a billion repetitions of light emission, Konica Minolta has succeeded in developing OLED that possesses light emission efficiency and long life on a par with fluorescent lamps

What is OLED Illumination? Comparison with existing forms of illumination

OLED lighting

Incandescentlight bulbs

Fluorescent lamps

LED

Illustration

Principle of light emission

Emits light by applying a voltage to organic matter

Emits light by sending an electric current to a metallic filament

Ultraviolet rays generated by an electric current collide with fluorescent material to produce visible light Size of area illuminated is between point light source and surface light source (linear light source) Energy efficient Uses hazardous substance (mercury) Living spaces, offices, commercial premises, etc.

Emits light by applying a voltage to an inorganic semiconductor

Characteristics

Illuminates large area (surface light source) Energy efficient Low heatgeneration Slim, lightweight Flexible (when plastic substrate used) Environmentally sound

Illuminates small area (point light source) High power consumption High heatgeneration Closely approximates natural light

Illuminates small area (point light source) Energy efficient Long life Easy to reduce size Environmentally sound

Uses

Anticipated applications include living spaces, offices, decorative illumination, car interior lighting, and POP lighting

Photographic lighting, living spaces such as dining rooms or bedrooms, etc.

Indirect lighting, floor level lighting, spotlights for retail spaces, etc.

Environmental Technologies

Induction Heating Fusing Technology

Reduced Power Consumption through Efficient Heating
Induction Heating (IH) Fusing technology, which has greatly helped reduce power consumption of MFPs and copiers, is just one of Konica Minolta's many environmentally sound technologies.
Employment of IH technology for the fuser has decreased power consumption during ready mode.

Background of Development
Breakdown of power consumed by MFPs

Power consumed by Konica Minolta's conventional 65-ppm MFP

The fusing process consumes a large propotion of the power

MFP's use heat is applied to fuse the toner to paper. Of the total power consumed by conventional MFPs, the fusing process accounts for more than 60%.
Konica Minolta therefore has focused research and development on finding ways to reduce power consumption of the fusing process.

Breakdown of power consumed by conventional fusers

Power consumed by Konica Minolta's conventional 65-ppm MFP

Reducing power consumption in the ready mode

In previous models power consumption in the ready (standby and low-power) mode accounted for a large percentage of the power consumed for fuser. This is because the conventional fuser using a halogen lamp requires a longer warm-up time if a certain amount of electricity is not consumed during ready mode.
To put it the other way around, power consumption during the ready mode can be substantially reduced by employing a fusing technology that shortens the warm-up time. Breakdown of power consumed by fuser

Power consumed by Konica Minolta's 65-ppm MFP

Reduction in power consumption during the ready mode using IH technology

IH technology, well known for its application in induction cooktops, efficiently converts electric power to heat.
Applying IH fusing technology, with its high heating efficiency, to MFPs has allowed us to shorten the warm-up time, resulting in a successful reduction of ready mode power consumption.

How the Technology Works

The halogen lamp generates heat, which is transferred to the roller.

Conventional fuser incorporating a halogen lamp

In conventional fuser the roller is heated with a halogen lamp. This creates substantial energy loss as, in addition to the roller, the halogen lamp itself needs to be heated. This technology is also susceptible to energy loss through leakage.

Under the influence of magnetic flux produced by the coil, the roller itself generates heat.

IH fuser
IH fusing technology minimizes energy losses, since the coils heat the roller directly. In addition, the temperature can be easily controlled by regulating the amount of electric current applied to the coils, making it possible to use the exact amount of energy required without consuming excessive power.

Application to color MFPs and copiers

The bizhub C550 was the first color MFP to which Konica Minolta succeeded in applying IH fusing technology. Realizing a significant reduction in power consumption, the bizhub C550 became the best energy-saving model in the category of color MFPs capable of printing 55 pages per minute.
Based on the new power consumption standards of the International Energy Star Program, revised in April 2007.

The bizhub C550 uses a thin belt for its heating element. The IH coils are installed outside the belt, enabling a shorter warm-up time. By adjusting the magnetic flux at both ends of the roller according to the paper width, the roller can be heated efficiently and without waste.

Environmental Technologies

Simitri Toner
Next-generation toner with low environmental impact both in production and in use
Konica Minolta's polymerized toner is called Simitri toner. (Polymerization is one method of toner production.) Compared to a conventional pulverized toner, Simitri toner has higher environmental performance. It is a next-generation toner with less environmental impact during both the production process and use by the consumer.

Environmentally Sound Production Technology

Production process of pulverized toner (conventional toner)

In the conventional pulverizing method, as its name suggests, the toner is produced by the creation, then pulverization of a lump of ingredients.
Toner particles are produced when plastic materials are heated to melting point and are then cooled down, hit against a wall and crushed by a strong air current. Due to the complex production process mentioned above, pulverized toner has low energy efficiency. Moreover, if the particles are pulverized into a size that does not meet the requirements the production yield will deteriorate.

Production process of Simitri toner

On the other hand, in the polymerization method which is used to produce Simitri toner, minute resin particles are combined with color pigments in a chemical reaction to produce toner particles.
Since the toner particles are produced by combining resin particles and color pigments, the polymerization method can produce smaller and more uniformly shaped toner particles as compared with the pulverized method, which uses a crushing process. The polymerization method thus enables us to obtain precise and beautiful image quality.

Simitri toner, which requires no processes from hardening to pulverization, is produced using a simple production process. Additionally, uniformly shaped particles do not need to be inspected for size after production. Accordingly, the energy used for the production process can be substantially reduced.

Compared with the pulverizing method, the polymerization method has achieved an approximate 40% reduction in CO2, which contributes to global warming.

Environmental Technology with Less Impact at Time of Use

Fine and uniform toner particles also help reduce environmental impact when used by consumers
Simitri toner, with its fine and uniform particles, is also effective in reducing environmental impact when the toner is used by consumers.
Firstly, the small particle size toner allows for a reduction in toner consumption. If a toner of 8 m, which is a standard size for the pulverized toner, is replaced with a Simitri toner of 6 m, the toner consumption is reduced by more than 30%. Secondly, since small and uniform toner particles can be fused to the paper at a low temperature, power consumption during the fusing process will also be reduced.

Simitri HD toner that can be fused at a even lower temperature

Konica Minolta has upgraded the Simitri toner to develop the Simitri HD (High Definition) toner.
Simitri HD toner has particles that are soft on the inside, so that they may be melted at a lower temperature, and hard on the outside, which prevents toners from adhering each other and thus produces high quality images. Simitri HD toner, featuring the core-shell configuration, in which toner particles are soft on the inside but hard on the outside, has allowed users to substantially reduce power consumption when they use the product.

Product information
Konica Minolta has expanded the scope of applications of the more environmentally sound Simitri toner (polymerized toner), from black-and-white toners to color toners, adopting the Simitri toner in a range of MFPs and printers. We have also increased the use of the Simitri HD toner, a further upgraded polymerized toner.

Technology to extend the service life of the imaging unit

The full-color multifunction printer incorporates an imaging unit which integrates the developing unit, photoconductor, charger, and the cleaner into one unit so that the unit can be replaced easily when necessary. Because this imaging unit and the toner bottle are separate, the imaging unit can continue to be used after the toner in the toner bottle has been used up. Therefore, Konica Minolta has been working hard to extend the life of the imaging unit. As a result, the service life of the latest model of the imaging unit is more than three times longer than that of models built in the 2000. This was accomplished by improving the circulating mixing system of the developing unit, changing the shape of electrodes of the charger, improving the overcoat layer of the photoconductor drum, adopting a toner containing a lubricating agent, and redesigning the cleaning blade. From the product life cycle aspect, extending the service life also contributes to environmental protection through decrease in mechanical unit wastes.

Technology to extend the service life of the developing unit

Fig.1: Cross-sectional drawing of the imaging unit Before the developing unit had been improved, spent toner on the carrier occurred and the ability to electrically charge the toner was low due to stress in the developing unit. This caused the toner to scatter and fogging to become worse, thereby limiting the unit's service life. To solve this problem, we made an effort to reduce stress inside the developing unit. The developer circulates vertically along two axes by means of the mixing screw and the feed screw in the developing unit. However, the weight of the developer located near the feed screw installed on the upper side applied stress on the developer located near the mixing screw installed on the lower side. To solve this problem, a dividing member has been inserted between the feed screw and the mixing screw and the shape of the screws has been modified. As a result, the developer circulates smoothly along the two vertical axes. By doing so, the developer near the mixing screw receives less stress from the developer near the feed screw, and torque reduction of the mixing screw has been achieved. In addition, the entire torque of the developing unit has been reduced by approximately 30% as the result of using a small-diameter particle toner and carriers.

Technology to extend the service life of the charger

Fig.2: Pin-array electrode of the charger: before improvement (left) and after improvement (right) The charger of the full-color multifunction printer made by Konica Minolta uses pin-array electrodes. An electric discharge is generated from sharp-pointed pins of the pin-array electrode located on the photoconductor drum side and electrically charges the photoconductor drum. The electric discharge contaminates the pin points of the pin-array electrode due to discharge products, which increases uneven charging. Since the amount of generated discharge products depends on the charging current, by using about twice as many pins as the previous model and decreasing the current running through each pin, contamination on the pin array due to discharge products has been reduced. Thus, the progression of uneven charging has been inhibited.

Technology to extend the service life of the photoconductor drum and cleaner

Fig.3: Blade edge wear among several combinations of toner and cleaning blade To extend the service life of the photoconductor drum, it was necessary to solve the problem that made it difficult to obtain the required charging performance due to the progressive wear of the photosensitive layer. Therefore, we have used a mechanically-strong overcoat layer

(hereafter, referred to as "OCL") to reduce wear and extend the service life of the photoconductor drum. With regard to the technology to extend the service life of the cleaning blade, there was a problem in that wear of the blade edge progresses as it is used longer, resulting in insufficient cleaning. To reduce the wear of the blade edge, we have used a lubricating agent for the toner's external additive. By applying the lubricating agent onto the photoconductor drum via the toner, it is possible to decrease the surface energy of the photoconductor drum, thereby decreasing friction between the photoconductor drum and the cleaning blade and reducing the wear of the blade edge. Furthermore, in order to reduce the amount of wear, we have employed the new cleaning blade, which is not so easily worn as the conventional blades used to be. Fig.3 shows the comparison of the abrasion width of the cleaning blades after printing about 40,000 copies. The bar graph on the left represents the use of the conventional toner and conventional cleaning blade, the bar graph in the middle represents the use of the abovementioned new toner and the conventional cleaning blade, and the bar graph on the right represents the use of the new toner and the new cleaning blade. The right bar graph indicates that the abrasion width of the new cleaning blade is less than 50% of that of the conventional models.

Technology to increase durability of the photoconductor

Durability of the photoconductor is an important subject with regard to decreasing customer service costs as well as reducing environmental load, such as resource saving and waste reduction. Konica Minolta has focused on the protective overcoat layer of the photoconductor to increase its durability.

Factors that deteriorate the photoconductor and the functions required for the photoconductor
The organic photoconductor (hereafter, referred to as "OPC") is subject to various mechanical, electrical, and chemical stresses during the electrophotographic processes of charging, exposing, developing, and cleaning. Wear and scratches that occur during the process of repetitive creation of images are critical deterioration factors that determine the service life of the OPC. Specifically, during the color processing of recent years, mechanical stress caused by the intermediate transfer belt is added to the stress applied by the blade and the brush

used as cleaning members, and the environment where the OPC is used is more severe than ever. Therefore, it is strongly required that the OPC's resistance to wear and flaws be further improved. As the result of further studies, we found that a highly durable OPC can be obtained by providing a protective overcoat layer which includes dispersed nanosize fillers on the electrical-charge transportation layer.

Design of the highly-durable protective layer Selection of fillers

In selecting fillers, we focused on nanosize metal-oxide particulates which can give the protective layer a hard surface and ensure optical transparency. Furthermore, from the view point of electrostatic characteristics, low relative permittivity of the filler is desirable to ensure a good charging ability. Therefore, we have selected silica particulates. Moreover, from the view point of production stability, it is desirable that fillers in the coating liquid are not deposited. To achieve this, we have chosen silica particulates to be used as metal-oxide particulates because silica particulates with low specific gravity are advantageous.

Control of mechanical strength

Fig.1: Dependence of filler content on scratch resistance Fig.1 plots the relationship between the amount of silica particulates contained in the protective overcoat layer and the film strength. When the amount of silica added is small, filler effect is low, resulting in small and deep scratches on the protective layer, and when there is an excess of silica particulates added, it makes the film vulnerable to partial breakage. Therefore, it is important to control the amount of silica particulates added so that the amount is within a range that can improve film strength.

Fig.2 shows wear resistance of the OPC in which OCL that contains 20wt% of silica particulates has been provided. In comparison with the conventional OPC, the amount of wear has been significantly reduced. Since different processes create different mechanical stress, an appropriate additive amount needs to be determined. As shown in Fig.3, during the testing that actually uses bizhub PRO C6500, we confirmed that the OPC which has had OCL provided can sustain good potential stability and image characteristics for about 400 kilo prints.

Fig.2: Wear loss: conventional OPC vs. overcoated OPC

Fig.3: Cyclic stability of an overcoated OPC

Technology to increase durability of the developer

Durability of the developer is an important subject with regard to decreasing customer service costs as well as reducing environmental load, such as resource saving and waste reduction. Konica Minolta has focused on the coating layer of the carrier of the developer to increase the durability of the developer.

Deterioration mechanism of the developer and the required functions

Fig.1: Two-component developing process The two-component developer consists of a toner and a carrier. The toner is image forming particulate and is constantly being consumed. The carrier's purposes are to impart proper electric charge to the toner by frictional electrification when it is mixed with the toner in the developing unit, to transport the toner within the developing area opposite the photoconductor, and to create a development field so that the toner can properly develop an image that is identical to the latent image on the photoconductor.
Generally, the carrier is made up of magnetized ferrite particles which have been coated by resin that can impart electric charge. To consistently charge the toner, it is ideal not to change the carrier surface. However, since the carrier surface repetitively comes in contact with the toner within the developing unit, and is also subject to mechanical and thermal stress, the current situation is that the carrier surface gradually becomes contaminated to change the surface condition. Specifically, a high-speed machine requires the toner to become quickly charged and the developing property to be of the highest qualities in addition to extending the developer life.

Ensuring high development property and stabilization

Fig.2: The capacitor model at the developing region and an equality expression
To increase developing property, it is necessary to increase development field intensity. According to the above model, to increase the intensity of development field E, it is effective to choose material so that both the core's permittivity 1 and the coating layer's permittivity 2 are high. Furthermore, technology, which was developed to slightly wear the carrier surface to stabilize charging performance, resulted in a decrease in thickness d2 of the coating layer in the above equation which indicates that development field E increases as the use continues and development property changes. To stabilize development property, it is considered appropriate to design the coating layer so as to decrease both the thickness d2 and permittivity 2 of the coating layer.

Design of the carrier

Achieving and controlling high permittivity

Fig.3: The carrier structural model To increase permittivity of the coating layer, we researched adding high-permittivity material to the conventional acrylic resin coating layer. This time, we have used high-permittivity material which has a relative permittivity about 40 times higher than that of acrylic resin. Fig.6 is a model drawing of the studied carrier. The coating method is an environment-friendly dry method. The dry method uses a complete solventless coating process when forming a coating layer. Therefore, compared to the solvent coating, it can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emission by about 60 percent, thereby contributing to the reduction of environmental load.

Development property stabilizing design and attained level

Fig.4: Relationship between development field index and coating layer thickness index Changes of the field intensity due to wear of the film of the coating layer significantly change development property.

To stabilize the development property, we decided to control the concentration of the highpermittivity material thereby inhibiting the changes of the field intensity. Fig.7 shows the comparison of the development field intensity of three types of carriers (A, B, C) which was the result of experiments in which the method of concentration control was changed. When comparing the intensity of development field of C to that of A and B, the development field intensity of C is extremely stable.
By adopting this technology, it has become possible to maintain an extremely stable ability to impart the electric charge currently being used and also maintain high intensity of the development field. As a result, it has become possible to obtain a stable and high development property for a long period of time

Energy saving technology for the medical dry imager

The medical dry imager is a system for creating a latent image on a film by means of a laser exposure, and thermally developing the image by maintaining temperature of 120C or more for 10 seconds, thereby obtaining a visible image. This temperature holding unit is called a "heat development unit" and its prime function is to provide and maintain highly accurate and constant thermal energy so that the film emulsion can accelerate a uniform chemical reaction. This time, to advance energy saving technology, we have reviewed the heat development unit and have successfully reduced power consumption by 36% when compared to that of conventional models.

Thermal capacity reduction technology

Fig.1: Conventional heat development method that uses a heat drum

Fig.2: Divisional heating plate method The technical challenge in significantly reducing thermal capacity is to stabilize the temperature when developing the film. Specifically, for a large machine in which high processing ability is required, the amount of heat transfer per unit time during the development process becomes large, which makes it difficult to stabilize the temperature of the heat development unit. In the heat development drum method (Fig.1) employed by conventional models, a film is closely bonded to a rotating large-diameter heat drum, then heated and conveyed. Therefore, throughout the development process, from the rise of film temperature to the completion of development, a constant amount of heat is applied to the film. On the other hand, in the divisional heating plate method, the heating process is divided into process units (preheating, temperature rise, development) according to the direction of conveyance so that each process unit can be independently regulated (Fig.2). A significant feature is to optimize the amount of heat according to the characteristics necessary for each process unit. That is, adjustments can be made so that a large amount of heat is provided for the process which requires great heat, and a small amount of heat is provided for the process which requires less heat. This adjustment has greatly reduced energy loss which has resulted in the contribution to the reduction of power consumed by the entire piece of equipment.

Simulation and result of thermal capacity reduction technology

Fig.3: Amount of density change depending on the temperature

Fig.4: Comparison concept drawing of the thermal capacity First of all, prior to starting the designing of the heat development process, we made a simulation and verified it by using a prototype machine to observe the effect of temperature changes in each section on the density. As a result, the clear findings are: [1] when temperature is less than 100C (preheating section), density is not so affected; [2] during the temperature from 100C to the development temperature (temperature rise section) density is greatly affected; and [3] when temperature is near the development temperature (slit heating section), density does not have much dependence on the temperature. Based on the results, we determined the thermal capacity of each section so that the "degree of influence on the density thermal load during film processing / thermal capacity" becomes equal to that of conventional models. FIG.3 shows the amount of density change depending on the temperature as stated above [1] to [3]. With regard to the processes (preheating section and slit heating section) in which temperature changes do not significantly affect density, reduction of thermal capacity has become possible and total thermal capacity per print has been successfully reduced by about 50% of that of conventional models. Fig.4 shows the comparison concept of the thermal capacity per print. The area of the shaded portion located on the left in the drawing shows the thermal capacity during the development process by using a heat drum method. On the other hand, the area of the dotted portion located on the right in the drawing shows the thermal capacity during the development process by using a divisional heating plate method. The comparison of the area of the right and left portions in Fig.4 indicates that in the divisional heating plate method, when compared to the heat development drum method, necessary energy can be applied when required, therefore, required total energy can be small.

Improvement of thermal insulation property

To remove volatile components generated from the film during the heat development process, it is necessary to discharge air heated by the development engine unit to the outside through the deodorant filter. Conventionally in this process, thermal energy necessary for development

was also discharged. However, in the new method, the amount of discharged heat has been significantly reduced by locally discharging only the air around the portion where concentration of volatile components is high. Furthermore, by minimizing the area of the contact portion between the high-temperature part and the temperature-holding part in the heat development unit, a minimum amount of heat can be discharged to processes other than the heat development process. The effective use of the energy generated in the heat development process as the result of the improved thermal insulation property can also contribute to the reduction of power consumption.

Comparison of energy consumption with that of conventional models

Fig.5: Comparison drawing of power consumption When compared with conventional models, electric power that is assumed to be consumed in general hospitals (8 hour operation, 100 printing) has been successfully reduced by 36% (mean value) which is greater than the 30% target that Konica Minolta had aimed for when comparing to conventional models. It is considered that this was accomplished by the effect of power reduction at the start-up of the machine due to the thermal capacity reduction measures as well as the effect of total thermal capacity reduction during printing. (Fig.5)