# US 11,906,356 B2 · Spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus and method of obtaining spectral characteristics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,356 B2 - Document ID: US11906356B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/876,087 - Filed: 2022-07-28 - Published: 2023-04-06 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-30 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Toshio Koike; Nobuo Kikuchi; Dan Ozasa; Kohei Shimbo - Inventors: Toshio Koike; Nobuo Kikuchi; Dan Ozasa; Kohei Shimbo - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906356B2 ## CPC - G01J 3/0202: {Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements} - H04N 1/00793: {using paper feeding mechanism, e.g. operate drive rollers at different speeds} - G01J 3/0267: {Sample holders for colorimetry} - G01N 21/251: {Colorimeters; Construction thereof} - G01N 21/255: {Details, e.g. use of specially adapted sources, lighting or optical systems} - H04N 1/00023: {Colour systems} - H04N 1/00588: {to the scanning position (H04N1/00572, H04N1/00594 take precedence)} - G01N 33/346: {Paper sheets} - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus and a method of obtaining spectral characteristics. The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus includes a conveyor including a first conveyance roller pair disposed in a conveyance direction in which an object is conveyed and a second conveyance roller pair disposed downstream from the first conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction, a sensor to detect that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair, circuitry to control the second conveyance roller pair to drive by a predetermined amount with a driving force greater than a driving force of the first conveyance roller pair upon detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair by the sensor and to stop driving, and a color data obtainer to obtain color data from the object at a position where the object stops moving. In the spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus, the circuitry estimates a spectral characteristic of the object. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus comprising: a conveyor including a first conveyance roller pair; a second conveyance roller pair downstream from the first conveyance roller pair in a conveyance direction; a sensor configured to detect that an object conveyed in the conveyance direction has reached the second conveyance roller pair; a pressurizer configured to apply pressure to the object; a color data obtainer configured to obtain color data from the object at a position where the object stops moving; and circuitry configured to cause the pressurizer to apply pressure to the object in response to the sensor detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair, cause the second conveyance roller pair to drive with a driving force greater than a driving force of the first conveyance roller pair in response to the pressurizer applying pressure to the object, and estimate a spectral characteristic of the object based on the color data obtained by the color data obtainer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to cause the second roller pair to drive the object with the driving force greater than the driving force of the first conveyance roller pair, while the pressurizer is pressing the object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to turn off a driving force of the first conveyance roller pair in response to detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair by the sensor, and turn on the driving force of the first conveyance roller pair in response to the second conveyance roller pair being driven by an amount. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to disengage a clutch used to convey driving force to the first conveyance roller pair in response to detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair by the sensor, and engage the clutch in response to the second conveyance roller pair being driven by an amount. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second conveyor configured to convey the color data obtainer in a direction intersecting with the conveyance direction. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is downstream from the second conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is configured to convey the object at a first conveyance speed, and reduce conveyance speed of the object from the first conveyance speed to a second conveyance speed before the sensor detects that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second conveyance roller pair includes the pressurizer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the pressurizer includes an arm configured to cause a first roller of the second conveyance roller pair to press against a second roller of the second conveyance roller pair. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the color data obtainer is configured to obtain the color data from the object in response to the second conveyance roller pair driving an amount with the pressurize applying pressure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first conveyance roller pair is configured to rotate by being pulled by the object when the second conveyance roller pair drives the driving force greater than the first conveyance roller pair. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the first conveyance roller pair and the second conveyance roller pair to stop conveying the object in response to the sensor detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The spectral-characteristic acquisition apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the circuitry is configured to cause the pressurizer to apply pressure to the object in response to the object stopping in the conveyance direction. ### Claim 14 A method of acquiring a spectral characteristic, the method comprising: conveying an object in a conveyance direction from a first conveyance roller pair to a second conveyance roller pair downstream from the first conveyance roller pair in the conveyance direction; detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair; applying pressure, via a pressurizer, to the object in response to detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair; driving the second conveyance roller pair with a driving force greater than a driving force of the first conveyance roller pair in response to the pressurizer applying pressure to the object; obtaining color data from the object at a position where the object is stopped; and estimating a spectral characteristic of the object based on the color data. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second conveyance roller pair includes the pressurizer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the pressurizer includes an arm configured to cause a first roller of the second conveyance roller pair to press against a second roller of the second conveyance roller pair. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the obtaining the color data from the object includes obtaining the color data from the object in response to the second conveyance roller pair driving an amount with the pressurizer applying pressure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the first conveyance roller pair is configured to rotate by being pulled by the object when the second conveyance roller pair drives the driving force greater than the first conveyance roller pair. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: stopping conveyance of the object in response to detecting that the object has reached the second conveyance roller pair. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the applying pressure includes applying the pressure in response to the stopping the conveyance of the object.