Image forming apparatus having system for reducing noise

U.S. Patent Number: 5289147

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a housing, a mechanism, mounted in the housing, for forming images on a medium, an operation panel formed on the housing, the mechanism being driven in accordance with an operating instruction input from the operation panel by an operator, a microphone, provided in the housing, for detecting a noise generated by a driving of the mechanism, and a noise canceling unit for outputting an acoustic wave to an area adjacent to the operation panel of the housing, the acoustic wave being generated based on the noise detected by the microphone so that the acoustic wave and a noise present in the area cancel out, whereby the noise present in the area is reduced.

Inventors: Koike; Tadao (Tokyo, JP), Fukumizu; Kenji (Yokohama, JP), Kitagawa; Hiroo (Yokohama, JP), Ishikawa; Fumihiko (Yokohama, JP), Yanagisawa; Tkaaki (Tokyo, JP), Kanda; Satoshi (Yokohama, JP)

Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo, JP)

Application Number: 07/878,691

Issued: 1994-02-22

Expired: 2006-02-22

Classes: 399/1 ; 181/206; 381/71.3; 399/9

Field of search: 355/202,207,200 381/71 181/206

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