Dual LED Chip Exposure Head for Image Forming Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image forming apparatuses using exposure heads with LED or organic EL light emitting portions face challenges in achieving sufficient light quantity, leading to potential image quality deterioration due to insufficient light emission.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus incorporates a dual light emitting chip configuration with separate lenses for each chip, allowing for controlled voltage application to form a single pixel by coordinating the light emission from multiple light emitting portions, thereby compensating for light quantity and reducing image quality issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a light emitting portion using LED or organic EL is used in the exposure head, then the number of components and size are reduced, but the light quantity emitted is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple light emitting portions (first and second light emitting portions) into a single exposure head to emit light onto the same pixel region of the photoreceptor. This merging approach increases the total light quantity while maintaining the compact size advantage of LED/organic EL light sources, resolving the contradiction between small size and sufficient light emission.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple light emitting portions are arranged to form a single pixel, then light quantity is compensated, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The exposure head is segmented into multiple independent light emitting portions (first and second light emitting portions), each capable of emitting light onto the same pixel region. This segmentation allows flexible arrangement and control of light sources, enabling sufficient light quantity while maintaining relatively simple device structure through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple light emitting portions perform the same function of emitting light onto pixel regions, but are arranged to cover the same area. This multi-functionality approach allows the system to achieve sufficient light quantity through redundant light emission paths without requiring fundamentally different or complex additional components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively compensates for light quantity deficiencies, ensuring improved image quality by coordinating the emission from multiple light emitting portions to form a single pixel, thereby suppressing image quality deterioration.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitting layer laminated on the first electrode layer and configured to emit light when a voltage is applied
Implementation Method 2
a first lens configured to form an image of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting portions included in the first light emitting chip on the photoreceptor
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: an exposure head including a first light emitting chip, a second light emitting chip, a first lens fixed to a housing at a position facing the first light emitting chip, and configured to form an image of light emitted from a plurality of light emitting portions included in the first light emitting chip on a photoreceptor, and a second lens provided separately from the first lens, fixed to the housing at a position facing the second light emitting chip, and configured to form an image of light emitted from a plurality of light emitting portions included in the second light emitting chip on the photoreceptor; and a controller capable of controlling application of a voltage to each of a plurality of electrodes of the first light emitting chip and a plurality of electrodes of the second light emitting chip so as to form one pixel.