Exposure Head Light Emission Timing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exposure heads experience a shift in latent image forming position due to the difference in light emission timing and position between first and second light-emitting elements, leading to poor image formation when changing over between these elements during the exposure process.
Innovation Solution
The exposure head incorporates a control unit that adjusts the light emission timing of first and second light-emitting elements differently to synchronize their operations, ensuring that the shift in latent image forming position is minimized by controlling the timing based on the distance and movement speed of the latent image container.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of stationary object
If multiple light-emitting elements are disposed in one-to-one correspondence to prolong the life cycle of the exposure head, then the life cycle is improved, but a shift in latent image forming position occurs in the sub scan direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the light emission timing parameter between first and second light-emitting elements to compensate for their positional difference. Specifically, the control unit makes the light emission timing of the first light-emitting element different from that of the second light-emitting element, which compensates for the shift in latent image forming position caused by the different positions of the light-emitting elements in the sub scan direction.
2Manufacturing precision
If light emission timing of first and second light-emitting elements is made different to suppress position shift, then position accuracy is improved, but timing synchronization becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit adjusts the light emission timing based on the positional relationship between the first and second light-emitting elements. This feedback mechanism ensures that the timing difference compensates exactly for the positional shift, maintaining accurate latent image forming position while automatically adapting to the specific configuration of the light-emitting elements.
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 solution effectively suppresses the shift in latent image forming position, resulting in improved image quality by ensuring accurate superimposition of toner images during the exposure process, thereby forming a better latent image.
Implementation Method 1
a LED (Light Emitting Diode) device or an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) device may be used
Implementation Method 2
an image forming optical system forms an image by using light from the light-emitting elements, so that spots are formed. Therefore, a plurality of the spots are formed to be aligned in the main scan direction, and a surface of a latent image carrier is exposed by the spots
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier, on which a latent image is formed; an exposure head that includes a first light-emitting element and a second light-emitting element that is disposed in a direction in which the latent image container corresponding to the first light-emitting element is moved; and a control unit that changes over and performs a first latent image forming operation, in which the latent image is formed on the latent image container by using the first light-emitting element, and a second latent image forming operation, in which the latent image is formed on the latent image container by using the second light-emitting element, wherein the control unit controls a first light emission timing of the first light-emitting element in the first latent image forming operation and a second light emission timing of the second light-emitting element in the second latent image forming operation to be different from each other.