Image Forming Apparatus Exposure Timing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses for electro-photography systems face issues with uneven line spacing due to fluctuations in the rotating speed of photosensitive bodies, leading to color gaps in the final image.
Innovation Solution
An image forming apparatus with a drive mechanism and exposure units that determine and adjust the exposure-starting phase for each photosensitive body based on its rotation phase, ensuring synchronized exposure and transfer times across all photosensitive bodies to maintain even line spacing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the rotating speed of photosensitive bodies is kept constant, then line spacing uniformity is improved, but the fluctuation in rotating speed cannot be compensated, leading to color gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the exposure-starting time variable rather than fixed. The varying unit dynamically adjusts the exposure-starting time difference between photosensitive bodies based on detected rotation phase fluctuations, allowing the system to adapt to speed variations and prevent color gaps while maintaining line spacing uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by detecting the rotation phase of photosensitive bodies and using this information to adjust exposure timing. The determining unit measures rotation phase, and the varying unit uses this feedback to compensate for speed fluctuations, ensuring reliable color image formation without color gaps
2Device complexity
If exposure-starting time is fixed for all photosensitive bodies, then device complexity is reduced, but positioning precision of lead lines deteriorates due to rotation speed fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static fixed exposure timing to dynamic variable timing. The varying unit changes the exposure-starting time difference based on detected rotation phases, allowing precise lead line positioning while avoiding excessive complexity by only adjusting timing rather than entire exposure sequences
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the timing parameter dynamically. Instead of keeping exposure-starting time fixed, the system varies the time difference between exposure starters of different photosensitive bodies based on rotation phase measurements, achieving precise positioning without overly complex mechanisms
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 prevents unevenness in the forming positions of lead lines, ensuring consistent image quality by synchronizing the exposure and transfer times across all photosensitive bodies, thereby eliminating color gaps.
Implementation Method 1
an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photosensitive body, which is driven and rotated, by exposing the photosensitive body to light by exposing means
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a plurality of photosensitive bodies disposed along a moving direction of a recording medium; a drive mechanism for driving and rotating the plurality of photosensitive bodies; a plurality of exposure units, each exposure unit being associated with a respective one of the photosensitive bodies, the each exposure unit configured to expose the respective photosensitive body; a determining unit for determining an exposure-starting phase that is a rotation phase at an exposure-starting timing with respect to one photosensitive body among the plurality of photosensitive bodies; and a varying unit for varying a exposure-starting time difference between the exposure-starting timing of the one photosensitive body and an exposure-starting timing of an other photosensitive body disposed at a downstream side of the one photosensitive body in the moving direction of the recording medium, based on the exposure-starting phase.