Optical Print Head Light Dispersion Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing optical print heads experience undesirable light dispersion due to inefficiencies in luminous efficiency, drive circuit dispersion, and refractive index distribution of rod lenses, leading to image density unevenness and degraded quality, which conventional light amount correction methods cannot fully address when the light emitting element rows and rod lens array are misaligned.
Innovation Solution
The optical print head employs two rows of light emitting elements with separate drive circuits and a microlens array, where the light emitting elements are driven with distinct current values and light emitting times are adjusted using PWM control to equalize light amounts, and correction information is stored in a memory to optimize light concentration and reduce dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If light amount correction is performed by adjusting light emitting time only, then correction can be executed, but light dispersion cannot be completely suppressed when light emitting element rows and rod lens array are misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the correction parameter from light emitting time only to light emitting current. By adjusting the drive current of each light emitting element, the system can compensate for both light amount differences and light dispersion caused by misalignment between light emitting element rows and the rod lens array, achieving complete suppression of light dispersion while maintaining uniform light amounts.
2Manufacturing precision
If separate drive circuits are used for each light emitting element row, then light dispersion can be controlled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the drive circuits into separate circuits for each light emitting element row. This segmentation allows independent control of light emitting current for each row, enabling precise compensation of light dispersion and uniform light amount control without requiring complex individual element control.
3Device complexity
If light emitting elements are driven with same current value, then drive circuit complexity is reduced, but light amount dispersion occurs due to luminous efficiency variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different current values to different light emitting elements based on their individual luminous efficiency characteristics. By tailoring the drive current to each element's specific properties, the system achieves uniform light output while managing the complexity through row-based grouping rather than individual element control.
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 approach effectively suppresses light dispersion across the optical print head, ensuring consistent image quality by equalizing light amounts and correcting for positional deviations between light emitting elements and rod lenses, thereby improving image density and resolution.
Implementation Method 1
a microlens array in which two rows of microlenses arranged in parallel are integrated
Implementation Method 2
dispersion of the refractive index distribution of the rod lens array
Data Source
AI summary
An optical print head comprises a first light emitting element row, a second light emitting element row, a lens array, a first drive circuit and a second drive circuit. The first light emitting element row includes the arrangement of first light emitting elements. The second light emitting element row includes second light emitting elements arranged in parallel with the first light emitting element row. The lens array concentrates light emitted by the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements. The first drive circuit drives each first light emitting element with an identical first current value. The second drive circuit drives each second light emitting element with an identical second current value different from the first current value.