Photoreceptor Scanning Luminance Control for Adhesion Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image forming apparatuses face issues with density unevenness in images due to decreased light emission efficiency of semiconductor lasers when high light emission luminance is required for adhesion processing, leading to inadequate adhesion force and density inconsistencies.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus controls the light emission luminance of the scanning unit by setting it to a higher luminance for adhesion regions and gradually decreasing it to the standard luminance for image regions, ensuring consistent light emission efficiency and preventing density unevenness while maintaining adequate adhesion force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the light emission luminance of the scanning apparatus is increased to increase the amount of applied toner for adhesion, then the adhesion force is improved, but the light emission efficiency of the semiconductor laser decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning apparatus divides the photoreceptor scanning into two distinct regions: a first region for forming user latent images and a second region for forming adhesion latent images. By segmenting the scanning process, the system can apply different light emission luminances to each region, optimizing both adhesion force and light emission efficiency without compromising either function.
2Loss of energy
If the light emission luminance is switched to a lower level after high luminance scanning, then the light emission efficiency recovers, but the light emission luminance becomes lower than required for image region scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary action by maintaining the high light emission luminance level during scanning of the second region (adhesion region) before switching to the first region (image region). This ensures that when the scanning transitions from the adhesion region to the image region, the light emission luminance is already at the required level, preventing density unevenness in the formed images.
3Strength
If the light emission luminance is maintained at high level for adhesion processing, then adequate adhesion force is secured, but density unevenness occurs in images due to decreased light emission efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning apparatus applies different light emission luminances to different spatial regions of the photoreceptor. The second region (adhesion region) receives high light emission luminance to ensure adequate adhesion force, while the first region (image region) receives the required light emission luminance for proper image density. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between adhesion force and image density uniformity.
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 maintains image density consistency and secures the required adhesion force by managing light emission luminance transitions, thereby improving the quality of the formed images.
Implementation Method 1
a scanning unit configured to, by scanning a photoreceptor with light in a scanning direction, form a first latent image based on image data in a first region of the photoreceptor
Implementation Method 2
a developing unit configured to develop the first latent image and the second latent image with toner
Implementation Method 3
the light emission efficiency of semiconductor laser used as the light source in the scanning apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
An image forming apparatus includes: a scanning unit configured to form latent images in a first region and in a second region of the photoreceptor; and a control unit configured to control a light emission luminance of the scanning unit. The control unit is further configured to set the light emission luminance of the scanning unit to a first light emission luminance when scanning of the first region is started, and set the light emission luminance of the scanning unit to a second light emission luminance higher than the first light emission luminance when scanning of the second region is started, and to decrease the light emission luminance of the scanning unit while the second region is being scanned, in a case where the second region is an upstream side of the first region in the scanning direction.