Patent · US Expired

Exposure device utilizing LEDs each having a plurality of luminescence portions

US5729269A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
7References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 12, 1995
Grant dateMar 17, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 12, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/45
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided with a photoreceptor, and an exposure device for exposing the photoreceptor based on image data so as to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor. The exposure device has a plurality of light emitting devices aligned along a main scanning direction of the photoreceptor, the respective light emitting devices having a plurality of luminescence portions, and a light emitting device driver for applying a voltage to the respective luminescence portions so that the luminescence area of the light emitting device increases step by step whenever the applied voltage increases by a predetermined voltage based on the image data. With the arrangement, tone expression is realized in the electrostatic latent image, according to the size of the luminescence area of the respective light emitting devices, which can be controlled by the voltage applied to the respective light emitting devices based on the image data. Accordingly, it is possible to form the electrostatic latent image having many tones on the photoreceptor based on image data accurately and easily.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.