Patent · US Expired

Image recording method and apparatus using multiple laser beams

US5926203A · kind A · utility

17Cited by
11References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 18, 1996
Grant dateJul 20, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 18, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB41J2/473
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus that prevent degradation of an image quality due to a change of a beam pitch in a subscanning direction of each optical beam on a record medium. At a given time, for example, when power is first turned on, a CPU detects a beam pitch on a record medium, e.g., a photosensitive drum, by using a CCD line image sensor. If the detected value differs from a value set according to a currently-selected scanning density, an LD arrangement change motor is rotated via a motor driver so that the beam pitch matches the set value so as to change an arrangement of laser diodes in a laser diode array. Control over the beam pitch occurs for a variety of conditions including control at regular intervals, power-on events, or when a scanning density specification signal indicates a different beam pitch than the detected beam pitch. Similarly, adjustment over the beam pitch is not typically made during a copying operation.

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