Patent · US Active

Image forming apparatus and light intensity adjusting method

US9709917B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
1References
16Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateMay 17, 2016
Grant dateJul 18, 2017
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 17, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03G15/04054
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: an array of m light-emitting elements extending in a main scanning direction, the m being an integer satisfying m≧3; a memory that stores a cumulative light emission time of each of the m light-emitting elements; a light intensity adjusting portion that obtains a light intensity adjusting value for the each light-emitting element; an activating portion that controls the activation and deactivation of the each light-emitting element with the light intensity adjusting value; and a selecting portion that selects n light-emitting elements from an end of the array, the n being an integer satisfying n≧2 and n<m, wherein the activating portion forcibly activates the n light-emitting elements such that the cumulative light emission times of them are adjusted to a predetermined typical value less than the greatest value of cumulative light emission time among the m−n light-emitting elements.

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