Exposure device, image forming apparatus, and computer-readable medium
View Patent ↗An exposure device includes a plurality of light emitting elements, a load, a first supplying unit and a second supplying unit. The first supplying unit supplies a driving current to one of (i) light emitting elements used to form an image among the plurality of light emitting elements and (ii) the load, in accordance with a modulation signal. The first supplying unit supplies a bias current to the other. The second supplying unit supplies the bias current to light emitting elements not used to form the image among the plurality of light emitting elements, regardless of the modulation signal.
1. An exposure device comprising:
a plurality of light emitting elements;
a load;
a first supplying unit that supplies a driving current to one of (i) light emitting elements which are used to form an image among the plurality of light emitting elements and (ii) the load, in accordance with a modulation signal, wherein the first supplying unit supplies a bias current to another one of (i) the light emitting elements which are used to form the image and (ii) the load;
a second supplying unit that supplies the bias current to light emitting elements which are not used to form the image among the plurality of light emitting elements, regardless of the modulation signal; and
a third supplying unit that supplies to the respective light emitting elements a bias voltage which is common to the plurality of light emitting elements and which is obtained by averaging voltages between terminals of the plurality of light emitting elements when the plurality of light emitting elements are turned off, wherein
after the bias voltage is supplied, the first supplying unit supplies the bias current, which is set based on the bias voltage, to the another one of (i) the light emitting elements which are used to form the image and (ii) the load, and
after the bias voltage is supplied, the second supplying unit supplies the bias current, which is set based on the bias voltage, to the light emitting elements which are not used to form the image among the plurality of light emitting elements, regardless of the modulation signal.
2. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a photosensitive body;
an exposure device having a plurality of light emitting elements that expose the photosensitive body to form an electrostatic latent image; and
a developer that develops the electrostatic latent image with a toner, wherein
the exposure device includes
an exposure section having the plurality of light emitting elements,
a load,
a first supplying unit that supplies a driving current to one of (i) light emitting elements which are used to form an image among the plurality of light emitting elements and (ii) the load, in accordance with a modulation signal, wherein the first supplying unit supplies a bias current to another one of (i) the light emitting elements which are used to form the image and (ii) the load,
a second supplying unit that supplies the bias current to light emitting elements which are not used to form the image among the plurality of light emitting elements, regardless of the modulation signal, and
a third supplying unit that supplies to the respective light emitting elements a bias voltage which is common to the plurality of light emitting elements and which is obtained by averaging voltages between terminals of the plurality of light emitting elements when the plurality of light emitting elements are turned off, wherein
after the bias voltage is supplied, the first supplying unit supplies the bias current, which is set based on the bias voltage, to the another one of (i) the light emitting elements which are used to form the image and (ii) the load, and
after the bias voltage is supplied, the second supplying unit supplies the bias current, which is set based on the bias voltage, to the light emitting elements which are not used to form the image among the plurality of light emitting elements, regardless of the modulation signal.
3. A computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to function as:
a first supplying unit that supplies a driving current to one of (i) light emitting elements which are used to form an image among a plurality of light emitting elements and (ii) a load, in accordance with a modulation signal, wherein the first supplying unit supplies a bias current to another one of (i) the light emitting elements which are used to form the image and (ii) the load,
a second supplying unit that supplies the bias current to light emitting elements which are not used to form the image among the plurality of light emitting elements, regardless of the modulation signal, and
a third supplying unit that supplies to the respective light emitting elements a bias voltage which is common to the plurality of light emitting elements and which is obtained by averaging voltages between terminals of the plurality of light emitting elements when the plurality of light emitting elements are turned off, wherein
after the bias voltage is supplied, the first supplying unit supplies the bias current, which is set based on the bias voltage, to the another one of (i) the light emitting elements which are used to form the image and (ii) the load, and
after the bias voltage is supplied, the second supplying unit supplies the bias current, which is set based on the bias voltage, to the light emitting elements which are not used to form the image among the plurality of light emitting elements, regardless of the modulation signal.