IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,480,888
Granted Patent B2
US 11,480,888 · App. 17/474,344 · Granted Oct 25, 2022

Image forming apparatus

Inventor: Koichiro Nakanishi (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
G03G15/043G03G15/04036G03G15/04063G03G15/26G06K15/1247G03G2215/0407G03G2215/0412
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,480,888
App. No.
17/474,344
Granted
Oct 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: an exposure head including a first light emitting chip, a second light emitting chip, a first lens fixed to a housing at a position facing the first light emitting chip, and configured to form an image of light emitted from a plurality of light emitting portions included in the first light emitting chip on a photoreceptor, and a second lens provided separately from the first lens, fixed to the housing at a position facing the second light emitting chip, and configured to form an image of light emitted from a plurality of light emitting portions included in the second light emitting chip on the photoreceptor; and a controller capable of controlling application of a voltage to each of a plurality of electrodes of the first light emitting chip and a plurality of electrodes of the second light emitting chip so as to form one pixel.

Claims (15)

1. An image forming apparatus that irradiates a surface of a photoreceptor with light to form an electrostatic latent image and causes toner to adhere to the electrostatic latent image to form an image, the image forming apparatus comprising:

an exposure head configured to irradiate the surface of the photoreceptor with light to form the electrostatic latent image,

the exposure head including:

a housing;

a first circuit board fixed to the housing;

a first light emitting chip and a second light emitting chip that each include a second circuit board mounted on the first circuit board, and a plurality of light emitting portions configured to emit light, the plurality of light emitting portions including a first electrode layer including a plurality of electrodes arranged in a rotational axis direction of the photoreceptor and arranged separately on the second circuit board, a light emitting layer laminated on the first electrode layer and configured to emit light when a voltage is applied, and a second electrode layer configured to allow light to pass through and arranged on a side opposite to a side where the first electrode layer is arranged with respect to the light emitting layer, the first light emitting chip and the second light emitting chip being arranged at the same position in the rotational axis direction of the photoreceptor and at different positions in a rotational direction of the photoreceptor;

a first lens configured to form an image of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting portions included in the first light emitting chip on the photoreceptor, the first lens being fixed to the housing at a position facing the first light emitting chip; and

a second lens configured to form an image of light emitted from the plurality of light emitting portions included in the second light emitting chip on the photoreceptor, the second lens being provided separately from the first lens and being fixed to the housing at a position facing the second light emitting chip; and

a controller configured to control application of a voltage to each of the plurality of electrodes of the first light emitting chip and the plurality of electrodes of the second light emitting chip based on image data such that the light emitting layer of the first light emitting chip and the light emitting layer of the second light emitting chip emit light, the controller being capable of controlling application of the voltage to each of the plurality of electrodes of the first light emitting chip and the plurality of electrodes of the second light emitting chip such that one pixel is formed by applying the voltage to the plurality of electrodes of the first light emitting chip and the plurality of electrodes of the second light emitting chip.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of electrodes of the first light emitting chip is two-dimensionally arranged in the rotational direction and the rotational axis direction,

the plurality of electrodes of the second light emitting chip is two-dimensionally arranged in the rotational direction and the rotational axis direction, and

the controller is capable of controlling application of a voltage to each of the plurality of electrodes of the first light emitting chip and the plurality of electrodes of the second light emitting chip such that one pixel is formed by applying a voltage to the plurality of electrodes arranged at different positions in the rotational direction in the first light emitting chip and one pixel is formed by applying a voltage to the plurality of electrodes arranged at different positions in the rotational direction in the second light emitting chip.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

each of the light emitting layer of the first light emitting chip and the light emitting layer of the second light emitting chip is an organic light emitting layer.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 5, 2021
From: NAKANISHI, KOICHIRO
To: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 057710/0888 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2020-210269 · Dec 18, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220197176A1 · Jun 23, 2022