Abstract: In an optical scanning device, a first deflector rotates about a first axis in a first direction and deflects light to scan the deflected light, and a second deflector rotates about a second axis parallel to the first axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction and deflects light to scan the deflected light. The light detecting unit detects the light deflected by the first deflector and the light deflected by the second deflector. As viewed in an axial direction along the first and second axes, the light detecting unit is disposed on one side relative to a first line and between second and third lines, the first line passing through the first and second axes, the second line passing through the first axis and being perpendicular to the first line, and the third line passing through the second axis and being perpendicular to the first line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body; a process cartridge being detachably mounted to the main body along a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis direction, the process cartridge including a photosensitive member, and a charger facing a surface of the photosensitive member; and an exposure device including a plurality of light emitting devices arranged along the rotational axis direction, and a facing part. The facing part is a part of the exposure device that is positioned closest to the photosensitive member and faces the surface of the photosensitive member when seen from the rotational axis direction, at a state in which the process cartridge is mounted, and the charger is positioned at an opposite side of the exposure device with respect to a second line which is parallel with the mounting direction and passes the facing part when seen from the rotational axis direction.

Abstract: A developing blade apparatus may include a supporting a protrusion and a developing blade connected to the supporting member and including an opening. The protrusion of the supporting member may be disposed within the opening. The developing blade may include a plurality of weld marks that includes a first weld mark and a second weld mark. The protrusion and the opening are disposed between the first weld mark and the second weld mark on an imaginary straight line connecting the first weld mark and the second weld mark.

Abstract: Aspects include an apparatus, a blade assembly, and a method for manufacturing the apparatus with the blade assembly. The apparatus may include a developer carrier for carrying developer and a blade assembly. The blade assembly may include a blade disposed adjacent to the developer carrier and configured to regulate an amount of developer on the developer carrier. The blade may include a weld mark joining the blade to the supporting member. A first dimension of the weld mark in a first direction may be greater than a second dimension of the weld mark in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a third dimension of the weld mark in a third direction may be a dimension of the thickness of the blade. The weld mark may be formed by irradiating a laser beam onto the blade while moving the laser beam or the blade.

Abstract: Aspects include an apparatus, a blade assembly, and a method for manufacturing the apparatus with the blade assembly. The apparatus may include a developer carrier for carrying developer and a blade assembly. The blade assembly may include a blade disposed adjacent to the developer carrier and configured to regulate an amount of developer on the developer carrier. The blade may include a plurality of weld marks joining the blade to the supporting member. Each of the plurality of weld marks may overlap with an adjacent one of the plurality of weld marks. Together the weld marks may form a combined weld mark that extends in a direction that the blade extends.

Abstract: A method for welding a developing blade to a supporting member may include increasing a relative movement speed of a welding laser and a developing blade, along a moving direction. The method may include maintaining, upon the welding laser reaching the developing blade, the relative movement speed and initiating irradiation of the welding laser toward the developing blade and the supporting member.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device, a first deflector rotates about a first axis in a first direction and deflects light to scan the deflected light, and a second deflector rotates about a second axis parallel to the first axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction and deflects light to scan the deflected light. The light detecting unit detects the light deflected by the first deflector and the light deflected by the second deflector. As viewed in an axial direction along the first and second axes, the light detecting unit is disposed on one side relative to a first line and between second and third lines, the first line passing through the first and second axes, the second line passing through the first axis and being perpendicular to the first line, and the third line passing through the second axis and being perpendicular to the first line.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive member; a conveying member; an exposure head; a developing unit; an image forming unit; a concentration sensor having a first detection width in a conveyance direction and a second detection width in an axial direction of the photosensitive member; and a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the exposure head and the image forming unit to form a first image for correction, which includes a straight line part extending in the axial direction of the photosensitive member and having a length equal to or larger than the second detection width of the concentration sensor, on the conveying member, and wherein the control unit corrects a developing bias to be applied to the developing unit based on a detection result of the first image for correction by the concentration sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of setting an exposure amount are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device which expose the photosensitive member to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a conveyance member which conveys a recording medium, an image forming unit which forms a plurality of density detection images corresponding to the image data and having different pixel densities on the conveyance member, a density detection unit which detects densities of the density detection images, and an exposure setting unit which compares respective detected image densities of the density detection images with reference densities corresponding to the respective density detection images, and sets an exposure amount according to a condition based on a combination of respective comparison results between the detected image densities and the reference densities.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an image forming section including a photosensitive body, and an LED array configured to expose the photosensitive body; and a controller configured to: make a judgment of a dew-condensation state of the LED array, and change a power supply state of the LED array based on the dew-condensation state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: plural photosensitive members; plural exposing units opposed to the photosensitive members, respectively, each of the exposing units including a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a first direction; and a body frame which is provided at both sides of the exposing units in the first direction. Each of the exposing units includes: a gap maintaining member which abuts a respective one of the photosensitive members to define a distance between the exposing unit and the photosensitive member; a first-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in the first direction to position the exposing unit in the first direction; and a second-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and an exposing direction of the light emitting elements, to position the exposing unit in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a photoconductive body, an exposure unit configured with a plurality of light emitting elements aligned in a predetermined direction, the exposure unit being adopted to expose the photoconductive body to light emitted by the light emitting elements, a frame configured to support both sides of the exposure unit in the predetermined direction, the frame having a reference portion configured to position the exposure unit in the predetermined direction in contact with an end of the exposure unit in the predetermined direction, and a pressing member provided to one of the frame and the exposure unit, the pressing member being configured to press the end of the exposure unit against the reference portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes a housing having a cover swingable around a rotational shaft, and first and second LED heads attached to the cover, a position of the first LED head relative to a first axis line around which a first photoconductive body is rotatable being more shifted toward the rotational shaft in a first direction than a position of the second LED head relative to a second axis line around which a second photoconductive body is rotatable, the first direction being a direction along which the first and second photoconductive bodies are arranged, the first and second axis lines being parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: plural photosensitive members; plural exposing units opposed to the photosensitive members, respectively, each of the exposing units including a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a first direction; and a body frame which is provided at both sides of the exposing units in the first direction. Each of the exposing units includes: a gap maintaining member which abuts a respective one of the photosensitive members to define a distance between the exposing unit and the photosensitive member; a first-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in the first direction to position the exposing unit in the first direction; and a second-direction positioning portion which abuts the body frame in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and an exposing direction of the light emitting elements, to position the exposing unit in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming device includes a photoconductive body, an exposure unit configured with a plurality of light emitting elements aligned in a predetermined direction, the exposure unit being adopted to expose the photoconductive body to light emitted by the light emitting elements, a frame configured to support both sides of the exposure unit in the predetermined direction, the frame having a reference portion configured to position the exposure unit in the predetermined direction in contact with an end of the exposure unit in the predetermined direction, and a pressing member provided to one of the frame and the exposure unit, the pressing member being configured to press the end of the exposure unit against the reference portion.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a quantized amount of correction A is applied to emission timing with which each light-emitting point is to be caused to give off light emission to thereby align points of exposure to light emitted from the light-emitting points, substantially with a straight line extending in the main scanning direction on a photoconductor. The amount of correction A is adjusted by adding or subtracting one to or from one of the tentatively determined amounts of correction A1, A2 for light-emitting point (P1, P2) at opposite ends of two adjacent light-emitting chips, if formula (1) is not satisfied: ? ? ? ? E - B ? < D 2 ( 1 ) where B is difference |C1?C2| between amounts of shift C1, C2 of the light-emitting points (P1, P2) stored in a memory, ?E is a value derived from |A1?A2| multiplied by the quantization unit D, |A1?A2| is the difference between the amounts of correction A1, A2.

Abstract: A multi-beam light source device and a multi-beam scanning device including the multi-beam light source device are provided. The multi-beam light source device includes: a light source including: a cylindrical package having a side edge portion which extends in a rotational direction about a rotational axis line defined as a first direction; a plurality of light emitting units which are disposed in the cylindrical package and configured to emit laser light in the first direction; and a housing which holds the light source. The housing has a holder that holds the side edge portion of the cylindrical package to be relatively rotatable in the rotational direction. The holder is formed with at least one opening which exposes the side edge portion of the light source.

Abstract: Positions in a main scanning direction of points of exposure are determined by emission of light from two light-emitting points of each exposure device near predetermined endmost light-emitting points. A first exposure device of which a distance between the two light-emitting points is greatest is identified based on the determined positions of the points of exposure. A subset of usable light-emitting points of a second exposure device other than the first exposure device, located in positions corresponding to a range of exposure which coincides in a width direction with a range of exposure defined by the two light-emitting points of the first exposure device, is specified The number n of pairs of adjacent usable light-emitting points of the second exposure device each associated with one pixel is obtained by subtracting the number of usable light-emitting points of the first exposure device from that of the second exposure device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive member; a conveying member; an exposure head; a developing unit; an image forming unit; a concentration sensor having a first detection width in a conveyance direction and a second detection width in an axial direction of the photosensitive member; and a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the exposure head and the image forming unit to form a first image for correction, which includes a straight line part extending in the axial direction of the photosensitive member and having a length equal to or larger than the second detection width of the concentration sensor, on the conveying member, and wherein the control unit corrects a developing bias to be applied to the developing unit based on a detection result of the first image for correction by the concentration sensor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus and a method of setting an exposure amount are provided. The image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device which expose the photosensitive member to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a conveyance member which conveys a recording medium, an image forming unit which forms a plurality of density detection images corresponding to the image data and having different pixel densities on the conveyance member, a density detection unit which detects densities of the density detection images, and an exposure setting unit which compares respective detected image densities of the density detection images with reference densities corresponding to the respective density detection images, and sets an exposure amount according to a condition based on a combination of respective comparison results between the detected image densities and the reference densities.