Light Emitting Diodes Patents (Class 347/130)
  • Patent number: 8305406
    Abstract: An image forming device that includes a plurality of exposure components and a conductive covering member is provided. Pluralities of light emitting elements are disposed on substrates at the plurality of exposure components. The exposure components expose a plurality of exposure objects, respectively. The conductive covering member includes at least a floor plate that covers the exposure components from below. Wiring is connected to the substrates being disposed along the floor plate. Earthing portions of the substrates are electrically connected to the floor plate. The covering member includes a side plate that covers an axial direction side of the exposure objects and is joined to the floor plate. The earthing portions of the substrates are electrically connected to the side plate via conductive members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Komatsu, Masanori Seto
  • Patent number: 8294745
    Abstract: An optical writing device includes a light source that emits multiple laser beams; a separating unit that separates each of the multiple laser beams into a monitor beam and a scanning beam; a photoelectric converting element 218 that outputs a monitor voltage depending on a quantity of the monitor beam; a memory that stores an initial correction value for correcting a set common current; and a microcontroller that calculates a reference current, which is produced by correcting the common current updated on the basis of the monitor voltages with the initial correction values, obtains corrected currents by correcting the common current with the calculated correction values, controls each quantity of the laser beam on the basis of the corrected currents, and determines that the light source is degraded if a ratio of the corrected current to the reference current is larger than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Hidetoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8294744
    Abstract: An optical writing device includes: a light source including arrays arranged in a main scanning direction, each array including light-emitting elements arranged in the main scanning direction; a correction-value holding unit to hold, correspondingly with a light-emitting element, a correction value for changing timing to read out pixel data stored in an image storage unit; and a light-source drive unit to drive the light source by reading out the stored pixel data stored, according to the correction value. The correction-value holding unit includes a first area for holding a first correction value corresponding to a first light-emitting element located at an end of an array and a second area for holding a second correction value corresponding to a second light-emitting element other than the first light-emitting element, the first holding area being larger than the second holding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Izumi Kinoshita, Kunihiro Komai, Tatsuya Miyadera, Yoshinori Shirasaki, Takuhei Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8294742
    Abstract: An optical printer head comprises a base, a light-emitting device array mounted on the base, a lens array placed above the light-emitting device array; and a support member including a base bonding surface to which the base is bonded and a through hole, an opening of the through hole being positioned at the base bonding surface, wherein the base is bonded to the base bonding surface through an adhesive member and a part of the adhesive member is attached to an inner surface of the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Yuu Itou, Shinya Uchida
  • Patent number: 8264510
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier having a curvature in a first direction; and an exposure head including a first light emitting element that emits a light having a wavelength ?11 and a light having a wavelength ?12, a first optical system that converges each of the light emitted from the first light emitting element onto the image carrier, a second light emitting element, and a second optical system that converges a light emitted from the second light emitting element onto the image carrier, wherein a position at which the first optical system converges each of the light and a position at which the second optical system converges the light are different from each other with respect to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Sowa, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 8233018
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described. The image forming apparatus may include a first casing and a second casing above the first casing. The second casing is provided with an upper surface including a generally horizontal surface, a lower surface extending beyond the upper surface in a generally horizontal direction and a side surface connecting an end edge of the upper surface and an end edge of the lower surface with each other over the whole area. The first casing is provided with an upper surface coming into contact with the lower surface of the second casing over the whole area and a side surface including a generally vertical surface. An inclined surface connecting the generally vertical surface of the first casing and the generally horizontal surface of the second casing with each other, is provided continuously along the first casing and the second casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Keiichiro Egami, Yosuke Mase, Yusuke Nakata, Kayo Hasui
  • Patent number: 8194106
    Abstract: A line head includes multiple light emitting element groups each including multiple light emitting elements. In each light emitting element group, the multiple light emitting elements are disposed in a two-dimensional arrangement so that a distance Gx is greater than a distance Gy. The light emitting element groups are arranged so that pitches Px are greater than pitches Py.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Nomura, Nozomu Inoue, Ryuta Koizumi, Ken Ikuma
  • Patent number: 8184330
    Abstract: Provided is an image processing controller for controlling a line head having a plurality of light emitting elements arranged in a non-linear shape, the image processing controller including: a plurality of memory regions which stores raster data; an acquiring section which acquires the raster data; a writing control section which sequentially distributes the acquired raster data to the plurality of memory regions so as to be stored therein; and a reading control section which reads each raster data from the plurality of memory regions and sends the read raster data to the line head so as to control a light emitting state of the light emitting elements, wherein the writing control section determines an address on the memory region storing each raster data in accordance with a resolution in the sub-scanning direction and an arrangement pattern of the light emitting elements arranged in the line head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shunichiro Mori
  • Patent number: 8149259
    Abstract: A drive device for outputting a drive signal for driving a plurality of light emitting elements time-divisionally, the drive device includes a plurality of input terminals receiving input of a drive control signal for the light emitting elements, and a plurality of output terminals connected to the light emitting elements, for outputting the drive signal based on the drive control signal input into the input terminals, in which the input terminals and the output terminals are arranged substantially in a line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Nagumo
  • Patent number: 8106931
    Abstract: A semiconductor device, a print head comprising the semiconductor device and an image forming apparatus comprising the print head are supplied which are able to reduce cost through miniaturizing element size and minishing chip area. The semiconductor device comprises a plurality of light emitting elements; and a shift register circuit that has output terminals respectively corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements and stores emitting-light instruction data of the light emitting elements, wherein each light emitting element has a first electrode and a second electrode to that lightening electricity of the light emitting element flows, and a third electrode for controlling the light emitting element whether to emit light, the output terminals of the shift register circuit are respectively connected with the third electrodes of the corresponding light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Nagumo
  • Patent number: 8096634
    Abstract: A method and system for compensating for temperature changes is disclosed that includes a mounting bar, a plurality of imaging chips adaptively mounted on the mounting bar, each imaging chip including a plurality of imaging elements, and a temperature determiner to determine a temperature of the mounting bar. A control module enables and disables at least one imaging element based on the determined temperature of the mounting bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas Wiggins
  • Patent number: 8081200
    Abstract: Emission windows are prevented from being contaminated and are cleaned easily. The emission windows for emitting light beams are disposed on a housing of a laser exposure device having optical elements arranged inside for exposing a photoreceptor, and the upper surface of the housing is provided with a slidable shutter with openings. An image forming apparatus includes guide rails independent of the laser exposure device to movably guide predetermined cleaning brushes in the longitudinal direction of the emission windows. When the cleaning brushes are mounted on the guide rails and moved toward the inner side of the apparatus, the cleaning brushes touch a slant portion of a rib and the shutter is moved to the right to align the openings with the emission windows. While the cleaning brushes touch a longitudinally extending portion, the emission windows are exposed to enable the cleaning of the exposed window using the cleaning tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamada, Nobuhiro Shirai
  • Patent number: 8077190
    Abstract: An exposure head, includes: imaging optical systems which are arranged in a first direction; light emitting elements which are arranged in a second direction orthogonal to or substantially orthogonal to the first direction and emit lights to be imaged by the imaging optical systems; a first wiring which is connected with the light emitting element located at a first side in the second direction; and a second wiring which is connected with the light emitting element located at a second side in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nozomu Inoue, Yujiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 8063924
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having; a photoconductive drum, a LED print head to write an image on a surface of the photoconductive drum, and a positioning device to locate the LED print head in a relative position in respect to the photoconductive drum, includes; centering sections respectively arranged at both ends of a center shaft of the photoconductive drum so as to rotate centering around the shaft thereof, LED print head positioning members fixed at the centering member respectively, and a rotation direction determination member to fix the centering members onto an image forming apparatus main body side when a preferable relative position of the LED print head in respect to the photoconductive drum is obtained by rotating the centering sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8059307
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an emitter which has a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a sub-scan direction, and a former which forms an image on a photosensitive member by multi-passed scanning an identical region on the photosensitive member in a main scan direction using light beams output from the respective light emitting devices of the emitter. An input section inputs image data of an image to be formed by the image processing apparatus. A divider divides the input image data into image data for respective scans in the multi-passed scans using a mask pattern generated based on amounts of deviations from scan lines of the light beams output by the respective light emitting devices of the emitter. A supplier supplies the divided image data to the emitter in accordance with scans of the former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihito Machida, Hideki Kubo, Hitoshi Fukamachi
  • Patent number: 8035669
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, a control method for an exposure shutter of an image forming apparatus includes, opening the shutter only to a slit glass for monochrome when monochrome printing is performed, and opening the shutter to slit glasses for monochrome and color when color printing is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takaji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8035668
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus which forms a pattern on an object. The apparatus includes an exposure head structure in which a plurality of elemental exposure units are arrayed, each elemental exposure unit including (i) at least one light source for emitting exposure light and (ii) an optical element which forms an image of the at least one light source on the object, for exposing the object. Positions of the images of the at least one light source in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the object include plural positions different from each other. A sensor detects a position of the surface of the object and produces a detection result. A controller receives the detection result and controls the exposure head structure such that a pattern is formed on the object by the exposure is selected to expose the object based on the detection result by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuro Sugita, Kazuaki Ohmi, Takao Yonehara, Toshihiko Tsuji, Takaaki Terashi, Tohru Kohda, Shinji Tsutsui
  • Patent number: 8022418
    Abstract: A composite semiconductor device includes a plurality of semiconductor thin films and a substrate on which the semiconductor thin films are attached. Each semiconductor thin film includes a plurality of semiconductor elements. Each semiconductor element includes a first contact region and a second contact region. The first contact region is connected to a first electrode, and the second contact region is connected to a second electrode. The semiconductor thin film is attached to a substrate such that the plurality of semiconductor elements are aligned in a row, and such that the first contact region and the second contact region are in the row of light emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiko Sagimori, Hiroyuki Fujiwara, Mitsuhiko Ogihara, Takahito Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8013882
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described. The image forming apparatus may include a casing including an image forming section, an ejecting section provided above the image forming section and an image scanning section provided above the ejecting section, formed with an ejecting port communicating with the ejecting section; and an operating section. A side surface of the casing closer to the ejecting port includes a generally vertical surface and an upper surface of the casing includes a generally horizontal surface. The casing is provided with an inclined surface inclined along a direction intersecting with the generally vertical surface and the generally horizontal surface for connecting the generally vertical surface and the generally horizontal surface with each other, and the ejecting port is formed on the inclined surface, while the operating section is arranged above the ejecting port on the inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Keiichiro Egami, Yosuke Mase, Yusuke Nakata, Kayo Hasui
  • Patent number: 8013883
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is described. The image forming apparatus may include a first casing and a second casing above the first casing. The second casing is provided with an upper surface including a generally horizontal surface, a lower surface extending beyond the upper surface in a generally horizontal direction and a side surface connecting an end edge of the upper surface and an end edge of the lower surface with each other over the whole area. The first casing is provided with an upper surface coming into contact with the lower surface of the second casing over the whole area and a side surface including a generally vertical surface. An inclined surface connecting the generally vertical surface of the first casing and the generally horizontal surface of the second casing with each other, is provided continuously along the first casing and the second casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shougo Sato, Keiichiro Egami, Yosuke Mase, Yusuke Nakata, Kayo Hasui
  • Patent number: 7948509
    Abstract: A line head, includes a light-emitting element row, having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a first direction; a plurality of feeding portions; a first power supply line for power supply, connected to a first feeding portion for a power supply of the feeding portions; and a second power supply line for ground, connected to a second feeding portion for a ground of the feeding portions. The light-emitting elements are respectively connected between the first power supply line and the second power supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsunori Yamazaki, Takao Miyazawa, Akira Nakajima, Yujiro Nomura, Kiyoshi Tsujino
  • Patent number: 7932918
    Abstract: The exposure apparatus is provided with: an optical member; and a holding member that holds the optical member. Both end portions of the optical member are held by the holding member with a first adhering unit that is cured by light irradiation for first duration and a second adhering unit that is cured by light irradiation for second duration which is longer than the first duration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7859555
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to this invention prevents adverse effects on peripheral circuits and speeds up data transfer by preventing a mutual interference among signals. In the image forming apparatus, a transfer controller which converts into a differential serial data pair (data+/?) multiplex data td [6:0] multiplexed from head data vd [7:0], a head control signal vctl [3:0], a data enable signal dten, and a control enable signal cten, converts as well a clock signal clk into a differential clock signal pair (clk+/?), and transfers those differential serial data pair and differential clock signal pair to an LED head via a cable. The LED head receives both of the differential serial data pair and the differential clock signal pair to separate those pairs into head data hd [7:0], head control signal hctl [3:0], and data transfer clock hclk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasai
  • Patent number: 7817176
    Abstract: A disclosed device for optically scanning a target surface includes a light source unit configured to emit a light beam; a light intensity detecting unit; a coupling unit configured to substantially collimate the emitted light beam; a beam limiting unit configured to limit the amount of the collimated light beam; a beam splitting unit configured to split the beam limited light beam and thereby to cause a first portion of the beam limited light beam to enter the light intensity detecting unit, wherein the light intensity detecting unit is configured to detect the intensity of the first portion of the beam limited light beam; and a beam deflecting unit configured to deflect a second portion of the split light beam toward the target surface. In the disclosed device, the beam limiting unit and the beam splitting unit are integrated as a single unitary structure and positioned between the coupling unit and the light deflecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Masuda
  • Patent number: 7804511
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image holder; an exposure member that has an exposure portion exposing the image holder; a first positioning unit that determines a distance in a first direction, which is a direction of an optical axis of the exposure member, between the exposure member and the image holder; and a second positioning unit that determines a position of the exposure member with respect to the image holder in a second direction being a direction of an axis line of the image holder, and a position of the exposure member with respect to the image holder in a third direction being perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and that determines the distance between the exposure member and the image holder at a position substantially closer to the exposure member than the position of the first positioning unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Honobe, Tomokazu Kurita, Shigeru Tanaka, Junichi Ozawa, Taro Mitsui, Yukihiro Ichiki, Toshiyuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 7800805
    Abstract: In an optical scanning apparatus, when it is assumed that a scanning direction of light beams defected from a deflector is a main scanning direction, and a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction and to optical axes of both a first and a second optical systems is a sub scanning direction, a distance between the outermost light emitting elements of a light source in the main scanning direction is longer than that in the sub scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinori Hayashi, Shunichi Sato, Daisuke Ichii
  • Patent number: 7791630
    Abstract: A method of adjusting an exposure device suited for an electrophotographic printer, the exposure device includes a plurality of light-emitting elements. The method includes the steps of energizing selected light-emitting elements according to a selection scheme, using a pre-determined energy level for energizing each selected light-emitting element and obtaining a corresponding exposure intensity distribution from the exposure device. The method further includes the steps of predicting a toner area coverage distribution, based on the obtained exposure intensity distribution and on a pre-established transfer function, obtaining an attribute of the predicted toner area coverage distribution and determining the setting values for the energy levels for energizing each selected light-emitting element such that the obtained attribute becomes a target attribute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Hendrik J. Stolk, Martijn C. H. Van Hoorn, Lambertus W. Ogink, Reinier J. Ramekers
  • Patent number: 7787006
    Abstract: Differing ratios of the amount of light from light source LD2 to the amount of light from light source LD1 are provided. An image pattern for adjustment that includes, for each color, an area made up of isolated dots by light source LD1 and an area made up of isolated dots by light source LD2, is printed for each ratio. In a copier, a density of each area is detected, a ratio at which a difference between the density of an area of isolated dots by light source LD1 and the density of an area of isolated dots by light source LD2 is smallest is decided as an adjustment ratio, and control is performed such that light sources LD1 and LD2 emit light at the adjusted ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sakai, Hironori Akashi
  • Patent number: 7787002
    Abstract: In transfer of even pixel data, focusing on even-number data, only the even data is selected out of eight pixels of image data read out from a storage circuit and transferred to an LED head in a unit of four bits. Four pixel data are simply selected out of eight pixels without performing one-pixel conversion. In transfer of odd pixel data, focusing on odd data, when data is “0”, “0” is directly transferred. When data is “1”, if the previous pixel data is “1”, “1” is directly transferred, and if the previous pixel data is “0”, data is converted into “0” to be transferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Naoichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7782347
    Abstract: A printing apparatus (100) for printing digital images onto a photosensitive medium (140) employing, for exposure energy, a light source (20) that uses various arrays of LEDs (32). The printing apparatus (100) may form the print image using sequential modulation, one color at a time, or by applying all colors simultaneously. Arrangements of discrete LEDs (32) may include high-intensity devices configured with collector cones (41) arranged as a multicone structure (141), with parabolic reflectors (65), or collimating lenses (36). Large area LEDs (46) may alternately be used, arranged on an angled mounting surface (64), for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Martin E. Oehlbeck, Richard L. Druzynski, Robert J. Zolla, James E. Roddy
  • Patent number: 7777769
    Abstract: An image forming unit is provided in which, through making a distance limiting member to limit a distance between an exposing unit and an image carrying body be able to contact and separate with respect to the image carrying body by a contact/separation enabling section, it is eliminated that developer remaining on the surface of the image carrying body coagulates on the distance limiting member, so it is eliminated that the surface of the image carrying body is scraped by the developer, and that a bad print occurs. The image forming unit has an image carrying body exposed by an exposing unit, a distance limiting member to limit a distance between the exposing unit and the image carrying body. The distance limiting member is installed capable of contacting with and separating from the image carrying body by a contact/separation enabling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Oki Data Corporation
    Inventor: Ken Nozawa
  • Patent number: 7760225
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrostatic latent image carrier, and an optical writing device including at least one light source, at least one aperture, at least one light shield, a light deflector, an image forming lens, and a housing. The aperture adjusts a light beam generated by the light source into a reference shape. The light shield shields an optical path formed between the light source and the aperture by the light beam. The light deflector deflects the light beam to scan in a main scanning direction. The image forming lens focuses the deflected light beam to scan on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier. The housing contains the light source, the light deflector, and the image forming lens. The housing is integrally molded with the aperture and the light shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshizawa, Takeshi Yamakawa, Katsunori Shoji
  • Patent number: 7760215
    Abstract: A line head, includes: a substrate which is transmissive and includes a first surface and a second surface facing the first surface; a plurality of light emitting elements which are arranged on the first surface of the substrate and emit light beams; a wiring which is arranged on the first surface of the substrate and is connected with the plurality of light emitting elements; a lens array that includes a plurality of imaging lenses which are arranged facing the light emitting elements at a side of the second surface of the substrate and focus the light beams emitted from the facing light emitting elements to form spots; and an optical sensor which detects the light beams emitted from the light emitting elements and is arranged on the second surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nozomu Inoue, Yujiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 7728862
    Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a plurality of light sources capable of emitting light. A detection unit detects a light quantity of the light emitted from the plurality of light sources. A control unit controls drive current of a light source designated as a control object based on a detection result obtained by the detection unit. The control unit controls the drive current based on an activation state of the light source designated as the control object and an activation state of a light source other than the control object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 7719559
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes light source having multiple light-emitting portions, rotating polygonal mirror which deflects a beam that is emitted from light source, and photosensitive member which is exposed by beams in an image period that is included in one scanning cycle of the beam. One scanning cycle of the beam includes an image period and a non-image period. This apparatus includes selection unit which selects one or more light-emitting portions to be used in image period from among multiple light-emitting portions, and driving unit which drives selected light-emitting portions to emit a beam in a non-image period that is immediately before image period. This apparatus further includes control unit which executes auto light power control for one or more light-emitting portions to be used in image period according to light power of beams detected by beam detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Fumitaka Sobue
  • Patent number: 7719553
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus comprises: a plurality of light sources; a first condensing unit, arranged to contact a light emitting surface of each of the light sources, that condenses the lights emitted from the plurality of light sources; and a second condensing unit that condenses the lights from each of the light sources, which are emitted from the first condensing unit, wherein the first condensing unit is configured so that a center of curvature of an output surface, to emit the light from the light source, of the first condensing unit is positioned near the side of the second condensing unit rather than an arrangement position of the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Ito, Masahiko Fujii
  • Publication number: 20100118100
    Abstract: The light-emitting element head includes: a first signal supply unit supplying a first signal for sequentially specifying a plurality of light-emitting elements one by one as a control target for control in common to light-emitting element chips; a second signal supply unit supplying second signals for giving an instruction to emit or not to emit light to one of the elements specified as the control target to a set of light-emitting element chips so that each of the signals is supplied in common to plural light-emitting element chips belonging to each of N groups into which the set of chips are divided; and an enable signal supply unit that supplies enable signals for allowing the set of chips to receive the second signals which are different from one another so that the enable signals are supplied respectively to the chips belonging to each of the N groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Seiji Ohno
  • Patent number: 7714954
    Abstract: Light-emitting elements can be accurately directly opposed to the entrance surface of a light guide at an accurate distance therefrom, and can be mounted on a single side of a printed circuit board together with other electronic components, whereby the number of manufacturing steps and the thickness of a liquid crystal display device can be reduced. The light guide and the printed circuit board are disposed on the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel, and the respective light-emitting elements are inserted through through-holes formed to extend through the printed circuit board, with the light-emitting portions of the respective light-emitting elements opposed to the entrance surface of the light guide. The light-emitting elements, together with the other electronic components, are mounted on the printed circuit board from one side. Electrodes of the light-emitting elements are bridged and secured to a mounting surface of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd, Hitachi Electronic Devices Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Aoyagi, Yasushi Morika
  • Publication number: 20100110157
    Abstract: A method includes arranging a first bonding layer on a first functional region on a first substrate, or a region on a second substrate, bonding the first functional region to the second substrate through the first bonding layer, subjecting a first release layer to a first process to separate the first substrate from the first functional region at the first release layer, arranging a second bonding layer on a second functional region on the first substrate, or a region on a third substrate, bonding the second functional region to the second or third substrate through the second bonding layer, and subjecting a second release layer to a second process to separate the first substrate from the second functional region at the second release layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takao Yonehara, Yasuyoshi Takai
  • Publication number: 20100060704
    Abstract: The light-emitting device includes: a light-emitting element array that has plural light-emitting elements arrayed in a line at intervals corresponding to a first resolution; a supply unit that supplies a light-emission signal corresponding to a second resolution, the second resolution being 1/m of the first resolution, where m is an integer not less than 2; a setting unit that divides the plural light-emitting elements into plural sets each including m continuous light-emitting elements in the light-emitting element array, and that sets whether to cause the m continuous light-emitting elements, which are included in each of the plural sets, to emit light on a single set basis by using the light-emission signal supplied from the supply unit; and a correcting unit that corrects the division of the plural light-emitting elements in the light-emitting element array performed by the setting unit, on a single light-emitting element basis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ken Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7675531
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of forming wide images, includes: an exposing unit having a plurality of LED (light-emitting diode) heads arranged alternately in a main scanning direction, in which the resolution of an LED row formed in at least one of the plurality of LED heads is higher than the resolution of image data in a main scanning direction; and a lighting control unit that controls to turn on or turn off dots in the LED row such that the exposing position of a photoconductive drum is moved in the unit of dots of the high resolution LED row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Mikami, Kunihiro Maie, Kouji Tsutsumi, Shingo Yano
  • Publication number: 20100045763
    Abstract: The exposure device includes: a light output device outputting light for exposing a charged image carrier, and including light-emitting elements caused to emit light or not through a control using a light-emission signal, switch elements provided corresponding to the light-emitting elements, and sequentially turned on to set the light-emitting elements ready to emit light, a transfer-signal generating unit generating a transfer signal for sequentially turning on the switch elements, a light-emission signal supply unit supplying the light-emission signal to the light-emitting elements, and a detection unit causing the transfer-signal generating unit to generate a transfer signal having cycles whose number is larger than that of the light-emitting elements, and detecting a potential of an output region of the light-emission signal supply unit while making an output from the light-emission signal supply unit high impedance; and an optical member focusing light outputted by the light output device onto the image
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ken TSUCHIYA
  • Publication number: 20090322847
    Abstract: An exposure device includes a light emitting portion array formed of a plurality of light emitting portions and a lens array including lens assembly members formed of lenses and a light blocking member. The light emitting portions are arranged linearly with a specific interval PD. The light emitting portion array and the lens array are arranged so that when light in parallel to the optical axis of one of the lenses is incident to the lens from a direction of the light blocking member, the lens forms a spot having a radius RS satisfying the following relationship: RS < PD · FO 2 ? LO where FO is a focal length of the lens, LO is a distance between the lens and the light emitting portion array, and FO is a distance between the lens and a plane where the spot is formed on a side of the light emitting portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Akihiro Yamamura
  • Publication number: 20090315965
    Abstract: An LED array having no insulating film between the LED structure and the reflector thereof is manufactured by forming a luminescent layer 1102 and a DBR layer 1103 on a first substrate 100 with an insulating layer 1101 interposed between them, patterning the DBR layer and the luminescent layer to make them show an islands-like profile, bonding the DBR layer and a second substrate 110 with an insulating layer 1111 interposed between them, and separating the first substrate and the luminescent layer from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Yamagata, Yoshinobu Sekiguchi, Takao Yonehara, Kojiro Nishi
  • Publication number: 20090295901
    Abstract: A light-emitting element array comprises: a resistor connected at a first end to a driving unit; and a plurality of light-emitting elements, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements comprising a three-terminal switching element having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, the first terminal in each of the plurality of light-emitting elements being connected to a second end of the resistor, the second terminal in each of the plurality of light-emitting elements being connected to ground, and the third terminal in each of the plurality of light-emitting elements being connected to a control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: OKI Data Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Nagumo
  • Patent number: 7605833
    Abstract: A writing device to write an image onto a photoconductor, including a print head having plural LEDs, a first supporting member, having a position determining section to determine the position of the print head, and an adjustment screw, and a second supporting member, having a reference shaft which comes into contact with the first supporting member and movably supports the first supporting member while moving to or separating from the photoconductor, and a pressuring member which presses the first supporting member against the reference shaft, wherein the second supporting member is engaged with the first supporting member by the adjustment screw, whereby when the adjustment screw is rotated, the print head is shifted along with the first supporting member, and a first direction joining the position determining section and the adjustment screw makes a right angle with a second direction joining the adjustment screw and the reference shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Akihiko Shimazu
  • Publication number: 20090225147
    Abstract: An exposing device is supplied capable of producing a high-resolution printing image, and being easily manufactured as the position adjustment of the lens is not necessary. In the exposing device, a radiation point array substrate that arranges plural radiation point arrays with plural radiation points in a straight line, in plural straight lines with predetermined interval; and a lens array substrate that is set up to correspond to the respective radiation point arrays and has plural lenses forming enlargement image of the radiation point array, wherein the radiation point array substrate almost parallels the lens array substrate under the condition that optical axis of each radiation point array is adjusted to that of each lens, and when a distance of the radiation points on both ends of the radiation point array is served as “SY” and an absolute value of magnification of the lens is served as “mag”, formula “SY?12.0/mag” holds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: OKI DATA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro YAMAMURA
  • Patent number: 7564471
    Abstract: Provided is a line head module including line heads on which a plurality of light emission elements are arrayed and exposing a photosensitive body by the light from the light emission elements, including: a support having a rotation axis parallel to the photosensitive body; and the plurality of line heads which are provided on the peripheral surfaces of the support and switched with respect to the photosensitive body by rotating the support about the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Uchida
  • Publication number: 20090141113
    Abstract: A line head, includes a light-emitting element row, having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged in a first direction; a plurality of feeding portions; a first power supply line for power supply, connected to a first feeding portion for a power supply of the feeding portions; and a second power supply line for ground, connected to a second feeding portion for a ground of the feeding portions. The light-emitting elements are respectively connected between the first power supply line and the second power supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsunori YAMAZAKI, Takao MIYAZAWA, Akira NAKAJIMA, Yujiro NOMURA, Kiyoshi TSUJINO
  • Patent number: 7528854
    Abstract: A line head includes an element substrate having light-emitting elements arrayed thereon and a sealing substrate that seals the light-emitting elements on the element substrate. A recess is formed on a portion of the substrate where light emitted from the light-emitting elements exits, and the recess is formed to include an entire region immediately above at least the light-emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunori Sakurai