EP0465074A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Image forming apparatus
Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc
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Filing: 1991-06-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-06-24
Abstract
Abstract An image forming apparatus for forming an image on an image forming body by scanning a plurality of modulated laser beams is disclosed. The apparatus is provided with a generator to generate a plurality of reference signals each with a differrent phase from other reference signals, a detector for detecting the difference of image density between two adjacent image pixels, combined modulator to generate a modulated laser beam by combining a selected laser beam, a selected reference signal and the image density. The selection of the laser beam and the reference signal is based on the image density difference detected by the detector.
Inventors
- 👤 Satoshi Konica Corporation Haneda
- 👤 Masakazu Konica Corporation Fukuchi
- 👤 Tadashi Konica Corporation Miwa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:46
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/129; G06K15/1204; G06K15/1223; G06K15/1238; G06K15/1257; G06K15/1261; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/405; H04N1/4055; H04N1/4056
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
An image forming apparatus for forming an image onto an image forming body by scanning a plurality of modulated laser beams emitted from a laser array, each of the modulated laser beams being modulated based on image density data, the image forming apparatus comprising: means for generating a plurality of reference signals, each reference signal being different from other reference signals in phase; means for detecting the image density difference between adjacent image pixels by comparing the image density data corresponding to the adjacent image pixels; combined modulation means for generating a modulated laser beam by combining an image density, a selected reference signal selected from the plurality of reference signals and a selected laser beam selected from the plurality of laser beams, wherein the selection of the reference signal and the laser beam is based on the difference detected by the detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the combined modulation means comprises: first selector means for selecting a transmission of the image density signal based on the image density difference detected by the detecting means; means having a plurality of modulator circuits for generating the modulated image density signal, wherein each modulator circuit modulates the image density signal selectively transmitted from the first selector means by one of the reference signals predetermined to each modulator circuit; and second selector means for selecting the laser element from a plurality of laser elements based on the image density difference.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser array is a semiconductor laser array.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The image forming apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detecting means detects the image density difference between image pixels being adjacent each other in both directions of the main scanning and the auxiliary scanning.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
133 words
An image forming apparatus for forming an image onto an image forming body based on image density data comprising: a semiconductor laser array having a plurality of laser elements for emitting laser beams; means for defelcting the direction of the laser beams to scan the image forming body with the laser beams along scanning lines parallel to each other in a main scaming direction, therein the scaming lines are confined within the width of an image pixel being same in size as the scaming pitch of an auxilliary scanning; means connected to each laser element of the laser array for selectively modulating each laser beam based on image density data, wherein the number of the laser elements is same as the number of the scanning lines within the width of the image pixel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The image forming apparatus of claim 5, wherein the separation of two scanning lines adjacent to each other is determined less than the width of the image pixel divided by the numner of the scanning lines.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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