Image forming apparatus

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive body capable of moving; charging means for charging said photosensitive body; preexposing means for exposing said photosensitive body at a position upstream of said charging means in a moving direction of said photosensitive body; and first and second blank exposing means for exposing non-image portions of said photosensitive body at a position downstream of said charging means in the moving direction of said photosensitive body, wherein said first blank exposing means exposes non-image portions formed at end portions of an image portion in the moving direction of said photosensitive body, said second blank exposing means exposes non-image portions formed at end portions of the image portion in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body, said preexposing means and said first and second blank exposing means share a single common light source, said second blank exposing means has light-shielding means movable in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body in order to change an exposure width, and said first blank exposing means has a reflecting member for reflecting light from said light source toward said photosensitive body, said reflecting member having a quadric-surface section.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light-shielding means moves in accordance with a size of an image to be formed on said photosensitive body.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said light-shielding means have a plurality of light-shielding members.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of light-shielding members are shifted in position in a direction of an optical axis so as to overlap one another.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein end portions of said plurality of light-shielding members on the side of each non-image portion are located at substantially the same position in the direction of an optical axis.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first blank exposing means has a shutter for selectively shielding off an exposure optical path.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first blank exposing means has a filter for transmitting light, said filter being substantially perpendicular to an optical axis.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second blank exposing means has a filter for transmitting light, said filter being substantially perpendicular to an optical axis.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second blank exposing means has a plurality of slits in an optical path, an opening width of each of said slits widening toward said photosensitive body.

Claim 11

An image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive body capable of moving; charging means for charging said photosensitive body; preexposing means for exposing said photosensitive body at a position upstream of said charging means in a moving direction of said photosensitive body; and first and second blank exposing means for exposing non-image portions of said photosensitive body at a position downstream of said charging means in the moving direction of said photosensitive body, wherein said first blank exposing means exposes non-image portions formed at end portions of an image portion in the moving direction of said photosensitive body, said second blank exposing means exposes non-image portions formed at end portions of the image portion in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body, said preexposing means and said first and second blank exposing means share a single common light source, said second blank exposing means has light-shielding means movable in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body in order to change an exposure width, and said second blank exposing means has a reflecting member for reflecting light from said light source toward said photosensitive body, said reflecting member having a quadric-surface section.

Claim 12

An image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive body capable of moving; charging means for charging said photosensitive body; preexposing means for exposing said photosensitive body at a position upstream of said charging means in a moving direction of said photosensitive body; and first and second blank exposing means for exposing non-image portions of said photosensitive body at a position downstream of said charging means in the moving direction of said photosensitive body, wherein said first blank exposing means exposes non-image portions formed at end portions of an image portion in the moving direction of said photosensitive body, said second blank exposing means exposes non-image portions formed at end portions of the image portion in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body, said preexposing means and said first and second blank exposing means share a single common light source, said second blank exposing means has light-shielding means movable in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body in order to change an exposure width, and said second blank exposing means has a reflecting member for reflecting light from said light source toward said photosensitive body, said reflecting member having a quadric-surface section.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said light-shielding means moves in accordance with a size of an image to be formed on said photosensitive body.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said light-shielding means have a plurality of light-shielding members.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of light-shielding members are shifted in position in a direction of an optical axis so as to overlap one another.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein end portions of said plurality of light-shielding members on the side of each non-image portion are located at substantially the same position in the direction of an optical axis.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first blank exposing means has a shutter for selectively shielding off an exposure optical path.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first blank exposing means has a filter for transmitting light, said filter being substantially perpendicular to an optical axis.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said second blank exposing means has a filter for transmitting light, said filter being substantially perpendicular to an optical axis.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said second blank exposing means has a plurality of slits in an optical path, an opening width of each of said slits widening toward said photosensitive body.

Claim 21

An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable photosensitive body; image forming means for forming an image on said photosensitive body; blank exposing means for exposing non-image portions except an image portion formed on said photosensitive body by said image forming means, said blank exposing means exposing non-image portions formed at end portions of an image portion in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of said photosensitive body, and having first and second light-shielding members movable in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body in order to change an exposure width; first driving means for moving said first light-shielding member; and second driving means for moving said second light-shielding member, said first and second driving means being independent of each other, wherein said first light-shielding member and said second light-shielding member are capable of overlapping one another at side ends thereof in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body.

Claim 22

An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable photosensitive body; image forming means for forming an image on said photosensitive body; blank exposing means for exposing non-image portions except an image portion formed on said photosensitive body by said image forming means, said blank exposing means exposing non-image portions formed at end portions of an image portion in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of said photosensitive body, and having first and second light-shielding members movable in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body in order to change an exposure width; first driving means for moving said first light-shielding member; and second driving means for moving said second light-shielding member, said first and second driving means being independent of each other, wherein said first light-shielding member and said second light-shielding member are capable of overlapping one another at side ends thereof in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising two detecting means for detecting reference positions of said first and second light-shielding members, respectively.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein each of said first and second driving means has a drive motor, a wire, and pulleys.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a third light-shielding member between said first and second light-shielding members.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein one end of said third light-shielding member engages with said first light-shielding member, and the other end of said third light-shielding member engages with said second light-shielding member.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising a plurality of light-shielding members between said first and second light-shielding members.

Claim 28

An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable photosensitive body capable of moving; image forming means for forming an image on said photosensitive body; and blank exposing means for exposing non-image portions except an image portion formed on said photosensitive body by said image forming means, said blank exposing means exposing non-image portions formed at end portions of an image portion in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of said photosensitive body, and having three light-shielding members, each of said light-shielding members being movable in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body in order to change an exposure width.

Claim 29

An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable photosensitive body capable of moving; image forming means for forming an image on said photosensitive body; and blank exposing means for exposing non-image portions except an image portion formed on said photosensitive body by said image forming means, said blank exposing means exposing non-image portions formed at end portions of an image portion in a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of said photosensitive body, and having three light-shielding members, each of said light-shielding members being movable in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body in order to change an exposure width.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said three light-shielding members are movable to predetermined positions in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of said photosensitive body.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein a maximum length of said three light-shielding members when said three light-shielding members are arranged in the direction perpendicular to the rotating direction of said photosensitive body is larger than a width of a recording sheet with a maximum size usable in said apparatus.

Claim 32

An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said three light-shielding members can overlap one another, and a minimum length of said three light-shielding members when said three light-shielding members overlap one another is smaller than a width of a recording sheet with a minimum size usable in said apparatus.