Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Illumination systems or details
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-21
2001-02-06
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Illumination systems or details
C355S035000, C355S041000, C355S047000, C347S238000, C399S004000, C399S032000, C399S051000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06184971
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus which exposes a photosensitive body such as a photosensitive drum, a photosensitive belt or the like by using a light emitter array, and more particularly to an exposure apparatus which is used as a writing system in an image formation apparatus of an electrophotographic system.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, an exposure apparatus which forms a pattern on a photosensitive drum by using a light emitter array having plural light emission areas has been well known.
However, in a case where the light emitter array, e.g., an LED (light emission diode) array, is used as an exposure part in an image formation apparatus of an electrophotographic system, it is difficult to cause the array to expose the drum by independently controlling a light emission amount of each light emission element provided in the array. Therefore, there has been a problem that it is difficult to represent a gradation (or tonal) image such as an image of nature or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in consideration of such a problem in the above conventional technique, and an object thereof is to provide an exposure apparatus which can represent necessary gradation or tonality, obtain a multivalue and multigradation (i.e., multiple gradation) image and also contribute to miniaturization of an image formation apparatus itself.
An exposure apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that:
plural light emission element arrays are arranged substantially in parallel, where an area of a light emission part of each array is different from others, and
respective light emission elements in the light emission element arrays are caused to selectively perform light emission according to gradation data, so that the respective light emission element arrays overlappingly perform exposure on a photosensitive body.
Further, an image formation apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that:
plural light emission element arrays are arranged substantially in parallel, where an area of a light emission part of each array is different from others, and
respective light emission elements in the light emission element arrays are caused to selectively perform light emission according to gradation data, so that the respective light emission element arrays overlappingly perform exposure on a photosensitive body to form a gradation image on that body.
Further, an exposure apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
plural switch elements which are arranged in array and sequentially turned on; and
light emission element arrays of plural lines in which light emission elements respectively connected to the plural switch elements are arranged in array, and which are arranged substantially in parallel, and
wherein, when the light emission elements are turned on by the corresponding switch elements, the plural light emission elements are scanned, and
the respective light emission elements are caused to selectively perform light emission according to gradation data, and thus the respective light emission element arrays overlappingly perform exposure on a photosensitive body.
An image formation apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
plural switch elements which are arranged in array and sequentially turned on; and
light emission element arrays of plural lines in which light emission elements respectively connected to the plural switch elements are arranged in array, and which are arranged substantially in parallel, and
wherein, when the light emission elements are turned on by the corresponding switch elements, the plural light emission elements are scanned, and
when the respective light emission elements are caused to selectively perform light emission according to gradation data and thus the respective light emission element arrays overlappingly perform exposure on a photosensitive body, a gradation (or tonal) image is formed on the photosensitive body.
An exposure apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
plural switch elements which are arranged in array and sequentially turned on; and
light emission element arrays of plural lines in which light emission elements respectively connected to the plural switch elements are arranged in array, and which are arranged substantially in parallel, and
wherein, when the light emission elements are turned on by the corresponding switch elements, the plural light emission elements are scanned, and
an exposure amount (or value) is different for each light emission element array.
An image formation apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
plural switch elements which are arranged in array and sequentially turned on; and
light emission element arrays of plural lines in which light emission elements respectively connected to the plural switch elements are arranged in array, and which are arranged substantially in parallel, and
wherein, when the light emission elements are turned on by the corresponding switch elements and thus the plural light emission elements are scanned, an image is formed on a photosensitive body, and
an exposure amount is different for each light emission element array.
Other objects, structures and effects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5255013 (1993-10-01), Ng et al.
patent: 5258629 (1993-11-01), Itoh et al.
patent: 5745152 (1998-04-01), Vincent et al.
patent: 5809216 (1998-09-01), Ng
patent: 5917535 (1999-06-01), Corona
patent: 5940113 (1999-08-01), Wilson
patent: 6002420 (1999-12-01), Tanioka et al.
patent: 6014202 (2000-01-01), Chapnik
Muto Kenji
Narita Izumi
Adams Russell
Brown Khaled
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
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