Print head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823902-B2
Application number	US-201916537289-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 9, 2019
Priority date	Aug 10, 2018
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A print head includes a light guide portion including a light blocking part having a lattice shape, and a plurality of light guide paths defined by the light blocking part, and a light emitting element array in which a plurality of organic EL elements emitting light incident to each light guide path are arranged. In the print head, the plurality of light guide paths of the light guide portion are designed to have an identical width of 30 μm or less, and thus it is possible to reduce exposure unevenness which is one of exposure characteristics.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A print head emitting imaging light, comprising:
a light guide portion extending in a first direction and including a light blocking part and a plurality of light guide paths, the light blocking part having a lattice shape when viewed from the first direction, the plurality of light guide paths defined by the light blocking part, or the light blocking part including a plurality of light guide paths disposed in parallel or disposed in a zigzag shape when viewed from the first direction, the light blocking part defining the light guide paths, the light blocking part and the light guide paths are alternately arranged in the light guide portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
a light emitting element array disposed on one side of the light guide portion in the first direction, a plurality of light emitting elements emitting light incident to each of the light guide paths are arranged in the light emitting element array at an equal interval in the second direction,
wherein the plurality of light guide paths have an identical width of 30 μm or less in the second direction, and
wherein the identical width is larger than a width of a partition wall of the light blocking part.

2. The print head according to claim 1 ,
wherein the width of the plurality of light guide paths is equal to or more than 10 μm.

3. The print head according to claim 1 ,
wherein a width of the light blocking part at a location interposed between the light guide paths adjacent to each other in the second direction is equal to or less than 15 μm.

4. The print head according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light guide path has a perfect circular shape in a cross section orthogonal to the first direction.

5. The print head according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light guide path has a polygonal shape in a cross section orthogonal to the first direction.

6. The print head according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light emitting element is an organic EL element.

7. A print head emitting imaging light, comprising:
a light guide portion extending in a first direction and including a light blocking part and a plurality of light guide paths, the light blocking part having a lattice shape when viewed from the first direction, the plurality of light guide paths defined by the light blocking part, or the light blocking part including a plurality of light guide paths disposed in parallel or disposed in a zigzag shape when viewed from the first direction, the light blocking part defining the light guide paths, the light blocking part and the light guide paths are alternately arranged in the light guide portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
a light emitting element array disposed on one side of the light guide portion in the first direction, a plurality of light emitting elements emitting light incident to each of the light guide paths are arranged in the light emitting element array at an equal interval in the second direction,
wherein the plurality of light guide paths have an identical width of 30 μm or less in the second direction, and
wherein a width of at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements is larger than the identical width, and the at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements overlaps at least two of the plurality of light guide paths in the second direction.

Assignees

• Futaba Denshi Kogyo Kk

Inventors

• Sato Tomoya

Classifications

• B41J2/44

  using single radiation source {per colour}, e.g. lighting beams or shutter arrangements (B41J2/475 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/04063 Primary

  by EL-bars · CPC title

• G02B6/0066 Primary

  characterised by the light source being coupled to the light guide · CPC title

• B41J2/447 Primary

  using arrays of radiation sources (B41J2/475 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B6/06

  the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images · CPC title