Apparatus for increasing the lifespan of light emitting units and image forming apparatus having the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9411257-B2
Application number	US-201514797503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Sep 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a light source including a plurality of light emitting units to emit light corresponding to image data, and a light source controller to independently control lighting of each one of the light emitting units. The light source controller switches activation and deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units when the number of to-be-used light emitting units is smaller than the total number of the light emitting units included in the light source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a light source including a plurality of light emitting units to emit light corresponding to image data; and
a light source controller configured to independently control lighting of each one of the light emitting units in response to an assertion signal corresponding to one of a print page or a print job, the light source controller switching activation and deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units when the number of to-be-used light emitting units is smaller than the total number of the light emitting units included in the light source, wherein the light source controller controls activation of a first light emitting unit in response to a first assertion signal corresponding to a first print page or a first print job and controls deactivation of the first light emitting unit and activation of a second light emitting unit in response to a second assertion signal corresponding to a second print page or a second print job.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light source controller switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units for every one sheet of paper.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the light source controller switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units for every job.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 2-channel laser diode array having two laser diodes, and
wherein the light source controller switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units in 1-beam mode.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 4-channel laser diode array having four laser diodes, and
wherein the light source controller switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units in 1-beam mode.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 4-channel laser diode array having four laser diodes, and
wherein the light source controller switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units in 2-beam mode.

7. An image forming method, comprising:
emitting light corresponding to image data from a light source including a plurality of light emitting units; and
switching activation and deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units when the number of to-be-used light emitting units is smaller than the total number of the light emitting units included in the light source, and activating a first light emitting unit in response to a first assertion signal corresponding to a first print page or a first print job and deactivating the first light emitting unit and activating a second light emitting unit in response to a second assertion signal corresponding to a second print page or a second print job.

8. The image forming method according to claim 7 , wherein the switching of the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units is performed for every one sheet of paper.

9. The image forming method according to claim 7 , wherein the switching of the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units is performed for every job.

10. The image forming method according to claim 7 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 2-channel laser diode array having two laser diodes, and
wherein the switching of the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units is performed in 1-beam mode.

11. The image forming method according to claim 7 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 4-channel laser diode array having four laser diodes, and
wherein the switching of the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units is performed in 1-beam mode.

12. The image forming method according to claim 7 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 4-channel laser diode array having four laser diodes, and
wherein the switching of the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units is performed in 2-beam mode.

13. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a light source including a plurality of light emitting units to emit light corresponding to image data; and
means for independently controlling lighting of each one of the light emitting units in response to an assertion signal corresponding to one of a print page or a print job, the means switching activation and deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units when the number of to-be-used light emitting units is smaller than the total number of the light emitting units included in the light source, wherein the means controlling activation of a first light emitting unit in response to a first assertion signal corresponding to a first print page or a first print job and controlling deactivation of the first light emitting unit and activation of a second light emitting unit in response to a second assertion signal corresponding to a second print page or a second print job.

14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the means switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units for every one sheet of paper.

15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the means switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units for every job.

16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 2-channel laser diode array having two laser diodes, and
wherein the means switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units in 1-beam mode.

17. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 4-channel laser diode array having four laser diodes, and
wherein the means switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units in 1-beam mode.

18. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the light source including the plurality of light emitting units is a 4-channel laser diode array having four laser diodes, and
wherein the means switches the activation and the deactivation of one or more of the light emitting units in 2-beam mode.

Assignees

• Honda Yuki
• Nishio Takuma
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Honda Yuki
• Nishio Takuma

Classifications

• G03G15/043 Primary

  with means for controlling illumination or exposure (G03G15/041 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03G15/04072

  by laser · CPC title

• G03G15/04045

  for exposing image information provided otherwise than by directly projecting the original image onto the photoconductive recording material, e.g. digital copiers (G03G15/041, G03G15/043 take precedence) · CPC title