Optical sensor having an irradiating light separation component and image forming apparatus thereof

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier;
• an image forming unit configured to form an image on the image carrier;
• an optical sensor provided at a position opposing a surface of the image carrier and configured to irradiate the image carrier as an irradiated member with light from a light emitting element;
• and
• a control unit configured to control an image forming condition of the image forming unit based on a signal from the optical sensor,
• wherein the optical sensor comprises:
• the light emitting element configured to emit irradiating light with which the irradiated member is irradiated;
• a separation component configured to separate the irradiating light into first irradiating light and second irradiating light;
• a first light receiving element configured to receive specular reflection light specularly reflected by the irradiated member when irradiation with the first irradiating light is performed;
• a second light receiving element configured to receive diffused reflection light diffusely reflected by the irradiated member when irradiation with the second irradiating light is performed;
• and
• a housing configured to form a first opening through which the first irradiating light and the second irradiating light pass and the diffused reflection light to be received by the second light receiving element passes, and a second opening through which the specular reflection light to be received by the first light receiving element passes,
• wherein when a first region on the irradiated member is irradiated with the first irradiating light, and a second region different from the first region on the irradiated member is irradiated with the second irradiating light, the first light receiving element receives the specular reflection light specularly reflected by the first region, and the second light receiving element receives the diffused reflection light diffusely reflected by the second region.