# US 10,871,727 B2 · Image forming apparatus and image forming method

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- Number: US 10,871,727 B2
- Document ID: US10871727B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/700,980
- Filed: 2019-12-02
- Published: 2020-06-11
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2018-12-06
- Assignees: Dgshape Corporation
- Applicants: Dgshape Corporation
- Inventors: Tsutomu Kuno
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871727B2

## CPC

- G03G 15/043: with means for controlling illumination or exposure (G03G15/041 takes precedence)
- B23K 26/037: {by pressing on the workpiece, e.g. using a pressing roller foot}
- B23K 26/0884: {in at least three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots}
- B23K 26/355: {Texturing}
- B41J 2/475: for heating selectively {by radiation or ultrasonic waves}
- G03G 15/221: {Machines other than electrographic copiers, e.g. electrophotographic cameras, electrostatic typewriters}
- G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS

## Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an oscillator configured to oscillate a laser beam, an irradiation portion configured to radiate the laser beam oscillated by the oscillator to an outside, a light absorption unit configured to absorb the laser beam and to convert the laser beam to heat, and a control unit including at least one processor and at least one memory. The control unit is configured to control the irradiation portion to press the irradiation portion against a workpiece via the light absorption unit and irradiating the workpiece with the laser beam via the light absorption unit, so as to perform image forming processing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image forming apparatus comprising:
an oscillator configured to oscillate a laser beam;
an irradiation portion configured to radiate the laser beam oscillated by the oscillator to an outside;
a light absorption unit configured to absorb the laser beam and to convert the laser beam to heat; and
a control unit including at least one processor and at least one memory,
wherein the control unit is configured to control the irradiation portion to press the irradiation portion against a workpiece via the light absorption unit and irradiate the workpiece with the laser beam via the light absorption unit, so as to perform image forming processing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit is configured to perform, in the image forming processing, at least one of intensity control processing for controlling an intensity of a laser beam radiated by the irradiation portion depending on a density of an image to be formed and scanning control processing for controlling a number of times that the irradiation portion scans the workpiece depending on the density of the image to be formed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the control unit is configured to further perform determination processing for determining a type of the image, and
wherein the control unit is configured to perform the intensity control processing or the scanning control processing, depending on the type.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillator includes a semiconductor laser oscillation device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit is configured to control the irradiation portion to press the irradiation portion against the workpiece with a force which is equal to or greater than 4.9 N.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the control unit is configured to irradiate the workpiece while pressing the irradiation portion against the workpiece.

### Claim 7

An image forming method comprising:
pressing an irradiation portion configured to radiate a laser beam against a workpiece via a light absorption unit configured to absorb the laser beam and to convert the laser beam to heat; and
irradiating the workpiece with the laser beam via the light absorption unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The image forming method according to claim 7, further comprising performing at least one of intensity controlling for controlling an intensity of the laser beam radiated by the irradiation portion depending on a density of an image to be formed and scanning controlling for controlling a number of times that the irradiation portion scans the workpiece depending on the density of the image to be formed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The image forming method according to claim 8, further comprising determining a type of the image, and performing the intensity control processing or the scanning control processing, depending on the type.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The image forming method according to claim 7,
wherein the pressing is pressing the irradiation portion against the workpiece with a force which is equal to or greater than 4.9 N.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The image forming method according to claim 7,
wherein irradiating the workpiece is performed while pressing the irradiation portion against the workpiece.