Image forming apparatus for and method of correcting color registration error
AssigneeSamsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
InventorsJong-Chul CHOI, Young-Jin Park, Jin-Ho Lee
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Abstract
Disclosed is an image forming apparatus capable of, and a method of, correcting a color registration error. The image forming apparatus corrects a color registration error by adjusting a scan start time of, and/or the distance in a sub-scanning direction between, multiple light beams that are scanned by a light scanning unit onto several photosensitive media.
Claims22
An image forming apparatus for forming an image by overlapping a plurality of monochromatic images respectively received from a plurality of photosensitive media, comprising:
- a light scanning unit having a scanner configured to rotationally oscillate, the scanner having at least one pair of oppositely facing mirrors each configured to deflect light, the light scanning unit being configured to scan a plurality of light beams deflected by the at least one pair of oppositely facing mirrors across surfaces of the plurality of photosensitive media along a main scanning direction,
- wherein one or more distances, along a sub-scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction, between light beam spots formed on the plurality of photosensitive devices by the plurality of light beams are adjustable.
A method of correcting a color registration error in an image forming apparatus that forms a color image by overlapping a plurality of monochromatic images received from a plurality of photosensitive media, comprising:
- scanning a plurality of light beams respectively across surfaces of the plurality of photosensitive media in one or more scanning lines that extend along a main scanning direction by rotationally oscillating a scanner having a first minor that faces a first direction and a second mirror facing a second direction opposite to the first direction such that at least a first one of the plurality of light beams is deflected by the first mirror, and such that at least a second one of the plurality of light beams is deflected by the second mirror;
- and
- adjusting a distance, in a sub-scanning direction substantially parallel to the main scanning direction, between light beam spots formed on the plurality of photosensitive media by the plurality of light beams so as to correct a color registration error.
An image forming apparatus for forming a color image by overlapping a plurality of monochromatic images respectively received from a plurality of photosensitive media, comprising:
- a light scanning unit having a scanner that includes a first mirror facing a first direction and a second mirror facing a second direction opposite the first direction, the scanner being configured to cyclically oscillate at an oscillation period such that a first one of a plurality of light beams is deflected by the first mirror so as to be scanned across one or more scanning lines on a first one of the plurality of photosensitive media along a main scanning direction, and such that a second one of the plurality of light beams is deflected by the second mirror so as to be scanned across one or more scanning lines on a second one of the plurality of photosensitive media along the main scanning direction;
- and
- a controller configured to control the light scanning unit such that a first scan start time of scanning of the first one of the plurality of light beams on the first one of the plurality of photosensitive media is delayed from a second scan start time of scanning of the second one of the plurality of light beams on the second one of the plurality of photosensitive media by a time duration that correspond substantially to an odd multiple of one half of the oscillation period, and such that a first light beam spot and a second light beam spot formed respectively by any two of the plurality of light beams on any two corresponding ones of the plurality of photosensitive media is spaced apart from each other along a sub-scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction by a distance that corresponds substantially to one half of a gap between two consecutive ones of the one or more scanning lines along the main scanning direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.