Image density detector, image forming apparatus incorporating image density detector, image density detecting method, and image forming method

Abstract

An image density detector for detecting image density of an image borne by an image bearer includes a reference board, a light emitter, a light receiver, an image density calculator, and an image density detecting condition corrector. The reference board has a spectral reflectance distribution closer to a spectral reflectance distribution of the image forming material than a spectral reflectance distribution of white. The light emitter emits light to the reference board and the image borne by the image bearer. The light receiver receives the light reflected from the image and the reference board. The image density calculator calculates the image density of the image based on an output of the light receiver receiving the light reflected from the image. The image density detecting condition corrector corrects an image density detecting condition based on an output of the light receiver receiving the light reflected from the reference board.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.