Laser light quantity control device
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTomohiro Nakamori
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A laser light quantity control device includes a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions and a light quantity detector for detecting light quantities of the individual light emitting portions. Currents supplied to the individual light emitting portions are controlled by a light quantity adjusting section on the basis of outputs from the light quantity detector. The light quantity adjusting section performs light quantity adjustments of the individual light emitting portions at predetermined time interval.
Claims32
A laser light quantity control device comprising:
- a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions;
- light quantity detection means for detecting light quantities of the individual light emitting portions;
- and
- light quantity adjustment means for controlling currents to be supplied to the individual light emitting portions on the basis of outputs from said light quantity detection means, said light quantity adjustment means time-divisionally performing light quantity adjustments of the individual light emitting portions alternately during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals.
A laser light quantity control device comprising:
- a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions;
- light quantity detection means for detecting light quantities of the individual light emitting portions;
- and
- light quantity adjustment means for controlling currents to be supplied to the individual light emitting portions on the basis of outputs from said light quantity detection means, said light quantity adjustment means performing light quantity adjustments of the individual light emitting portions by alternately switching the light emitting portions during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals, for gradually raising the light quantities of the individual light emitting portions to a target light quantity.
A method of adjusting light quantities of light emitting portions of a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions, comprising the steps of:
- providing a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions;
- and
- performing light quantity adjustments of the individual light emitting portions by alternately switching the light emitting portions during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals, for gradually raising the light quantities of the individual light emitting portions to a target light quantity.
A method of adjusting light quantities of light emitting portions of a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions to a target light quantity, comprising the steps of:
- providing a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions;
- and
- setting a plurality of intermediate target light quantities before the target light quantity;
- and
- alternately switching the light emitting portions during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals, the switching also being performed so that the light emitting portion being subjected to the light quantity adjustment is switched each time the light quantity of the light emitting portion reaches a respective one of the intermediate target light quantities, for gradually raising the light quantities of the individual light emitting portions to the target light quantity.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions;
- light quantity detection means for detecting light quantities of the individual light emitting portions;
- light quantity adjustment means for controlling currents to be supplied to the individual light emitting portions on the basis of outputs from said light quantity detection means, said light quantity adjustment means time-divisionally performing light quantity adjustments of the individual light emitting portions alternately during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals;
- scanning means for scanning a plurality of laser beams from said semiconductor laser element;
- and
- a recording medium on which an image is formed by the plurality of laser beams.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of light emitting portions;
- light quantity detection means for detecting light quantities of the individual light emitting portions;
- light quantity adjustment means for controlling currents to be supplied to the individual light emitting portions on the basis of outputs from said light quantity detection means, said light quantity adjustment means performing light quantity adjustments of the individual light emitting portions by alternately switching the light emitting portions during each of a plurality of predetermined time intervals, for gradually raising the light quantities of the individual light emitting portions to a target light quantity;
- scanning means for scanning a plurality of laser beams from said semiconductor laser element;
- and
- a recording medium on which an image is formed by the plurality of laser beams.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.