Light-emitting element head, image forming apparatus and light-emission control method

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a toner image forming unit that forms a toner image;
• a transfer unit that transfers the toner image onto a recording medium;
• and
• a fixing unit that fixes the toner image onto the recording medium,
• the toner image forming unit including a light-emitting element head having:
• a plurality of light-emitting element array chips that are divided into a plurality of groups and assigned an identification signal number, and that each are provided with light-emitting elements arranged in an array;
• a signal generation unit that generates a light-emission control signal for controlling blinking of the light-emitting elements, and an identification signal including identification signal number information for identifying which of the light-emitting element array chips in each of the groups the light-emission control signal is for;
• signal lines through which the light-emission control signal and the identification signal are transmitted, wherein only one of the signal lines through which the light-emission control signal is transmitted is respectively connected to each of the groups;
• and
• identification signal discrimination units that are connected to the signal lines and that are provided in the respective light-emitting element array chips, each of the identification signal discrimination units discriminating the identification signal number information included in the identification signal, and transmitting the light-emission control signal to the light-emitting elements of the light-emitting element array chip that corresponds to the assigned identification signal number that matches the identification signal number information.

A light-emission control method for a light-emitting element head including:

• a plurality of light-emitting element array chips that are divided into a plurality of groups and assigned an identification signal number, and that each are provided with light-emitting elements arranged in an array, a signal generation unit that generates signals, signal lines through which the signals are transmitted, wherein only one of the signal lines through which a light-emission control signal is transmitted is respectively connected to each of the groups, and circuits that are connected to the signal lines and that are provided in the respective light-emitting element array chips, the light-emission control method comprising:
• generating, by the signal generation unit, a light-emission control signal for controlling blinking of the light-emitting elements, and an identification signal including identification signal number information for identifying which of the light-emitting element array chips in each of the groups the light-emission control signal is for;
• performing, by the circuits, discrimination of the identification signal number information included in the identification signal;
• and
• transmitting, by the circuits, the light-emission control signal to the light-emitting elements of the light-emitting element array chip that corresponds to the assigned identification signal number that matches the identification signal number information, in accordance with the discrimination.