Spectral characteristic obtaining apparatus, image evaluation apparatus and image forming apparatus

An Image evaluation apparatus configured to evaluate a color of an image formed on an image holding medium in plural colors, the image evaluation apparatus comprising:

• a spectral characteristic obtaining apparatus, the spectral characteristic obtaining apparatus including,
• a spectroscopic imaging unit configured to separate reflected light from light emitted onto an object by a light irradiation unit into a plurality of diffracted lights with different spectral characteristics, and
• a light receiving unit including a plurality of pixels configured to simultaneously receive the plurality of diffracted lights, wherein,
• each of the plurality of pixels of the light receiving unit receives one of the plurality of diffracted lights without receiving other ones of the plurality of diffracted lights and without receiving non-diffraction light, and
• the spectroscopic imaging unit includes a diffraction unit configured to lead the plurality of diffracted lights to one or more of the plurality of pixels, the diffraction unit being positioned such that a diffraction direction has an angle with respect to an array direction of the plurality of pixels in a plane perpendicular to a light axis of the light receiving unit, the angle is based on a size of the plurality of pixels and a number of the plurality of pixels;
• a conveyance unit configured to convey the image holding medium;
• and
• an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a color of the image based on the different spectral characteristics obtained by the spectral characteristic obtaining apparatus.

An image forming apparatus including an image evaluation apparatus, the image evaluation apparatus comprising:

• a spectral characteristic obtaining apparatus, the spectral characteristic apparatus including,
• a spectroscopic imaging unit configured to separate reflected light from light emitted onto an object by a light irradiation unit into a plurality of lights with different spectral characteristics, and
• a light receiving unit including a plurality of pixels configured to simultaneously receive the plurality of lights, wherein,
• each of the plurality of pixels of the light receiving unit receives one of the plurality of diffracted lights without receiving other ones of the plurality of diffracted lights and without receiving non-diffraction light, and
• the spectroscopic imaging unit includes a diffraction unit configured to lead the plurality of diffracted lights to one or more of the plurality of pixels, the diffraction unit being positioned such that a diffraction direction has an angle with respect to an array direction of the plurality of pixels in a plane perpendicular to a light axis of the light receiving unit, the angle is based on a size of the plurality of pixels and a number of the plurality of pixels;
• a conveyance unit configured to convey the image holding medium;
• an evaluation unit configured to evaluate a color of the image based on the spectral characteristic obtained by the spectral characteristic obtaining apparatus;
• a photoreceptor configured to which a color material is applied and developed;
• and
• an intermediate transcriptional body configured to transfer the color material onto the image holding medium.