EXPOSURE DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS USING THE SAME

Abstract

To provide an exposure device which is capable of controlling light intensity with high precision by improving reliability of light intensity detection, and an image forming apparatus using the same, an exposure device includes a light emitting device array having a plurality of organic electroluminescence devices 110 arranged on a substrate, a light detecting device 120 that detects light emitted from the organic electroluminescence devices 110, and a light intensity detecting circuit C that processes an output of the light detecting device 120. The light intensity detecting unit C includes a capacitive element 140 connected to the light detecting device 120 and a select transistor 130 that is connected to the capacitive element 140 and draws out charges accumulated in the capacitive element 140. The select transistor 130 and the light detecting device 120 are isolated from each other with the capacitive element 140 interposed therebetween.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of organic electroluminescence devices and related peripheral components which constitute an exposure device according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2A is a sectional view showing a configuration in the neighborhood of a light detecting device according to the first embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2B is a sectional view showing a configuration in the neighborhood of a capacitive element according to the first embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2C is a sectional view showing a configuration in the neighborhood of a select transistor according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a light intensity detecting circuit and a processing circuit equipped in the exposure device according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating a relationship between a gate voltage and drain current of the light detecting device according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart showing a timing of light intensity detection according to the first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a configuration in the neighborhood of a developing station in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a configuration of an exposure device in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9A is a top view of a glass substrate related to the exposure device in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 9B is an enlarged view of a main portion of the glass substrate.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a controller in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view illustrating contents of a light intensity correction data memory in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an engine controller in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram of the exposure device in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view illustrating a current program period and an organic electroluminescence device lightening on/off period related to the exposure device in the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are explanatory views illustrating examples of device arrangement in an exposure device according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 16A to 16C are explanatory views illustrating examples of device arrangement in an exposure device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view of a main portion of an exposure device according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 18A to 18C are explanatory views illustrating a manufacturing process of the exposure device according to the fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 19 is a top view of mother glass according to the fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 20 is a top view of mother glass according to the fifth embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. An exposure device comprising: a substrate;a light emitting device array including a plurality of light emitting devices arranged on the substrate;a light detecting device that detects light emitted from the light emitting devices;a switching device that selects the light detecting devices and draws out an output from the light detecting devices; anda light shielding unit interposed between the light detecting devices and the switching device.

2. The exposure device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding part is formed of a capacitive element.

3. The exposure device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding part and the switching device are arranged outside a light emitting region of the light emitting devices.

4. The exposure device according to claim 3, wherein the light shielding part and the switching device are arranged along the light emitting device array.

5. The exposure device according to claim 1, wherein the light shielding part and the switching device are respectively arranged in a one-to-one correspondence to the light emitting devices included in the light emitting device array.

6. An exposure device comprising: a substrate;a light emitting device array including a plurality of light emitting devices arranged on the substrate;a light detecting device that detects light emitted from the light emitting devices; anda light intensity detecting unit that processes an output of the light detecting device,wherein the light intensity detecting unit includes a capacitive element connected to the light detecting device and a select transistor that is connected to the capacitive element and draws out charges accumulated in the capacitive element, andwherein the select transistor and the light detecting device are isolated from each other with the capacitive element interposed therebetween.

7. The exposure device according to claim 6, wherein the select transistor, the capacitive element and the light detecting device are arranged in order in a direction substantially perpendicular to an direction of the light emitting device array.

8. The exposure device according to claim 6, further comprising a driving unit including a driving transistor connected to a driving electrode of the light emitting devices on the substrate, wherein the driving unit and the light intensity detecting unit is isolated from each other with the light emitting device array interposed therebetween.

9. The exposure device according to claim 6, wherein an electroluminescence device as the light emitting devices, the electroluminescence device including a first electrode, a second electrode and a light emitting layer interposed therebetween, overlaps the light detecting device including a photoelectric converting layer that detects light emitted from the electroluminescence device, andwherein the driving unit including the driving transistor connected to the first or second electrode of the electroluminescence device is isolated from the light intensity detecting unit connected to the output of the light detecting device with the light emitting device array interposed therebetween.

10. The exposure device according to claim 9, wherein the light detecting device includes a thin film transistor having a gate electrode formed at a side of the light detecting device of the electroluminescence device

11. The exposure device according to claim 10, wherein the select transistor of the light intensity detecting unit is a transistor including a semiconductor thin film used as a device region, the semiconductor thin film being formed by the same process as the thin film transistor included in the light detecting device.

12. The exposure device according to claim 10, wherein the driving transistor of the driving unit is a transistor including a semiconductor thin film used as a device region, the semiconductor thin film being formed by the same process as the thin film transistor included in the light detecting device.

13. The exposure device according to claim 9, wherein the light detecting device, the electroluminescence device, the capacitive element of the light intensity detecting unit, the select transistor for switching, and the driving transistor of the driving unit are circuit devices integrated on the same substrate.

14. The exposure device according to claim 9, wherein the electroluminescence device is an organic electroluminescence device using an organic semiconductor layer as the light emitting layer.

15. The exposure device according to claim 9, wherein the electroluminescence device is an inorganic electroluminescence device using an inorganic semiconductor layer as the light emitting layer.

16. The exposure device according to claim 9, further comprising a light intensity correcting unit that corrects light intensity of the electroluminescence device based on the output of the light detecting device.

17. The exposure device according to claim 6, wherein the light detecting device is stacked on each of the plurality of light emitting devices arranged on the substrate.

18. The exposure device according to claim 17, wherein one light detecting device is arranged to correspond to one light emitting device.

19. The exposure device according to claim 17, wherein the light detecting device is arranged to correspond to two or more light emitting devices.

20. An image forming apparatus using an exposure device according to claim 1 as an exposure light source for image formation.