IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided in which on-surface potential unevenness of an image carrier can be suppressed, and with which an output image having excellent on-surface uniformity of color or the like can be obtained. The image forming apparatus includes: a photoconductive image carrier; charger which charges the image carrier; image exposing unit which exposes an image on a surface of the image carrier after the charging to form a latent electrostatic image; developing unit which develops the latent electrostatic image by adhering toner to the latent electrostatic image to form a toner image; and transfer charger which transfers the obtained toner image to a final supporting member such as plain paper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining potential unevenness which is a target of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining potential unevenness which is a target of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining potential unevenness which is a target of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram and a graph for explaining potential unevenness which is a target of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is graphs for explaining a correction method which is an object of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus of one embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of exposing means of one embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a laser driving circuit of one embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a correction method of one embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for potential measurement of one embodiment;

FIG. 11 is graphs for explaining the correction method which is an object of the present invention;

FIG. 12A is graphs for explaining the correction method of one embodiment;

FIG. 12B is graphs for explaining the correction method of one embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for potential measurement of one embodiment;

FIG. 14A is diagrams for explaining the correction method of one embodiment;

FIG. 14B is diagrams for explaining the correction method of one embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a potential measurement apparatus of one embodiment;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration for potential measurement of one embodiment; and

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus of one embodiment.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus which includes: a photoconductive image carrier; charging means which charges the image carrier; exposing means which exposes an image on a surface of the image carrier after the charging to form a latent electrostatic image; developing means which develops the latent electrostatic image by adhering toner to the latent electrostatic image to form a toner image; and transferring means which transfers the obtained toner image to a final supporting member; the image forming apparatus comprising: measuring means which measures unevenness information on each of a plurality of kinds of on-surface unevenness having different characteristics; anda plurality of storing means which store the information on the plurality of kinds of unevenness, whereinthe exposing means includes a function of modulating a pulse width and a function of modulating power, andthe plurality of kinds of on-surface unevenness are simultaneously corrected by controlling emission of light from the exposing means by use of correction values calculated from the information on the plurality of kinds of unevenness.

2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of kinds of on-surface unevenness are: charge potential unevenness which occurs when the charging is performed; and exposure potential unevenness which occurs when the exposure is performed.

3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the storing means which store the unevenness information stores unevenness information on each position in a matrix formed by two-dimensionally dividing the surface.

4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the storing means which store the unevenness information stores one-dimensional direction information along each of a main-scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction on a surface, and unevenness information at each position on the surface is figure out by calculation.

5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein potential measurement is used as the measuring means which measures the information on the on-surface unevenness.

6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein density measurement after toner adhesion is used as the measuring means which measures the information on the on-surface unevenness.

7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the on-surface unevenness information is measured in the image forming apparatus, andthe unevenness information stored in the storing means is regularly updated.

8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein amorphous silicon is used for the image carrier.