The present invention relates generally to the field of electrophotography and in particular to a method of adjusting a white vector by partial exposure of selected white image areas of the latent image on a photoconductive unit.
The basic electrophotographic process is well known in the art, and described briefly with reference to
In the embodiment depicted, the photoconductive unit 12 is cylindrically shaped and illustrated in cross section. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the photoconductive unit 12 may comprise any appropriate shape or structure. The charging unit 14 charges the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 to a uniform potential, approximately −1000 volts in the embodiment depicted. A laser beam 24 from a laser source 26, such as a laser diode, in the optical unit 16 selectively discharges discrete areas 28 on the photoconductive unit 12 that are to be developed by toner (alaso referred to herein as “pels”), to form a latent image on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12. The optical energy of the laser beam 24 selectively discharges the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 to a potential of approximately −300 volts in the embodiment depicted (approximately −100 volts over the photoconductive core voltage of −200 volts in this particular embodiment). Areas of the latent image not to be developed by toner (also referred to herein as “white” or “background” image areas), indicated generally by the numeral 30, retain the potential induced by the charging unit 14, e.g., approximately −1000 volts in the embodiment depicted.
The latent image thus formed on the photoconductive unit 12 is then developed with toner from the developer roller 18, on which is adhered a thin layer of toner 32. The developer roller 18 is biased to a predetermined voltage intermediate to the voltage of the latent image areas to be developed and the latent image areas not to be developed, such as approximately −600 volts in the embodiment depicted. Negatively charged toner 32 is attracted to the more-positive discharged areas 28, or pels, on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 (i.e., −300V vs. −600V). The toner 32 is repelled from the less-positive, non-discharged areas 30, or white image areas, on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 (i.e., −1000V vs. −600V), and consequently the toner 32 does not adhere to these areas. As well known in the art, the photoconductive unit 12, developer roller 18 and toner 32 may alternatively be charged to positive voltages.
In this manner, the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12 is developed by toner 32, which is subsequently transferred to a media sheet 34 by the positive voltage of the transfer device 30, approximately +1000V in the embodiment depicted. Alternatively, the toner 32 developing an image on the photoconductive unit 12 may be transferred to an Intermediate Transfer Mechanism (ITM) such as a belt 38 (see
The above description relates to an exemplary image forming unit 10. In any given application, the precise arrangement of components, voltages, and the like may vary as desired or required. As known in the art, an electrophotographic image forming device may include a single image forming unit 10 (generally developing images with black toner), or may include a plurality of image forming units 10, each developing a different color plane separation of a composite image with a different color of toner (generally yellow, cyan and magenta, and optionally also black).
Additionally, in the above description, the toner 32 is dry, and toner particles adhere directly to the developer roller 18 and pels of the photoconductive unit 12. As known in the art, in another embodiment, the toner may comprise a liquid medium in which electrically charged, pigmented toner particles are suspended. One or more colors of liquid toner may be successively applied to the developer roller 18 by an appropriate fluid delivery mechanism (not shown), with each color of toner selectively removed from the developer roller 18 following development of the associated image color plane on the photoconductive unit 12. Alternatively, the image forming device may include a plurality of image forming units 10, each such unit 10 applying a different color liquid toner. The liquid toner develops the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12, and the developed image is transferred to an ITM 36 or a media sheet 34, as described above. Additional steps such as drying, cleaning, liquid removal and recovery and the like may be required, as known in the art. The present invention is not limited to dry toner 32, and liquid toner based image forming devices are within its scope.
The difference in potential between non-discharged areas 30 on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12—that is, white image areas or areas not to be developed by toner—and the surface potential of the developer roller 18 is known as the “white vector”. This potential difference (with the white image areas 30 on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 being less positive than the surface of the developer roller 18) provides an electro-static barrier to the development of negatively charged toner 32 on the white image areas 30 of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12. A sufficiently high white vector is necessary to prevent toner development in white image areas; however, research indicates that an overly large white vector detrimentally affects the formation of fine image features, such as small dots and lines. In exemplary embodiments of image forming devices, a white vector of 200-250V results in acceptable image quality while preventing toner development in white image areas.
The optimal white vector for each image forming unit 10 within an image forming device may be different, due to differing toner formulations, component variation, difference in age or past usage levels of various components, and the like. One way to achieve a different white vector at each image forming unit 10 is to power each charging device 14 to the desired non-discharged potential (e.g., the potential of the corresponding developer roller 18 plus the desired white vector). This would generally require a separate power supply for charging the photoconductive unit 12 in each image forming unit 10, increasing the image forming device cost and weight, reducing reliability, and precluding a compact design, as each power supply requires space.
In one or more embodiments, the white vector of a photoconductive unit in a electrophotographic image forming device is adjusted by selectively optically discharging areas of the photoconductive unit to be developed by toner with optical energy from a first laser source. Areas of the photoconductive unit that are not to be developed by toner are selectively optionally discharged with optical energy from a second optical source, which may comprise a second laser source. The second laser source may be independently attenuated, such as via a polarizing filter.
The present invention relates to a method of adjusting the voltage difference between a photoconductive unit 12 and a developer roller 18 in an electrophotographic image forming device.
Within the image forming device housing 102, the image forming device 100 includes media registration roller 112, a media sheet transport belt 114, one or more removable developer cartridges 116, photoconductive units 12, developer rollers 18 and corresponding transfer rollers 20, an imaging device 16, a fuser 118, reversible exit rollers 120, and a duplex media sheet path 122, as well as various additional rollers, actuators, sensors, optics, and electronics (not shown) as are conventionally known in the image forming device arts, and which are not further explicated herein. Additionally, the image forming device 100 includes one or more controllers, microprocessors, DSPs, or other stored-program processors (not shown) and associated computer memory, data transfer circuits, and/or other peripherals (not shown) that provide overall control of the image formation process.
Each developer cartridge 116 includes a reservoir containing toner 32 and a developer roller 18, in addition to various rollers, paddles and other elements (not shown). Each developer roller 18 is adjacent to a corresponding photoconductive unit 12, with the developer roller 18 developing a latent image on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 by supplying toner 32. In various alternative embodiments, the photoconductive unit 12 may be integrated into the developer cartridge 116, may be fixed in the image forming device housing 102, or may be disposed in a removable photoconductor cartridge (not shown). In a typical color image forming device, three or four colors of toner—cyan, yellow, magenta, and optionally black—are applied successively (and not necessarily in that order) to a print media sheet to create a color image. Correspondingly,
The operation of the image forming device 100 is conventionally known. Upon command from control electronics, a single media sheet is “picked,” or selected, from either the primary media stack 106 or the multipurpose tray 110. Alternatively, a media sheet may travel through the duplex path 122 for a two-sided print operation or reprinting on the first side. Regardless of its source, the media sheet is presented at the nip of registration roller 112, which aligns the media sheet and precisely times its passage on to the image forming stations downstream. The media sheet then contacts the transport belt 114, which carries the media sheet successively past the image forming units 10. As described above, at each photoconductive unit 12, a latent image is formed thereon by optical projection from the imaging device 16. The latent image is developed by applying toner to the photoconductive unit 12 from the corresponding developer roller 18. The toner is subsequently deposited on the media sheet as it is conveyed past the photoconductive unit 12 by operation of a transfer voltage applied by the transfer roller 20. Each color is layered onto the media sheet to form a composite image, as the media sheet 34 passes by each successive image forming unit 10.
The toner is thermally fused to the media sheet by the fuser 118, and the sheet then passes through reversible exit rollers 120, to land facedown in the output stack 124 formed on the exterior of the image forming device housing 102. Alternatively, the exit rollers 120 may reverse motion after the trailing edge of the media sheet has passed the entrance to the duplex path 122, directing the media sheet through the duplex path 122 for the printing of another image on the back side thereof, or forming additional images on the same side.
In any electrophotographic printer, a key factor for achieving acceptable print quality is control of the white vector, that is, the difference in potential between areas of a latent image on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 not to be developed by toner (e.g., “white” image areas) and the surface potential of the developer roller 18. In monochrome image forming devices having a single image forming unit 10, maintaining a desired white vector is fairly straightforward. However, in color image forming devices having a plurality of image forming units 10, maintaining the appropriate white vector at each image forming unit 10 (which may, in general, be different from any other image forming unit 10) is more problematic, and conventionally requires separate power supplies to power the charging device 14 of each image forming unit 10.
According to the present invention, in an image forming device wherein two or more charging devices 14 share at least one power supply to charge two or more associated photoconductive units 12, the white vector at each image forming unit 10 may be independently controlled by a partial optical discharge of the surface potential of white image areas on the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12. In one embodiment, a single laser source 26 (such as for example a laser diode) in the optical unit 16 both discharges areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12 to be developed by toner, as conventionally known, and additionally partially discharges selected white image areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12.
As discussed above, the white vector provides an electro-static barrier to the development of white, or background, areas of the latent image. Thus, a high white vector is preferred in white image areas. However, control of the white vector (in particular, a lower white vector than is commonly employed in the prior art) has been found to be important in achieving acceptable image quality for fine image features, such as small dots and lines. Consequently, in one embodiment of the present invention, the white vector may only be adjusted to optimal values in image areas that are close to developed areas—that is, image locations that are within a predetermined distance of a pel, or toner-developed dot. In expansive white image areas—that is, image areas not within a predetermined distance of a pel—the white vector may advantageously be maintained at a high value. This ensures no stray toner is developed onto white image areas, without adversely affecting the quality of fine image features in developed areas of the image. Each image may be analyzed within a print engine or other processor or controller (not shown) within the image forming device, or in a computer attached to the image forming device, to determine which white image areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12 should be partially discharged to control the white vector.
In particular, according to the present invention, the white vector is preferably controlled, at least in the area of developed pels, to a value from about 100 volts to about 500 volts. More preferably, the white vector ranges from about 150 volts to about 350. Most preferably, the white vector according to the present invention is in the range from about 175 volts to about 250 volts.
Conventionally, the laser source 26 is toggled between “on,” or lasing, and “off,” or non-lasing states, according to image data as the laser beam 24 scans along an image scan line. In the “on” state, the laser source 26 may produce a laser output power of 2-5 mw in an exemplary embodiment, and 0-0.4 mw laser power in the “off” state.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, control electronics (not shown) in the optical unit 16 may adjust the “off” current applied to the laser source 26. In this modified “off” state, i.e., when scanning selected white areas of the latent image, the laser source 26 is actually generating a low intensity, “background” laser beam 24 that illuminates, and thus partially discharges, selected white areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12.
In an exemplary embodiment, the laser source 26 may produce an optical output power of 0.1-0.4 mw in the modified “off” state. An additional benefit of this embodiment of the present invention is that the response time of the laser source 26 may actually improve, as the laser source 26 does not need to transition from a non-lasing to a lasing state to write a pel to the latent image on the photoconductive drum 12. This improved response time may allow for higher print speeds with greater image quality that is possible with the conventional binary toggling of the laser source 26. Note that the modified, “off” state of this embodiment of the present invention comprises actively driving the writing light source 26 to produce optical energy, albeit at a lower level than when driving the light source 26 in the “on” state. This low-power output during the modified “off” state is distinguished, for example, from spurious optical energy emitted by a light source during the transient period following a transition from “on” to “off,” or from extremely low optical energy emitted by the light source due to leakage current or the like.
To actively adjust the bias current to the laser source 26, the magnitude of voltage discharge in white image areas at the surface of the photoconductive unit 12 should be monitored. In one embodiment, this voltage is monitored by an electrostatic voltmeter probe proximate the surface of the photoconductive unit 12, downstream from the laser exposure position. In another embodiment, the cost of an electrostatic voltmeter at each image forming unit 10 may be avoided, and the proper bias current to the laser source 26 to produce the desired white vector may be determined using a toner patch sensor.
As known in the art, a toner patch sensor is an optical sensor that monitors a media sheet 34, a media sheet transport belt 114, or an ITM belt 36, as appropriate, to sense various test patterns printed by the various image forming units 10 in an image forming device 100 for, among other purposes, registering the various color planes printed by the image forming units 10. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the toner patch sensor may be used to set the bias current to the laser source 26 to achieve a desired white vector, according to a method described with reference to
Initially, the surface voltage of the developer roller 18 is increased from a predetermined operating voltage (such as −600 volts in the embodiment depicted in
An operation is then performed at step 44 to ascertain whether the image forming unit 10 has reached a threshold of development. As used herein, the “threshold of development” is the point at which toner is first developed to white image areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12. That is, the point at which toner is erroneously attracted from the developer roller 18 to areas of the photoconductive unit 12 that are not intended to be developed with toner. In one embodiment, this may comprise printing one or more test patterns to a media sheet 34, a media sheet transfer belt 114 or an ITM belt 36, the patterns including at least some “white” areas on which no toner is to be developed. A toner patch sensor may then sense the test patterns, and the threshold of development detected when toner is sensed in at least one white image area. However, the present invention is not limited to the use of a toner patch sensor to detect the threshold of development. For example, one or more images containing at least one white area may be printed to a media sheet 34, which is output for inspection by a user. The user may subsequently input an indication of whether the threshold of development has been reached, such as for example via an input panel.
If the threshold of development has not been reached at step 44, then the intensity of the white image area discharge beam, or “background” beam (e.g., in one embodiment, the intensity of the laser beam 24 when the laser source 26 is in the “off” state) is incrementally increased, as indicated at step 46, and a subsequent latent image is formed on the photoconductive unit 12, illuminating the white image areas with the background beam indicated at step 42. This process is repeated until the threshold of development is reached at step 44. When the threshold of development has been reached, then the surface voltage of the developer roller 18 is reduced from the elevated value (the operating voltage plus the white vector) to the predetermined operating voltage of the developer roller 18, as indicated at step 48. At this point, the background beam is discharging the surface potential of the photoconductive unit 12 in white image areas to a value that is more negative than the surface potential of the developer roller 18 by substantially the desired white vector value. As discussed further herein, the above method for establishing a background intensity of illumination for white image areas to achieve a desired white vector is not limited to the embodiment wherein the “off” state of the laser source 28 is set above the lasing threshold.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the laser source 26 (such as a laser diode) is driven by two current sources, as depicted in
In addition, the circuit 50 includes a “background” or white image area discharge current source 56, controlled by a white image area discharge beam intensity control circuit 58. In one embodiment, the control circuit 58 may implement the white vector calibration method disclosed above with reference to
In this embodiment, the addition of current from the background current source 56 to the current from writing current source 52, when the writing current source 52 is in an “on” state may result in excessive peak current being applied to the laser source 26. To control the overall bias current for the laser source 26, the laser output beam 59 of the laser source 26 may be directed to a beam splitter 60. The beam splitter 60 is a well-known optical component that generates a secondary beam 61 from the laser output beam 59, and passes a primary beam 24 through to subsequent optics and on to the photoconductive unit 12. The secondary beam 61 is generated from a surface reflection of the beam splitter 60, and is typically in the range of 4 to 8% of the power of the laser output beam 59. Accordingly, the primary beam 24 contains approximately 92 to 96% of the optical energy of the laser output beam 59.
The secondary beam 61 is directed to an optical sensing and measuring circuit 62 which may for example comprise an appropriately biased phototransistor. While the secondary beam 61 contains a small fraction of the optical energy of the primary beam 24, it is proportional, and the intensity of the primary beam 24 (and hence that of the output laser beam 59) can be determined by applying a multiplier to the measured intensity of the secondary beam 61. In this manner, the intensity of the output laser beam 59 may be monitored, and the writing current source 52 adjusted so as not to exceed predetermined limits, when the current from the writing current source 52 is added to that from the background current source 56. The dual current circuit 50 of
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the optical unit 16 associated with each image forming unit 10 may include two laser sources.
According one embodiment of the present invention, the writing laser source 26 and the background laser source 64 may be of different wavelengths. In particular, in one embodiment, the writing laser source 26 and background laser source 64 may comprise an integrated dual-wavelength laser diode, such as part number GH30707A2A available from Sharp Electronics. This low-cost device, developed for use in DVD players and similar applications, includes two laser emitters, nominally at 788 nm (infrared) and 654 nm (visible red). In one embodiment, one of the lasers 26 (e.g., 654 nm) may generate the writing beam 24, and the other laser 64 (e.g., 788 nm) may generate the background beam 66.
If the different wavelength laser source 26 and 64 share common optics 70, then the lasers will not both focus at the same plane (such as the surface of the photoconductive unit 12). This is due to a phenomenon called chromatic aberration, and stems from the fact that the index of refraction of any optical element 70 is dependent on wavelength. Thus, optics that are precisely focused for one wavelength will defocus light of all other wavelengths to varying degrees. This property is advantageous in the present invention, in that the common optics 70 may be optimized to precisely focus the writing laser beam 24, and consequently will slightly defocus the background laser beam 66. As described above, the defocusing of the background laser beam 66 improves its uniformity in discharging white image areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12 by slightly “spreading” the beam 66.
Additionally, the common optics 70 may include at least one optical element with a dichroic, or wavelength-selective, coating that significantly attenuates only the wavelength of the background laser beam 66, and not the writing laser beam 24. As discussed above, this allows the background laser source 64 to be operated in its operating range, well away from the threshold of lasing.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, selective attenuation of the background light beam a66 may be achieved via one or more polarizing filters in optics 66 or 70. Where the writing laser source 26 and background light source 64 are separate light sources, the background light source 64 may be a polarized lazer source, or alternatively the background light beam 66 may be polarized at the source 64 by a polarizing filter (not shown). A polarized filter in the optics 68 or 70 may then be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the background light beam 66—or alternatively, the background light source 64 or its polarizing filter may be rotated with respect to the central axis of the optics 68 or 70—to achieve a variable attenuation of the intensity of the background light beam 66 at the surface of the photoconductive unit 12. When the background light source 64 is a laser source, this allows the background laser source 64 to be driven in its designated operating range, while projecting only a low intensity background light beam 66 on the white image areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the background optical source 64 may comprise a non-coherent optical source, such as an LED. The LED generates a light beam 66, which may optionally be attenuated and/or focused by optics 68 prior to illuminating and thus discharging white image areas on the latent image on the surface of the photoconductive unit 12.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the background light source 64 may comprise an electroluminescent source. As known in the art, electroluminescent optical sources commonly comprise a laminated assembly including a phosphor material, a dielectric layer, and front and rear electrodes. By applying alternating electric fields across the electrodes, the phosphor is excited to emit radiant optical, e.g., luminescent, energy 66. The electroluminescent light source 64 may be disposed within the optical unit 18, as depicted in
According to the present invention, a low level optical beam may be generated at each LED 26 during the “off” state, to partially discharge the white image areas of the latent image on the photoconductive unit 12. This may be accomplished several ways. In one embodiment, the controller 72 drives each LED 26 in the array with a first current in the “on” state, and with a second current, lower than the first current, in the “off” state. In particular, in one embodiment, at least the second current may result from pulse-width modulating the current to the LED 26. Pulse-width modulation is a technique well known in the art whereby the total current supplied to a load is controlled by altering the duration of time during each of a series of repetitive periods in which current is driven. In other words, by controlling the “duty cycle” of periodically driving current to the load, the net current received by the load may be precisely controlled. Pulse-width modulation may find particular utility in applications where the controller 72 is digital. In another embodiment of the present invention, the current received by each LED 26 in the array is the sum of separate current sources, as depicted in
In another embodiment, each writing light source 26 may be accompanied by a background light source 64, such as an LED. The writing light source 26 and background source 64 may be of different wavelengths, and optical energy from the background source may be selectively attenuated by optics 70 interposed in the optical path, as described with respect to
In all of the above-described embodiments, the level or intensity of the background light source may be determined according to the method described with respect to
Although the present invention has been described herein with respect to particular features, aspects and embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that numerous variations, modifications, and other embodiments are possible within the broad scope of the present invention, and accordingly, all variations, modifications and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the scope of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
This application is a divisional application that claims priority from co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/006,175 filed Dec. 7, 2004.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 11006175 | Dec 2004 | US |
Child | 11620229 | Jan 2007 | US |