Optical print head, image forming apparatus and light amount correction method of optical print head

Abstract

An optical print head comprises a first light emitting element row, a second light emitting element row, a lens array, a first drive circuit and a second drive circuit. The first light emitting element row includes the arrangement of first light emitting elements. The second light emitting element row includes second light emitting elements arranged in parallel with the first light emitting element row. The lens array concentrates light emitted by the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements. The first drive circuit drives each first light emitting element with an identical first current value. The second drive circuit drives each second light emitting element with an identical second current value different from the first current value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical print head comprising:
 a plurality of first light emitting elements arranged in a first direction on one face of a substrate;   a plurality of first lenses arranged in the first direction and facing the one face;   a plurality of second light emitting elements arranged in parallel to the first light emitting elements on the one surface, the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction;   a plurality of second lenses arranged in parallel to the first lenses and facing the one face, wherein the first lenses and the second lenses are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction and configured to concentrate light emitted by the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements;   a first drive circuit located on an opposite side of a region where the second light emitting elements are located with respect to the first light emitting elements on the one surface and configured to drive each first light emitting element; and   a second drive circuit located on an opposite side of a region where the first light emitting elements are located with respect to the second light emitting elements on the one surface and configured to drive each second light emitting element.   
     
     
         2 . The optical print head according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are organic electroluminescence elements.   
     
     
         3 . The optical print head according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the optical print head is for exposing a photoconductor.   
     
     
         4 . The optical print head according to  claim 1 , wherein a lens array comprises the plurality of first lenses and the plurality of second lenses. 
     
     
         5 . The optical print head according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first lenses is a first rod lens row and the plurality of second lenses is a second rod lens row. 
     
     
         6 . The optical print head according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first lenses is a first columnar rod lens row and the plurality of second lenses is a second columnar rod lens row. 
     
     
         7 . The optical print head according to  claim 5 , wherein the first rod lens row and the plurality of second lenses is a second rod lens row are arranged in a vertical scanning direction in parallel. 
     
     
         8 . An image forming apparatus, comprising:
 a photoconductor;   an optical print head comprising:
 a plurality of first light emitting elements arranged in a first direction on one face of a substrate; 
 a plurality of first lenses arranged in the first direction and facing the one face; 
 a plurality of second light emitting elements arranged in parallel to the first light emitting elements on the one surface, the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction; 
 a plurality of second lenses arranged in parallel to the first lenses and facing the one face, wherein the first lenses and the second lenses are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction and configured to concentrate light emitted by the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements; 
 a first drive circuit located on an opposite side of a region where the second light emitting elements are located with respect to the first light emitting elements on the one surface and configured to drive each first light emitting element; and 
 a second drive circuit located on an opposite side of a region where the first light emitting elements are located with respect to the second light emitting elements on the one surface and configured to drive each second light emitting element, the optical print head configured to expose the photoconductor by the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor; and 
   a developing device configured to develop the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image on the photoconductor.   
     
     
         9 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are organic electroluminescence elements.   
     
     
         10 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the optical print head is for exposing a photoconductor.   
     
     
         11 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein a lens array comprises the plurality of first lenses and the plurality of second lenses. 
     
     
         12 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first lenses is a first rod lens row and the plurality of second lenses is a second rod lens row. 
     
     
         13 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first lenses is a first columnar rod lens row and the plurality of second lenses is a second columnar rod lens row. 
     
     
         14 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the first rod lens row and the plurality of second lenses is a second rod lens row are arranged in a vertical scanning direction in parallel. 
     
     
         15 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of second lenses arranged in parallel to the plurality of first lenses on the one face, the first lenses of the plurality of first lenses and the second lenses of the plurality of second lenses that are adjacent to one another are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction. 
     
     
         16 . An optical print head comprising:
 a plurality of first light emitting elements arranged in a first direction on one face of a substrate;   a plurality of first lenses arranged in the first direction and facing the one face;   a plurality of second light emitting elements arranged in parallel to the plurality of first light emitting elements on the one face, wherein first light emitting elements of the plurality of first light emitting elements and second light emitting elements of the plurality of second light emitting elements that are adjacent to one another are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction;   a plurality of second lenses arranged in parallel to the plurality of first lenses and facing the one face;   a first drive circuit located on an opposite side of a region where the plurality of second light emitting elements are located with respect to the plurality of first light emitting elements on the one face surface and configured to drive each first light emitting element; and   a second drive circuit located on an opposite side of a region where the plurality of first light emitting elements are located with respect to the plurality of second light emitting elements on the one face surface and configured to drive each second light emitting element,   wherein first lenses of the plurality of first lenses and second lenses of the plurality of second lenses that are adjacent to one another are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction and are configured to concentrate light emitted by the plurality of first light emitting elements and the plurality of second light emitting elements.   
     
     
         17 . The optical print head according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element are organic electroluminescence elements.   
     
     
         18 . The optical print head according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the optical print head is for exposing a photoconductor.   
     
     
         19 . The optical print head according to  claim 16 , wherein
 the zigzag manner in which the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements that are adjacent one another are arranged is a pattern defined by respective straight lines drawn between respective first centers of the first light emitting elements and respective second centers of the second light emitting elements that are adjacent one another in the first direction.   
     
     
         20 . The optical print head according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of second lenses arranged in parallel to the plurality of first lenses on the one face, the first lenses of the plurality of first lenses and the second lenses of the plurality of second lenses that are adjacent to one another are arranged in a zigzag manner in the first direction.