GB2108688A - Electrophotographic copier - Google Patents

Abstract

A copier has keys for stepwise varying the power of the light source, and continuously adjustable means for fine adjustment of the power. As shown, the keys operate perspective relay contacts K1-1 to K5-1 for stepwise adjustment, whilst variable resistors VR11 to VR15 are provided for presetting the values of the steps. Further variable resistors (VR1, VR3; Fig. 4 not shown) may also be provided. Claims are also directed to the above arrangement in a copier which has an imaging system comprising an optical fibre element (300, Fig. 17 not shown) or short focus optical system; and a filter 3 between the imaging system and the light source to correct the spectral distribution which varies as the light source power is adjusted. As described the filter cuts out infra red. Further details are claimed in the parent Application 7922040 (GB 2024438A) and co-divisional 8137971. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Image formation apparatus This invention relates to an image formation apparatus such as a copying machine.

Copying machines use a light source for illuminating an original, and examples of the light sources commonly used are halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps, mercury lamps and xenon tubes. In electrophotographic copying machines, fluorescent lamps and halogen lamps are most popular. To obtain copies of proper density, charging, exposure and developing means must be individually adjusted because the quality of the copies is related to the operational parameters of all of these means. However, it is difficult for the user to adjust the charging and the developing means.Therefore, it has usually been the practice that the settings determining such parameters of the charger and the developing device are fixed or may be adjusted only by experts such as service engineers, copies of the required quality being obtained by varying the exposure in accordance with the characteristics (for example, diazo and coloured characters) of the image original, namely, so as to adjust the brightness of the optical image projected onto the surface of a photosensitive medium.

The two methods for adjusting the exposure are: a. to mechanically adjust a diaphragm blade.

b. to electrically vary the brightness of the light source itself.

The method a. has heretofore been often used because, in this method, it is entirely unnecessary to vary the quantity of light of the light source itself. A disadvantage of this method is that because it involves mechanical adjustment it requires a large space and the mechanism tends to be complicated and difficult to operate. Further, in this method a, the lamp always puts out its maximum quantity of light and thus consumes a maximum electrical power even when the exposure is small. Power consumption is thus excessive and the life of the light source is short.

The method b., which comprises varying the brightness of the light source itself by varying the electrical power applied to the light source, requires the applied voltage to be varied. There are various methods of varying the voltage, such as conduction phase adjustment, and adjustment effected with a variable voltage type autotransformer opened, but owing to the recent remarkable advancement of the semiconductor technique, it has become possible to provide compact, simple and long-lived devices by using highly stabilised semiconductor control elements of high performance (triacs).

In this latter method, however, even when one thinks that one had adjusted the quantity of light to a predetermined level, the acutal quantity of light (the density of the reproduced image) may become irregular due to differences in environment, temperature and element characteristics and, where fine adjustment of the predetermined quantity of light is desired, a very cumbersome procedure and technique have been required of the operator.

In the recent copying machines, halogen lamps have become used as the light source for exposure, but the light output of a halogen lamp varies in proportion to about the cube of the applied voltage and therefore, when the voltage applied to the heater of the fixing device has been dropped by temperature control, it affects the halogen lamp. Halogen lamps require typically a rising time of the order of 300 mS until the illumination reaches a predetermined value when the rated voltage for the lamp is applied thereto.

Accordingly, fog may be created if copying is started with such rising time neglected. Moreover, if it is attempted to turn on the lamp with a low illumination by applying thereto a voltage below the rated voltage, a greater time will be required before the lamp reaches the desired illumination level. Therefore, the timing for the exposure of the original must be determined in accordance with the low illumination turn-on which is slowest in rising. This leads to the need of the waiting time from the starting of the copying till the starting of the exposure of the original, which after all means a slower coding speed.

Further, irregularity of the rising time of the lamp itself resulting from the characteristic irregularity of the environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity, irregularity of the velocity of movement of the optical system and the original carriage, and irregularity of the sensitivity of the photosensitive medium attributable to its quality and environmental conditions-these factors coact such that the electrostatic latent image corresponding to the end of the original is not formed appropriately and fog is sometimes created on the end of the copy image. If a waiting time is provided to compensate for the irregularity of the rising time, the copying speed becomes slower and slower to elongate the time required for the repeated copying.

Also, when copies are desired in haste, the operator often fails to confirm the position of the dial or effects the copying through wrong operation of the apparatus to produce useless copies of unsuitable density. Further, when the adjustment of the exposure is effected by adjusting the electrical power supplied to the light source, the color temperature of the light source may be varied and this, coupled with the spectral characteristic of the sensitivity of the photosensitive medium, has offered problems in image formation.

In an image formation apparatus using a short focus small image forming element array as the image forming optical system, it is actually very difficult or impossible to incorporate means such as a diaphragm blade in the image forming optical system, and it is extremely difficult to precisely limit the light flux between the original to be copied and the short focus small image forming element array or between such array and the photosensitive medium because the width of the effective light flux contributing to the image formation is very narrow, and thus it tends to cause deterioration of the quality of the copy image.

Also, in a copying machine of the variable magnification type, for example, the correction of the exposure amount when the magnification has been changed becomes a problem. For example, if reduced scale copying is effected at a magnification n2 only with the lens, etc. moved after copying has been effected at a magnification n1 and under a proper exposure, the then exposure amount will become excessive and readjustment will be required in order to provide a proper exposure amount.

Also, to obtain proper copies at each copying magnification, adjust means for use by the operator becomes necessary for varying the quantity of high in accordance with the conditions (e.g. diazo and colored characters) of the original to be copied.

However, in a copying machine of the variable magnification type, the position of the lens is displaced in accordance with the change of the copying magnification and therefore, not only the construction for varying the diaphragm blade becomes very complex but also the mechanical constructions for independently adjusting the amount of correction in each magnification becomes complicated.

According to the present invention there is provided a copying apparatus comprising: process means for forming an image on a recording medium on the basis of the image of a document, said process means including lamp means for illuminating the document and an optical fibre element for forming on a lightreceiving member the optical image of the document illuminated by said lamp means, means for controlling the power of said lamp means to control the quantity of light emitted by said lamp means to form the image of a predetermined density on said recording medium, and a correction filter provided in the light path of said lamp means to correct the spectral distribution of said optical image varied by the control of the power effected by said control means.

According to the present invention there is also provided a copying apparatus for producing a copy of an original by a process which includes an image forming operation in which a recording member is exposed to an optical image of the original, the apparatus comprising: means for illuminating the original; optical transfer means, including an optical fibre element, for forming said image on said recording member; means for varying the power consumed by said illuminating means so as to adjust the illuminating light intensity for the formation by said process of a copy image of required image density, and an optical filter disposed in the path of light originating from said illuminating means for compensating for the variation in the spectral distribution in said optical image which results from the variation of said power.

Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying machine to which the present invention is applicable.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the operating portion of the Figure 1 copying machine.

Figures 3A, 3B, 4 and 6 diagrammatically show the exposure control circuit in the present invention.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the Figure 1 copying machine.

Figure 7 is a diagram of a sequence control circuit pertaining to the scanning.

Figure 8 is a time chart for Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a graph illustrating the rising characteristic of a lamp.

Figures 1 1A and 1 B are diagrams of another control circuit pertaining to the scanning.

Figure 10 is a time chart for Figures 1 1 A and 1 1 B.

Figure 1 2 is a plan view of another operating portion according to the present invention.

Figures 1 3A, 1 3B, 1 4A and 1 4B are diagrams of another exposure control circuit in the present invention.

Figure 1 5 is a graph illustrating the relation between the light source voltage and the light source color temperature.

Figure 1 6 is a graph illustrating the spectral distribution characteristic due to color temperature.

Figures 1 7 and 22 are fragmentary sectional views of another copying machine to which the present invention is applicable.

Figure 1 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying machine having the magnification changing function.

Figure 1 9 is a diagram of another exposure control circuit in the present invention.

Figure 20 is a plan view of the operating portion of the Figure 18 copying machine.

Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of another copying machine to which the present invention is applicable.

Figure 23 illustrates the operation of the circuit of Figures 4 and 6.

Description of the preferred embodiments Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying machine to which the present invention is applicable, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the operating portion of the Figure 1 apparatus.

An original 1 is placed on an optical system platen 2. When a copy button CPB is depressed after the exposure amount of a lamp has been rendered to a required value by adjusting an exposure dial VR2 (Figure 2), a switch SW (Figure 3) is closed to turn on a lamp LA. The reflected light from the original 1 by the lamp LA passes through a filter 3, to be described, which cuts infrared rays (cuts the other lights than the visible light), and further through a lens 4 and via a mirror 5 and is projected upon a photosensitive medium 6. The exposure is effected by the reciprocal slit scanning of the platen 2. The surface of the photosensitive medium 6 is already uniformly charged by a corona charger 7, so that an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive medium by said exposure.The electrostatic latent image is developed into a visible image by a developing device 8, and then the developed image is transferred onto paper 9, which is then fixed by a fixing device 11 and discharged outwardly of the machine, thus providing a required copy.

A variable resistor VR2 is disposed as an exposure dial in the operating panel portion of the copying machine. A variable resistor VR3 is adjusted so that a proper value may be provided at the center value of the exposure dial. By this variable resistor VR3, it is possible to correct chiefly the irregularity of the lamp LA including the irregularities of elements C, Q2 and Q1 or correct such irregularity in accordance with the sensitivity of the photosensitive medium and where there is not such variable resistor VR3, there is no proper relationship between the value of the exposure dial and the light and shade of the reproduced image.

The lamp LA, which is a halogen lamp, is automatically controlled so that it provides a predetermined quantity of light even if the quantity of light of the lamp is varied by a variation in the voltage applied to the lamp. The filter 3 is provided to correct the color temperature of the lamp which is variable when the exposure is adjusted.

Figures 3A and 3B and Figure 4 show an example of the circuit of the lamp illumination control device according to the present invention.

The portion within a frame A is a phase control circuit for controlling the ignition angle of a bidirectional control element 12 by the use of an N gate thyristor (PUT) and for keeping the effective value of the AC voltage applied to the lamp LA at a predetermined value. The ignition angle is determined by the output of a differential amplifier B which compares the terminal voltage of the lamp LA with a predetermined value to detect an error therebetween, and a line voltage applied to the anode terminal of the PUT through a resistor 14. Designated by D500, D501, R500 and R501 are elements for determining the gate voltage of the PUT.

The differential amplifier B will now be described. Transistors 30 and 31 have their emitters connected in common to each other, and is grounded from the junction therebetween through a resistor 32. The collector of the transistor 30 is connected to a power source through a resistor 29, and the collector of the transistor 31 is directly connected to the power source B. The base of the transistor 31 is connected to a constant potential point T3 which is provided by the adjusting circuit of Figure 3 connected to T1 , T2 and T3. The voltage applied to the lamp LA may be varied by a variation in the voltage applied to T3.On the other hand, in order to detect the terminal voltage of the load 3, an error signal is applied to the base of the transmitter 30 through a resistor 26, said error signal being obtained by rectifying the output of an error detecting transformer 21 connected to the lamp LA by means of a diode bridge 22, voltage-dividing the rectified output by resistors 23 and 24, and then removing a pulsating component therefrom to a certain extent by a capacitor 25. Between the base and the collector of the transistor 30, there is provided a feedback path comprising a serial connection of a capacitor 27 and a resistor 28. This feedback path is inserted to remove the pulsating component to such an extent as not to adversely affect the subsequent operations where use is made of a capacitor 25 having such a degree of capacity as not to aggravate the transient response characteristic.

The ignition phase angle of the bidirectional control element 12 is determined by the pulse obtained from the PUT, and the phase relation between such pulse and the frequency of the AC power source AC is varied by the current charging a capacitor 16, namely, by the sum of a current amplified by p times by a transistor 13 and a current flowing through the resistor 14.

Considering a case where the voltage across the lamp LA has become lower than a standard voltage by some reason or other, the voltage at the output end of the diode bridge 22 is reduced and the base current of the transistor 30 is decreased, so that the collector current of this transistor is decreased because the transistor 30 forms a differential amplifier with the transistor 31 whose base potential is held down to a predetermined level, and accordingly the collection potential of the transistor 30 rises and approaches the DC power source voltage. This increases the current flowing through a resistor 1 5 and the emitter current of the transistor 13, thereby shortening the time of each AC half period during which a capacitor 1 6 is charged to a potential necessary to turn on the PUT. That is, the phase of the ignition pulse advances, and the bidirectional control element 12 conducts earlier by a half period of each than in the original case, whereby the terminal voltage of the load 3 rises and approaches the standard voltage. When the lamp voltage has become high, the reverse operation takes place. In this manner, the voltage determined by the port T3 is imparted to the lamp and maintained, and accordingly, the lamp keeps a predetermined level of brightness to ensure latent image formation and development thereof at a predetermined density.

Figure 4 shows an adjusting portion of the exposure control circuit according to the present invention. In Figure 4, T1-T3 are connected to Ti-T3 in Figure 3A. 01-03 are operational amplifiers and known as voltage followers in which the input voltage is coincident with the output voltage and the input impedance is high while the output impedance is low. 04 is a comparator circuit. VR2 is a variable resistor for selecting the exposure and is connected to the output side of the operational amplifiers Q1 and Q2.VR3 is a variable resistor for finely adjusting the amount of exposure set by the VR2 by shifting the range of adjustment of exposure and thereby image density. VR1 is a variable resistor for adjusting the magnitude of the range of density selection by VR2. The variable resistor VR3 is connected to the base of a transistor 06. A capacitor C1, resistors R8-R10 and a variable resistor VR4 together constitute a delay circuit.

Q7 is a transistor for discharging the charge of the capacitor C1.

Operation will now be described. When a main switch SW is closed, a potential determined by the variable resistors VR1 , VR2 and VR3 is applied to the input of the operational amplifier 03 by the voltage application to T1 and T2, and the potential is momentarily put out from T3.

However, during the closing of the main switch, a potential determined by the resistors R9 and R10 is applied to the minus input terminal of the comparator 04 and the potential of the capacitor C1 is applied to the plus input terminal of the comparator Q4, so that the potential at T3 becomes as follows.That is, after the closing of the main switch, the capacitor C1 is charged by the time constant of VR4, R8 and C1 and the potential of the C1 gradually rises. The comparator 04 puts out 0 while the potential at its plus input is lower than that at its minus input.

Therefore, the delay time transistor 05 is turned on, so that the potential applied to T1 is applied to the input of the amplifier Q3 and thus, the output terminal T3 thereof puts out a potential T1 which is higher than the potential determined by VR 1, VR2 and VR3. After the de!ay time, when the plus input potential of the comparator Q4 becomes higher than the minus input potential thereof due to the charging of C1, the comparator Q4 puts out 1. Therefore, the transistor 05 is turned off and the output T3 of the operational amplifier 03 puts out the previously mentioned potential determined byVR1,VR2 and VR3.

Thus, during the time of the time constant determined by R8, VR4 and C1, a high potential to turn on the lamp at the rating is put out from T3 and thereafter, the potential set by VR2 is put out, so that the rising of the lamp is improved and after a predetermined time, the lamp shifts to its turn-on operation for emitting a predetermined quantity of light and therefore, the machine can quickly shift to the copy forming operation at a desired density. Also, by adjustment of VR4, the time for changing over the output from T3 can be adjusted.When it is attempted to turn on the lamp at a voltage adjusted by VR2 to be below the rating, the rising to the adjusted quantity of light is longer than the rising to the rated quantity of light during the turn at the rating, but the rated voltage is initially applied also during the adjustment by VR2 and therefore, the rising to the adjusted quantity of light is conversely shorter than that during the rating. It is thus possible to minimize the rising correction time by adjustment of VR4. Since the rising correction is not effected by initially applying a voltage higher than the rating, the life of the lamp is never reduced.

Herein, design is made such that when the potential at T3 is equal to the potential at T1, the rated voltage (100V) is applied to the lamp and that when the potential at T3 is equal to the potential at T2, 309/0 of the rated voltage is applied to the lamp. It is preferable to provide the soft start circuit of Figure 38 to prevent an AC voltage from being applied to the lamp at the moment when the switch SW is closed.

Designated by C400 is a short capacitor, and denoted by D403 and D402 are chargingdischarging diodes.

Adjustment of the quantity of light will now be described. When the variable resistorVR1 is adjusted, it is possible to vary the voltage to the plus input of the operational amplifier Q2 and vary the potential difference between the outputs of the operational amplifiers Q1 and Q2. By this, it is possible to vary the potential range settable by the variable resistor VR2, and the range of adjustment of exposure is limited. The variation in that range remains unchanged in whatever position the adjusted VR2 may be or even when the lamp is in its predetermined turned on state after the closing of the main switch.

If VR3 is varied with VR1 and VR2 adjusted, the current flowing through the transistor Q6 is varied to thereby vary the potential drop of the resistor R2. If the resistance value of this resistor R2 is kept sufficiently greater than the resistance value of the variable resistor VR2, the potential drop attributable to the variable resistor VR2 may be made negligible. Accordingly, only the variation in potential drop attributable to the resistor R2 affects the output of T3, whereby it is possible to level-shift this range by adjustment of VR3 without varying the adjustment range set by VR 1. The level shift can also be effected without varying the central position of VR2. This is shown in Figure 23. In Figure 23, / is the range of the T3 voltage adjustable by the operator. Here, the lower limit voltage is increased by VR1, but the upper limit may be dropped.

Designated by D1 is a diode provided to compensate for the temperature of the transistor 06, and denoted by D2 and D3 are diodes provided for the reverse voltage withstanding of the transistor 05. VR1, VR3 and VR4 may be provided on the circuit base plate within the machine so as to avoid the complexity of the operating portion. Also, reset signal R for turning on the transistor Q7 is applied when the lamp is turned off.

A smaller capacity of a capacitor 27 with respect to a capacitor 25 contributes to further shortening of the rising time. The charging current flowing through reistors 29 and 28 is reduced by the closing of the switch SW, so that the collector current of a transistor 30% is reduced. Thus, the time until the transistor 30 enters its active area is elongated and accordingly, in the meantime, the bidirectional control element 12 conducts substantially without effecting the phase control due to the quick charging of a capacitor 1 6 based on the collector voltage approximate to the DC power source voltage B, and can supply a correspondingly great deal of power to the load 3 at the initial stage.

If a capacitor and a variable resistor are connected in series with each other but parallel to a resistor 29, the initial impedance during the closing of the switch SW may be varied by that variable resistor, thereby varying the time until the transistor 30 reaches its active area. In the initial state, this series circuit greatly affects the resistor 29, but in the steady state, it provides a great impedance which does not affect the amplifier.

Consequently, it becomes also possible to effect strong exposure in the initial stage and form a black-and-white image on the leading end of paper.

As has so far been described, in the present embodiment, the central level of the adjustment range is shiftable up and down without varying the range in which the quantity of light is adjustable, so that the adjustment of the quantity of light becomes very easy and this is particularly effective in an apparatus wherein the quantity of light of the lamp is varied by adjusting the power or in an automatic control system wherein the quantity of light of the lamp is maintained constant. Further, the present embodiment corrects the delay of the turn-on rising time when the lamp is turned on at a voltage below the rated voltage of the lamp with the quantity of light adjusted, and can therefore maintain constant the time for starting the work such as copy process associated with the exposure, and can prevent the reduction in the speed of the process using adjustment of the lamp.

Figure 6 shows an example of the circuit for automatically controlling the time during which the rated voltage for compensating for the rising in accordance with the quantity of light adjusted by VR2. Q10 and 012 are operational amplifiers similar to Q1 and Q2, Q1 6 is a transistor for turning on a light-emitting diode LED, and 017 is a photocoupler constituted within a single case by the LED and a photoresistor PR inserted in the delay circuit. The other elements correspond in reference character and function to those shown in Figure 4.

When the switch SW is closed to supply power to the circuit, the amplifier Q12 detects the collector potential of the transistor Q6. That is, the amplifier Q12 detects the potential corresponding to the adjusted lamp potential set by the variable resistors VR1, VR2 and VR3 (absolute potential) and produces an output.

During the steady turn-on of the lamp, if the output voltage from T3 by the adjustment of the VR2 is made smaller, the collector potential of the Q6 becomes lower. Thus, the output of the Q12 is low and the quantity of current flowing through the transistor 01 6 is small. Consequently, the quantity of light of the light emitting diode LED is great. Since a resistor PR such as CdS or the like is inversely proportional to the quantity of current in the LED, the resistance value thereof becomes lower as the amount of adjustment of the VR2 is smaller. Therefore, the voltage at the plus input of the comparator circuit 04 reaches the standard voltage of the minus input in a short time after the turn-on has been started.Consequently, the time during which the output of the 014 is varied from its low level to its high level for turning off the transistor Q15 can be shortened correspondingly to the low adjustment of the quantity of light by the VR2.

Conversely, if the output from T3 is made greater by adjustment of the VR2 to thereby increase the exposure amount, the amount of operation of the transistor 016 is increased to reduce the quantity of light emitted by the LED.

Consequently, the resistance value of PR at the photocoupler is increased to elongate the time required for the predetermined potential of the plus input of Q4 to be reached. Thus, the time until the Q15 is turned off is elongated to enable securing a sufficient time required for the turn-on rising of the lamp.

When the adjustment of the quantity of light is small, if the rated voltage is applied to the lamp within the delay time for the correction of the turn-on rising, the set quantity of light may be achieved earlier than when the adjustment of the quantity of light is great, and therefore, when the lamp is turned on with a low illumination, the waiting time for the rising can be made shorter than when the lamp is turned on with the rated illumination. Accordingly, the other circuit constants are set such that the output of the comparator Q14 is changed over in a lesser rising time when a low adjustment of the quantity of light is effected and that the output of the comparator Q14 is varied with the rising time fully compensated for when a high adjustment of the quantity of light is effected.

Incidentally, when a voltage required for an illumination A higher than an illumination B is initially applied in order to obtain the illumination B as shown in Figure 9, overshoot may sometimes takes place as indicated at X in Figure 9 and if the exposure scanning is started to form a reproduced image after a time tc, there occurs partly the white-removal due to the intense light resulting from the overshoot. It is therefore necessary to select the circuit constants of Figures 3, 4 and 6 or to select the times tc and TR, in order to prevent overshoot or to intentionally create the overshoot.

Where the load LA is a fluorescent lamp, it is preferable to operate the circuit B by directly detecting the brightness by a photodiode or the like instead of detecting the variation in light by 21 and 22 in Figure 3. In that case, stable control becomes possible by controlling the voltage applied to the stabilized of the fluorescent lamp by means of a triac 12.

Figures 5, 7 and 8 show the timing control for the scanning of the lamp in the copying machine of Figure 1, and respectively are a fragmentary cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 1, a circuit diagram and a time chart. In Figure 5, reference numerals 50, 52 and 53 denote reed switches provided in the reciprocal movement path of the platen. These reed switches are respectively disposed at a position just before the termination of the backward movement, at a position whereat the forward stroke (exposure) is terminated (the reversal position) and at a position whereat the backward stroke is terminated (the rest position). Designated by 51 is a magnet provided on the platen for actuating the above-mentioned reed switches in succession upon movement of the platen.This operation will now be described by reference to Figures 7 and 8.

In Figures 7 and 8, CPB is a signal which assumes 1 upon depression of the copy button CPB of Figure 2, BP, HP and EXP are signals which assume 1 upon closing of the reed switches 52, 53 and 50, Q4 is a signal which assumes 1 in response to the high level from the comparator Q4 or Q14 of Figure 4 or 6, SW is a signal for closing the lamp turn-on switch SW of Figure 3 and energizing a relay as will later be described, FWD is a signal for energizing an advance motor for forwardly moving the platen for the exposure scanning, BWD is a signal for energizing a backing motor for backwardly moving the platen to its rest position after the termination of the exposure, and L shows the turn-on operation of the lamp.Designated by FF13 in Figure 7 are flip-flops for setting the output Q by the signal to the input S and for resetting the output Q by the signal to the input R. G 1 and G2 are AND gates.

When the copy button is depressed, the flipflop FF1 is set by the signal CPB and the signal FW is put out to turn on the lamp LA. Thereafter, when the output of the comparator 04 of Figure 4 changes to high level after a predetermined time tt, the flip-flop FF2 is set through the gate G 1 conjointly with the ON of the FF 1. Then, the forward movement signal FWD is put out to forwardly move the platen to start the exposure scanning thereby. This time t corresponds to a time slightly longer than the time whereat the lamp has risen to its predetermined illumination.

When the exposure is terminated and the platen reaches its reversal position, the magnet 51 actuates to close the reed switch 52, so that the forward moving flip-flop FF2 is reset by the signal BP and the signal FWD ceases to be put out and instead, the backward moving flip-flop FF3 is set to put out the signal BWD. Thus, the forward movement of the platen is stopped and the backward movement thereof is started. At the same time, the flip-flop FF1 is also reset, so that the signal SW ceases to be put out, thus turning off the lamp. During the backward movement of the platen, when the magnet passes by the reed switch 50, the signal EXP is generated to again set the FF1 through the gate G2 conjointly with the ON of the signal BWD, thus putting out the signal SW to turn on the lamp.When the platen reaches its initial or rest position, the signal HP is produced to reset the flip-flop FF3 and the signal BWD ceases to be put out, thus stopping the backward movement of the platen. Thereafter, when the comparator Q4 puts out high level, the flip-fiop FF2 is set in the same manner as that already described and the signal FWD is put out to start the exposure operation again. In this manner, a number of copies set by a sheet number setting device SL (Figure 2) are made from one and the same original. However, where a single copy is to be obtained, the AND signal of the inverted signal of the signal EXP and the copy end signal END may be applied to the gate G2 so that the lamp may not be turned on by EXP.

Since the time whereat the comparator Q4 puts out high level is thus varied in accordance with the adjustment of the quantity of light effected by the VR2, the time whereat the forward movement signal FWD is started is also varied. Accordingly, if the time whereat the Q4 assumes high level when the backward movement is terminated is made to correspond to the case where the adjusted quantity of light is minimum, it is possible to start the forward movement as soon as the backward movement is terminated, and thus it is possible to enhance the copying speed. In this system, the scanning is not started correspondingly to the drum position and therefore, there is no limitation in the space for exposure. This leads to the best use of the features of a drum having a seamless photosensitive medium on its peripheral surface.

Although not shown, the feed timing of the transfer paper to the image transfer station by a roller 9 (Figure 1) may be determined by the signal BP or by a separately provided reed switch.

Also, the drum 6 continues to rotate at a predetermined velocity from after the ON of the signal CPB until at least the set number of copies has been completed or until the entire surface of the drum has been cleaned up after the completion of the set number of copies. Also, instead of using the reed switch 50, it is possible to operate a timer from the signal BP and put out this signal at a time which corresponds to the aforementioned signal EXP. The surface of the photosensitive drum is subjected to the positive primary charge by the charger 7 from after the time when the signal CPB is put out until the forward movement is started. Designated by M is a motor operating signal for rotating the drum, and H is a signal responsive to a temperature detector (not shown) for controlling the power supply to the heater of the fixing device 11 to maintain the fixing device at a predetermined temperature. The high level of each of these signals indicates the power supply.

In the present embodiment, it is also possible to turn on the lamp immediately after, before or simultaneously with the forward movement of the platen 2 being started, or during the returned platen is in pause by HP. Where copying is repeated, a shock is imparted to the lamp when the platen 2 is returned to its initial position, but as the lamp is not yet turned on then, the life of the lamp is not aggravated.

Figure 10 and Figures 11 A and 1 1B respectively show a time chart and circuit diagrams for controlling the lamp turn-on starting time in accordance with the adjustment of the quantity of light. Designated by FF1 1-FFi3 are flip-flops similar to those already described, and TM is a timer which puts out 1 in a predetermined time after the application of 1 to its terminal S. That time is varied in accordance with the magnitude of the input level to X. That is, the lamp is turned on upon depression of the copy button CPB and after a time corresponding to the adjustment of the quantity of light, the signal FWD is put out, as already described, to start the exposure scanning, and after the termination thereof, when the signal BP is obtained at the reversal position, the signal BWD is put out to start the backward movement.The timer TM is set such that its time limit is short or T1 when the quantity of light by the quantity-of-light adjusting resistor VR2 is great, that its time limit is long or T2 when the quantity of light by the resistor VR2 is small, and that the time after the rising of the lamp corresponds to the time whereat the signal FWD is put out. Where the repeated copying is to be effected, the flip-flop FF11 is again set after the termination of the time limit of the timer TM to put out the signal SW and start to turn on the lamp. Immediately after predetermined illumination is reached, the platen returns to its original position to provide the signal HP.

Thereupon, the flip-flop FF13 is reset and the flipflop FF12 is set through gates G5 and G6 conjointly with the OFF of the signal BWD and the ON of the signal SW, whereby the signal FWD is again put out to start the exposure scanning.

A more preferable circuit is one in which the portion X of Figure 11 A is replaced by the circuit of Figure 118. The time of the timer TM is determined by a signal imparted to the plus input of the operational amplifier Q12, namely, the absolute voltage signal. The time TM is started by the signal EXP of Figure 7. Where a single copy is to be produced, the output of the gate G 10 is blocked by the copy end signal END and therefore the flip-flop FF1 is not set. Consequently, the lamp is not repetitively turned on.

Where scanning for a first sheet of copy is started after the drum has made one full rotation for the cleaning thereof with the copy button depressed, it is possible to turn on the lamp during that idle rotation of the drum. Again in this case, if provision is made of another timer whose time limit is variable in accordance with the adjustment of the exposure and the time limit operation is started by the copy button so that the lamp is turned on with the time-up of that timer, it may contribute to a prolonged life of the lamp and economy of the electric power.

The present invention, as has hitherto been described, controls the voltage for the correction of the rising of the illumination in accordance with the amount of adjustment (Fig. 6) of the quantity of light or controls the time for starting to turn on the light source or the time for starting the exposure operation and can thus prevent irregularity of exposure when the light source has been turned on. Further, the present invention enables the work such as copy processing associated with the exposure to be started at an appropriate time, thus preventing any reduction in processing speed.

Figure 12 shows an improvement over the operating portion of Figure 2. Key buttons SWi- SW5 are buttons which may automatically return to their initial position after they are once depressed. Depression of the key button SW3 sets the density to the half-tone (standard), depression of the key button SW1 sets the density to "dark", and depression of the key button SW5 sets the density to "iight". These settings may be displaced by light-emitting diodes 71-75. When the main switch SW is closed to supply power to the various parts of the copying machine, or for a predetermined time (several minutes) after a number of copies set by the dial SL has been produced from the same original, the light-emitting diode 73 is automatically turned on to set the density to the half-tone.

Figures 1 3A and 138 and Figure 14 show an example of the exposure control circuit which will hereinafter be described.

In Figures 13A and 138, K1--K5 designate relays for operating exposure adjusting contacts K1-1--K5-1 (Figure 14). The relays Ki-K5 are driven with the light-emitting diodes 71-75 by driver amplifiers 141-i 45. Designated by 127, 131,132 and 133 are flip-flops which may be set by the application, to the S terminal, of an input signal resulting from the depression of the key buttons SW1--SWS and may be reset by a signal to the R terminal. Denoted by 126, 128, 129 and 1 30 are OR gate circuits for sending the reset signal to these flip-flops.Reference numeral 123 designates a timer circuit which may be started upon falling of the input signal and may put out an output after a predetermined time limit.

Designated by 121 and 122 are OR gates for sending the copy end signal END resulting from the depression of the switches SWi-SWS to the timer 123. Reference numeral 124 denotes an AND gate, and 1 34 a NOR gate for setting the standard density. Designated by 125, 151-155 are inverters. Reference numeral 61 is a line for applying the copy end signal END, and 62 a line for applying a copy executing signal CMC.

Figure 1 4A shows a simple type of exposure control circuit. Lisa halogen lamp 0101 is a triac for controlling the lamp, and Q102 is a trigger diode for actuating the triac. R, C and VR 1 Or 15 respectively designate a fixed resistor, a capacitor and variable resistors for determining the conduction angle of the triac 0101 SW6 corresponds to the copy button CBP of Figure 2 or 12 (which is held operative until completion of the copying). The variable resistors VR1 1--VR15 are those within the copying machine, but may be provided so as to be adjustable by the operating portion of Figure 12.

Operation will now be described. Description is made with respect to a case where the key SW1 is depressed in Figure 1 3A. When the key SW1 is depressed, 1 is put out from the inverter 1 51. The outputs of the inverters 1 52-1 55 of the other switch portions are all 0. The 1 signal from the inverter 151 sets the flip-flop 127 through a line 60, thereby causing the output Q thereof to be 1.

By this, the relay Ki is driven to close it contact K1-1 in Figure 14 and turn on the light-emitting diode 71. Further, the 1 signal on the line 60 is applied to the OR gates 128, 129 and 130 to render the outputs thereof to 1 and reset the flipflops 131, 132 and 133. By this, the relays K2, K4 and K5 are deenergized. Since the output of the flip-flop 127 has become 1, the output of the NOR gate 134 becomes 0 and the relay K3 is not energized. These conditions are held even if the key SW1 is opened.

When the contact K1-l is closed and the copy button SW6 is depressed, the necessary voltage divided by the variable resistor VR 11 charges the capacitor C through the fixed resistor R. When the charge reaches a predetermined value, the charge of the capacitor C is discharged to the gate of triac Q101 through the diode Q102, thus energizing the triac 0101. The timing of energization (conduction phase angle) of the triac Q101 is determined by the time constant of the time constant circuit VR 1, R, C for each AC half waveform of AC 100V.Here, the phase angle thereof is set to a small value, that is, the power supplied to VR1, R, C, Q102 and the lamp LA is reduced to decrease the quantity of light emitted by the lamp LA to make the image density high.

When the keys SW2--SW5 are selected, the flip-flop 127 is reset by the output of the gate 126 to deenergize the relay K1.The relays K2 K5 are energized to cause the triac 0101 to conduct at a predetermined phase angle determined by the time constant of the variable resistors VR 12--VR15 in a similar manner. The resistance value of the resistor VR 1 is greater than that of the resistor VR 15 and accordingly, the conduction phase angle of the triac Q101 is small and consequently, the quantity of light emitted by the lamp LA becomes reduced.

Figure 14B shows a circuit in which the key entry circuit of Figure 1 3 is used as the control circuit of Figures 4 and 6, and the circuit may be replaced by the portion Z. Designated by VR2-1-- VR2-5 are variable resistors for presetting the levels of "dark" to "light".

Description will now be made of the operation effected after the copying by the exposure amount of the key button SW1 has been completed.

The 1 on the line 60 by the key SW1 renders the outputs of the OR gates 121 and 122 to 1.

Since the output of the OR gate 122 falls to O when the key SW1 is opened after being closed, the timer 123 puts out a pulse of 1 in a predetermined time T after this point of time.

Therefore, if the copy button is left undepressed at this time, the copy signal CMC does not appear on the signal line 62, so that the output of the AND gate 124 is rendered to 1 by the output pulse of the timer circuit 123. This pulse is applied to the OR gates 126, 128, 129 and 130 to render the outputs thereof to 1 and reset the flip-flops 127, 131, 132 and 133, thus rendering the output Oto 0. Therefore, the relays K1, K2, K4 and K5 are deenergized and the output of the NOR gate 134 becomes 1 to energize the relay K3.The signal CMC may preferably be a signal synchronous with the drum motor driving signal M of Figure 8 or a signal which will continue from the starting time of the reciprocal movement till the generation of the last copy BP signal (Figure 8). Also, the signal END may preferably be the last copy paper feed signal or the last BP signal in the single-sheet copying or the repeated copying.

On the other hand, when the copy button SW6 is depressed to start copying in the limited time T of the timer after the key SW1 has been depressed, the 1 of the copy signal CMC is applied to the line 62 to close the AND gate 124.

Therefore, even after the limited time T has elapsed, the relay K1 continues to be energized to effect copying at a predetermined density.

When a predetermined number of copies has been completed, the copy end signal END is applied and on the signal line 61, 0 rises from the signal 1 to operate the timer circuit 123 through the OR gate 122 and, since the line 62 has already been rendered to 0, the flip-flops 127, 131, 132 and 133 are reset after the timer time just in the same manner as described, and the relay K1 is deenergized while the relay K3 is energized, thus turning on the light-emitting diode 73. Thus, the contact K3-1 of Figure 4-1 is closed and the apparatus is set to the standard exposure condition.

When copying is not effected in a predetermined time after copying has been terminated or in a predetermined time after the key SW1 has been depressed, the contact K3-1 for rendering the amount of exposure to the standard condition is closed in this manner to restore the standard exposure. When the keys SW2--SW5 are depressed, just the similar operation takes place to restore the standard exposure after a predetermined time, thus facilitating the operation and reducing the miscopying. However, it is preferable that the automatic restoration as described above do not take place if the copying is stopped when the paper 313 in a cassette 312 (Figure 21) or the toner in the developing device 8 has become exhausted or when the paper 313 has jammed. The respective variable resistors VR 1 11, VR 12, VR 13, VR 14 and VR 1 5 may be finely adjusted so as to provide a predetermined exposure amount by the selection of the key buttons, and such adjustments may be effected independently without affecting each other by arranging the circuit as shown in Figure 14B. Further, by these variable resistor, the characteristic irregularity of the lamp LA and/or the characteristic irregularity of the elements C, Q102 and Q101 can be corrected.

Also, by making such a design that a pulse is generated by an unshown circuit when the main switch SW (Figure 2) is closed and that the pulse is supplied to the output side of the gate 124, it is possible to set the exposure amount always to the standard exposure after the closing of the main switch. If the flip-flops FF127, 131, 132 and 133 are of the type which is reset upon opening of the main switch SW, the gate 134 puts out 1 simply upon closing of the switch SW, to thereby effect the above-described setting.

A more preferable circuit is one in which the portion Y of Figure 13-A is replaced by the circuit of Figure 13B. In Figure 1 3B, reference characters 161-165 denote AND gates for controlling the key entry. Keys SW1--SWS are inhibited from entry as long as the scanning signal FWD (Figure 7) is 1, and are allowed entry during the return of the optical system. By this, any malfunctioning resulting from a wrong operation during the copying may be prevented, and the time during which the density can be altered is not restricted at random. During the duration of the signal CMC, the key entry may be inhibited.

When the effective voltage applied to the halogen lamp LA of rated voltage 1 00V is varied, the color temperature of the lamp LA is also varied as shown in Figure 1 5. When the color temperature (higher in order of Ki-K4) is varied, the spectral distribution characteristic of the lamp LA is also varied as shown in Figure 1 6. When the original is multicolored, and when the exposure amount is great or when the exposure amount is small, the quantity of light reflected from the original does not become great or small generally in uniform proportion in the color of each wavelength of the multiple colors, but concabity is created in each wavelength.This means that the light and dark of a copy obtained when the exposure amount is great differ from the light and dark of a copy obtained when the exposure amount is small. For example, where a red and black original is to be copied by the use of a monochromatic copying machine, and because the colors of the original are generally light, it is assumed that it is desired to obtain a copy whose entire image surface is dark. In such a case, it is necessary to reduce the effective voltage to the lamp LA and thereby reduce the exposure amount.As a result, the color temperature of the lamp is varied as already noted, so that the spectral distribution characteristic is also varied to relatively reduce the energy of the visible light but the energy of the wavelength near the infrared light tends to be relatively great and therefore, in the black portion of the original, the quantity of reflected light becomes smaller in proportion to the above-mentioned operation, whereas the quantity of reflected light in the red portion does not become smaller in proportion to the aforementioned operation for the reason set forth above. Thus, the copy image of nearly red or red portion (having a lonn wavelenath) becomes light.

Where the brightness of the light source is so varied by phase control, the spectral distribution characteristic of the light source is varied and this will adversely effect the copy image. To avoid this as shown in Figure 1, a filter 3 for cutting the infrared rays (cutting long wavelengths) is inserted in the light path of the optical system.

Figure 1 7 shows such filter inserted in the light path of a copying machine in which exposure is effected through an optical fiber or a short-focus image forming element (cessfock lens or bar lens) 300. In Figure 17, the other reference numerals are similar in significance to those in Figure 1.

Figures 21 and 22 are cross-sectional views of a copying machine to which the present invention is applicable. The drum is rotatively driven in the direction of arrow by a motor, not shown, and has, on the outer periphery thereof, a photosensitive medium 306 comprising an electrically conductive base layer, a photoconductive layer and a transparent surface insulating layer in succession. This photosensitive medium is first subjected to uniform charge by a corona discharger 7, the polarity of the charge being positive when the photoconductive layer is an Ntype semiconductor and negative when the photoconductive layer is a P-type semiconductor.

An original placed on an original carriage glass 2 of Figure 21 is illuminated by an illuminating lamp LA formed integrally with a first scanning mirror M1 and the reflected light therefrom is scanned by the first scanning mirror M1 and a second scanning mirror M2. The first scanning mirror M1 and the second scanning mirror M2 are moved at the velocity ratio of 1 :1/2, whereby the scanning of the original is effected with the length of the light path forward of a lens L being always maintained constant. The reflected light image passes through the lens L and via a third mirror M3 and then via fourth mirror M4 and is focused on the drum 6 at an exposure station. By replacing the platen 2 of Figure 5 with the mirror M, the sequence control of Figures 7 and 8 may be effected.

In the case of Figure 22, the image of an original 1 placed on a transparent carriage 2 moved in the direction of arrow at the same velocity as the peripheral velocity of the drum 6 is exposed to light and this image is formed on the photosensitive medium of the drum by a short focus image forming element array 300. The photosensitive medium and the original carriage 2 are moved in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the linear arrangement of the small image forming elements of the array 300. The area of the original 1 to which the element array 300 is opposed, namely, the area whose image is formed on the photosensitive medium is illuminated by an illuminating system. This illuminating system has a light source LA such as halogen lamp and a reflector shade 302 disposed behind the light source.The reflector shade 302 causes that part of the light emitted from the light source LA which is not directly directed to the area of the original opposed to the array 300 to be reflected toward that area.

In the present invention, the amount of exposure for the photosensitive medium 306 is adjusted by adjusting the quantity of light emitted from the light source LA.

The photosensitive medium 306 is subjected to the image exposure by the element array 300 or by the mirror M4 and simultaneously therewith, subjected to the discharging action by an AC corona discharger 310 or by a corona discharger of the opposite polarity to the charger 7, whereby a charge pattern corresponding to the light image of the original 1 is formed on the photosensitive medium. The whole surface of the photosensitive medium is further subjected to uniform exposure by a lamp 311 to thereby form an electrostatic latent image of high contrast corrsponding to the original image. The latent image thus formed is developed into a toner image by a developing device 8 of the magnet brush type or the like.Such toner image is transferred onto transfer paper 313 fed from a cassette 312 by a roller 9 and transported to the photosensitive medium 306 by rollers 314, 315.

To enhance the transfer efficiency, charge of the opposite polarity to the toner forming the developed image is imparted to the back side of the transfer paper 313 at the image transfer station. This is effected by a corona discharger 317. Density adjustment may be accomplished also by controlling this charging voltage in the manner described previously. The toner image transferred onto the transfer paper 31 3 is heated and fixed by a pair of rollers 318, 319 urged against the transfer paper and containing heaters therein, and then the transfer paper is conveyed into a tray 320.

After the image transfer has been completed, the surface of the photosensitive medium is cleaned by an elastic blade 321 urged thereagainst to wipe off any residual toner thereon, thus becoming ready for another cycle of image processing.

The present embodiment can provide an image formation apparatus equipped with exposure amount adjusting means which is simple and compact in construction so as not to hamper the compactness and simplification of the apparatus which is an important advantage obtained by the use of a small image forming element array. By coating the reflecting surface of the reflector shade or the incident light end surface of the array with a thin film for correcting the color temperature, it is possible to provide the aforementioned filter function.

Description will now be made of the exposure control in a copying machine wherein magnification may be changed.

Figure 1 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a copying machine of the image transfer, fixed original support, slit exposure type which is provided with magnification changing means. An original 1 to be copied is placed on an original glass support 2 and it is scanned from below by a first mirror M1 in the rightward direction as viewed in the Figure. The movements of a second mirror M2, a third mirror M3 and a fourth mirror M4 are similar to those explained with respect to Figure 21.

In the case of a first magnification n1 (for example, one-to-one magnification), the lens, the third mirror and the fourth mirror lie at their solid line positions L1, M3, and M41, respectively, and at this time, they satisfy the following relation:

111 + a1 b1 f b1 &verbar; =n1(=1 ) a1 (i,e,a1=b1=2f) The scanning velocity of the first mirror M1 is 17n1 (=1) times the peripheral velocity of the photosensitive drum 3.

Next, in the case of a second magnification n2( < n1), to satisfy the foregoing equations, the lens is moved to a position L2 which provides a2=( 1 ±)f n2 and the third and fourth mirrors are moved to positions M32 and M42, respectively, because the length of light path (a2+b2) is increased to (1 +n2) (1 ±)f.

n2 At this time, it is not preferable that the imaging position is varied in the circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum 3 and therefore, to maintain the imaging position constant, the lens must be moved in a plane containing the optic axis thereof and perpendicular to the plane of the Figure 1 8 sheet, and the third and fourth mirrors M3 and M4 must be parallel-moved as a unit in a plane bisecting the angle formed between the incident ray on the third mirror and the reflected ray from the fourth mirror. The ratio of the original scanning velocity of the first mirror M1 and the peripheral velocity of the photosensitive drum 3 is 1/n2, but it is not preferable in terms of the image producing process or the like that the peripheral velocity of the photosensitive drum 3 be varied and therefore, it is usual that the peripheral velocity of the photosensitive drum is kept at the same level as that in the case of the first magnification n1 and that the original scanning velocity of the first mirror M1 is n1/n2 times.

In the case of the third magnification n3, the lens, the third and the fourth mirror are moved to positions L3, M33 and M 43, respectively, and the first mirror M1 scans the original at a velocity n1/n3 times the peripheral velocity of the photosensitive drum 3. By doing so, the original 1 can be copied at sizes corresponding to the magnifications n1, n2 and n3.

In such a copying machine, it is necessary to effect the correction of the quantity of light corresponding to the magnification and the correction of the quantity of light corresponding to the desire.

Figure 1 9 shows a control circuit for maintaining the density of the reproduced image constant irrespective of the selection of magnification changing mode, and a stabilizing circuit is constituted by connecting various elements to provide the standard voltage to the differential amplifier B of the stabilizing circuit.

Terminals +B and T3 are connected to the terminals +B and T3 shown in Figure 2. 0202, 0203 and Q204 are operational amplifiers, each of which constitutes a voltage follower as shown and puts out the same voltage as the input voltage and effects impedance conversion. 0205 is a transistor which is driven by resistors R206, R207, R208, VR204, VR205 and VR206 connected to the base thereof through switches 5W2 1 '-5W23', and which flows a constant current to the collector thereof. Contacts So21', SW22' and SW23' are for designating the copying magnification, and the contacts So21 ', SW22' or SW23' is closed in accordance with the designated magnification.

Detailed description will now be made of the case where the copying magnification n1 is selected. When the copying magnification n1 is selected, the contact SW21' is closed as will hereinafter be described. At this time, voltages at points A and B voltage-divided by resistors R201, VR201, VR202 and R203 are put out as the outputs of the operational amplifiers 0202 and Q203.

The potential difference between the points A and B is applied across the variable resistor VR2 of the dial EX and the variable terminal C of the resistor VR2 indicates a certain voltage between the points A and B. Also, when the copying magnification n1 is selected and the contact SW21 is closed, a certain constant current flows to the collector of the transistor Q205, namely, resistor R204, in accordance with resistors R208 and VR206 connected to the base thereof.

Therefore, the collector potential of the transistor 0205 assumes a value of the point C minus the constant current and the voltage drop determined by the resistor R204. This value is put out to T3 through the voltage follower Q204. At this time, the variable resistor VR201 determines the potential at the point B. That is, it varies the voltage applied across the variable resistor VR2.

The variable resistor VR2 can be set as desired in the variation range determined by the variable resistor VR20 1. Variable resistors VR206, VR205 and VR204 as the exposure amount correction and adjusting means are for reducing the potential at the point C set by the variable resistor VR2, by a predetermined value.

Thus, the standard voltage to T3 can be varied by variable resistors VR201, VR2, VR204, VR205 and VR206 and as a result, the effective voltage applied to the lamp LA can be varied to vary the exposure amount of the lamp LA.

Figure 20 is a top plan view of the operating portion of a copying machine provided with a reduction mode. The main switch SW, the copy button CPB and the exposure adjusting dial EX are similar to those shown in Figures 2 and 12.

Switches SW21--SW23 are for designating the copying magnifications (one-to-one. 1/A and 1/B).

The contacts So21', SW22' and SW23' in Figure 19 are the contacts of the magnification setting switches themselves disposed on the operating panel or the contacts operable correspondingly to these switches. The contacts 5W2 1 '-5W23' may also be the contacts as shown in Figure 1 4A which are held by the key buttons as shown in Figure 12.

When the copying magnification n, (one-toone magnification) is selected, the switch SW21 is depressed and correspondingly, the contact So21' is closed. At this time, in Figure 19, a current determined by R208 and VR206 flows to the base of the transistor Q205, and a potential lowered from the potential at point C by a predetermined value is put out to T3. That is, when n1 is selected, there is put out a signal reduced in level from the potential set by VR2, by a predetermined value determined by R208 and VR206.

On the other hand, when the copying magnification n2 is selected, the contact SW22' is closed and there is put out a signal reduced in level from the potential set by VR2, by a predetermined value determined by R207 and VR205. At this time, when n, > n2, and if a greater amount of level reduction is given for the magnification n2 than for the magnification n1, the potential at point C determined by the variable resistorVR2 can be uniformly reduced. Also, when the magnification n3 is selected, there is likewise put out to T3 a signal reduced in level by a predetermined value determined by the variable resistor VR204 and the resistor R206. Thus, by varying the point C of the variable resistor VR2 disposed as the exposure dial EX on the operating panel, the output to T3 can be varied, and a signal reduced in level by a predetermined value can be put out to T3 by selecting copying magnification buttons SW2 1 --SW2 3. The effective voltage of the lamp LA can be varied in accordance with the voltage at T3. It is also possible to use the keys of Figure 12 instead of the dial EX of this copying machine and to apply the aforementioned rising correction control, the scan control and other to this copying machine.

Copying operation will now be described in conjunction with Figure 20. For example, when the button SW21 in Figure 20 is depressed to select the copying magnification n, (one-to-one magnification), the lens and mirrors are moved to the positions L1, M3, and M41, respectively. The variable resistor VR206 in Figure 19, as already noted, is adjusted so as to provide a proper value for the center value of the exposure dial EX(VR2).

The original 1 is placed on the optical system platen 2 and the user varies the exposure dial EX into a necessary value in accordance with the condition of the original 1, whereafter the copy button (not shown) is depressed to start the copying operation. Thereafter, the switch SW in Figure 3 is closed to turn on the lamp LA.

The light from the lamp LA reflected by the original 1 passes through the filter 3 cutting the infrared rays (cutting the other lights than the visible light) and further through a lens L1 and via mirrors Mi-M4 and is projected onto the photosensitive medium 6 to provide a reproduced image of one-to-one magnification in the manner already described.

Next, when the copying magnification n2(=1/A) is selected, the lens and mirrors assume their respective positions L2, M32 and M42. The variable resistor VR205 is adjusted so as to provide a proper value for the center value of the exposure dial EX. Thereafter, a copy of the same density as that during the one-to-one magnification is obtained just in the same manner as described with respect to the case of magnification n1. Also, when the copying magnification n3(=1/B) is selected, the variable resistor VR204 is iikewise adjusted so as to provide a proper value for the center value of the exposure dial EX, so that a copy can be obtained just in the same manner as described with respect to the cases of magnifications n, and n2.

Moreover, the dial is not moved at all and so, the ability to change density is not impaired. At this time, the variable resistors VR204, VR205 and VR206 as the exposure amount correction adjusting means during the change of magnification may be adjusted entirely independently by designing the contacts SW21', SW22' and SW23' such that more than two of them are closed at a time. That is the correction amount can be adjusted independently for each magnification. VR202 in Figure 19 is for correcting the irrgularity of the lamp LA, chiefly including the irregularities of the circuit elements.

According to the present invention, as has hitherto been described, the exposure amount correction during the copy mode change can be simply realized. Further, by providing exposure amount correction adjusting means, the setting of the density and the fine adjustment during maintenance by the operator may be effected independently and simply for each copying mode.

In the shown embodiment, three magnifications have been described, whereas the present invention is of course applicable to the case of two or four or more magnifications. Also, phase control is used as the exposure amount control means, but it is also possible to use the method of amplitude control or frequency control.

The present invention is applicable not only to copying machines having a variable magnification mechanism but also to copying machines such as color copiers having a manual color mode delector which enables the same original to be copied in different colors, and consequently copying machines having a plurality of copy modes using different exposure amounts.

Further, the techniques such as the fine adjustment of density, rising correction, voltage selection and sequence control are also applicable to the density control using the development bias voltage control or the corona charging voltage control.

It is also possible to reset the density to a standard density and reset the copy mode to a standard mode, such as one-to-one copy mode, at the time of the turn-on of the power switch, a predetermined time after the copy mode is set or a predetermined time after the termination of the copying operation, as shown in Figure 13A. In addition, it is possible to prohibit the change of the mode of the magnification during the copying operation, as shown in Figure 13B.

Reference is hereby directed to co-pending Patent Application No. 7922040 from which this present application is divided, and to co-pending Patent Application No. which is also divided from Patent Application No. 7922040.

Claims (20)

Claims 1. A copying apparatus comprising: process means for forming an image on a recording medium on the basis of the image of a document, said process means including lamp means for illuminating the document and an optical fiber element for forming on a lightreceiving member the optical image of the document illuminated by said lamp means, means for controlling the power of said lamp means to control the quantity of light emitted by said lamp means to form the image of a predetermined density on said recording medium, and a correction filter provided in the light path of said lamp means to correct the spectral distribution of said optical image varied by the control of the power effected by said control means. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optical fiber element is a short-focus image forming element. 3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said filter cut the infrared rays. 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said filter is disposed in the light path between said fiber element and said lamp means. 5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means includes key input means for setting the predetermined density, which automatically return to their initial position after they are once depressed. 6. A copying apparatus for producing a copy of an original by a process which includes an image forming operation in which a recording member is exposed to an optical image of the original, the apparatus comprising: means for illuminating the original; optical transfer means, including an optical fibre element, for forming said image on said recording member; means varying the power consumed by said illuminating means so as to adjust the illuminating light intensity for the formation by said process of a copy image of required image density, and an optical filter disposed in the path of light originating from said illuminating means for compensating for the variation in the spectral distribution in said optical image which results from the variation of said power. New claims or amendments to claims filed on 1 5 December 82; 5 Jan 83 Superseded Claims 1 to 6 New or amended claims:

1. a copying apparatus for copying an original by a process which includes an image forming operation in which a recording member is exposed to an optical image of the original, the apparatus comprising: a source of light for illuminating the original; an optical imaging system for forming said optical image of the illuminated original on said recording member; manually operable key input means for selecting the density of a copy image to be formed by said process; means for step-wise varying the power consumed by said light source in accordance with the operation of said key means so as to vary the illuminating light intensity; and continuously adjustable means for the fine adjustment of said power.

2. A copying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said step-wise power varying means is adapted to vary said power by phase control.

3. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said key input means comprises a set of keys each for the selection of a respective copy image density.

4. A copying apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said step-wise power varying means is arranged so that by single key actuation said power is set at one of a set of different levels.

5. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the continuously adjustable means comprises overall adjustment means operable for shifting the overall range of the power step-wise variation.

6. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said adjustment means comprises individual adjustment means which is operable for the individual fine adjustment of each of a, or said, set of different power levels.

7. A copying apparatus according to claim 6 when dependent on claim 4 wherein for each said key of said set there is provided a respective fine adjustment circuit which set the power level associated with that key.

8. A copying apparatus according to claim 7 when dependent on claim 2 wherein each said adjustment circuit comprises variable resistance means which determines the phase of said power.

9. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said key input means comprises manually depressable key means which automatically returns to its initial position after release of a depressing force, and wherein there is provided memory means for storing an indication corresponding to the density selected by said key means.

1 C. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein there is provided means for displaying the selected density.

11. A copying apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said display means is operable according to the stored indication.

12. A copying apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein said display means comprises a plurality of light emitting elements arranged to be energised according to the selected density.

13. A copying apparatus according to claim 2 or any claim dependent thereon and including control means for providing a predetermined phase as a setting for said consumed power after the completion of the copying process.

14. A copying apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said predetermined phase setting corresponds to a predetermined density setting which is selectable by said key input means.

1 5. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim including regulating means for maintaining said illuminating light intensity constant by means of feedback control.

16. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein there is provided an optical filter disposed in the path of light originating from said light source for compensating for the variation in the spectral distribution in said optical image which results from the variation of said power.

1 7. A copying apparatus according to claim 1 6 wherein said filter is one which filters from said light a long wavelength component so as to regulate the contrast between the densities with which the red and black portions of the original are copied despite the variation of said power.

1 8. A copying apparatus according to claim 1 7 wherein said filter cuts an infrared component of said light.

1 9. A copying apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said optical imaging system comprises an optical fibre element or a short focus optical imaging system.

20. A copying apparatus according to claim 19 when dependent on any of claims 16 to 18 wherein said filter is disposed in the light path between said fibre element or short focus optical imaging system and said light source.