JP3508077B2 - Exposure apparatus and exposure apparatus assembling method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image carrier exposure apparatus, and more particularly to an image carrier exposure apparatus for an image forming apparatus that forms a multicolor image within one rotation of the image carrier. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art One image carrier (hereinafter also referred to as a photoconductor)
An apparatus for forming a color image by sequentially performing charging, image exposure, and development for each color within one rotation of has rapidly improved its technology in recent years in order to enable high-speed image formation.

Since a plurality of sets of charging devices, image exposing means and developing devices are provided within one rotation of the photosensitive member, its structure is inevitably complicated, and therefore its assembling and adjusting are simplified and the precision is improved. Has become a major issue.

[0004]

As described above, when the charging, image exposure and developing means for each color are arranged inside or outside one photosensitive member within one rotation of the photosensitive member. An important issue is how easily and reliably the assembly and adjustment can be performed to fully fulfill the functions of the respective means.
In particular, the exposure device, the assembly of the exposure device, and the exposure optical system are the key points of the optical formation of the image which is the starting point of the image formation. It is directly related to image quality.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems. That is, it is an object of the present invention to provide an exposure apparatus and an exposure apparatus assembling method that enable easy and highly accurate assembly and adjustment, and enable high-quality image formation.

[0006]

The above object can be achieved by adopting the following constitution.

(1) In an exposure apparatus in which a plurality of linear exposure optical systems in each of which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged on a substrate are attached to a support of the exposure optical system, the exposure optical system and the support are provided with an ultraviolet wavelength. After bonding with an instant adhesive through an insert member having transparency to a region, an ultraviolet curable resin is poured into a gap between the exposure optical system and the support, which is generated by further passing through the insert member, and the insert member is
Through the adhesion of the exposure optical system and the support, or
An exposure apparatus wherein the exposure optical system and the support are directly bonded.

(2) The exposure apparatus according to (1), wherein the insert member has a wedge shape.

(3) In an exposure apparatus assembling method in which a plurality of linear exposure optical systems in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged on a substrate are attached to a support of the exposure optical system, the exposure optical system and the support are after bonding with instant glue through the insert member having transparency to ultraviolet wavelength region, further pouring an ultraviolet curable resin in a gap between the support and the exposure optical system caused by through said insert member, said insert
The exposure optical system and the support through an adhesive member,
Alternatively , the exposure apparatus assembling method is characterized in that the exposure optical system and the support are directly bonded.

(4) The exposure apparatus assembling method according to (3), wherein the insert member has a wedge shape.

[0011]

[0012]

[0013]

[0014]

[0015]

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a drawing attached with an embodiment of the present invention and FIG.
It will be described with reference to FIG.

1 and 2 are block diagrams of the main parts of an image forming apparatus which is an embodiment to which the exposure apparatus of the present invention is applied. In order to better understand the present invention, first, referring to FIGS. The image forming apparatus will be described.

The image forming body which is the photosensitive body of the image forming apparatus is a drum-shaped image forming body, that is, the photosensitive body drum 10, which is composed of a transparent conductive layer on the outer periphery of a substrate formed of a transparent member such as optical glass or transparent acrylic resin. Organic photosensitive layer (OP
It is coated with C) and is rotated clockwise while being grounded.

According to the present invention, in the photoconductor layer of the photoconductor drum 10 which is the image forming point of the exposure beam for image exposure, a proper contrast is obtained with respect to the light attenuation characteristic (photocarrier generation) of the photoconductor layer. It suffices that the exposure light amount has a wavelength that can be applied. Therefore, the light transmittance of the transparent substrate of the photoconductor drum in the present invention does not have to be 100%, and may have a characteristic that some light is absorbed when the exposure beam is transmitted. As a material for the light-transmitting substrate, various light-transmitting resins such as soda glass, Pyrex glass, borosilicate glass, and fluorine, polyester, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate used for general optical members can be used. Further, as the translucent conductive layer, indium tin oxide (ITO), tin oxide, lead oxide, indium oxide, copper iodide, Au, Ag, Ni,
A thin metal film that maintains translucency such as Al is used, and as a film forming method, a vacuum vapor deposition method, an active reaction vapor deposition method, various sputtering methods, various CVD methods, dip coating methods, spray coating methods, etc. are used. It As the photoconductor layer, an amorphous silicon (a-Si) alloy photosensitive layer, an amorphous selenium alloy photosensitive layer, and various organic photosensitive layers (OP
C) can be used.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a scorotron charger, which is a charging means. The scorotron charger 11 performs a charging operation on the above-described organic photoconductor layer of the photoconductor drum 10 by a grid held at a predetermined potential and corona discharge by a discharge wire. A uniform electric potential is applied to the drum 10.

Reference numeral 12 denotes an exposure optical system which is an image exposure means, and includes LEDs, FL, E arranged in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 10.
A line head is composed of the light emitting elements such as L and PL and the SELFOC lens. The image signals of the respective colors read by the separate image reading device are sequentially taken out from the memory and input as electric signals to the respective exposure optical systems 12. The emission wavelengths of the light emitting devices used in this example have the same wavelength and are in the range of 500 to 900 nm.

Each of the exposure optical systems 12 is mounted on a common columnar support member 20 so that the line head is parallel to the drum axis, and each of the exposure optical systems 12 (Y), 1
2 (M), 12 (C), and 12 (K) are arranged at equal intervals and are housed inside the base body of the photosensitive drum 10. The exposure optical system 12 includes an LCD, a LIS in addition to the above light emitting elements.
It is also possible to form a line head by combining a combination of optical shutter members such as A and PLZT and an imaging lens such as a SELFOC lens.

13Y, 13M, 13C and 13K are developing devices which are developing means for accommodating each of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) developers.
The developing sleeves 130 rotate in the same direction while maintaining a predetermined gap with respect to the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 10.

Each of the developing devices 13 is the charging device 1 described above.
The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 10 by the charging by 1 and the image exposure by the exposure optical system 12 is reversely developed in a non-contact state by applying a developing bias voltage.

Next, the process of the color image forming apparatus in this apparatus will be described.

In the image reading apparatus which is separate from this apparatus, the original image is an image read by the image pickup device or an image edited by a computer is once used as an image signal for each color of Y, M, C and K. Stored and stored in memory.

When the image recording is started, the photoconductor drive motor is rotated to rotate the photoconductor drum 10 clockwise.
At the same time, application of electric potential to the photoconductor drum 10 is started by the charging action of the charger 11 (Y).

After a potential is applied to the photosensitive drum 10, image exposure is started by the electric signal corresponding to the first color signal, that is, the image signal of yellow (Y) in the exposure optical system 12 (Y), and the drum is started. An electrostatic latent image corresponding to the yellow (Y) image of the original image is formed on the photosensitive layer on the surface by the rotational scanning of.

The latent image is reversal-developed by the developing device 13 (Y) with the developer on the developing sleeve in a non-contact state, and a yellow (Y) toner image is formed according to the rotation of the photosensitive drum 10.

Next, the photosensitive drum 10 is further given a potential on the yellow (Y) toner image by the charging action of the charger 11 (M), and the second color signal of the exposure optical system 12 (M), that is, Image exposure is performed by an electric signal corresponding to the magenta (M) image signal, and non-contact reversal development by the developing device 13 (M) causes the magenta (M) toner on the yellow (Y) toner image. The images are sequentially superimposed and formed.

By the same process, the charger 11 (C),
The cyan (C) toner image corresponding to the third color signal is further generated by the exposure optical system 12 (C) and the developing device 13 (C), and finally, the charger 11 (K) and the exposure optical system 12 are used.
(K) and the developing device 13 (K) sequentially form a black (K) toner image corresponding to the fourth color signal, and the color image is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 within one rotation. A toner image is formed.

The color toner image thus formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is a transfer material which is conveyed from the paper feed cassette 15 in the transfer device 14A and is fed in synchronization with the driving of the timing roller 16. It is transferred onto the transfer paper.

The transfer paper on which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the peripheral surface of the drum by removing the charge in the static eliminator 14B, and the toner is fused and fixed in the fixing device 17 and then the paper discharge roller 18 is fixed. It is discharged onto the tray on the upper side of the device.

On the other hand, the photosensitive drum 10 from which the transfer paper is separated
The cleaning device 19 removes and cleans residual toner to continue forming the toner image of the original image, or temporarily stops and waits for formation of a new toner image of the original image.

The photoconductor drum 10 is composed of the chargers 1
1, a developing device 13, a cleaning device 19, a toner storage container 40 for supplying toner to each of the developing devices 13, and a waste toner container 50 for storing the toner collected by the cleaning device 19 are stored in the process cartridge 30. Thus, it is possible to integrally pull out and move the apparatus main body in the horizontal direction, and further to take it out of the apparatus main body.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA. In the photosensitive drum 10, the flange member 10A at the front end is directly supported by the wall surface of the process cartridge 30 via the bearing B1, and the flange member 10B at the rear end. Is supported via a bearing B2 which is sandwiched and held by the process cartridge 30 and a disk member 30A which is removable from the cartridge 30.

On the other hand, in each exposure optical system 12, the front end of the shaft member 21 for inserting and fixing the support member 20 is engaged and supported by the wall surface of the process cartridge 30, and the rear end thereof is supported by the disk member 30A. It is supported in a state where it is engaged and rotation is restricted.

Therefore, by removing the disk member 30A, the photosensitive drum 10 and each exposure optical system 12 can be easily taken out from the back side of the process cartridge 30.

By opening the side cover 80 forming the side member of the apparatus main body, the process cartridge 30 is moved obliquely upward and then pulled out from that position to move horizontally toward the outside of the apparatus main body. To be done.

FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 are views for explaining the exposure apparatus of the first invention according to claims 1 and 2, and FIG. 3 shows the exposure optical system and the exposure when the photoconductor is a photoconductor drum. FIG. 4 is a side view of the exposure apparatus when a support member, which is a support for the optical system, is attached, FIG. 4 is a front view, and FIG. 5 is a front view when the photoconductor is a photoconductor belt.

3 and 4, the exposure apparatus 1 of this embodiment
Is formed by attaching the exposure optical system 12 in which a line head is composed of a plurality of light emitting elements such as LEDs and a SELFOC lens on the substrate arranged in the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 10 to the supporting member 20 as described above. ing. That is, a plurality of exposure optical systems 12, and in the present embodiment, four exposure optical systems 12 corresponding to the Y, M, C, and K color signals are attached to the support member 20 as described above. ing.

A supporting member 20 for mounting the exposure optical system 12
Both ends of each are provided with an inclination as shown in the drawing, and between both ends of the exposure optical system 12 and both ends of the support member 20, a wedge-shaped member made of, for example, glass or acrylic having a transmittance in the ultraviolet wavelength region is formed. The insert member 22 is insertable as shown.

The figure also shows the structure of the main part of the exposure apparatus 1 having the above-described structure attached to an assembly jig. That is, in this assembly jig, as shown in the drawing, an image detecting element 102 such as a CCD capable of detecting an image formed by the exposure optical system 12 is arranged on the image forming surfaces on both sides of the exposure optical system 12 on the light emitting side. It is set up. Then, the supporting member 20 is inserted and attached to the shaft member 21 of the main assembly jig. At this time, the image detecting element 10 corresponding to the shaft member 21.
The second position is preliminarily precisely positioned and attached to a position corresponding to the image forming surface of the photosensitive drum 10 of the image forming apparatus to be incorporated. Therefore, the image detection element 102 is accurately positioned with respect to the support member 20 of the exposure apparatus 1 when attached to this jig. In this case, since the electrostatic latent image is formed on the image forming surface of the photosensitive drum 10 and the surface on which the toner image is formed is the outer surface of the photosensitive drum 10, the image detecting element 1
The detection element surface of 02 is also aligned with the outer surface of the photosensitive drum 10. The photosensitive drum 10 shown is not attached to the main assembly jig when actually performing positioning.

Therefore, in such a state, the exposure optical system 12 is held and moved by a stage (not shown), and the image signal detected by the image detecting element 102 is enlarged and confirmed on a monitor television screen (not shown). The position of the exposure optical system 12 can be accurately positioned with respect to the support member 20. When the exposure optical system 12 is positioned with respect to the support member 20 in this manner, the left and right insert members 22 are inserted between the exposure optical system 12 and the support member 20, and the insert member 22 and the exposure optical system 12 are inserted. The space and the space between the insert member 22 and the support member 20 are bonded with an instant adhesive. Then, after this, an ultraviolet curable resin is poured between the insert member 22 and the exposure optical system 12 and between the insert member 22 and the support member 20, and then ultraviolet rays are irradiated to cure the poured resin, thereby exposing the exposure optical system. 12 and the supporting member 20 are adhered and fixed.

When one exposure optical system 12 and the supporting member 20 are adhered, the supporting member 20 is rotated about the axis member 21 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. Then, the next exposure optical system 12 is positioned.
Then, in the same manner as described above, the exposure optical system 12 and the supporting member 20.
Are glued together. Similarly, the remaining exposure optical system 12 and the supporting member 20 are adhered to each other in the same manner.

The exposure apparatus 1 having completed the adhesion is to be removed from the assembly jig and incorporated into the above-mentioned image forming apparatus, but the support member 20 attached to the shaft member 21 and the image forming surface of the photosensitive drum 10 are to be attached. Since the positions are accurately positioned and the exposure optical systems 12 are adhered to each other as described above, the highly accurate position is maintained even when the exposure optical system 12 is attached to the image forming apparatus.

As described above, in the present invention, the exposure optical system 12 is held and moved by a stage (not shown), and when the positioning is performed with high accuracy, the ultraviolet wavelength between the exposure optical system 12 and the support member 20 is increased. A wedge-shaped insert member 22 having permeability is put in the region, and this position is temporarily fixed by bonding with an instant adhesive. After that, an ultraviolet curable resin having good fluidity is poured between the exposure optical system 12 and the support member 20, the gap between the two is filled, and then the resin is cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays, and the insert member 22
The exposure optical system 12 and the supporting member 20 are adhered to each other via the via, or the exposure optical system 12 and the supporting member 20 are directly adhered to each other to make the temporary adhesive state of the instant adhesive permanent. Therefore, the highly accurate positional relationship between the exposure optical system 12 and the supporting member 20 can be easily maintained permanently.

The adhesion by the ultraviolet curable resin is
As described above, it may be performed each time the one or more exposure optical systems 12 and the supporting member 20 are completely bonded by the instant adhesive, or may be performed after all the instant adhesives are bonded. .

FIG. 5 shows an exposure device in which the photoconductor is a photoconductor belt and exposure is performed from the outside of the photoconductor belt 101.
Therefore, since the outer surface of the photoconductor belt 101 is the surface on which the electrostatic latent image is formed by the exposure optical system 12 and the surface on which the toner image is formed, the detection element surface of the image detection element 102 is the outer surface of the photoconductor belt 101. It is matched. Then, in the same way as in the case described above, in the present exposure apparatus, the exposure optical system 1
2 is positioned by a stage (not shown), and the insert member 22 is used sequentially or collectively to expose the optical system 12
The supporting member 20 and the supporting member 20 are bonded by moving the supporting member 20 in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure by an instant adhesive and an ultraviolet curable resin, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. The photoconductor belt 101 shown in the figure is not attached to the main assembly jig when actually performing positioning. Further, in the case of an exposure device that exposes from the inside of the photosensitive belt 101, it goes without saying that the exposure device can be made by the same means as described above.

Further, FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are explanatory views of the exposure apparatus assembling method according to the second aspect of the present invention. Also in the exposure apparatus assembling method, the description of the exposure apparatus shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 can be applied to the exposure apparatus assembling method as it is, and detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[0051] Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the exposure light device assembling method, Figure 6 is the case where the photosensitive member is a photosensitive drum, the support member is a support member of the exposure optical system and the exposure optical system FIGS. 3A and 3B are front views before and after attachment, where FIG. 3A is a diagram before the exposure optical system and a supporting member are attached, and FIG.
7A and 7B are front views before and after attaching the exposure optical system and the supporting member in the case where the photoconductor is a photoconductor belt, FIG. 7A is a diagram before the exposure optical system and the supporting member are attached, and FIG. Is a diagram after attachment.

6 and 7, the exposure optical system 12 and the image detection element 102 of the exposure apparatus 1 have the same functions and configurations as the exposure optical system 12 and the image detection element 102 described in FIGS. Finally, Fig. 6 (b) and Fig. 7 (b)
As described above, the positional accuracy of each exposure optical system 12 attached to the support member 20 fitted to the shaft member 21 and the photoconductor drum 10 or the photoconductor belt 101, or each exposure optical system 1
The relative positional accuracy between the two is configured and attached so as to have a predetermined positional accuracy.

FIGS. 6 and 7 also show the structure of the main part of the exposure apparatus 1 having the above-described structure attached to an assembly jig. That is, similarly to the case shown in FIG. 4, in the main assembly jig, for example, a CCD capable of detecting an image formed by the exposure optical system 12 is formed on the light emitting side image forming surfaces at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the exposure optical system 12. Two such image detecting elements 102 are provided for each exposure optical system 12, one at each end in the longitudinal direction. Further, each of the image detecting elements 102
Is accurately positioned in advance at a corresponding position of each corresponding exposure optical system 12, that is, in the end, in a predetermined positional relationship with the shaft member 21 of the photosensitive drum 10 or the photosensitive belt 101. It is installed. It should be noted that the illustrated photosensitive drum 10 or photosensitive belt 101
Is not attached to this assembly jig when actually performing positioning.

Therefore, the image signal detected by the corresponding image detecting element 102 of each exposure optical system 12 is enlarged and confirmed on a monitor television screen (not shown) for position adjustment, and the position of the exposure optical system 12 is set at the optimum position. It is temporarily fixed by means not shown. In this way, the positions of all four exposure optical systems 12 are sequentially adjusted and temporarily fixed at the optimum positions. As the means for temporarily fixing, for example, a base plate having a plurality of sword tip screws for temporary fixing is provided on each surface at positions corresponding to the front and rear exposure optical systems 12 in the front view, as described above. On the monitor TV screen to confirm the enlargement and adjust the position,
This is possible by temporarily fixing the exposure optical system 12 with the plurality of sword screws at the optimum position. The reason why the exposure optical system 12 is fixed by a plurality of sword screw is to prevent the fixed exposure optical system 12 from rotating around the tip of the sword screw and changing its posture. .

By doing so, the exposure optical system 12 has the positional accuracy with the image detecting element 102, that is, the positional accuracy with the photosensitive drum 10 or the photosensitive belt 101 and the relative positional accuracy between the exposure optical systems 12. That is, in the end, the predetermined positional relationship with the shaft member 21 of the photosensitive drum 10 or the photosensitive belt 101 is inevitably positioned with high accuracy.

Next, the support member 20 is attached to the structure shown in FIGS.
As shown in (b), it is fitted to the shaft member 21 of the assembly jig, and the exposure optical system 12 and the supporting member 20 are bonded with an adhesive.
After the bonding is completed, the support member 20 to which the four exposure optical systems 12 of the exposure apparatus 1 are bonded can be removed from the shaft member 21 by loosening the above-mentioned sword screw, and the exposure apparatus 1 removed from the assembly jig can be It will be incorporated in the above-mentioned image forming apparatus. Since the support member 20 attached to the shaft member 21 and the position of the photosensitive drum 10 or the photosensitive belt 101 with respect to the image forming surface are accurately positioned as described above and the respective exposure optical systems 12 are bonded, Of course, even if it is attached to the image forming apparatus, its highly accurate position is maintained.

As described above, the exposure optical system 12 supports the exposure optical system 12 after adjusting the positional accuracy with the photosensitive drum 10 or the photosensitive belt 101 and the relative positional accuracy between the exposure optical systems 12 in advance with high accuracy. By adhering to the member 20, the exposure apparatus 1 can be easily and highly accurately assembled and adjusted.

[0058] FIG. 8, 9, 10, 11 is a diagram for explaining the exposure light device assembling method, FIG. 8 is a view of the fine adjustment mechanism provided in the support member is a support of the exposure optical system, (a) Is a plan view,
(B) is a sectional view taken along the line XX. FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a plane parallel to the front view of the fine adjustment mechanism when the photoconductor is a photoconductor drum. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a plane parallel to the front view of the fine adjustment mechanism when the photoconductor is a photoconductor belt. Figure 11
Is a diagram of the fine adjustment mechanism by the pressing means of the exposure optical system.
(A) is a plan view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a front view.

In FIG. 8, the exposure optical system 12 includes a support member 20 of the support members 20A and 20B divided into two.
It is adhered to A at the illustrated adhesion surface. Although this drawing shows only the left side of the exposure optical system 12, a similar supporting member 20A is adhered to the right symmetrical position. The support member 20B is provided with screw holes 25 at four locations (two locations in the figure), and holes 24 are provided at corresponding locations of the support member 20A corresponding to the support holes 20A and 20B by the adjusting screw 23. The springs 26 are sandwiched between the supporting members 20A and 20B at the four positions shown in the figure. Therefore, by adjusting the tightening of the four adjusting screws 23, the supporting member 2
The interval between 0A and 20B can be finely adjusted. That is, in other words, by adjusting the tightening of the adjusting screw 23, fine adjustment in the height direction of the exposure optical system 12 with respect to the supporting member 20B is possible. The spring 26 may be any elastic member, and may be, for example, a steel wire coil spring or a rubber cylinder.

9 and 10 are sectional views of a plane parallel to the front view when the fine adjustment mechanism described above is provided near both ends of each exposure optical system 12 of the exposure apparatus 1. The exposure optical system 12 and the image detection element 102 have the same functions and configurations as the exposure optical system 12 and the image detection element 102 described in FIGS. 9 and 10 are the same as the above-mentioned case, the detailed description thereof will be omitted, but the configuration of the main part in a state in which the exposure apparatus 1 thus configured is attached to the assembly jig is also shown.

That is, as described above, the image signal detected by the image detecting element 102 is enlarged and confirmed on a monitor television screen (not shown), and the exposure optical system 12 is adjusted by the adjusting screw 23.
Is easy to adjust to the optimum position. Then, for example, the exposure optical system 12 can be sequentially moved in the arrow direction to adjust the positions of all four exposure optical systems 12. The exposure apparatus 1 with the position of the exposure optical system 12 thus adjusted is removed from the assembly jig and incorporated into the above-mentioned image forming apparatus. The exposure optical system 12 and the photosensitive drum of the image forming apparatus or The positional accuracy with respect to the photoconductor belt is naturally maintained as it is.

FIG. 11 shows a view in which the above-mentioned fine adjustment mechanism is used as a fine adjustment mechanism by a pressing means.
Is installed between the left side wall 20L and the right side wall 20R provided on the support member 20, and four adjusting screws 23 are screwed into the screw holes provided on the left and right side walls 20L and 20R as shown in the drawing to expose the optical system from the left and right. The system 12 is sandwiched so that the exposure optical system 12 is pressed by the adjusting screw 23 and screwed. Then, as in the case described above, the image detecting element 102 positioned with high accuracy is provided in the vicinity of the left and right ends in the longitudinal direction of the exposure optical system 12 as shown in the figure, and the image detecting element 1 is provided.
The image signal detected by 02 is enlarged and confirmed on a monitor television screen (not shown), and the exposure optical system 12 is adjusted to the optimum position by the adjusting screw 23. In this case, the adjustment of the exposure optical system 12 by the adjusting screw 23 can be performed in any direction, and can be adjusted with high accuracy because it is screwed.

As described above, the exposure optical system 12 is adjusted in position with the photoconductor drum or the photoconductor belt with high precision in advance, and then the position of the exposure optical system 12 is adjusted. Since it is incorporated in the apparatus, the positional accuracy between the exposure optical system 12 and the photosensitive drum or the photosensitive belt of the image forming apparatus is naturally maintained as it is.

[0064] Figure 12 is a view for explaining the exposure optical system,
(A) is a plan view of a light emitting element on a substrate, and (b) is a front view of an exposure apparatus using an exposure optical system including the substrate and a SELFOC lens.

In FIG. 12, a plurality of light emitting elements (yellow) 122 (Y), light emitting elements (magenta) 122 (M), and light emitting elements (cyan) 122 are formed on a substrate 121.
(C), a plurality of rows of light emitting elements (black) 122 (K) are arranged in parallel with each other, with a row interval accuracy of 100 μm or less within the specified accuracy, four rows in this embodiment. A row of SELFOC lenses 123 corresponding to the rows of the light emitting elements is arranged on the substrate 121 to form the exposure optical system 12, and an image of each of the light emitting elements is formed on the outer surface of the photoconductor belt 101. It is configured to image.

Each of the light emitting elements for each color on the substrate 121 of the exposure optical system 12 configured as described above is
Since they are integrally formed on the upper surface by baking at the same time, the row interval accuracy is very high in the first place. Therefore, the SELFOC lens 12 disposed on the substrate 121
The row of images of the respective light emitting elements formed on the outer surface of the photoconductor belt 101 by the row of 3 can also maintain a very high row spacing accuracy. Therefore, it is possible to form a high-quality color image with a small color misregistration even for a color image based on a multicolor image.
That is, on the contrary, since it is easy to align the exposure optical system for each color, it is possible to reduce the cost of the exposure optical system. In particular, the exposure optical system according to the present invention is effective as an exposure optical system of an exposure apparatus in which a photoconductor belt is used as a photoconductor when the light emitting elements for each color are formed by spreading them on one substrate in a plane. It is an exposure optical system.

[0067]

According to the present invention, an exposure apparatus, an exposure apparatus assembling method, and an exposure optical system are provided which enable easy and highly accurate assembly and adjustment, and high-quality image formation at low cost. It was decided to be done.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of an image forming apparatus of an embodiment to which an exposure apparatus of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an exposure device of an image forming apparatus of an embodiment to which the exposure device of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus and an exposure apparatus assembling method according to the first and second aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an exposure apparatus and an exposure apparatus assembling method according to the first and second aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus and an exposure apparatus assembling method according to the first and second aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining an exposure apparatus assembling method according to a third aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus assembling method according to a third aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus assembling method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus assembling method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus assembling method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an exposure apparatus assembling method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining an exposure optical system according to a fifth aspect of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Exposure device 10 Photosensitive drum 101 photoconductor belt 102 image detection element 12 Exposure optical system 121 substrate 122 (Y) Light emitting element (yellow) 122 (M) Light emitting element (magenta) 122 (C) Light emitting element (cyan) 122 (K) Light emitting element (black) 123 Selfoc lens 20, 20A, 20B support member 21 Shaft member 22 Insert member 23 Adjustment screw 26 springs

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Tokimatsu 2970 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji City, Tokyo Konica Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-7-148971 (JP, A) JP-A-3-221471 (JP, A) JP-A-6-198956 (JP, A) JP-A 1-225048 (JP, A) JP-A-5-36362 (JP, A) JP-A-5-307307 (JP, A) Actual development Sho 62 -173754 (JP, U) Actual development Sho 59-76064 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B41J 2/44 B41J 2/45 B41J 2/455

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. An exposure apparatus in which a plurality of linear exposure optical systems in each of which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged on a substrate are mounted on a support of the exposure optical system, wherein the exposure optical system and the support are:
After bonding with an instant adhesive through an insert member having transparency in the ultraviolet wavelength region, an ultraviolet curable resin is poured into a gap between the exposure optical system and the support, which is generated by further passing through the insert member, and the insert Through the member
The exposure optical system and the support, or the exposure
An exposure apparatus , wherein an optical system and the support are directly bonded. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the insert member has a wedge shape. 3. An exposure apparatus assembling method in which a plurality of linear exposure optical systems in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged on a substrate are attached to a support of the exposure optical system, wherein the exposure optical system and the support are ultraviolet rays. After bonding with an instant adhesive through an insert member having transparency in the wavelength region, an ultraviolet curable resin is poured into a gap between the exposure optical system and the support, which is generated by passing through the insert member, and the insert portion
Bonding the exposure optical system and the support through a material, or
An exposure apparatus assembling method, which comprises directly bonding the exposure optical system and the support . 4. The exposure apparatus assembling method according to claim 3, wherein the insert member has a wedge shape.