JPH08288553A - Image device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide an image device, which can make a high-image quality latent image form accurately on a photosensitive material or can generate an accurate electrical signal to respond to external image information to a solid-state image sensing element array. CONSTITUTION: An image device is one of a structure, wherein a lens member 3 with a plurality of lenses 3b, which are linearly arranged and are made to mount between a lens plate 3a and a lens cover 3c, and a base plate 1 with a multitude of image element arrays 2, which are linearly arranged and are made to mount, are jointly provided and are made to fix in such a way that each lens 3b corresponds to each image element array 2 in one to one. With tapered parts 3d and 3e provided respectively on the upper and lower outer peripheral parts of each lens 3b, templates 4a and 4b, which have a hole of a size smaller than the external size of each lens 3b, are respectively attached to the plate 3a and the cover 3c and the upper and lower tapered parts 3d and 3e of each lens 3b are respectively press-pinched in the peripheral parts of the holes formed in two sheets of the templates 4a and 4b made to attach to the plate 3a and the cover 3c.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used in an image forming apparatus such as an optical printer head or an image reading apparatus such as an image sensor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional image forming apparatus, for example, an image forming apparatus used in an image forming apparatus such as an optical printer head, usually has a lens made of a resin such as polycarbonate in which a plurality of lenses are linearly arranged and supported at predetermined intervals. The plate and the base plate made of aluminum oxide sintered body or glass in which a large number of light emitting diode element arrays are linearly mounted are arranged so that each lens and each light emitting diode element array have a one-to-one correspondence. It has a fixed structure, and each light emitting diode element of each light emitting diode element array is caused to selectively emit light in response to an external electrical signal, and the light emitted by the light emitting diode element is passed through a lens. An image is formed on an external photoconductor, and a latent image is formed on the photoconductor to function as an image forming apparatus.

A light-emitting diode element array linearly arranged and mounted on the base plate generally has 64 light-emitting diode elements linearly arranged therein, which is suitable for a B4 size image forming apparatus. When used, the 32 light emitting diode element arrays are mounted on the base plate so that each of the 32 light emitting diode element arrays has a one-to-one correspondence with each lens.

Further, when each lens supported by the lens plate and each light emitting diode element array mounted on the base plate are displaced from each other, bleeding, white lines, black lines, etc. are formed on the image formed on the surface of the photoconductor. Therefore, it is impossible to form a clear and accurate latent image due to the above-mentioned problem. Therefore, it is necessary to align each lens and each light-emitting diode element array with extremely high accuracy.

Further, in each lens, a plurality of holes are linearly formed in the lens plate, and the lenses are adhered and fixed with an adhesive made of epoxy resin or the like so as to close the holes. Are arranged in a straight line.

[0006]

However, in this conventional image device, the lens plate is generally flat, and when the lens is adhered and fixed to the lens plate via the adhesive agent made of epoxy resin, the adhesive agent is used. Since heat of 150 ° C. has to be applied for about 1 hour to heat cure the above, it takes a long time to bond and fix the lens. Therefore, when the lens is bonded and fixed to the lens plate, the lens fixing position is apt to be displaced, When the position shift occurs, it becomes impossible to properly form the light emitted by each light emitting diode element array on the external photoconductor through the lens, and it is impossible to form a clear and accurate latent image on the photoconductor surface. It had a drawback.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the image device used in the image forming apparatus such as the optical printer head has been described as an example, but it is used in the image reading apparatus such as the image sensor using the solid-state image sensor array. Even in the image device described above, it becomes impossible to accurately irradiate the solid-state image sensor array with external image information due to the positional deviation of the lens,
It has a drawback that an accurate electric signal corresponding to external image information cannot be generated in the solid-state image sensor array.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and an object thereof is to irradiate the surface of a photoconductor with light emitted from a light emitting diode element through a lens to accurately form a latent image of high image quality on the photoconductor. Or an image device capable of accurately forming an external image information on a solid-state image sensor array via a lens and generating an accurate electric signal corresponding to the external image information on the solid-state image sensor array. To provide.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a lens member in which a plurality of lenses are linearly arranged and mounted between a lens plate and a lens cover, and a large number of image element arrays are linearly arranged and mounted. An image device in which a base plate is fixed side by side so that each lens and each image element array have a one-to-one correspondence, wherein a taper portion is provided on the upper and lower outer peripheral portions of each lens and the lens is provided on the lens plate and the lens cover. Each of the templates having holes smaller than the outer dimensions of the above is attached, and the upper and lower tapered portions of the lens are pressed and sandwiched by the peripheral portions of the holes of the two templates attached to the lens plate and the lens cover. It is a feature.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the lens plate and the lens cover of the lens member are formed of a light-transmitting material.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that a light shielding film is adhered between adjacent lenses on the surface of the lens plate of the lens member.

Furthermore, the present invention is characterized in that a light amount diaphragm film is adhered between adjacent lenses on the surface of the lens cover of the lens member.

[0013]

According to the image device of the present invention, the tapered portions are provided on the upper and lower outer peripheral portions of each lens, and the template having the hole smaller than the outer dimension of the lens is attached to the lens plate and the lens cover, respectively, and the lens is attached. Since the upper and lower taper parts of the lens are pressed and sandwiched by the peripheral portions of the holes of the two templates attached to the lens plate and the lens cover, there are some variations in the external dimensions of the lens and the diameter of the template holes. Even so, the center position of each lens is extremely accurately aligned with the predetermined position of the lens plate, and as a result, each lens can be made to face each image element array very accurately, which results in an optical printer head. When used as an image forming device, the light emitted from the light emitting diode element is accurately transmitted to the surface of the photoconductor through the lens. A latent image with high image quality can be accurately formed on the photoconductor by irradiation, and when used as an image reading device, external image information can be accurately formed on the solid-state image sensor array via the lens, and An accurate electric signal corresponding to external image information can be generated in the image sensor array.

Further, according to the image device of the present invention, when the lens plate and the lens cover forming the lens member are made of a light-transmissive material, a light-shielding film is adhered between adjacent lenses on the surface of the lens plate. Alternatively, by applying a light amount diaphragm film between the adjacent lenses on the surface of the lens cover, it is possible to effectively prevent the adverse effect caused by the diffusion of the light between the adjacent image element arrays, and as a result, the optical printer head. When used as an image forming device such as, the light emitted from the light emitting diode element can be accurately applied to the surface of the photoconductor through the lens, and a latent image with high image quality can be accurately formed on the photoconductor. When used as a device, the external image information is accurately imaged on the solid-state image sensor array via the lens, and the solid-state image sensor array is used for the normal image information corresponding to the external image information. The electrical signal can be generated such.

[0015]

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 and 2 show an embodiment in which the image forming apparatus of the present invention is adopted in an optical printer head as an image forming apparatus, 1 is a base plate, 2 is a light emitting diode element array as an image element array, and 3 is a lens. It is a member.

The base plate 1 is made of an electrically insulating material such as carbon fiber reinforced liquid crystal polymer, aluminum oxide sintered body, crystallized glass, quartz, glass epoxy resin, and the like, and a plurality of light emitting diode element arrays 2 are linearly arranged on the upper surface thereof. It has been implemented in an array.

The base plate 1 acts as a supporting member for supporting the light emitting diode element array 2, and, for example,
When it is made of a carbon fiber reinforced liquid crystal polymer, it is formed into a predetermined shape by adopting an injection molding method.

Further, the light emitting diode element array 2 arranged and mounted on the base plate 1 comprises a plurality of light emitting diode elements 2a, and the light emitting diode elements 2a individually and selectively emit light in response to an external electric signal. By irradiating the surface of the photoconductor P with the emitted light, a latent image for forming an image is formed on the photoconductor P.

The light emitting diode element 2a is a GaAsP type, Ga
P-based light-emitting diodes are used, for example, in the case of a GaAsP-based light-emitting diodes, as well as heating to a high temperature the GaAs substrate at furnace First AsH ₃ and (arsine) PH ₃ and (Hosuhin) Ga (gallium ) Is contacted with a gas to grow a single crystal of n-type semiconductor GaAsP (gallium-arsenic-phosphorus) on the substrate surface, and then Si ₃ is grown on the GaAsP single crystal surface.
A windowed film of N ₄ (silicon nitride) is deposited, and Zn (zinc) gas is exposed to the window to form an n-type semiconductor GaAsP.
Zn is diffused into a part of the single crystal to form a p-type semiconductor, and pn
It is formed by providing a bond.

In the case of an optical printer head of B4 size, the light emitting diode elements 2a are 2048 (8 per 1 mm).
Are arranged linearly, and specifically, a light emitting diode element array in which 64 light emitting diode elements 2a are one unit
32 light emitting diode elements 2a are linearly arranged, and thus 2048 light emitting diode elements 2a are arranged and mounted on the base plate 1.

The base plate 1 on which the light emitting diode element array 2 is mounted is arranged with a lens member 3 on the upper portion thereof with a certain distance.

The lens member 3 comprises a lens plate 3a, a plurality of lenses 3b and a lens cover 3c. The lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c are arranged in parallel and holes 31 and 32 are formed at a plurality of opposite positions. Further, the lens 3b is formed by arranging and mounting the lens 3b so as to close the holes 31 and 32 between the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c.

The lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c of the lens member 3 act as a supporting member for supporting the plurality of lenses 3b at a predetermined interval, and the holes 31 and 32 are each light emitting diode element of the light emitting diode element array 2. The light emitted from 2a is incident on the lens 3b, and the light incident on the lens 3b is irradiated onto the external photoconductor P. The lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c are made of, for example, a material such as glass epoxy resin, and the holes 31 and 32 are formed by punching the glass epoxy resin with a drill or the like.

The lens plate 3a of the lens member 3
If the lens cover 3c is made of a translucent material such as glass or quartz, the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c are formed.
Even if holes 31 and 32 are not formed in each of 3c, the light emitted from each light emitting diode element 2a of the light emitting diode element array 2 is made incident on the lens 3b, or the light made incident on the lens 3b is made an external photoconductor. P can be irradiated. Therefore, in order to simplify the structure of the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c, and to make it inexpensive without the need for drilling, the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c are formed of a translucent material such as glass or quartz. It is preferable to set.

Further, each lens 3b supported by the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c corresponds to each light emitting diode element 2a.
A lens formed of a transparent resin such as an acrylic resin or a polycarbonate resin, or a transparent inorganic material such as glass is preferably used because it has a function of irradiating the surface of the photoconductor P with the light emitted by.

The attachment of the lens 3b between the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c is performed by providing tapered portions 3d and 3e on the upper and lower outer peripheral portions of each lens 3b and the outer dimensions of the lens 3b on the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c. Attach the templates 4a, 4b with holes of smaller size and attach the lens 3b
The upper and lower taper portions 3d and 3e are pressed and sandwiched around the holes of the templates 4a and 4b. In this case, since the position of each lens 3b is regulated by the templates 4a and 4b, even if the lens plate 3a is flat or even if the diameters of the holes of the templates 4a and 4b have some variations, It will be mounted extremely accurately at a predetermined position between the plate 3a and the lens cover 3c, as a result, each lens 3b exactly faces the light emitting diode element array 2, and the light emitted from the light emitting diode element 2a will pass through the lens 3b. The surface of the external photoconductor P is accurately irradiated with the light, and a latent image with high image quality can be accurately formed on the photoconductor P.

The templates 4a and 4b are made of, for example, carbon fiber reinforced liquid crystal polymer or steel called invar, and the holes are formed by adopting a well-known hole forming method such as an etching method. Is formed at a predetermined position in a size smaller than the outer size of the lens 3b.

If notches are provided around the holes of the templates 4a and 4b, the spring properties around the holes of the templates 4a and 4b are improved, and the lens 3b is pressed at the holes of the templates 4a and 4b. When the lens 3b is mounted at a predetermined position between the lens plate 3a and the lens cover 3c, excessive force does not act on the lens 3b to cause damage or the like. Therefore, it is preferable that the templates 4a and 4b be provided with cutouts around the holes.

Further, when the lens plate 3a is made of a light-transmissive material, the lens member 3 including the lens plate 3a, the lens 3b and the lens cover 3c is provided on the surface of the lens plate 3a and between the adjacent lenses 3b. When the light-shielding film 5 is adhered, the light emitted from the light emitting diode elements 2a of each light emitting diode element array 2 leaks to the lens 3b side corresponding to the adjacent light emitting diode element array 2 and is incident on It is completely blocked by the light-shielding film 5, and as a result, the light emitted by the light emitting diode elements 2a of each light emitting diode element array 2 is irradiated and imaged on the photoconductor P only through the lens 3b corresponding to it one by one. The body P has no bleeding or the like due to unnecessary light irradiation, and an extremely clear latent image can be formed. Therefore, the lens member 3
When the lens plate 3a constituting the lens is made of a translucent material, the adjacent lens on the surface of the lens plate 3a.
It is preferable that the light-shielding film 5 be adhered between 3b.

Furthermore, the lens cover of the lens member 3
If 3c is made of translucent material, lens cover 3c
When the light amount diaphragm film 6 is adhered between the adjacent lenses 3 on the surface of the, the spread of light passing through the lens 3 is limited by the light amount diaphragm film 6, and as a result, the photoconductor P is provided with the light emitting diode element 2a. It is possible to effectively prevent the light emitted by the laser light from being overlapped, and it is possible to form a clear latent image on the photoconductor P without causing white stripes or black stripes. Therefore, when the lens cover 3c constituting the lens member 3 is formed of a light-transmissive material, it is preferable that the light amount diaphragm film 6 be adhered between the adjacent lenses 3 on the surface of the lens cover 3c. .

On the other hand, the light emitting diode element array
Base plate 1 with 2 mounted and multiple lenses 3b
The lens members 3 arranged in a straight line are joined to a pair of spacers 7, 7 made of glass epoxy resin or the like, so that each light emitting diode element array 2 and each lens 3b are separated by a predetermined distance to form a pair. It is annexed to correspond to 1.

The pair of spacers 7 has a first alignment reference surface 7a on the top thereof and a second alignment reference surface 7b on the bottom thereof, and the first alignment reference surface 7a of the spacer 7 has a lens member 3 thereon. The light emitting diode element array 2 and the lenses 3b are in a one-to-one correspondence with the lower surface of the light emitting diode element array 2 and the lenses 3b by abutting and fixing the outer peripheral portion of the upper surface of the base plate 1 to the second alignment reference surface 7b. It is like this.

Thus, according to the image device of the present invention, a predetermined electric power is applied to each of the light emitting diode elements 2a arranged and mounted on the base plate 1 to cause each of the light emitting diode elements 2a to individually and selectively emit light. The light emitted from the light emitting diode element 2a is focused on the surface of the external photoconductor P via the lens 3b to form a predetermined latent image on the photoconductor P, thereby functioning as an image forming apparatus.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the optical printer head, etc. However, the light emitting diode element array may be replaced with a solid-state image pickup element array to be used in an image reading apparatus such as an image sensor.

[0035]

According to the image device of the present invention, the tapered portions are provided on the upper and lower outer peripheral portions of each lens, and the template having the hole having a size smaller than the outer dimension of the lens is attached to the lens plate and the lens cover, respectively. Since the upper and lower tapered portions of the lens are pressed and sandwiched by the peripheral portions of the holes of the two templates attached to the lens plate and the lens cover, there are some variations in the outer dimensions of the lens and the diameter of the holes of the template. Even if it has, each lens is extremely accurately aligned with its center position at a predetermined position of the lens plate, and as a result, each lens can be extremely accurately opposed to each image element array,
As a result, when used as an image forming apparatus such as an optical printer head, the light emitted from the light emitting diode element can be accurately irradiated onto the surface of the photoconductor through the lens to accurately form a latent image with high image quality on the photoconductor. In addition, when used as an image reading device, it is possible to accurately form an image of external image information on a solid-state image sensor array via a lens and generate an accurate electrical signal corresponding to the external image information on the solid-state image sensor array. it can.

Further, according to the image device of the present invention, when the lens plate and the lens cover forming the lens member are formed of a light-transmissive material, a light shielding film is adhered between the adjacent lenses on the surface of the lens plate. Alternatively, by applying a light amount diaphragm film between the adjacent lenses on the surface of the lens cover, it is possible to effectively prevent the adverse effect caused by the diffusion of the light between the adjacent image element arrays, and as a result, the optical printer head. When used as an image forming device such as, the light emitted from the light emitting diode element can be accurately applied to the surface of the photoconductor through the lens, and a latent image with high image quality can be accurately formed on the photoconductor. When used as a device, the external image information is accurately imaged on the solid-state image sensor array via the lens, and the solid-state image sensor array is used for the normal image information corresponding to the external image information. The electrical signal can be generated such.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment in which an image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied to an optical printer head as an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Base plate 2 Light emitting diode element array 2a Light emitting diode element 3・ ・ ・ Lens member 3a ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Lens plate 3b ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Lens 3c ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Lens cover 3d, 3e ...・ ・ ・ Tapered parts 4a, 4b ・ ・ ・ ・ Template 5 ・ ・ ・ Light-shielding film 6 ・ ・ ・ Light quantity diaphragm film P ・ ・ ・ Photosensitive member

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code Office reference number FI Technical display location H01L 31/0232 H04N 1/036

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A lens member in which a plurality of lenses are linearly arranged and mounted between a lens plate and a lens cover,
An image device in which a base plate having a large number of image element arrays linearly arranged and mounted is fixed side by side so that each lens and each image element array correspond to each other in a one-to-one correspondence. A template having a hole smaller than the outer dimension of the lens is attached to each of the lens plate and the lens cover, and the upper and lower tapered portions of the lens are attached to the lens plate and the lens cover. An image device characterized in that it is pressed and clamped in the peripheral portion of the hole of the template. 2. The image device according to claim 1, wherein the lens plate and the lens cover of the lens member are formed of a translucent material. 3. A lens plate surface of the lens member,
The image device according to claim 2, wherein a light-shielding film is coated between adjacent lenses. 4. The image device according to claim 2, wherein a light amount diaphragm film is adhered between adjacent lenses on the surface of the lens cover of the lens member.