JPH0854815A - Electrophotographic printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase recording speed and to prolong the life of a photoreceptor by shortening the time required for starting up a recording operation. CONSTITUTION:A laser driving circuit 46 is provided with a function for detecting the intensity of a laser beam 41 emitted from the laser diode of a semiconductor laser package 42 and performing APC for controlling the intensity of the emitted light from the laser diode so that the detected intensity may be a specified value. Then, a CPU 13 allows the laser driving circuit 46 to perform the APC in the midst of starting up a polygon motor 43 or in the midst of carrying recording paper to a space between the photoreceptor drum 1 and a transfer roller 61 by a paper feeding roller 9 concurrently with such operation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic printer adapted to perform an exposure process by deflecting a light beam by a rotating deflecting mirror and scanning the photoconductor.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a semiconductor laser is used as a light beam generation source in an electrophotographic printer of this type, and the semiconductor laser has a characteristic that its emission output varies depending on ambient conditions such as temperature. When the intensity of the light beam fluctuates, the recorded image also fluctuates in density and the like, which causes a problem that good recording cannot be performed.

Therefore, conventionally, APC (Auto Power Con
trol) is done. The APC detects the intensity of the light beam and controls the drive current applied to the semiconductor laser so that the intensity has a predetermined value. This APC
In general, the APC initial operation is performed when the operation is started up. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, while the semiconductor laser is forcibly made to emit light by using the APC data which is “H” level continuous as the image data,
The drive current given to the semiconductor laser is gradually increased,
When the intensity of the light beam emitted by the semiconductor laser reaches a predetermined value, the drive current is fixed to the value at that time. In FIG. 8, the semiconductor laser is made to emit light periodically after the completion of the APC initial operation for line synchronization, and the semiconductor laser is made to emit light at the timing shown in FIG. 9B. The emission intensity of the semiconductor laser at this time is AP
It is the intensity set in the C initial operation. Note that FIG. 9A shows the emission timing of the semiconductor laser during normal recording.

When the operation of the electrophotographic printer is started up, the APC described above is performed.
The PC is performed at the following timing. That is, as shown in FIG. 10, first, the rotation of the main motor for rotating the photosensitive drum and the polygon motor for rotating the polygon mirror as the deflection mirror are started,
APC is started after both motors are stably rotated at a predetermined rotation speed.

Here, the polygon motor tends to take more time to rise than the main motor. For example, the main motor takes 3 seconds to 5 seconds to rise while the main motor takes less than 1 second to rise. Therefore, when the rotation of the polygon motor is monitored and the specified rotation state is reached,
A monitoring means for outputting a polygon motor ready signal indicating that is provided, and APC is started when the polygon motor ready is output.

APC requires about 1 second, for example. When this APC ends, the paper feed clutch for operating the paper feed mechanism for feeding the recording paper set in the paper cassette to the process section is turned on, and paper feed is started.

However, in order to start the actual recording operation,
It is necessary to wait for the recording paper fed by the paper feed mechanism to reach the process section. The time from the start of paper feeding to the start of exposure based on the image data to be recorded depends on the distance from the paper cassette to the process unit and the recording paper transport speed, but is, for example, about 2 to 3 seconds. Is.

Thus, the total time required to start up the operation is
If the polygon motor starts up for 5 seconds, the APC takes 1 second, and the paper feed waiting time is 3 seconds, it takes 9 seconds. on the other hand,
Even when the electrophotographic process itself is started up, it takes some time to stabilize the surface potential of the photosensitive drum and the charging of the developer, but this time is the time required for one rotation of the photosensitive drum, that is, for example, the diameter of the photosensitive drum. If it is 30 mm and the conveying speed is 60 mm / sec, a time of about 1.5 seconds will suffice, and a difference of 7.5 seconds from the above 9 seconds is a wasteful time from the viewpoint of the electrophotographic process. Thus, the time required for the recording operation is longer than necessary, and the recording speed is decreasing.

Further, in the cleaning process, it is general to use a blade arranged in contact with the photosensitive drum, and in the wasteful time associated with the above-mentioned start-up,
The photosensitive drum will rub against the blade regardless of the actual image recording. Therefore, the life of the photosensitive drum is unnecessarily shortened.

In order to avoid such inconvenience, it is conceivable to shorten the time required for start-up by devising the structure and drive control of the polygon motor, but a large amount of current is consumed and a large amount of heat is generated. It is not preferable because it causes a problem such as noise or vibration at startup.

[0011]

As described above, in the conventional electrophotographic printer, since it takes a lot of time to start up the recording operation, the recording speed is lowered, and the member abutting on the photoconductor is In some cases, the photoreceptor is subject to excessive friction, which shortens the life of the photoreceptor.

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to shorten the time required to start up a recording operation, thereby increasing the recording speed and the life of the photoconductor. An object is to provide an electrophotographic printer that can be extended.

[0013]

To achieve the above object, the present invention detects the intensity of a light beam such as a laser beam emitted by a light emitting means such as a laser diode, and the detected intensity is a predetermined value. The power control processing means such as a laser drive circuit for performing the power control processing for controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting means and the start-up control means including, for example, a CPU and a memory are provided. At the time of starting up the operation, the power-up control means controls the power between the start of rotation of the deflection mirror rotation means such as a polygon motor and the like until the rotation speed of the deflection mirror rotation means reaches a predetermined rotation speed. The processing means is caused to start the power control processing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the startup control means in the first aspect causes the power control processing means to start the power control processing substantially at the same time when the rotation of the deflection mirror rotation means is started. I did it.

In a third aspect of the present invention, the power-up control means in the first aspect causes the power control processing means to cause the power control processing means to have a predetermined delay time after the rotation of the deflection mirror rotating means is started. The power control process is started.

In a fourth aspect of the invention, the power control by the power control processing means is carried out at a predetermined delay time in the third aspect of the invention substantially at the same time that the rotation speed of the deflection mirror rotating means becomes a predetermined rotation speed. The processing was set to end.

A fifth aspect of the present invention detects the intensity of a light beam such as a laser beam emitted by a light emitting means such as a laser diode, and adjusts the emission intensity of the light emitting means so that the detected intensity reaches a predetermined value. Power control processing means such as a laser drive circuit for performing power control processing for controlling, and start-up control means including, for example, a CPU and a memory are provided, and the start-up control means is provided at the time of operation start-up from an operation stop state. However, the power control processing means is caused to start the power control processing almost at the same time that the rotation speed of the deflection mirror rotation means such as a polygon motor reaches a predetermined rotation speed.

A sixth aspect of the invention has a sheet feeding means for conveying the set recording sheet to a predetermined recording position, and the start-up control means of the fifth aspect is the power control processing means. The feeding of the recording paper is started by the paper feeding means from the start of the power control process to the end of the power control process.

A seventh aspect of the invention has a sheet feeding means for conveying the set recording sheet to a predetermined recording position, and the start-up control means in the sixth aspect of the invention rotates the deflection mirror rotating means. Almost at the same time when the speed reaches the predetermined rotation speed, the paper feeding means starts the conveyance of the recording paper.

[0020]

By taking these measures, the power control process is performed in parallel while the deflection mirror rotating device is being started up or while the recording paper is being conveyed to the predetermined recording position by the paper feeding device. Therefore, the time for performing the power control process from the start-up of the operation from the operation stop state is deleted, and the time required to start the operation from the operation stop state is shortened.

[0021]

【Example】

(First Embodiment) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of essential parts of an electrophotographic printer according to this embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a photosensitive drum, which is composed of, for example, an OPC (organic photosensitive member). Further, the photosensitive drum 1 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow when the rotational force of the main motor 2 is transmitted by a transmission mechanism (not shown). The photosensitive drum 1 is surrounded by the photosensitive drum 1.
A charging device 3, a laser scanner unit (LSU) 4, a developing device 5, a transfer unit 6 and a cleaning unit 7 are sequentially arranged along the peripheral surface of the.

Of these, the charger 3 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 to a predetermined potential. The LSU 4 rotates at a constant speed at a predetermined speed by a semiconductor laser package 42 that emits a laser beam 41 and a polygon motor 43, and causes the laser beam 41 to scan the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum 1.
4. A scanning optical system 4 for scanning the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum 1 at a constant speed with the laser light 41 reflected by the polygon mirror 44.
5 and laser light 4 from the semiconductor laser package 42
The laser drive circuit 46 controls the light emission of the photosensitive drum 1 and exposes the photosensitive drum 1. The polygon motor 43 is
It has a function of monitoring its own rotation state and outputting a polygon motor ready signal indicating whether or not it is stably rotating at a specified rotation speed.

The developing device 5 includes a hopper 51 that stores toner (not shown) as a developer, and the hopper 5
1 is mainly composed of a cylindrical developing roller 52 provided in a state where a part of the opening is located inside the hopper 51, and the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 is developed by toner. And make it a visible image. The developing roller 5
A developing bias of a predetermined voltage is applied to 2 from a power source (not shown). The developing roller 52 includes a transmission mechanism (not shown) for transmitting the rotational force of the main motor 2 and the developing clutch 8.
Is transmitted by and is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow.

The transfer portion 6 is composed of a roller 61 to which a predetermined transfer voltage is applied, and transfers the toner adhering to the photosensitive drum 1, that is, the visible image formed on the photosensitive drum 1, to the photosensitive drum 1 and the roller 61. The image is transferred onto a recording sheet (not shown) fed in between.

The cleaning section 7 is disposed in contact with the photosensitive drum 1, and a cleaner blade 71 for scraping off the toner adhering to the photosensitive drum 1 and a collecting container 7 for collecting and collecting the toner scraped off by the cleaner blade 71.
2 and removes the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 without being completely transferred to the recording paper at the transfer section 6 from the photosensitive drum 1.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a paper feed roller, which is rotated by the rotational force of the main motor 2 transmitted by an unillustrated transmission mechanism and a paper feed clutch 10 to rotate in a direction indicated by an arrow.
The recording sheets set in the recording sheet cassette 11 are fed one by one between the photosensitive drum 1 and the roller 61.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a fixing device composed of, for example, a heat roller, which fixes the toner transferred onto the recording paper in the transfer portion 6 onto the recording paper. 13 is a CPU, R
Each part of the electrophotographic printer that operates based on the operation program stored in the memory 14 including the OM and the RAM and is connected through the I / O port 15 (in the figure, the main motor 2, the developing clutch 8 and the sheet feeding device). Only the connection with each of the clutch 10 and the polygon motor 43 is shown, and the others are omitted.) While collectively collecting information as necessary, each unit is comprehensively controlled. An image data control unit 16 is connected to the CPU 13, and the image data control unit 1
The control of 6 is also performed.

The image data control section 16 receives image data given from the outside and stores this image data in the image data memory 17
After being temporarily stored in, the data is given to the laser drive circuit 46 as appropriate. Further, the image data control unit 16 appropriately supplies APC enable for instructing execution of APC and image data for APC to the laser drive circuit 46.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the semiconductor laser package 42 and the laser drive circuit 46. As shown in this figure, the semiconductor laser package 21 is composed of a laser diode LD which emits a laser beam 41 and a photodiode PD which is arranged to receive the laser beam 41 emitted by the laser diode LD. The direct current voltage Vcc is applied to the laser diode LD in the forward direction and to the photodiode PD in the reverse direction.

The laser drive circuit 46 comprises a power control circuit 21, a power detection circuit 22 and an APC circuit 23. The power control circuit 21 turns ON / OFF the light emission of the laser diode LD based on the image data given from the image data control unit 16. The power control circuit 21 variably controls the current level supplied to the laser diode LD under the control of the APC circuit 23 to control the emission intensity of the laser diode LD.

The power detection circuit 22 detects the amount of light received by the photodiode PD, that is, the light emission intensity of the laser diode LD, based on the level of the current flowing through the photodiode PD, and outputs a detection signal indicating the detected light intensity to the AP.
It is given to the C circuit 23.

When the APC enable is given from the image data control unit 16 to instruct the APC circuit 23 to execute the APC, the light intensity indicated by the detection signal given from the power detection circuit 22 becomes a predetermined intensity. Thus, the emission intensity of the laser diode LD is controlled via the power control circuit.

Next, the operation of the electrophotographic printer configured as described above will be described. Note that the operation relating to the actual image recording is the same as that of a conventional general electrophotographic printer, and therefore its explanation is omitted. Here, the operation relating to the start-up of the recording operation will be described.

First, when the CPU 13 receives a recording start command from the outside, the CPU 13 starts the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43 (at time T1 in FIG. 3). At this time, the developing clutch 8 and the paper feeding clutch 1
Both 0 are in the cut state, and the developing roller 52 and the paper feeding roller 9 do not rotate.

At the time T1, the CPU 13 starts the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43 and, at the same time, instructs the image data controller 16 to start the APC initial operation. In response to this, the image data control unit 16
Starts the APC initial operation by driving the laser drive circuit 46. The APC initial operation itself is the same as a general operation that has been performed conventionally.

Now, from the time point T1 a little time (for example, 1
When (seconds or less) has elapsed, the startup of the main motor 2 is completed. When a certain amount of time (eg, about 1 second) elapses from the time point T1, the APC initial operation ends (time point T2 in FIG. 3). Further, when a certain amount of time (for example, about 3 to 5 seconds) elapses from the time point T1, the startup of the polygon motor 43 ends. And the polygon motor 43
When the rotation of the robot stabilizes at a predetermined speed, the polygon motor 43
The monitoring means incorporated in the unit changes the polygon motor ready signal to the "H" level (time T3 in FIG. 3).

The CPU 13 sends the polygon motor ready signal output from the polygon motor 43 to the I / O port 15
Have been captured through and are monitoring its level.
Then, as described above, the polygon motor ready signal is set to "H".
When the level is reached, the paper feed clutch 10 is engaged and the rotation of the paper feed roller 9 is started to start the paper feed. Subsequently, the CPU 13 causes the image data control unit 16 to start exposure based on the actual image data when a predetermined time T _FEED has elapsed from the time T3 (time T4 in FIG. 3). The time T _FEED is set so that the recording sheet conveyed between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 61 and the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum are aligned with each other.
It is about 3 seconds.

The above is the start-up operation, and thereafter, the image recording is performed by the well-known electrophotographic process.
Thus, according to this embodiment, the APC initial operation is started at the same time when the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43 are started, and is ended before the polygon motor 43 becomes ready, so that the start operation is started (see FIG. 3). T1 in
The time (T in FIG. 3) at which the actual recording operation is started from the time
The period up to the 4th point) is shortened over the time required for the APC initial operation (for example, 1 second).

Now, assuming that the recording paper size is A4 when the photosensitive drum transport speed is 60 mm / sec, conventionally it takes 9 seconds to start up as described above, and the actual recording time is 1 Approximately 5 seconds per sheet, and about 3 for stopping operation
Since it takes seconds, the total time required to record one sheet is 17
Seconds. Therefore, 1 second shortened by this embodiment corresponds to about 6% of the recording time of one sheet in the conventional electrophotographic printer. Thus, if the operation is performed in a mode in which the start-up and stop of the recording operation are repeated for each sheet, the time during which the photosensitive drum 1 is rotating is reduced by about 6% as compared with the conventional one, and the life of the photosensitive drum is reduced. It is possible to extend by about 6%, and it is possible to increase the recording speed.

(Second Embodiment) By the way, when the APC initial operation is executed, the laser diode LD of the semiconductor laser package 42 emits light, so that the laser beam 41 is applied to the photosensitive drum 1. However, the first
In the embodiment, since the APC initial operation is started at the same time when the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43 are started up, the laser light 41 is emitted while the photosensitive drum 1 and the polygon mirror 44 are rotating at a low speed. It will be.

As described above, when the photosensitive drum 1 rotates at a low speed, the exposure time in the sub-scanning direction becomes longer than that in the normal recording, and when the polygon mirror 44 rotates at a low speed, the exposure time in the main-scanning direction increases. Exposure time will be longer than in normal recording. Therefore, the exposure amount of the photosensitive drum 1 (incident light amount x
The exposure time becomes longer, and the photoconductive characteristics of the photosensitive material may be deteriorated.

Then, a second embodiment of the present invention which can reduce such a problem will be described. The structure of the electrophotographic printer of this embodiment is the same as that described in the first embodiment, and the control procedure of the CPU 13 is different as follows.

That is, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The CPU 13 does not start the APC initial operation at the same time as the start-up of the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43, but when a predetermined delay time T _DELAY elapses from the time T1 when the start-up of the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43 is started. The APC initial operation is started (at time T5 in FIG. 4). The delay time T _DELAY is set shorter than the time required to start up the polygon motor 43.

The other points are the same as those in the first embodiment. Thus, according to this embodiment, the life of the photosensitive drum 1 is extended in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and
It is possible to increase the recording speed.

Further, according to this embodiment, some time has elapsed from the start of the startup of the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43, that is, the photosensitive drum 1 and the polygon mirror 4.
Since the APC initial operation is started after the rotation speed of 4 has increased to some extent, an increase in the exposure amount of the photosensitive drum 1 during the APC initial operation can be suppressed and deterioration of the photosensitive drum 1 can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 5, the polygon motor 4
_Assuming that T _READY-min is the minimum time from the start-up of 3 until the polygon motor 43 is ready, and T _APC-min is the minimum time required for the APC initial operation, T _DELAY = T _READY-min If T _DELAY is set so that the expression −T _APC-min holds, the APC initial operation is performed in a state in which the rotation state of the photosensitive drum 1 and the polygon mirror 44 is closer to the specified state, and the APC initial operation is performed. Photosensitive drum 1
It is possible to further suppress the increase in the exposure amount.

Here, the actual time required from the start-up of the polygon motor 43 until the polygon motor 43 becomes ready and the time required for the APC initial operation are not constant and change depending on the surrounding environment. The minimum time of can be obtained by calculation or experiment.

(Third Embodiment) Next, a third embodiment of the present invention capable of completely preventing an increase in the exposure amount of the photosensitive drum 1 during the APC initial operation will be described.

The structure of the electrophotographic printer of this embodiment is the same as that described in the first embodiment.
The control procedure of 13 is different as follows. That is, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 13 performs the APC initial operation in the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 4.
3 is not started at the same time as the start-up, but the APC initial operation is started at time T3 when the polygon motor ready signal becomes "H" as in the conventional case. Further CPU
At this time T3, 13 sets the paper feed clutch 10 in the connected state to start paper feed.

Except for this point, it is the same as the first embodiment. Thus, according to this embodiment, the life of the photosensitive drum 1 is extended in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and
It is possible to increase the recording speed.

Further, according to the present embodiment, after the rotation of the photosensitive drum 1 and the polygon mirror 44 reaches the specified state, A
Since the PC initial operation is performed, the exposure amount of the photosensitive drum 1 does not increase during the APC initial operation.

(Fourth Embodiment) By the way, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the transfer section 6 adopts the contact transfer system, and the transfer roller 61 is the photosensitive drum 1 when the recording paper is not supplied between the transfer roller 61 and the photosensitive drum 1. Touching 1. Therefore, if toner adheres to the photosensitive drum 1 in a state where the recording paper is not supplied between the photosensitive drum 1 and the transfer roller 61, the toner adheres to the transfer roller 61. When toner adheres to the transfer roller 61 in this way,
It adheres to the back side of the recording paper supplied thereafter and causes so-called back stain.

In order to avoid such a problem, as shown in FIG. 7, the developing clutch 8 is turned on at a time T9 when a predetermined time T _ED has passed from the time when the APC initial process is completed (time T8 in FIG. 7). It is good to set it to the connected state.
The predetermined time T _ED is the time required for an arbitrary point on the photosensitive drum 1 to move from the operation position (exposure position) of the laser beam 41 to the developing position of the developing device 5.

In this way, the laser light 41 emitted for the APC initial operation of the photosensitive drum 1 is performed.
By this, the developing operation in which the rotation of the developing roller 52 is started is started after the exposed portion has passed the developing position, and the portion is prevented from being developed.

By the way, in the developing device 5, the toner is charged by the rotation of the developing roller 52. Therefore, after the rotation of the developing roller 52 is started, some time T _DEV is required until the toner is charged to a certain degree. have to wait. Therefore, if the connection timing of the developing clutch 8 is set as described above, [T _APC + T _ED + T _DEV ] until the actual recording operation can be started after the APC initial operation is started. It will take time. This time may exceed the time T _FEED depending on the apparatus configuration, and at the timing of the third embodiment, the recording operation is started before the developing device 5 is ready.

Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Paper feeding is started after a predetermined time T _DELAY from the 3rd point. Note that T _DELAY is set so that the relationship of T _DELAY ≧ T _APC + T _ED + T _DEV −T _FEED is established.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the recording operation can be started after the developing device 5 is ready. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, in the first embodiment, the APC is started at the same time when the main motor 2 and the polygon motor 43 are started, and in the third embodiment, the polygon motor 43 is ready.
Although it is assumed that the initial operation is started, they do not have to be exactly the same, and may be slightly deviated.
In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0058]

According to the present invention, the power control process for detecting the intensity of the light beam emitted by the light emitting means and controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting means so that the detected intensity becomes a predetermined value, Since it is performed in parallel during the start-up of the deflecting mirror rotation means or during the conveyance of the recording paper to the predetermined recording position by the paper feeding means, the time required for the start-up of the recording operation is shortened. And an electrophotographic printer capable of extending the life of the photoconductor.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a main configuration of an electrophotographic printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of a semiconductor laser package 42 and a laser drive circuit 46 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing operation timing relating to start-up of a recording operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing operation timing relating to start-up of a recording operation in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a modification of the operation timing relating to the start-up of the recording operation in the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing operation timing relating to start-up of a recording operation according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing operation timing relating to start-up of a recording operation in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a conventional technique.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a conventional technique.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Photosensitive drum 2 ... Main motor 3 ... Charger 4 ... Laser scanner unit (LSU) 41 ... Laser light 42 ... Semiconductor laser package 43 ... Polygon motor 44 ... Polygon mirror 45 ... Scanning optical system 46 ... Laser drive circuit 5 ... Development Device 6 ... Transfer unit 7 ... Cleaning unit 8 ... Developing clutch 9 ... Paper feeding roller 10 ... Paper feeding clutch 11 ... Recording paper cassette 12 ... Fixing device 13 ... CPU 14 ... Memory 15 ... I / O port 16 ... Image data control unit 17 ... Image data memory

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image is recorded by an electrophotographic recording method, and in an exposure process, a light beam emitted by a light emitting means according to image data is rotated by a deflecting mirror rotating means at a predetermined rotation speed. In an electrophotographic printer that deflects the light beam by scanning with a photoconductor, the intensity of the light beam emitted by the light emitting unit is detected, and the light emission intensity of the light emitting unit is controlled so that the detected intensity reaches a predetermined value. Power control processing means for performing power control processing for controlling the deflection mirror rotation means and the predetermined rotation speed of the deflection mirror rotation means after the rotation of the deflection mirror rotation means is started when the operation is started from the operation stop state. Until then, the power control processing means is provided with start-up control means for starting the power control processing. Data. 2. The electrophotographic printer according to claim 1, wherein the start-up control means causes the power control processing means to start the power control processing substantially at the same time when the rotation of the deflection mirror rotation means is started. . 3. The start-up control means causes the power control processing means to start the power control processing after a predetermined delay time has elapsed since the rotation of the deflection mirror rotating means was started. The electrophotographic printer described in. 4. The predetermined delay time is set so that the power control processing by the power control processing means ends almost at the same time that the rotation speed of the deflection mirror rotation means reaches the predetermined rotation speed. The electrophotographic printer according to claim 3, 5. An image is recorded by an electrophotographic recording method, and in the exposure process, a light beam emitted by a light emitting means according to image data is rotated by a deflecting mirror rotating means at a predetermined rotation speed. In an electrophotographic printer that deflects the light beam by scanning with a photoconductor, the intensity of the light beam emitted by the light emitting unit is detected, and the light emission intensity of the light emitting unit is controlled so that the detected intensity reaches a predetermined value. And a power control processing means for performing power control processing for controlling the power consumption of the deflection mirror rotation means at the same time when the rotation speed of the deflection mirror rotation means reaches the predetermined rotation speed when the operation is started from the operation stopped state. An electrophotographic printer, comprising: a startup control unit for starting a power control process. 6. A paper feed means for feeding the set recording paper to a predetermined recording position, wherein the start-up control means executes this power control processing after the power control processing means starts the power control processing. 6. The electrophotographic printer according to claim 5, wherein the paper feeding unit is made to start the conveyance of the recording paper before the end. 7. A paper feed means for feeding the set recording paper to a predetermined recording position, and the start-up control means is substantially the same as the rotation speed of the deflection mirror rotation means becomes a predetermined rotation speed. 7. The sheet feeding means is also started to convey the recording sheet.
The electrophotographic printer described in.