The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 04, 2014
Filed:
Feb. 06, 2012
Takahiro Ishihara, Maebashi, JP;
Tomohisa Itagaki, Abiko, JP;
Nobuhiko Zaima, Kashiwa, JP;
Yasuhito Shirafuji, Kashiwa, JP;
Takahiro Ishihara, Maebashi, JP;
Tomohisa Itagaki, Abiko, JP;
Nobuhiko Zaima, Kashiwa, JP;
Yasuhito Shirafuji, Kashiwa, JP;
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, , JP;
Abstract
An image forming apparatus that is capable of reducing a sequential variation of graininess and keeping imaging quality. An exposure unit exposes the photoconductor to a light beam to form an electrostatic latent image. A development unit develops the electrostatic latent image with a toner. A change unit changes a height of toner image by changing an exposure spot area of the light beam on the photoconductor. A formation unit forms test patterns corresponding to different exposure spot areas on a recording sheet. A read unit reads the test patterns. A control unit detects graininess of each test pattern based on information about the test patterns read by the read unit, determines an exposure spot area where the graininess becomes good relatively, and controls the height of toner image on the photoconductor by setting the exposure spot area determined so as to be an exposure spot area for image formation.