JPH06246965A - Image device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] It is possible to form an image with high image quality on the photoconductor by eliminating unnecessary light from the photoconductor or preventing unwanted light from entering the solid-state image sensor. An object of the present invention is to provide an image device capable of accurately forming an image of external image information on a solid-state image sensor array and generating an accurate electric signal corresponding to the external image information on the solid-state image sensor array. An image device in which a substrate 1 having an image element array 2 mounted on a housing 4 and an elongated lens array 3 are joined and fixed to each other with a fixed gap therebetween, A light leakage prevention member 9 is arranged at or near the joint with the lens array 3.

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 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, has a plurality of light emitting diode arrays formed of a plurality of light emitting diodes linearly arranged on an electrically insulating substrate. The housing includes a light-emitting element mounting substrate mounted in an array, a long lens array in which a large number of rod-shaped self-focusing lenses are linearly arranged in two rows in a frame-shaped casing, and a housing made of polycarbonate resin or the like. The light emitting element mounting substrate and the lens array are bonded to each other with an adhesive between them so that each light emitting diode of the light emitting diode array is positioned on the optical axis of each self-focusing lens of the lens array. It is made by fixing.

In such an image device, each light emitting diode of the light emitting diode array is caused to selectively emit light in response to an external electric signal, and the light emitted by each light emitting diode is passed through the lens array to the external photoconductor surface. It functions as an image forming apparatus by forming a latent image on the photoconductor by forming an image on.

[0004]

However, in this conventional imager, the housing and the frame-shaped casing of the elongated lens array are generally made of resin, and each surface thereof has a warp or a large number of irregularities. Therefore, when the housing and the frame-shaped casing of the long lens array are joined with an adhesive to fix the long lens array to the housing, the joint between the frame-shaped casing of the long lens array and the housing is fixed. A large number of voids are formed in the space.
Therefore, when a latent image is formed on a photoconductor using this image forming apparatus, when each light emitting diode of the light emitting diode array is selectively made to emit light, a part of the light emitted by each light emitting diode is generated by the lens array and the housing. It leaked to the outside through a large number of voids formed in the joint, and as a result, the photoreceptor was irradiated with unnecessary light, and it was not possible to form a precise and clear latent image on the photoreceptor. .

In the above-mentioned conventional example, an image device used in an image forming device such as an optical printer head has been described as an example, but a solid-state image sensor array (CCD element array) is used.
Also in an image device used in an image reading device such as an image sensor using the CC, the CC is externally exposed through a large number of voids formed in a joint portion between the lens array and the housing.
The light entered the D element array, the image formation of external image information on the CCD element array became unclear, and it was impossible to generate an accurate electric signal corresponding to the image information in the CCD element array. .

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been devised in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and an object thereof is to prevent unnecessary light from irradiating the photosensitive member or to prevent unnecessary light from entering the solid-state image pickup device. It is possible to form an image with high image quality, or to accurately form external image information on the solid-state image sensor array and generate an accurate electric signal corresponding to the external image information on the solid-state image sensor array. An object is to provide an image device.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an image device in which a substrate having an image element array mounted on a housing and an elongated lens array are joined and fixed at a fixed interval between them. A light leakage prevention member is provided at or near the joint between the lens array and the elongated lens array.

[0008]

According to the image device of the present invention, since the light leakage prevention member is arranged at or near the joint between the housing and the long lens array, a gap is formed at the joint between the housing and the long lens array. Even if formed, the light does not leak or enter through the void. Therefore, when this image device is used in an image forming device such as an optical printer head, only the light emitted from the light emitting diode is satisfactorily applied to the photoconductor through the lens array, and a clear and accurate latent image is formed on the photoconductor. Can be formed.

When this image device is used in an image reading device such as an image sensor, only the external image information can be accurately formed on the solid-state image pickup device array through the lens array, and the solid-state image pickup device array is formed. It is also possible to generate an accurate electric signal corresponding to the external image information.

[0010]

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment in which the image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied to an optical printer head as an image forming apparatus. 1 is a substrate, 2 is a light emitting diode array, 3 is a long lens array, and 4 is a housing. is there.

The substrate 1 is made of an electrically insulating material such as ceramic, glass or glass epoxy, and a plurality of light emitting diode arrays 2 are linearly arranged and mounted on the upper surface thereof.

The substrate 1 functions as a supporting member for supporting the light emitting diode array 2, and when it is made of, for example, a ceramic of an aluminum oxide sintered body, alumina (Al ₂ O ₃ ) and silica (SiO ₂ ), Calcia (CaO), magnesia (MgO), etc., by adding an appropriate organic solvent to the raw material powder, mixing the solvent to form a slurry, and adopting the conventionally known doctor blade method or calender roll method A green sheet (ceramic green sheet) is obtained, and then the ceramic green sheet is punched into a specified shape and at a high temperature (about 1600 ° C).
It is manufactured by firing at.

Further, the light emitting diode array 2 mounted on the substrate 1 is composed of a plurality of light emitting diodes 2a, and the light emitting diodes 2a selectively emit light in response to an external electric signal and emit light. A latent image for forming an image is formed on the photoconductor 5 by irradiating the surface of the photoconductor 5 with.

The light emitting diode 2a is a GaAsP type, Ga
P-based light-emitting diodes are used.For example, in the case of GaAsP-based light-emitting diodes, the GaAs substrate is first heated to a high temperature in a furnace and AsH ₃ (arsine), PH ₃ (phosphine), Ga (gallium) are used. ) 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 a B4 size optical printer head, 2048 light emitting diodes 2a (8 per 1 mm) are linearly arranged. Specifically, 64 light emitting diodes are used as one unit for light emission. By arranging 32 diode arrays 2 linearly, 2048 light emitting diodes 2a are arranged on the substrate 1.

Further, the light emitting diode 2a is provided with a long lens array 3 at a certain distance above the light emitting diode 2a, and the lens array 3 irradiates the surface of the photoreceptor 5 with the light emitted from each light emitting diode 2a. To act.

The elongated lens array 3 has a structure in which a large number of rod-shaped self-focusing lenses 8 made of glass, synthetic resin or the like are linearly arranged in two rows in a frame-shaped casing 7. ABS resin or FR used as casing 7
The rod-shaped self-focusing lens 8 is sandwiched between the P plates in two rows, and silicone resin is dropped between the ABS resin or FRP plate and each self-focusing lens 8 to cure the resin, and the frame-shaped casing 7 and It is manufactured by bonding the self-focusing lens 8 and silicon resin.

The substrate 1 on which the light emitting diode array 2 is mounted and the lens array 3 also have a certain distance therebetween, and the optical axis of each self-focusing lens 8 of the lens array 3 is the same as that of the light emitting diode array 2. It is fixed to a housing 4 made of resin so as to be above each light emitting diode 2a.

The substrate 1 and the lens array 3 are fixed to the housing 4 by mounting the substrate 1 on which the light emitting diode array 2 is mounted inside the lower part of the housing 4 and the lens array 3 on the upper part by an adhesive material made of epoxy resin. It is performed by joining and fixing through.

The housing 4 to which the lens array 3 and the like are fixed is made of a polycarbonate resin, and is formed into a predetermined shape by adopting a conventionally known resin molding method.

A light leakage prevention member 9 is further arranged around the joint between the housing 4 and the lens array 3.

The light leakage prevention member 9 effectively prevents the light emitted from the light emitting diode 2a from unnecessarily leaking to the outside through the gap formed by the warp of the housing 4 and the lens array 3 and the unevenness of the surface at the joint. The action of
The light leakage prevention member 9 never leaks unnecessary light from the inside of the housing 4 to the outside.
It becomes possible to form an extremely clear and accurate latent image on the photoconductor 5 as only the light emitted through the lens array 3.

The light leakage prevention member 9 is made of, for example, a rubber ring made of silicon rubber or nitrile rubber and having a diameter of 0.5 to 1.0 mm, and the diameter of the light leakage prevention member 9 is smaller than the outer diameter of the lens array 3. Is prepared, and it is spread and brought into contact with the outer periphery of the lens array 3 and brought into close contact with the joint between the housing 4 and the lens array 3, so that it is arranged around the joint between the housing 4 and the lens array 3. In this case, since the light leakage prevention member 9 made of a rubber ring is arranged around the joint between the housing 4 and the lens array 3 only by expanding and contacting the outer periphery of the lens array 3, the light leakage prevention member 9 is arranged. The work is extremely easy and mass productivity is excellent.

The light leakage prevention member 9 has a light transmittance of 2
If it is made of a material of 0% or less, unnecessary light is completely prevented from leaking from the joint portion of the housing 4 and the lens array 3, and the latent image formed on the photoconductor 5 is adversely affected. Can be eliminated. Therefore, the light leakage prevention member 9 is preferably made of a material having a light transmittance of 20% or less.

Further, the light leakage preventing member 9 is not limited to a rubber ring made of silicon rubber or nitrile rubber, but a heat shrinkable tube made of polyolefin, PVC, polyvinylidene fluoride or the like may be used.

When a heat-shrinkable tube is used for the light leakage prevention member 9, first the heat-shrinkable tube is arranged outside the lens array 3 and the housing 4, and then hot air is blown into the heat-shrinkable tube or a soldering iron is contacted. It is placed around the joint between the housing 4 and the lens array 3 by applying heat by applying heat to shrink the heat-shrinkable tube and bring it into close contact with the outer surface of the lens array 3 and the housing 4 and around the joint between them. .

Thus, according to the image device of the present invention, the substrate 1
An image is formed by causing the plurality of light emitting diodes 2a linearly arranged above to selectively emit light in response to an external electric signal and irradiating the emitted light to the photoconductor 5 via the lens array 3. Functions as a device.

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

[0029]

According to the image device of the present invention, since the light leakage prevention member is arranged at or near the joint between the housing and the elongated lens array, the joint between the housing and the elongated lens array is provided. Even if a void is formed in the light, the light does not leak or enter through the void. Therefore, when this image device is used in an image forming device such as an optical printer head, only the light emitted from the light emitting diode is satisfactorily applied to the photoconductor through the lens array, and a clear and accurate latent image is formed on the photoconductor. Can be formed.

When this image device is used for an image reading device such as an image sensor, only the external image information can be accurately formed on the solid-state image pickup element array through the lens array, and the solid-state image pickup element array can be formed. It is also possible to generate an accurate electric signal corresponding to the external image information.

[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.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Base substrate 2 ... Light emitting diode array 2a ... Light emitting diode 3 ... Long lens array 4 ... Housing 9 ... Light leakage prevention member

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification code Office reference number FI technical display location H04N 1/024 8721-5C

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An image device comprising a housing on which a substrate on which an image element array is mounted and a long lens array are joined and fixed at a fixed interval, the housing and the long lens array. An image device in which a light leakage prevention member is arranged at or around the joint portion of. 2. The image device according to claim 1, wherein the light leakage prevention member is made of a material having a light transmittance of 20% or less. 3. The image device according to claim 1, wherein the light leakage prevention member comprises a rubber ring. 4. The image device according to claim 1, wherein the light leakage prevention member is a heat-shrinkable tube.