JPH0643716A - Image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Image recording is obtained by using edge emitting elements capable of emitting light from both end surfaces of the front surface and the rear surface. [Structure] The photosensitive member includes a support 29 having a light transmitting property and a conductive layer 28. The plurality of developing devices 30 are arranged around the photoconductor 26. Inside the photoconductor 26, an edge emitting type writing element in which an image forming element 22 is provided on at least one edge of the edge emitting element 24 capable of emitting light from both front and rear surfaces is arranged. The light is emitted from both end faces of the end face light emitting element 24 so that the photosensitive member can be exposed to the circuit.
The orientation of the edge-emitting type writing element can be switched to a plurality of positions.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image recording device, and more particularly to an image recording device using an edge emitting element such as an edge emitting EL or an edge emitting LED.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a publicly known document describing the prior art according to the present invention, for example, "TFEL EDGEEMITTER ARRAY FOR O
PTICAL IMAGE BAR APPLICATIONS "(Proceedings of th
e SID, Vol.28 / 1,1987). This document relates to an edge-emitting type thin film EL, and the contents thereof are as follows.
"Development example of optical print head using EL array"
(Trikeps Seminar text 1991.1.10). This document describes that the emission intensity of the EL in the end face direction is about 100 times higher than the emission intensity in the face direction. Also, "Development of edge-emitting LED"
(Yoshimasa Kashima and 2 others Oki R & D No. 138 Vo
It is also introduced in l.55 No.2 April 1988) that similar characteristics can be obtained.

When such an edge-emitting (radiation) type element is used for optical writing (recording by exposure on a photosensitive member), light emission from the front surface is used for optical writing, and leak light emission from the rear surface is emitted from the front surface. Currently, it is rarely used except for power monitoring. The reason is that in the case of optical writing, for example, 200 to 3
At a writing density of about 00 dpi or more, an A4 size writing width (210 mm) has about 2000 to 3000 light emitting portions, and therefore, there are many electrical connections for driving these light emitting portions. This is because a single piece is required, and even if high-density / high-integration connection is performed to some extent, connection wiring will be made using the rear side of the light emitting end surface.
In view of the above situation, therefore, among the “edge-side light emitting elements” that have been proposed previously, a novel edge-emitting element that allows light emission from both front and rear end surfaces has been proposed.

[0004]

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image recording apparatus using an edge emitting element capable of emitting light from both end surfaces of a front surface and a rear surface. It is a thing.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides (1)
At least a photoconductor consisting of a light-transmissive support and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photoconductor, and light emission from the front and rear end surfaces inside the photoconductor. In an image recording apparatus in which an end surface light emitting type writing element having an image forming element provided on at least one end surface of the end surface light emitting element is arranged, it is possible to simultaneously expose the photoreceptor by light emission from both end surfaces of the end surface light emitting element. Moreover, the attitude of the edge-emitting type writing element is configured to be switchable to a plurality of positions, or (2) a photoconductor comprising at least a light-transmitting support and a conductive layer, and the periphery of the photoconductor. And a plurality of developing devices disposed in the photoconductor, and an end face light emitting type writing in which an image forming element is provided on at least one end face of the end face light emitting element capable of emitting light from both end surfaces of the front surface and the rear surface inside the photosensitive member. Place the elements In the image recording apparatus, it can expose simultaneously photoreceptor emission from the end face light-emitting element end faces,
Moreover, the attitude of the edge-emitting type writing element is configured to be switchable to a plurality of positions, and the attitude of the edge-emitting type writing element is not constant each time recording is started, or (3) at least has a light transmissive property. A photosensitive member including a support and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photosensitive member, at least one transfer device, and light emission from both front and rear end surfaces inside the photosensitive member. In an image recording apparatus in which an end surface light emitting type writing element in which an image forming element is provided on at least one end surface of the end surface light emitting element is arranged, the end surface light emission on the side not through the image forming element is a transfer portion or a transfer portion. When exposing between the end surface emitting type writing element and the developing section, the writing direction of the edge emitting type writing element is configured to develop with the toner which is most frequently used, and the attitude of the edge emitting type writing element can be switched to plural positions. Characterized by the configuration One in which the. Hereinafter, description will be given based on examples of the present invention.

First, a thin film EL will be described as an example of an end face light emitting device capable of emitting light from both front and rear faces according to the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. As the edge emitting device, even if it is an edge emitting LED in addition to the thin film EL, there is basically no change in the configuration of the present invention, so the thin film EL will be described below. Figure 1 (a),
FIG. 2B is a configuration diagram for explaining one embodiment of the edge emitting element used in the image recording apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG.
1A is a connection state diagram of signal lines for driving, and FIG. 1A is a side view of the AA cross section of FIG. 2 viewed from the A direction.
(B) is the front view which saw the BB cross section of FIG. 2 from the B direction. Note that the connection lines in FIG. 2 do not actually have lead wires or the like, but show the connection state of the signal lines, which is different from the actual one. In the figure, 1 is a contact hole, 2 is an upper electrode wiring, 3 is an insulating layer, 4 is an upper electrode, 5
Is a top surface dielectric layer, 6 is a thin film light emitting layer, 7 is a bottom surface dielectric layer, 8 is a bottom surface electrode, 9 is an insulating layer, 10 is a bottom surface electrode wiring, and 11 is a substrate.

In FIG. 1A, the edge emitting element is a top surface electrode wiring 2 and an insulating layer 3 having a contact hole 1.
A top electrode 4, a top dielectric layer 5, a thin film light emitting layer 6,
A lower surface dielectric layer 7, a lower surface electrode 8, an insulating layer 9 having a contact hole 1, and a lower surface electrode wiring 10 are formed by laminating on a substrate 11. As for the material of each layer, the materials described in the known documents and the above-mentioned prior art can be applied. That is, the structure of the film is such that the dielectric layer (Y ₂ O ₃ ) -light emitting layer (ZnS / Mn) -dielectric layer (Y ₂ O ₃ ) is attached on the metal electrode deposited on the glass substrate, and finally, The top electrode is vapor deposited. The upper dielectric layer 5 and the lower dielectric layer 7 are made of materials having different refractive indexes in order to prevent light leakage from the light emitting layer 6. Here, in order to enable light emission from the left and right end surfaces, the upper surface electrode 4 and the lower surface electrode 8 are provided up to substantially the left and right end surface portions, and the upper surface electrode wiring 2 and the lower surface electrode wiring 10 are on the paper surface. It is characterized in that the electrode wirings 2 and 10 are provided so as to extend in a substantially vertical direction, and a drive circuit connected to the electrode wirings 2 and 10,
The connection line and the like connected to the drive circuit are configured so as not to interfere with light emission from the left and right end surface light emitting portions.

In FIG. 1B, the edge emitting device is similar to FIG. 1A in that the upper surface electrode wiring 2, the insulating layer 3 having the contact hole 1, the upper surface electrode 4, and the upper surface dielectric layer 5 are formed.
A thin film light emitting layer 6, a lower surface dielectric layer 7, a lower surface electrode 8,
It is shown that the insulating layer 9 having the contact hole 1 and the lower surface electrode wiring 10 are formed on the substrate 11 by laminating. The light emitting layer is divided and arranged in the lateral direction, and the arrangement pitch is a reciprocal (function of) the writing density.

In FIG. 2, the upper surface electrode wiring 2 and the lower surface electrode wiring 10 are shown so as not to interfere with light emission from both end surface light emitting portions in order to actually allow light emission from both end surfaces as described above. Top electrode 4 and bottom electrode 8 like
It is provided so that it does not protrude above and below. Also,
Since the distance between the end faces (the distance from one end face to the other end face) cannot be set too long in order to secure the emission intensity from both end faces, the matrix drive (time division drive) method is used here. The number of wirings is reduced so that the wiring does not vertically protrude from the upper surface electrode 4 and the lower surface electrode 8.

Regarding the matrix drive (time division drive) system, "Development of Plasma Image Bar" (Hideo Sawai)
Outside 1 Oki Electric R & D No. 147 Vol.57 No.3
(July 1990). Similarly, a data signal is applied to the lower surface electrode 8 from 2 m lower surface electrode wirings 10 arranged in a matrix. On the other hand, the upper surface electrode 4 scans the n upper surface electrode wirings 2 arranged in a matrix in order at a duty of 1 / n, and thin film light emission at a position where a voltage is applied to both the lower surface electrode 8 and the upper surface electrode 4. Layer 6 emits light. By the way, the upper surface electrode 4 facing the end portion of the lower surface electrode 8 easily causes crosstalk with the adjacent lower surface electrode 8. In order to prevent this crosstalk, an odd number of groups of the lower surface electrodes 8 formed by a ratio of one to a plurality of upper surface electrodes 4 (four in the figure are shown for the sake of explanation) ( O ₁ , O ₂ ... O _m ) and even groups (E ₁ , E ₂ ...
E _m ), so that no data is input to the lower surface electrode 8 of the even group when the data is input to the odd group.

FIG. 3 is a process flow showing a method for manufacturing an edge emitting device. It should be noted that the process surrounded by a solid line is shown to be a detailed process surrounded by a broken line. That is,
The lead wiring layer 10 of the lower surface electrode 8 is formed on the washed glass substrate 11 (generation of the lead wiring electrode film → patterning of the wiring electrode), and the insulating layer 9 having the contact holes 1 is formed (generation of the insulating layer → The contact hole is patterned, the lower surface electrode 8 is formed (electrode film formation → electrode patterning), the lower surface dielectric layer 7 is formed (lower surface dielectric layer formation), and the thin-film light emitting layer 6 is formed (phosphor layer formation). Generation → annealing of phosphor layer → patterning of phosphor layer) to form the upper dielectric layer 5 (generation of the upper dielectric layer), formation of the upper electrode 4 (generation of the electrode film → patterning of the electrode), and contact holes 1 to form an insulating layer 3 (generation of an insulating layer → patterning of contact holes), and then a leading wiring layer 2 of an upper surface electrode 4 (generation of a leading wiring electrode film → patterning of a wiring electrode). An end surface light emitting element composed of several functional units is formed, and then an end surface light emitting element composed of one functional unit is cut out, a protective coating process is applied to the end surface of the light emitting portion, and the connection terminal processing step is finished. The manufacturing method of the edge emitting device basically ends.

As described above, a method of forming an edge emitting element consisting of a plurality of functional units and cutting it to cut out an edge emitting element consisting of one functional unit is described with reference to FIG. 1 (a). In order to enable light emission from the left and right end surfaces, the upper surface electrode 4 and the lower surface electrode 8 are
It is easy to install up to the left and right end faces, and
It is easy to provide the upper surface electrode wiring 2 and the lower surface electrode wiring 10 so as to extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the paper surface. Therefore, the electrode wiring, the drive circuit connected to the electrode wiring, the connection line connected to the drive circuit, and the like can be configured so as not to interfere with light emission from the left and right end surface light emitting portions.

Next, an embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Figure 4 (a)
1 shows a configuration of an image recording apparatus using an edge emitting element, in which both of the light emitting parts of the edge emitting element have an equal-magnification imaging element (here, Nippon Sheet Glass SELFOC lens array:
The SLA is illustrated. ) Is arranged in the optical writing head. In the figure, 21 is an edge emitting type writing element, and 22a, 2
2b is an SLA (selfoc lens array), 23 is a housing, and 24 is an edge emitting element. This head
Fig. 5 shows a photo-induced electrophotographic (PITE) method applied.
Is shown in. In the figure, 26 is a photosensitive member, 27 is a photosensitive layer,
28 is a conductive layer, 29 is a support, 30 is a developing device, 31a is yellow toner, 31b is magenta toner, and 31c.
Is cyan toner, 31d is black toner, 32 is a sleeve, and 33 is a transfer drum.

Since the equal-magnification image-forming elements are arranged in both light-emitting portions, recording in both directions is possible. As shown in the figure, the developing unit is arranged at four places and applied to an image recording apparatus capable of full-color recording. That is, four colors of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black are used as toner, and the posture of the optical writing head is switched to the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line for recording. Further, the transfer drum transfers the toners of the above four colors. The surface of the transfer drum is composed of a dielectric material, four of which are superposed on the dielectric material and then transferred to the transfer paper, or the transfer paper is transferred to the surface of the drum. Is held and the four colors are directly overlapped. In order to avoid mixing of toner, when developing with one toner, the other developing portion is kept away from the photoconductor, as indicated by a bidirectional arrow (← →) in the figure. According to this structure, on the side away from the photoconductor, the other toner does not mix, and even if it is exposed, it is not recorded (toner is not attached). Since the electrostatic latent image remaining on the photoconductor is erased by light, the load for cleaning the toner in the developing unit and erasing the electrostatic latent image can be reduced, and the stability of repeated recording is improved. The effect is obtained. Further, the structure of the optical writing head is not limited to the above-described example, and as shown in FIG. 4B, another equal-magnification imaging element (here, a roof mirror lens manufactured by our company) is formed on both light emitting portions of the edge light emitting element. Arrays 25a, 25b; RMLA is shown) may be arranged.

FIG. 6 shows still another example. In this case, a writing head is used in which charge is eliminated from the photosensitive member on the side of one end face where the image forming element is not provided and recording is performed on the side where the image forming element is provided. The head posture is switched to the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line for recording. Further, the structure of the optical writing head is not limited to the above example, and as shown in FIG. 4B, one of the light emitting portions of the end face light emitting element has another equal-magnification imaging element (here, a roof mirror manufactured by our company). The lens arrays 25a and 25b: RMLA are shown) may be arranged and the other light emitting portion may be opened.

Next, another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 shows FIG.
The edge emitting element shown in (a) is applied to a color image recording apparatus having a configuration capable of full-color recording.
The orientation of the edge-emitting type writing element is configured so that it can be switched by rotating it in two places so that the orientation of the writing element is not constant each time recording is started. In order to make the posture of the writing element always the same at the start of recording, it is necessary to return to the original posture at every start of recording. Therefore, here, the reciprocating motion is performed so as to start recording from the final posture of the previous recording. Let With this configuration, the waiting time for recording is short, the writing element does not move wastefully, and the durability is high. Further, the configuration in which the posture of the writing element is not constant every time the recording is started can be similarly implemented even in the configuration example as shown in FIG.

Next, still another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 7 shows the full-color image recording apparatus shown in FIG. 6, which is characterized in that it is developed with black toner in the posture of the illustrated optical writing head. That is, since the development with the black toner is most frequently performed, the attitude of the optical writing head is determined so that the charge removal of the photoconductor is performed at a desired position in this case.
With this configuration, the most frequently performed development with black toner can be performed stably and with high quality. Further, regarding the arrangement of the yellow, magenta, and cyan toners, the characteristics such as development and transfer are taken into consideration.

[0018]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects. (1) Effect of Claim 1: At least a photosensitive member including a support having a light-transmitting property and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photosensitive member, and a front surface inside the photosensitive member. And an image recording apparatus in which an edge emitting type writing element having an imaging element provided on at least one edge of the edge emitting element capable of emitting light from both end surfaces of the rear surface is arranged,
Since the photoconductor can be exposed at the same time by the light emitted from both end surfaces of the edge emitting element, and the attitude of the edge emitting writing element can be switched to a plurality of positions, color recording can be performed with a simple configuration. An enabled image recording device can be obtained. (2) Advantageous effect on claim 2: At least a photosensitive member including a light-transmissive support and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photosensitive member, and a front surface inside the photosensitive member. And an image recording apparatus in which an edge emitting type writing element having an imaging element provided on at least one edge of the edge emitting element capable of emitting light from both end surfaces of the rear surface is arranged,
The photoconductor can be exposed at the same time by light emission from both end faces of the end face generating element, and the posture of the end face emitting type writing element can be switched to a plurality of positions, and the posture of the end face emitting type writing element is recorded. Since it is configured so that it is not constant at each start, the write element does not return to its original posture each time recording starts, so there is little waiting time for recording, and there is no wasteful movement of the write element. Rich in sex. (3) Advantageous effect on claim 3: At least a photoconductor comprising a light-transmissive support and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photoconductor, and at least one transfer device. In the image recording apparatus, an end surface light emitting type writing element having an image forming element provided on at least one end surface of the end surface light emitting element capable of emitting light from both front and rear surfaces is provided inside the photoconductor, When the edge emission on the side not passing through the imaging element exposes the transfer portion or between the transfer portion and the developing portion, the writing orientation of the edge emission type writing element is configured to develop with the toner most frequently used. However, since the image recording device is capable of switching the attitude of the edge-emitting type writing element to a plurality of positions, even with a color image recording device, stable and high quality development is performed with black toner most frequently. Can be done

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram for explaining an example of an edge emitting element used in an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a connection state diagram of signal lines for driving.

FIG. 3 is a process flow showing a method for manufacturing an edge emitting device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an optical writing head using an edge emitting device according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the image recording apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Contact hole, 2 ... Upper surface electrode wiring, 3 ... Insulating layer, 4 ... Upper surface electrode, 5 ... Upper surface dielectric layer, 6 ... Thin film light emitting layer,
7 ... Lower surface dielectric layer, 8 ... Lower surface electrode, 9 ... Insulating layer, 10 ... Lower surface electrode wiring, 11 ... Substrate.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A photoconductor comprising at least a light-transmitting support and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photoconductor, and both front and rear ends inside the photoconductor. In an image recording apparatus in which an end surface light emitting type writing element having an image forming element provided on at least one end surface of an end surface light emitting element capable of emitting light from a surface is arranged, the end surface light emitting element emits light simultaneously from both end surfaces. An image recording apparatus characterized in that the body can be exposed and the posture of the edge-emitting type writing element can be switched to a plurality of positions. 2. A photoconductor comprising at least a light-transmitting support and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photoconductor, and both front and rear ends inside the photoconductor. In an image recording apparatus in which an end surface light emitting type writing element having an image forming element provided on at least one end surface of an end surface light emitting element capable of emitting light from a surface is arranged, a photosensitive member is simultaneously emitted by light emission from both end surfaces of the end surface light emitting element. Is capable of being exposed, and the attitude of the edge-emitting type writing element can be switched to a plurality of positions, and the attitude of the edge-emitting type writing element is not constant each time recording is started. 3. A photosensitive member comprising at least a light-transmitting support and a conductive layer, a plurality of developing devices arranged around the photosensitive member, at least one transfer device, and the photosensitive member. In an image recording apparatus in which an end surface light emitting type writing element in which an image forming element is provided on at least one end surface of an end surface light emitting element capable of emitting light from both front and rear surfaces is disposed inside When the end surface light emission on the non-intermediate side exposes the transfer portion or between the transfer portion and the developing portion, the writing attitude of the end surface light emitting type writing element is configured to develop with the toner most frequently used. An image recording apparatus characterized in that the posture of a mold writing element can be switched to a plurality of positions.