JP2008036851A - Image forming apparatus and image forming method - Google Patents

Abstract

An image forming apparatus and an image forming method for preventing deterioration in image quality when a light emitter array is mounted at an angle.
A light emitter array (line head) has a light emitter block 4 in which a plurality of light emitting element rows 3 in which a plurality of light emitting elements are arranged in a main scanning direction is provided in a sub scanning direction, and an optical magnification not shown in the figure. A single negative lens is made to correspond, and a plurality of the light emitter blocks are provided in the main scanning direction. Further, the lenses are arranged in a plurality of rows in the sub-scanning direction while shifting the head position in the main scanning direction, and the light emitter block is associated with each lens. The inclination with respect to the normal attachment position when the light emitter array is attached to the main body is detected, and the end of each light emitter block corresponding to the boundary of the lens adjacent in the main scanning direction is detected according to the inclination of the light emitter array. The light emission intensity of the light emitting element is controlled.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method for preventing image quality deterioration when a light emitter array is attached to a main body at an angle.

  In general, an electrophotographic toner image forming unit includes a photosensitive member as an image bearing member having a photosensitive layer on an outer peripheral surface, a charging unit that uniformly charges the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive member, and a uniform charging unit using the charging unit. An exposure unit that selectively exposes the outer peripheral surface charged to form an electrostatic latent image, and a toner as a developer is applied to the electrostatic latent image formed by the exposure unit to form a visible image ( Developing means for forming a toner image).

  As a tandem type image forming apparatus for forming a color image, a plurality (for example, four) of toner image forming means as described above are arranged on the intermediate transfer belt. The toner image on the photosensitive member by the single color toner image forming unit is sequentially transferred to the intermediate transfer belt, and the toner images of a plurality of colors (for example, yellow, cyan, magenta, and black (black)) are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt. There is an intermediate transfer belt type that obtains a color image on an intermediate transfer belt.

  In a tandem color image forming apparatus (printer), a technique using a light emitter array as the exposure means (line head) is known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an example in which a latent image is formed by magnifying output light of a light emitting element arranged two-dimensionally in a light emitter array with a single lens and irradiating the photosensitive drum. .

JP 2001-63139 A

  When a light emitter array as described in Patent Document 1 is used as a line head, the light emitter array may be attached to the main body while being mechanically inclined. As described above, when the light emitter array is mechanically inclined and attached to the main body, the output light of the light emitting element is not accurately irradiated to the image forming position on the image carrier. In other words, the image quality deteriorates due to the occurrence of a gap or overlap in the position of the imaging spot. Patent Document 1 has a problem in that no means for preventing such image quality deterioration is described.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and an object thereof is an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus that prevent image quality deterioration when the light emitter array is attached to the main body at an inclination. It is to provide a method.

An image forming apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object is an image forming apparatus that simultaneously forms images of a plurality of colors on an image carrier using a plurality of line heads corresponding to the respective colors,
A light-emitting element block in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the main scanning direction is arranged in correspondence with a single lens having a negative optical magnification, and the light-emitting element block is arranged in the main scanning direction. A plurality of light emitter arrays (line heads), means for detecting an inclination with respect to a normal attachment position when the light emitter array is attached to the main body, and adjacent to the main scanning direction according to the inclination of the light emitter array And means for controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting element at the end of each light emitter block corresponding to the boundary of the lens. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent image quality degradation caused by the inclination of the light emitter array body attachment.

    The image forming apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that the lenses are arranged in a plurality of rows in the sub-scanning direction with the leading position in the main scanning direction being shifted, and the light emitter block is associated with each lens. According to such a configuration, in an image forming apparatus in which lenses, for example, microlens arrays are arranged in a staggered manner, it is possible to prevent image quality degradation caused by the inclination of the light emitter array body attachment.

Further, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the means for controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting element is an image formed on the image carrier by the light emitting element when the light emitter array is tilted and attached to the main body. When the interval between the spots is larger than a predetermined value, the light emission intensity is controlled so as to increase the light amount of the corresponding light emitting element.
According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent image quality degradation such as generation of streak lines when the interval between the imaging spots is larger than a predetermined value.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the means for controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting element is an image formed on the image carrier by the light emitting element when the light emitter array is tilted and attached to the main body. When the degree of spot overlap is larger than a predetermined value, the light emission intensity is controlled so as to reduce the light amount of the corresponding light emitting element. According to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent image quality degradation in which a portion having a higher density than other portions is formed.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the light emitting element is an organic EL element. Since the organic EL element does not need to reduce the diameter of the light emitting part, the light power of the light emitting part can be increased. For this reason, it is possible to use an organic EL material having a low luminous efficiency.

  Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes at least an image forming station in which image forming units each including a charging unit, the line head described in any of the above, a developing unit, and a transfer unit are arranged around a carrier. Two or more are provided, and an image is formed by a tandem method by passing a transfer medium through each station. According to such a configuration, in the tandem color image forming apparatus, it is possible to prevent image quality degradation caused by the inclination of the light emitter array body attachment.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an intermediate transfer medium. According to this configuration, image quality deterioration can be prevented in the image forming apparatus having the intermediate transfer medium.

The image forming method of the present invention is an image forming method for simultaneously forming images of a plurality of colors using a plurality of line heads corresponding to each color,
A light-emitting element block in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the main scanning direction is arranged in correspondence with a single lens having a negative optical magnification, and the light-emitting element block is arranged in the main scanning direction. Detecting an inclination with respect to a normal attachment position when a plurality of light emitter arrays are attached to the main body, and each light emitter corresponding to a boundary between the lenses adjacent in the main scanning direction according to the inclination of the light emitter array Calculating the light amount correction data of the light emitting element at the end of the block, and the size of the interval between the imaging spots formed on the image carrier by the light emitting element at the end of each light emitter block, or And a step of controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting element in accordance with the magnitude of the degree. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent image quality deterioration due to the inclination of the attachment of the light emitter array to the main body quickly and accurately without correcting the attachment position of the light emitter array.

  Further, the image forming method of the present invention is characterized in that when the interval between the imaging spots is larger than a predetermined value, the light emission intensity is controlled so as to increase the light amount of the corresponding light emitting element. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent image quality deterioration such as generation of streak lines by the arithmetic processing.

  The image forming method of the present invention is characterized in that when the degree of overlap of the imaging spots is larger than a predetermined value, the light emission intensity is controlled so as to reduce the light amount of the corresponding light emitting element. According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the image quality deterioration in which the dark portion is generated by the arithmetic processing.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example of a light emitter array used as a line head in the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, a light emitter block 4 is formed in the light emitter array 1 by providing a plurality of light emitting element rows 3 in which a plurality of light emitting elements 2 are arranged in the main scanning direction in the sub scanning direction. In the example of FIG. 6, the light emitter block 4 forms two light emitting element rows 3 in which four light emitting elements 2 are arranged in the main scanning direction in the sub scanning direction. A large number of the light emitter blocks 4 are arranged in the light emitter array 1, and each light emitter block 4 is arranged corresponding to the microlens 5. As the light emitting element 2, for example, an organic EL element is used. Since the organic EL element does not need to reduce the diameter of the light emitting part, the light power of the light emitting part can be increased. For this reason, it is possible to use an organic EL material having a low luminous efficiency.

  A plurality of microlenses 5 are provided in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction of the light emitter array 1 to form a microlens array (MLA) 6. The MLA 6 is arranged with the leading position in the main scanning direction shifted in the sub-scanning direction. Such an arrangement of MLA can correspond to the case where the light emitting elements 1 are provided in a staggered manner in the light emitter array 1. In the example of FIG. 6, three rows of MLA 6 are arranged in the sub-scanning direction. However, for convenience of explanation, each of the unit blocks 4 corresponding to the respective positions of the three rows of MLA 6 in the sub-scanning direction is group A and group B. And group C.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an imaging position when the exposure surface of the image carrier is irradiated through the microlens 5 with the output light of each light emitting element 2 in the configuration of FIG. In FIG. 7, as described with reference to FIG. 6, the light emitter array 1 has unit blocks 4 divided into group A, group B, and group C. The light-emitting element array of each unit block 4 of group A, group B, and group C is divided into one line (upstream in the moving direction of the image carrier) and two lines (downstream in the moving direction of the image carrier). An even-numbered light-emitting element is assigned to 2 and an odd-numbered light-emitting element is assigned to 2 lines.

  The microlens 5 has a negative optical magnification, and when the output light of the light emitting element is irradiated, the imaging position 7 on the image carrier is a position reversed from the position of the light emitting element in the main scanning direction. In the example of FIG. 7, for the group A, the light emitting elements 1, 3, 5, and 7 of 2 lines (odd number) are operated first. At this time, in the image carrier, imaging spots are generated at imaging positions 1, 3, 5, and 7 that are reversed from the position of the light emitting element in the main scanning direction. After moving the image carrier in the sub-scanning direction for a predetermined time, each light emitting element 2, 4, 6, 8 of one line (even number) is operated. Also in this case, in the image carrier, an imaging spot is generated at imaging positions 2, 4, 6, and 8 that are reversed from the position of the light emitting element in the main scanning direction. In this manner, imaging spots are formed on the image carrier in the order of 1 to 8 in the same row in the main scanning direction. Thereafter, the image carrier is moved in the sub-scanning direction for a predetermined time, and the processing of group B is executed in the same manner. Further, by moving the image carrier in the sub-scanning direction for a predetermined time and executing the process of group C, the result is based on the input image data in the order of 1 to 28... In the same column in the main scanning direction. An image spot is formed.

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an example in which the light emitter array 1 shown in FIG. 6 is mechanically inclined and attached to a support member of the main body, for example, a frame (case). For simplicity, the MLA 6 is not shown. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an imaging spot diameter at an imaging position on the image carrier when the light emitter array 1 is not normally attached to the main body case as shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, a gap 8 is generated between the imaging spots at the imaging positions by the light emitting elements at the ends between the groups A and B and between the groups B and C corresponding to the boundaries of the microlenses. For this reason, streaks are generated on the printing paper. Further, an overlap 9 is generated at the imaging spot at the imaging position by the light emitting element at the end between the group C and the group A. For this reason, a portion having a darker density than other portions is generated on the printing paper. Accordingly, if image formation is performed in this state, the image quality deteriorates, and some measures for preventing image deterioration are required.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 8, when the light emitter array 1 is mechanically tilted and attached to the main body case, a gap 8 having a size greater than or equal to a predetermined value between the imaging spots at the imaging position in FIG. A drive signal that increases the light emission amount is output from the control unit 11 to the light emitting element corresponding to the place where the light emission occurs. In addition, a drive signal for reducing the light emission amount is sent from the control unit 12 to the light emitting element corresponding to the place where the overlap 9 having a predetermined value or more occurs between the image forming spots at the image forming position in FIG. Output. The light emitting element is driven by, for example, a TFT, and the light emission amount is increased or decreased by controlling the current or voltage of the TFT. In this case, the light emission amount increase / decrease control is performed when a predetermined reference value is provided for the gap or overlap and the reference value is exceeded. As the reference value, a value that does not cause deterioration in image quality is set in advance according to a result of a print test.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the imaging spot at the imaging position when the control units 11 and 12 as shown in FIG. 1 are used. As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging spot diameter at the imaging position 13 corresponding to the light emitting element with the increased light quantity is larger than the normal one. Further, the imaging spot diameter at the imaging position 14 corresponding to the light emitting element with the reduced light quantity is smaller than the normal one. By performing such control, it is possible to prevent a gap or overlap between the imaging spots at the imaging positions as shown in FIG.

  When the light emitter array is not normally attached to the main body and image quality deterioration occurs, it is necessary to perform alignment and fix the light emitter array at a normal position. However, there is a problem that the processing becomes complicated because time and labor are required to accurately adjust the position of the light emitter array. As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the electrical control prevents the image quality deterioration caused by the inclination in the attachment of the light emitter array to the main body, so that complicated processing is required. There is no advantage.

  The example of FIG. 1 is an example in which a plurality of microlens arrays are provided in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to FIG. 6, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. The microlens array may be arranged in one row in the main scanning direction. In this case, even-numbered (2-32) light-emitting elements are arranged on one line described in FIG. 7, and odd-numbered (1-31) light-emitting elements are arranged on two lines. Then, two lines of odd-numbered light emitting elements are turned on first to form an imaging spot at the image forming position of the image carrier, and one line of even-numbered light emitting elements are turned on after a predetermined time. An imaging spot is formed at the imaging position. In addition, although the light emitting element row | line | column made to respond | correspond to a single microlens was demonstrated by the example which arranged 2 rows in the subscanning direction until now, it is good also as a structure which arranged 3 or more light emitting element rows in the subscanning direction.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the control device 20 has a light amount correction data transmission control module 21 and controls transmission of light amount correction data corresponding to each light emitting element. The memory 22 stores reference light amount correction data. The inclination detecting means 23 detects an inclination with respect to a reference position when the light emitter array 1 is attached to the main body using an optical sensor or the like. The tilt calculation circuit 24 calculates the tilt amount and tilt direction of the light emitter array 1 based on the information from the tilt detection means 23.

  The edge light amount calculation circuit 25 reduces the reference light amount correction data and the positive light amount correction data obtained by increasing the reference light amount correction data for the light emitting element at the end, based on the reference light amount correction data and the information on the inclination amount and the inclination direction. Negative light amount correction data is calculated. Here, the light emitting element at the end corresponds to the light emitting element at the end between the groups corresponding to the boundary of the microlens. The light emitting element condition detector 26 refers to the light emitting element arrangement LUT (Look At Table) 27 on the basis of the signal from the light quantity correction data control module 21 and the information on the inclination direction, and the light emitting element condition (normal condition). Light quantity or whether it is necessary to increase or decrease the light quantity). The selector 28 selects light amount correction data to be transmitted based on the light emitting element condition data. The light emitter array (line head) 1 receives light amount correction data.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the present invention. Next, this flowchart will be described. The process is started (S1), the inclination of the light emitter array is detected (S2), and it is determined whether the light emitter array is inclined (S3). If the determination result is YES, light amount correction data for the light emitting elements at the end portions of the groups described in FIG. 1 is calculated from the amount of inclination, the direction of the inclination, and the original original light amount correction data. That is, how much the light amount of the light emitting element is increased (plus) or how much is reduced (minus) is calculated (S4). Next, gaps, overlaps, and the like are detected from the arrangement of the light emitting elements and the direction of inclination of the light emitter array (S5).

  Next, when the light emitting element satisfies the gap condition, it is determined whether or not to send light amount correction data (S6). Here, the gap condition is when the spot diameter interval 8 in FIG. 9 is equal to or larger than a predetermined value. If the determination result is YES, positive light amount correction data is transmitted to the light emitting element (S7). If the determination result in S6 is NO, it is determined whether or not the light quantity correction data is sent because the light emitting element satisfies the overlapping condition (S9). Here, the overlap condition is a case where the degree of the spot diameter overlap 9 in FIG. 9 is a predetermined value or more. If the determination result is YES, negative light amount correction data is transmitted to the light emitting element (S10). If the determination result in S9 is NO, the original light amount correction data (reference light amount correction data) is transmitted (S8). One of S7, S8, and S10 is executed and the process is terminated (S11).

  In the embodiment of the present invention, a tandem color printer that exposes four photoconductors with four line heads, simultaneously forms four color images, and transfers them onto one endless intermediate transfer belt (intermediate transfer medium). The target is a line head used in (image forming apparatus). FIG. 5 is a longitudinal side view showing an example of a tandem image forming apparatus using an organic EL element as a light emitting element. This image forming apparatus includes four light emitter arrays (line heads) 101K, 101C, 101M, and 101Y having the same configuration and four corresponding photosensitive drums (image carriers) 41K and 41C having the same configuration. , 41M and 41Y, respectively, and is configured as a tandem image forming apparatus.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the image forming apparatus is provided with a driving roller 51, a driven roller 52, and a tension roller 53, and is tensioned by the tension roller 53 and stretched in the direction indicated by the arrow (counterclockwise). ) Is circulated to the intermediate transfer belt (intermediate transfer medium) 50. Photosensitive members 41K, 41C, 41M, and 41Y having photosensitive layers are arranged on the outer peripheral surface as four image carriers arranged at predetermined intervals with respect to the intermediate transfer belt 50.

  K, C, M, and Y added after the reference sign mean black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively, and indicate that the photoconductors are black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, respectively. The same applies to other members. The photoreceptors 41K, 41C, 41M, and 41Y are rotationally driven in the direction indicated by the arrow (clockwise) in synchronization with the driving of the intermediate transfer belt 50. Around each photoconductor 41 (K, C, M, Y), charging means (corona charger) 42 (K) for uniformly charging the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor 41 (K, C, M, Y), respectively. , C, M, Y) and the outer peripheral surface uniformly charged by the charging means 42 (K, C, M, Y) are synchronized with the rotation of the photoconductor 41 (K, C, M, Y). Thus, the above-described light emitter array (line head) 101 (K, C, M, Y) of the present invention for sequentially scanning the line is provided.

  Further, a developing device 44 that applies toner as a developer to the electrostatic latent image formed by the light emitter array (line head) 101 (K, C, M, Y) to form a visible image (toner image). (K, C, M, Y) and primary transfer as transfer means for sequentially transferring the toner image developed by the developing device 44 (K, C, M, Y) to the intermediate transfer belt 50 as a primary transfer target. A roller 45 (K, C, M, Y) and a cleaning device 46 (K, C) as a cleaning means for removing toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 41 (K, C, M, Y) after being transferred. C, M, Y).

  Here, in each light emitter array (line head) 101 (K, C, M, Y), the array direction of the light emitter array exposure head 101 (K, C, M, Y) is the photosensitive drum 41 (K, C). , M, Y) along the bus. Then, the emission energy peak wavelength of each light emitter array (line head) 101 (K, C, M, Y) and the sensitivity peak wavelength of the photoconductor 41 (K, C, M, Y) are substantially matched. Is set.

  The developing device 44 (K, C, M, Y) uses, for example, a non-magnetic one-component toner as a developer, and the one-component developer is conveyed to the developing roller by a supply roller, for example, and adhered to the developing roller surface. The film thickness of the developed developer is regulated by a regulating blade, and the developing roller is brought into contact with or increased in thickness by the photosensitive body 41 (K, C, M, Y), whereby the photosensitive body 41 (K, C, M, Y). The toner is developed as a toner image by attaching a developer according to the potential level.

  The black, cyan, magenta, and yellow toner images formed by the four-color single-color toner image forming station are intermediated by the primary transfer bias applied to the primary transfer roller 45 (K, C, M, Y). The toner image, which is sequentially primary transferred onto the transfer belt 50 and sequentially superposed on the intermediate transfer belt 50 to become a full color, is secondarily transferred to a recording medium P such as paper by a secondary transfer roller 66, and serves as a fixing unit. The toner is fixed on the recording medium P by passing through the fixing roller pair 61, and is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 68 formed in the upper part of the apparatus by a paper discharge roller pair 62.

  In FIG. 5, 63 is a paper feed cassette in which a large number of recording media P are stacked and held, 64 is a pickup roller for feeding recording media P from the paper feed cassette 63 one by one, and 65 is a secondary transfer roller. A pair of gate rollers for defining the supply timing of the recording medium P to the secondary transfer portion 66, a secondary transfer roller 66 as a secondary transfer means for forming a secondary transfer portion with the intermediate transfer belt 50, 67 Is a cleaning blade as a cleaning means for removing the toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 50 after the secondary transfer.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus and the image forming method of the present invention have been described based on the principle and the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and can be variously modified.

It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of this invention. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic process of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the light-emitting body array of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state in which the light-emitting body array was inclined and attached. It is explanatory drawing which shows the exposure state of the image formation position in the case of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Light emitter array, 2 ... Light emitting element, 3 ... Light emitting element row, 4 ... Light emitter block, 5 ... Micro lens, 6 ... Micro lens array (MLA), 20 ... Control device, 41 (K, C, M, Y) ... Photosensitive drum (image carrier), 42 (K, C, M, Y) ... Charging means (corona charger), 44 (K, C, M, Y) ... developing device, 45 (K, C, M, Y) ... primary transfer roller, 50 ... intermediate transfer belt, 66 ... secondary transfer roller, 101K , 101C, 101M, 101Y... Light emitter array (line head)

Claims (10)

An image forming apparatus that simultaneously performs image formation of a plurality of colors on an image carrier using a plurality of line heads corresponding to each color,
A light-emitting element block in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the main scanning direction is arranged in correspondence with a single lens having a negative optical magnification, and the light-emitting element block is arranged in the main scanning direction. A plurality of light emitter arrays (line heads), means for detecting an inclination with respect to a normal attachment position when the light emitter array is attached to the main body, and adjacent to the main scanning direction according to the inclination of the light emitter array An image forming apparatus comprising: means for controlling light emission intensity of a light emitting element at an end of each light emitter block corresponding to a boundary of the lens. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lenses are arranged in a plurality of rows in the sub-scanning direction while shifting the head position in the main scanning direction, and the light emitter block is associated with each lens. The means for controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting element is such that when the light emitter array is tilted and attached to a main body, an interval between imaging spots formed on the image carrier by the light emitting element is larger than a predetermined value. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emission intensity is controlled so as to increase a light amount of a corresponding light emitting element. The means for controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting element is such that, when the light emitter array is tilted and attached to the main body, the degree of overlap of the imaging spots formed on the image carrier by the light emitting element is less than a predetermined value. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emission intensity is controlled so as to reduce a light amount of a corresponding light emitting element when the light intensity is large. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element is an organic EL element. At least two image forming stations in which image forming units including a charging unit, a line head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, a developing unit, and a transfer unit are arranged around an image carrier. An image forming apparatus provided as described above, wherein the transfer medium passes through each station and forms an image by a tandem method. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising an intermediate transfer member. An image forming method for simultaneously forming images of a plurality of colors using a plurality of line heads corresponding to each color,
A light-emitting element block in which a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the main scanning direction is arranged in correspondence with a single lens having a negative optical magnification, and the light-emitting element block is arranged in the main scanning direction. Detecting an inclination with respect to a normal attachment position when a plurality of light emitter arrays are attached to the main body, and each light emitter corresponding to a boundary between the lenses adjacent in the main scanning direction according to the inclination of the light emitter array Calculating the light amount correction data of the light emitting element at the end of the block, and the size of the interval between the imaging spots formed on the image carrier by the light emitting element at the end of each light emitter block, or And a step of controlling the light emission intensity of the light emitting element according to the magnitude of the degree. 9. The image forming method according to claim 8, wherein when the interval between the imaging spots is larger than a predetermined value, the light emission intensity is controlled so as to increase the light amount of the corresponding light emitting element. 9. The image forming method according to claim 8, wherein when the degree of overlap of the imaging spots is larger than a predetermined value, the light emission intensity is controlled so as to reduce the light amount of the corresponding light emitting element.

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