JPH04143716A - Recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately make the write position of an image coincident with inexpensive, simple constitution and to enable high-density recording by applying a single clock signal and modulating plural beams at the same timing according to respective pieces of image information. CONSTITUTION:The beams (a) - (c) emitted by plural beam generation parts 1a - 1c are made incident on plural corresponding optical waveguide arrays 4a - 4c by a scanning means 3 and emitted from the emitting ends of the optical waveguide arrays 4a - 4c to irradiate a recording medium 20. The beams (a) - (c) are modulated according to respective image signals with the single clock signal of a clock signal generating means 11 synchronized with one position signal detected by a detecting means 7. Consequently, the write positions of images are made accurately coincident even with the inexpensive and simple constitution and the high-density recording becomes possible.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a recording device that records an image using a plurality of recording means.

[Prior Art] As a conventional recording device, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 02-7064
If the light beam from the semiconductor array light source is deflected by a rotating polygon mirror or the like and scanned on the recording medium as in the publication,
There are some that can provide high-speed recording devices.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, according to such a recording device, a semiconductor laser array light source with an individual light emitting point area of 10-odd microns or less, or a semiconductor laser array light source with an individual light emitting point area of 10-odd microns or less, or a plurality of light beams on a recording medium at the same time, cannot be used. There is a problem in that expensive components are required, such as an fθ lens that forms an image, and a clock signal generating means that generates multiple types of clock signals.

In addition, in semiconductor laser array light sources, the position of each light emitting point and the emission angle of the light beam vary from product to product, but condensing lenses and imaging lenses are unique to each light source of such a semiconductor laser array. Since a one-to-one correspondence is not possible, it is necessary to treat such multiple beams together as a single beam, which causes errors and variations in the imaging position and imaging spot of each light beam. There was also a problem.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a recording device that can accurately match the image writing position and perform high-density recording even with a low-cost and simple configuration. It is something.

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, the present invention includes a plurality of beam generating units that irradiate a plurality of beams modulated by a recording signal onto a recording medium, and a scanning means that scans the plurality of beams. , in a recording device in which adjacent ones of the plurality of beams irradiated onto the recording medium are arranged at right angles to the scanning direction of the beams, each of the plurality of beams scanned by the scanning means is propagated. a plurality of optical waveguide arrays for modulating the plurality of beams, a modulation means for modulating each of the plurality of beams, a detection means for detecting the scanning position of the beam, and a position signal formed by the detection means; clock signal generating means for generating a single tarok signal based on the clock signal.

"Operation J" In the present invention having the above configuration, the plurality of beams emitted from the plurality of beam generating parts are incident on the plurality of optical waveguide arrays corresponding to each one by the scanning means, and the plurality of beams are emitted from the optical waveguide array. By being emitted from the end,
irradiated onto the recording medium. Moreover, the plurality of beams are
Each image signal is modulated by a single clock signal whose timing is matched to one position signal detected by the detection means.

[Example 1] Hereinafter, an example embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the recording apparatus 10 includes a light source 1a.
, lb, and lc, and condensing optical systems 2a, 2b, and 2c that condense the light beams a, b, and c from the light sources 1a, lb, and lc, respectively, and the light beams a and b.

An optical waveguide array 4a is formed by arranging a rotating reflecting mirror 3 for scanning C at a constant angular velocity, and a large number of optical waveguides for propagating the light beams a, b, and c.

4b, 4c, a photodetector 7 which generates a position signal consisting of an electric signal by the passage of a light beam, a clock signal generating means 11 which generates one clock signal based on the position signal, and each light source 1a.

It includes an image modulator 12 for modulating light beams a, b, and c from lb and lc based on image signals assigned to each, and a photosensitive drum 20 that is a recording medium for the light beams.

The light sources 1a, lb, and lc include semiconductor lasers. As the condensing optical system, a SELFOC lens (manufactured by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.) can be mentioned. Examples of the rotating reflecting mirror 3 include a polygon mirror and a galvano mirror. Optical waveguide array 4
a, 4b, and 4c are made by molding resin, and their entrance ends are formed in an arc shape surrounding the rotating reflecting mirror 3, and their exit ends are parallel to the central axis of the photosensitive drum 20. It is formed in a straight line and has the function of performing linear conversion within the scanning of the light beam. Furthermore, the output end is disposed in close contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 20.

A light beam a from such light sources 1a, lb, lc.

The light beams b and c are focused by the focusing optical systems 2a, 2b, and 2c corresponding to the light sources 1a, lb, and lc, respectively, and scanned at a constant angular velocity by the rotating reflector 3 to form the respective light beams a and b. , c, which are in one-to-one correspondence, are incident on the input ends of the plurality of optical waveguide arrays 4a, 4b, and 4C, propagated through the respective optical waveguides, and emitted from the output ends, and irradiated onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 20. be done. As a result, image information is linearly scanned at a constant speed and sequentially recorded on the photosensitive drum 20.

The planar arrangement of this recording apparatus will be explained using FIG. 2.

The light sources 1a, lb, and lc are arranged so as to have angles and distances when viewed from the rotation axis of the rotary reflecting mirror 3.

Further, the input end of the optical waveguide array 4 is similarly arranged so as to have an angle and a distance when viewed from the rotation axis of the rotary reflecting mirror 3.

And light beams a from light sources 1a, lb, lc.

b, c, by the rotation of the rotating reflecting mirror 3, the optical waveguide arrays 4a, 4b are simultaneously scanned in the direction of the arrow.

These members are precisely aligned in advance so that the light enters the front ends 5a, 5b, and 5c of the incident end of the light beam 4c. Moreover, this optical waveguide array 4a.

The output ends of 4b and 4c are all overlapped on the same straight line without deviation.

Next, the vertical arrangement of this recording apparatus will be explained with reference to FIG.

The light sources 1a, lb, and lc are arranged to have a width W in the vertical direction. Moreover, optical waveguide arrays 4a, 4b,
The incident end of 4c is similarly arranged to have a width W in the vertical direction. These members are precisely arranged in advance so that the light beams a, b, and c from the light sources 1a, lb, and lc are reflected at the same horizontal position of the rotating reflector 3 and are incident on the optical waveguide arrays 4a, 4b, and 4c. is aligned to. In this way, the light sources 1a, lb, lc
Unlike traditional recording devices, which place the
The above-mentioned width W can be freely selected regardless of the sizes of the light sources 1a, lb, and lc. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously obtain a plurality of adjacent scanning lines with very fine widths without using expensive components such as micro semiconductor laser arrays.

As a numerical example, assuming that the light sources 1a, lb, and lc have a diameter of 5 mm, W=0.1 mm, L=70 mmXD=
You can choose 10deg.

Furthermore, since the light beams a, b, and c are irradiated so as to be reflected at the same horizontal position on the rotating reflector 3, there is no need to increase the thickness of the rotating reflector 3 in the vertical direction, and a single light beam It is possible to use the same rotating reflector as in the case of the present invention.

Returning to FIG. 1 again, the invention points of this recording apparatus will be explained.

Conventionally, when information was recorded using multiple beams shifted in the main scanning direction, the light beams crossed the photodetector at the beginning of scanning, and the output of the photodetector was used to write each light beam onto the recording medium. Controlling the positions so that they match requires complicated control, such as requiring multiple clock signals.

In this embodiment, a plurality of optical waveguide arrays 4a, 4b
, 4c, and a plurality of optical waveguide arrays 4a, 4b,
By arranging the photodetector 7 at one of the heads 5a, 5b, and 5c at the input end of the beam 4c, the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks can be eliminated and each beam can be detected without any control. A light beam recording device that can match the writing start position on a recording medium will be described.

That is, one position signal is formed by the light beam C passing through the photodetector 7, and based on this, the clock signal generating means 11 generates only one clock signal. By applying this clock signal to the image modulator 12, each light source 1a, 1b, 1
The light beams a, b, and c emitted from c are each modulated based on image information.

Here, as explained using FIG. 2, the light sources la, l
The light beams a, b, and c from the optical waveguide arrays 4a, 4b, and lc are scanned in the direction of the arrow by the rotation of the rotating reflecting mirror 3. , 5c, these members are precisely aligned in advance, and the optical waveguide array 4a.

The output ends of 4b and 4c are all overlapped on the same straight line without deviation. Therefore, at the same time, the optical waveguide array 4
The leading end 5a is at the input end of a, 4b, and 4c.

Light beams a and b are incident sequentially from 5b and 5c.

The light beams C are propagated within the optical waveguide and are emitted from the output end at the same time so as to be vertically adjacent to each other with a width W.

The function of this optical waveguide makes it possible to perform high-density recording even with such multiple beam scanning.

By configuring a recording device in this way, expensive components such as an f-theta lens that focuses multiple light beams on a recording medium at the same time, and a clock signal generating means that generates multiple types of clock signals are required. Even with an inexpensive and simple configuration, it is possible to obtain a recording apparatus that can accurately match the image writing start position and perform high-density image recording without the need for .

Furthermore, as mentioned above, even if the light emitting point position and the light beam emission angle for the light sources 1a, lb, and lc vary from product to product, the condensing optical systems 2a, 2b, and 2c are different from each other. Since there is a one-to-one correspondence, by adjusting the position of each optical waveguide array 4a,
As a result, the optical waveguide array 4a does not cause errors or variations in the imaging position or imaging spot at the incident end of the optical waveguide array 4b, 4c.
.

A light beam a is emitted from the emission ends of 4b and 4c.

It also has the effect of not causing errors or variations in the imaging position or imaging spot on the photosensitive drum as shown in b and c.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and modifications can be made as appropriate.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the recording device according to the present invention, even with an inexpensive and simple configuration, it is possible to accurately match the image writing position and perform high-density recording. It has the effect of being

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 show embodiments embodying the present invention, FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a recording apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outline of a recording apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the recording apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 10 is a recording device, 20 is a recording medium, and a. b, c are beams, la, lb, lc are beam generators, 3
is a scanning means; 4a, 4b, 4c are optical waveguide arrays; 12
7 is a modulation means, 7 is a detection means, and 11 is a clock signal generation means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A beam generator comprising a plurality of beam generators that irradiate a plurality of beams modulated by a recording signal onto a recording medium, and a scanning means that scans the plurality of beams; In a recording device in which adjacent ones of the plurality of beams to be irradiated are arranged at right angles to the scanning direction of the beams, a plurality of light beams for respectively propagating the plurality of light beams scanned by the scanning means are provided. an optical waveguide array; a modulating means for modulating the plurality of beams based on image information; a detecting means for detecting the scanning position of the beam and generating one position signal; based on the position signal. and clock signal generation means for generating a single clock signal, and by applying the single clock signal generated by the clock signal generation means to the modulation means, the plurality of beams are transmitted at the same timing. A recording device characterized in that modulation is performed based on each piece of image information.