| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stabilize the image density adjustment, by detecting the toner amount of the developed patch image and adjusting the development density that affects the toner amount. <P>SOLUTION: This image forming apparatus has a photoconductor, a charging means, and a writing optical unit to scan in the x direction to expose the photoconductor with a laser light, a developing means, and a transfer means. Further, it has a latent pattern image creating means for forming an electrostatic latent image of a horizontal pattern patch consisting of horizontal lines extending in the x direction and distributed with the predetermined pitch in the vertical scanning y direction on a photoconductor by using an optical unit, a potential sensor to detect the potential of the electrostatic latent image, an adjuster for adjust the potential handling parameters based on the detected potential, a toner amount sensor for detecting the toner amount in the horizontal line pattern patch image, and a means for adjusting the developed toner density, based on the amount of the detected toner amount. The writing optical unit turns on the laser-emitting optical element on DC for the length of the horizontal line of the horizontal line pattern patch. The potential handling parameter is the lighting current value of the laser-emitting element. The toner density adjusting means replenishes toner to the developing means, to keep its amount as the predetermined level, based on the toner amount detected by the amount sensor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT |
