Apparatus with beam shifting assembly means controlled to increase recording resolution

摘要

An electrophotographic recording apparatus and method wherein an electrophotographic recording medium is continuously moved in a first direction relative to a row of light-emitting recording elements such as LEDs. A beam shifter assembly is located within an optical path between the LEDs and the recording medium. The beam shifter assembly is operable in a first mode to pass light from the LEDs without substantial lateral shifting and in a second mode to pass light with substantial shifting of said light in a lateral direction having a directional component parallel to the row of LEDs. A control is provided for controlling the beam shifter assembly in different modes on alternate recording time lines of exposure. This helps minimize in-track artifacts. The apparatus is also operable in a multiaddress mode that is automatically instituted when a higher resolution image scanner is used or when a higher resolution character font library is input for recording.