Patent ID: 11868061
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 10:
11. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first photoconductive body;
a second photoconductive body disposed adjacent to the first photoconductive body along a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the first photoconductive body and the second photoconductive body;
a first light source configured to emit a first light beam;
a second light source configured to emit a second light beam;
a deflector configured to deflect the first light beam emitted by the first light source and the second light beam emitted by the second light source;
a scanning optical system configured to image the first light beam deflected by the deflector onto the first photoconductive body, and image the second light beam deflected by the deflector onto the second photoconductive body;
a first developing unit including a first developing roller configured to supply developer to the first photoconductive body;
a second developing unit including a second developing roller configured to supply developer to the second photoconductive body;
an optical sensor configured to detect the first light beam deflected by the deflector;
a cam configured to press the second developing unit and move the second developing unit to a first position where an optical path of the first light beam from the scanning optical system to the first photoconductive body is opened, and to a second position where the optical path is closed by the second developing unit; and
a controller configured to:
start driving the deflector;
when the second developing unit is in the second position to close the optical path, cause the first light source to emit the first light beam, thereby obtaining a detection signal of the first light beam from the optical sensor; and
after obtaining the detecting signal, control the cam to move the second developing unit to the first position, thereby keeping the second developing unit from closing the optical path.