Patent ID: 8619318
Filing Date: 2013-12-31
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit having a plurality of scanning-line generating portions, each operable, in dependence upon image data applied thereto, to cause a light beam to scan across an image bearing member along a scanning line, the scanning lines of the plurality of scanning-line generating portions being parallel to one another and being spaced apart one from the next by a predetermined pitch that is smaller than a line pitch of the image data; and a line-pitch adjustment unit, connected for receiving the image data and pitch adjustment data for adjusting a pitch of the scanning lines, configured to be operable to control the application of the image data to the plurality of scanning-line generating portions such that the image data of two successive lines of the image data is applied to scanning-line generating portions whose respective scanning lines are spaced apart by a spacing different from the image-data line pitch, wherein said line-pitch adjustment unit is operable in a first scanning cycle to apply the image data of two successive lines to scanning-line generating portions whose respective scanning lines are spaced apart by a first predetermined number of scanning lines, and is operable in a second scanning cycle to apply the image data of two successive lines to scanning-line generating portions whose respective scanning lines are spaced apart by a second predetermined number of scanning lines, different from the first predetermined number, and wherein the first predetermined number is set according to a ratio of the predetermined pitch and the image-data line pitch.