Patent ID: 8666265
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a photoconductor; an exposure unit configured to expose said photoconductor to a light beam to form an electrostatic latent image on said photoconductor; a development unit configured to develop the electrostatic latent image with a toner; a change unit configured to change a height of toner image formed on a surface of said photoconductor by changing an exposure spot area of the light beam on the surface of said photoconductor; a formation unit configured to control said exposure unit, said development unit, and said change unit so that a plurality of test patterns, corresponding to different exposure spot areas respectively, are formed on a recording sheet; a read unit configured to read the plurality of test patterns formed on the recording sheet; and a control unit configured to detect graininess of each of the plurality of test patterns based on information about the plurality of test patterns read by said read unit, to determine an exposure spot area where the graininess becomes good relatively, and to control the height of toner image on the photoconductor by setting the exposure spot area determined so as to be an exposure spot area for image formation.