Patent ID: 8699096
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus that forms an image with a light beam modulated by image data, the image forming apparatus comprising: a light source that includes a plurality of light emitting units and outputs a light beam; a deflector that deflects the light beam from the light source; a scanning optical system that focuses the light beam deflected by the deflector; and an image carrying member that is located at a focal position of the light beam and includes a surface that is scanned in a main scanning direction with the light beam focused by the scanning optical system, wherein each individual pixel of the image is formed by a plurality of light spots having different focal positions in at least a sub-scanning direction; each individual pixel is scanned at least twice in the main scanning direction, such that, for each individual pixel, at least one light spot forming part of a single pixel is formed on the surface of the image carrying member during one of the at least two scans that is different from ones of the at least two scans during which the rest of the plurality of light spots forming part of the single pixel are formed; wherein the light emitting units are surface-emitting lasers, and the light source is a two-dimensional surface-emitting laser array; and wherein the image carrying member is scanned along a plurality of scan lines by a plurality of light beams at one time of scanning, and (k−1)×L