Patent ID: 6747940
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An optical writing head, comprising:a plurality of self-scanning light-emitting element array chips, each chip including, a transfer element array having such a structure that a plurality of three-terminal transfer elements each having a control electrode for controlling threshold voltage or current are linearly arranged, the control electrodes of the transfer elements neighbored to each other are connected via an electrically unidirectional element, a power supply line is connected to all the control electrodes via respective load resistors, and n-phase (n is an integer&gE;2) clock lines are connected to one of two terminals other than the control electrode of each of the transfer elements, repeatedly at intervals of n transfer elements, and a light-emitting element array having such a structure that a plurality of three-terminal light-emitting elements each having a control electrode for controlling threshold voltage or current are linearly arranged, each control electrodes of the light-emitting element array is connected to the control electrodes of the corresponding transfer element, and a line for applying a write signal connected to one of two terminals other than the control electrode of each of the light-emitting elements is provided; and wherein a start pulse bus line is commonly connected to the respective chips, n-phases clock pulse bus lines are commonly connected to the respective chips, and write signal bus lines are separately connected to the respective chips.