A laser imager for a printing system, comprising a plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers arranged in a linear array on a common substrate chip and including a common cathode and a dedicated control channel associated with an address trace line for each laser of the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers, and optical elements arranged in a linear lens array configured to capture and focus light from the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers onto a imaging member, wherein the plurality of independently addressable surface emitting lasers arranged in a linear array and the optical elements arranged in a linear lens array operate together to image the imaging member.

A method for enhancing resolution of a radiation sensitive microcapsule-based printer includes generating multiple subpixels in a sub-scan direction. The method further includes mapping multiple grids onto a photosensitive medium, the multiple grids corresponding to the multiple subpixels. The method further includes determining an exposure energy required for each grid of the multiple grids. The method further includes allocating the exposure energy required for each grid into a first exposure level and a second exposure level. The method further includes exposing each grid of the photosensitive medium to the corresponding first exposure level and the corresponding second exposure level sequentially as the photosensitive medium passes through the radiation sensitive microcapsule-based printer in the sub-scan direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a unit configured to perform image forming operation, a unit board in the unit, a wiring configured to be connected to the unit board, and a control board configured to be connected to the unit board with the wiring and control the unit. The unit board includes a connector to which the wiring is to be connected. A length of the connector in a longitudinal direction of the connector is longer than a length of the unit board in a widthwise direction of the unit board, and the longitudinal direction of the connector intersects the widthwise direction of the unit board.

A motor includes a stationary unit and a rotation unit. The rotation unit includes a rotor hub, an annular body, and a clamp. The rotor hub is mounted with a first magnet opposite to the stator. The annular body is supported on an outer circumferential portion of the rotor hub. The clamp is directly or indirectly fixed to the rotor hub farther radially inside than the annular body, and presses the annular body to an axially lower side. The rotor hub includes a flange that expands radially outside from at least a portion excluding an upper end portion. On a surface of the clamp, a pattern to be detected to detect rotation of the rotation unit positioned in a circumferential direction with the central axis as the center is provided. The annular body is sandwiched between the flange and the clamp in an axial direction.

A drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes, when performing drawing on a thermal recording medium that includes a light-transmitting member above a recording layer, obtaining information regarding the light-transmitting member, predicting an optical axis deviation of a laser beam in the recording layer from the information regarding the light-transmitting member, and calculating a correction amount from a result of the prediction of the optical axis deviation.

A drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes, when performing drawing on a thermal recording medium that includes a light-transmitting member above a recording layer, obtaining information regarding the light-transmitting member, predicting an optical axis deviation of a laser beam in the recording layer from the information regarding the light-transmitting member, and calculating a correction amount from a result of the prediction of the optical axis deviation.

In an optical scanning device, an outer wall closest to a circumscribed circle of a rotating polygon mirror has a space in a position facing to a position of a reflection surface of the rotating polygon mirror in an axial direction of a rotating shaft. A part of a cover is provided in a position farther from the circumscribed circle than the outer wall so as to close the space, when the optical scanning device is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

A print head includes a first emitting element on a substrate facing a lens. A light output level of the first element is controllable to be within a predetermined range. A second emitting element on the substrate has a light output level that is not controllable to be within the predetermined range. A first driving circuit is connected to the first emitting element. A capacitor is in the first driving circuit and the current supplied to the first emitting element is set by the capacitor voltage. A second driving circuit is connected to the second emitting element to supply current to the second emitting element. A memory stores correction values for the setting of the capacitor voltages for the first and second driving circuits. When capacitor voltage for the second driving circuit is set according to the stored correction value, the capacitor voltage is less than a predetermined threshold.

A print head includes a first emitting element on a substrate facing a lens. A light output level of the first element is controllable to be within a predetermined range. A second emitting element on the substrate has a light output level that is not controllable to be within the predetermined range. A first driving circuit is connected to the first emitting element. A capacitor is in the first driving circuit and the current supplied to the first emitting element is set by the capacitor voltage. A second driving circuit is connected to the second emitting element to supply current to the second emitting element. A memory stores correction values for the setting of the capacitor voltages for the first and second driving circuits. When capacitor voltage for the second driving circuit is set according to the stored correction value, the capacitor voltage is less than a predetermined threshold.

An image forming apparatus with accurate color shift correction with consideration of a change in a rotational speed of a driving portion of a laser scanning member includes a light source, the laser scanning member, a driving portion, a speed controlling portion, a light detecting portion, a light source controlling portion, a scanning lens, a housing, a temperature gradient detecting portion, a first temperature detecting portion, and a correction processing portion. The temperature gradient detecting portion detects a temperature gradient in the housing. The first temperature detecting portion detects a temperature of the scanning lens. The correction processing portion corrects an emission start timing at which light corresponding to a line of image data is emitted from the light source, based on the temperatures detected by the temperature gradient detecting portion and the first temperature detecting portion, the rotational speed of the driving portion, and a preset arithmetic expression.