Method of setting density for image recording apparatus

• US 5,302,972 A
• Filed: 10/21/1991
• Issued: 04/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Reinhart, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US07/779,823
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 358/298, 358/296, 358/300, 358/302, 346/108, 346/762, 346/160
• US Class Current: 347/251
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/471 using dot sequential main scanning by means of a light deflector, e.g. a rotating polygonal mirror
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/52 Arrangement for printing a discrete number of tones, not covered by group B41J2/205, e.g. applicable to two or more kinds of printing or marking process B41J2/525 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 15/12 by photographic printing , e.g. by laser printers

Abstract

In a method of setting density for an image recording apparatus, an image for measurement having a plurality of regions having different densities is recorded by scanning a photosensitive material with a light beam having a constant intensity while changing light intensity using a light-amount adjusting device. The relationship between the amount of adjustment by the light-amount adjusting device and the density of the recorded image is obtained by measuring the densities of the respective regions of the recorded image for measurement. The light-amount adjusting device is set so that an image having a desired density is obtained according to the obtained relationship.

Claims

1. A method of setting recording density in an image recording apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

supplying a constant intensity light beam;

varying the supplied constant intensity light beam to provide a plurality of amounts of light;

recording a sample image having a plurality of regions, each having different densities, by scanning a photosensitive material with the plurality of amounts of light, each of the different densities corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of amounts of light;

measuring the different densities of the sample image;

obtaining a relationship between the measured different densities and the corresponding plurality of amounts of light; and

setting light-amount adjusting means so that an image having a desired density is recorded according to the obtained relationship.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of performing image recording by generating a modulated light beam according to image information after said setting step.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the constant intensity light beam is varied by rotating a polarizing member disposed in an optical path of the light beam.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the polarizing member comprises a polarizing beam splitter.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the polarizing member comprises a polarizing filter.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the constant intensity light beam is varied by moving a neutral density filter having gradation disposed in the optical path of the light beam.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the light beam comprises a laser beam.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the photosensitive material comprises a film.