Light-emitting device and image forming apparatus

• US 9,672,771 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2015
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Goden, Tatsuhito, Sakaguchi, Kiyofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Armand, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SUIAN
• Application Number:
  US14/818,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20160042688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/04054 by LED arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0819 used for counteracting undesired variations, e.g. feedback or autozeroing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0861 with additional control of the display period without amending the charge stored in a pixel memory, e.g. by means of additional select electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0251 Precharge or discharge of pixel before applying new pixel voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/0262 The addressing of the pixel, in a display other than an active matrix LCD, involving the control of two or more scan electrodes or two or more data electrodes, e.g. pixel voltage dependent on signals of two data electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0223 Compensation for problems related to R-C delay and attenuation in electrodes of matrix panels, e.g. in gate electrodes or on-substrate video signal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/043 Preventing or counteracting the effects of ageing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3233 with pixel circuitry controlling the current through the light-emitting element

Abstract

The present invention provides a light-emitting device including a pixel block including light-emitting elements disposed on a long substrate and aligned in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, pixel circuits connected to the light-emitting elements, a control signal line connected to the pixel circuits, and a pixel block select circuit connected to the control signal line and configured to output a control signal to the pixel circuits. The pixel circuits are divided into a plurality of groups. The control signal line includes first and second interconnection portions. The first interconnection portion is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the substrate and connected to the pixel circuits. The second interconnection portion is disposed in a region between the groups and connected to the pixel block select circuit. The first interconnection portion and the second interconnection portion are connected to each other in the region between the groups.

Claims

1. A light-emitting device comprising:

a pixel block including;

(a) a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on a long substrate and aligned in a longitudinal direction of the substrate,

(b) a plurality of pixel circuits respectively connected to the plurality of light-emitting elements,

(c) a control signal line connected to the plurality of pixel circuits, and

(d) a pixel block select circuit connected to the control signal line and configured to output a control signal to the plurality of pixel circuits,

wherein the plurality of pixel circuits are divided into a plurality of groups,

wherein the control signal line includes a first interconnection portion and a second interconnection portion,

wherein the first interconnection portion is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the substrate and is connected to the plurality of pixel circuits,

wherein the second interconnection portion is disposed in a region between the plurality of groups and is connected to the pixel block select circuit,

wherein the first interconnection portion and the second interconnection portion are connected to each other in the region between the plurality of groups, and

wherein a distance, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the plurality of pixel circuits is smaller than a distance, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the plurality of light-emitting elements.

2. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting device comprises a plurality of the pixel blocks, and

wherein data writing is performed sequentially on the plurality of the pixel blocks on a pixel block basis.

3. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a width of the region, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the plurality of groups is larger than an interval, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the pixel circuits in each of the plurality of groups.

4. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein the pixel block select circuit outputs, to the plurality of pixel circuits, any one of a signal which controls a duration of data writing and a signal which controls a duration of light emission.

5. The light-emitting device according to claim 1, wherein a length of the substrate in the transverse direction is 10 mm or less.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

an exposure unit configured to expose the photosensitive member to light;

a charging unit configured to electrically charge the photosensitive member; and

a developing unit configured to apply a developing agent onto the photosensitive member,

wherein the exposure unit includes a light-emitting device including a pixel block including;

(a) a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on a long substrate and aligned in a longitudinal direction of the substrate,

(b) a plurality of pixel circuits respectively connected to the plurality of light-emitting elements,

(c) a control signal line connected to the plurality of pixel circuits, and

(d) a pixel block select circuit connected to the control signal line and configured to output a control signal to the plurality of pixel circuits,

wherein the plurality of pixel circuits are divided into a plurality of groups,

wherein the control signal line includes a first interconnection portion and a second interconnection portion,

wherein the first interconnection portion is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the substrate and is connected to the plurality of pixel circuits,

wherein the second interconnection portion is disposed in a region between the plurality of groups and is connected to the pixel block select circuit,

wherein the first interconnection portion and the second interconnection portion are connected to each other in the region between the plurality of groups,

wherein a distance, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the plurality of pixel circuits is smaller than a distance, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the plurality of light-emitting elements, and

wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are disposed side by side in an axial direction of the photosensitive member.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:

a photosensitive member;

an exposure unit configured to expose the photosensitive member to light;

a charging unit configured to electrically charge the photosensitive member; and

a developing unit configured to apply a developing agent onto the photosensitive member,

wherein the exposure unit includes a light-emitting device including a pixel block including;

(a) a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on a long substrate and aligned in a longitudinal direction of the substrate,

(b) a plurality of pixel circuits respectively connected to the plurality of light-emitting elements,

(c) a control signal line connected to the plurality of pixel circuits, and

(d) a pixel block select circuit connected to the control signal line and configured to output a control signal to the plurality of pixel circuits,

wherein the plurality of pixel circuits are divided into a plurality of groups,

wherein the control signal line includes a first interconnection portion and a second interconnection portion,

wherein the first interconnection portion is disposed along the longitudinal direction of the substrate and is connected to the plurality of pixel circuits,

wherein the second interconnection portion is disposed in a region between the plurality of groups and is connected to the pixel block select circuit,

wherein the first interconnection portion and the second interconnection portion are connected to each other in the region between the plurality of groups,

wherein a distance, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the plurality of pixel circuits is smaller than a distance, in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, between the plurality of light-emitting elements,

wherein a width of the region between the plurality of groups is larger than an interval between the pixel circuits in each of the plurality of groups, and

wherein the plurality of light-emitting elements are disposed side by side in an axial direction of the photosensitive member.