Photo-electric converter and image forming apparatus incorporating the same

• US 4,479,149 A
• Filed: 06/17/1980
• Issued: 10/23/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Seishiro, Hirai, Yutaka, Nakagiri, Takashi, Fukuda, Tadaji, Fukaya, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): CARDILLO JR, RAYMOND
• Application Number:
  US06/160,160
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 358/293-294, 358/285, 358/213, 250/211 R, 250/211 J
• US Class Current: 358/482
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14665 Imagers using a photoconductor layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19505 Scanning picture elements spaced apart from one another in at least one direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1951 in one direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19531 Reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19563 about an axis perpendicular to the optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/19584 Combination of arrays

Abstract

A photo-electric converter principally constructed with a photo-electric conversion unit wherein m×n photo-electric conversion elements, each having a light receiving window to form a pel and constructed with a layer of light receiving body and two electrodes provided on both sides thereof, are arranged two-dimensionally in an array of m ranks and n files, and wherein the light receiving windows of the photo-electric conversion elements constituting a rank are arranged at an equally spaced pitch of an integral multiple of that of pels. A signal processing circuit processes and produces as an output a signal which has been subjected to the photo-electric conversion in the photo-electric conversion unit.

Claims

1. A photo-electric converter, comprising:

(a) photo-electric conversion means comprising m×

n photo-electric conversion elements, each element being constructed with a layer of light receiving material and two electrodes and having a light receiving window which defines a pel, said elements being arranged two-dimensionally in an array of m ranks and n files, wherein the light receiving windows of said photo-electric conversion elements constituting a rank are arranged at a pitch of an integral number s of pels and the light receiving windows of said photo-electric conversion elements constituting a file are arranged at a pitch of an integral number t of pels;

(b) means for stepwise reading an original image at a resolution of s×

n pels in the horizontal direction and t×

m pels in the vertical direction and for forming s×

t partial images on said m×

n photo-electric conversion elements by performing original image reading at s steps of one pel in the horizontal direction and at t steps of one pel in the vertical direction; and

(c) signal processing circuitry to process the s×

t partial images which have been subjected to photoelectric conversion in said photo-electric conversion means.

2. The photo-electric converter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said light receiving body layer forms a hetero-junction with one of said electrodes at a light incidence side, and an ohmic contact with the other electrode.

3. The photo-electric converter as set forth in claim 1, wherein said light receiving body layer is constructed with a photo-conductive material selected from a group consisting of hydrogenated amorphous silicon, Se, SeTe, and PbO.