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Abstract

An image forming apparatus, including a driving circuit for a multichip laser chip, which can limit or interrupt emission of laser light sources in accordance with a result of comparison of an optical output of each laser light source with a limiting value during time-division control is provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of laser light source, a light-amount control device for controlling an optical output of a laser beam from each of the plurality of laser light sources to a constant amount of light by performing time division processing, and a light detection device for detecting optical outputs of the plurality of laser light sources. The light detection device includes sensor units whose number is smaller than the number of the plurality of laser light sources. The apparatus also includes a limiting-value setting device for setting a limiting value for each optical output, a comparison device for comparing a time-division detection signal for a laser beam detected by the light detection device with the limiting value set by the limiting-value setting means during the time-division light-amount control by the light-amount control device, an emission control device for controlling emission of the plurality of laser light sources in accordance with an output signal from the comparison device, and a recording medium on which an image is formed by the plurality of laser beams.

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First Claim