Patent attributes
An image forming apparatus includes an exposure unit, a developing unit and a transferring unit that transfers a visualized image of developer to an image recording medium. The exposure unit includes a light emitting unit, a detecting unit that detects a quantity of light, a reference voltage generating portion that generates a reference voltage set in accordance with a targeted value of the quantity of light, an emitted-light quantity control circuit that controls the quantity of light emitted from the light emitting unit so that a detection voltage becomes equal to a value of the reference voltage, and a reference voltage control portion that controls the reference voltage generating portion so as to change the reference voltage at a predetermined rate in stages. A new reference voltage is based on a density of the image of the developer obtained after being changed when the density is changed.
