Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090009826 | Optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus including same - An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source configured to emit a light beam which scans an object to be scanned, a light source retainer configured to retain the light source, a holder including an engaging portion and configured to detachably hold the light source retainer in an optical axis direction of the light source, and a first biasing member configured to bias the light source retainer engaging the engaging portion against the engaging portion in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, so that the light source retainer is pressed against the engaging portion. A contact position of the light source retainer and the first biasing member in the optical axis direction is within an engaging area where the engaging portion and the light source retainer engage in the optical axis direction. | 01-08-2009 |
20090295899 | Optical scanner and image forming apparatus incorporating same - An optical scanner includes at least one light source, an optical element, a deflective scanner, an optical housing, a pressing member, and a mounting member. The light source emits a light beam to an object. The optical element forms the light beam emitted from the light source into a desired shape. The deflective scanner deflects the light beam. The optical housing stores the optical element and the deflective scanner, and includes at least one positioning member. The positioning member positions the light source in an axial direction of the light source. The pressing member presses the light source toward the positioning member to sandwich the light source between the pressing member and the positioning member and mount the light source on the optical housing. The mounting member fastens the pressing member to the optical housing. | 12-03-2009 |
20100309277 | LIGHT SOURCE UNIT, OPTICAL SCANNER INCLUDING SAME, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE OPTICAL SCANNER - A light source unit includes a holder, a light source, coupling lens, and a support member. The light source is supported by the holder and projects a light beam against a target. The coupling lens adjusts an optical axis of the light beam. The support member contacts the holder and the coupling lens to fix the coupling lens in place on the holder after the coupling lens adjusts the optical axis of the light beam. The holder and the coupling lens are adhered to the support member using an adhesive agent. An optical scanner includes a rotary deflector to deflect and scan the light projected from the light source unit, a scan optical element to focus the light deflected by the rotary deflector, and the light source unit. An image forming apparatus includes the optical scanner. | 12-09-2010 |
20110199663 | Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus - An optical scanning device of opposed scanning type, includes: a plurality of light sources, being arranged substantially symmetrically about a rotating deflection unit; a group of pre-deflection optical elements including optical elements that make the light beams incident on the rotating deflection unit; and scanning optical systems which are distributed to right and left with the rotating deflection unit as an axis of symmetry, wherein optical elements of the respective scanning optical systems are arranged substantially symmetrically about the rotating deflection unit, wherein a plurality of rib structures are arranged on respective areas of an optical housing substrate, the areas extends from the respective light sources to a vicinity of the rotating deflection unit, and the plurality of rib structures are arranged asymmetrically in the right and left optical systems with the rotating deflection unit as the axis of symmetry. | 08-18-2011 |
20110199664 | Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus - An optical scanning device includes: a light source; a polygon scanner that deflects a light beam output from the light source; and various types of optical elements for focusing the light beam deflected by the polygon scanner onto a desired position on a surface to be scanned, wherein a hole or a thin-walled portion that is provided on an arrangement surface of an optical housing on which the polygon scanner and an optical element having power in a sub-scanning direction are arranged, wherein the hole or a thin-walled portion extends along a main-scanning direction, and is provided near to the optical element having power in the sub-scanning direction between the polygon scanner and the optical element having power in the sub-scanning direction. | 08-18-2011 |
20110310455 | CURVE CORRECTION MECHANISM, OPTICAL SCANNER, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - A curve correction mechanism for correcting a direction and degree of curvature of a reflecting mirror that reflects a light beam includes an adjuster to contact and move a pressing member between a first position, where a first pressing portion of the pressing member presses against an outboard portion of the reflecting mirror provided outboard from a support that supports the reflecting mirror in a longitudinal direction of the reflecting mirror while a second pressing portion of the pressing member is isolated from the reflecting mirror, and a second position, where the second pressing portion of the pressing member presses against an inboard portion of the reflecting mirror provided inboard from the support while the first pressing portion of the pressing member is isolated from the reflecting mirror. | 12-22-2011 |
20110316958 | OPTICAL SCANNER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - An optical scanner includes a housing, a light source, a polygon mirror, an optical device, and a holder. The housing includes a mounting portion. The light source projects light. The polygon mirror is enclosed within the housing and rotates to deflect the light projected from the light source. The optical device is disposed substantially near the polygon mirror. The holder is disposed within the housing and attached to the housing at the mounting portion, and holds the optical device in place. A distance L | 12-29-2011 |
20120062685 | Optical scanner and image forming apparatus including same - An optical scanner includes a light source, an optical part, a housing, and a retainer. The light source projects light against a target. The optical part is disposed on a light path between the light source and the target. The housing houses the light source and the optical part. The retainer fixed to the housing holds the optical part and includes a plurality of flanges disposed along an outer circumference of the retainer. One of the plurality of flanges of the retainer is adhered to the housing an adhesive agent. An image forming apparatus includes the optical scanner. | 03-15-2012 |
20120200655 | Optical Scanner And Image Forming Apparatus Including Same - An optical scanner includes a light source, an optical part, an enclosure, and a retainer. The light source projects light against a target. The optical part is disposed on a light path between the light source and the target. The enclosure houses the light source and the optical part. The retainer is fixed to the enclosure and includes a plurality of optical part mounts of identical shape and different sizes. The optical part is adhered to one of the plurality of optical part mounts. | 08-09-2012 |
20120300008 | OPTICAL WRITER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - An optical writer includes a light source, an optical part, a housing, and an elastically deformable retainer. The light source projects light against a target. The optical part is disposed on a light path between the light source and the target. The housing houses the light source and the optical part. The elastically deformable retainer is detachably fixed to the housing and includes a plurality of contact portions on an inner surface of the retainer to hold the optical part. The retainer elastically deforms to separate at least one of the contact portions from other contact portions to hold the optical part by the plurality of contact portions. | 11-29-2012 |
20130106971 | OPTICAL SCANNER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME | 05-02-2013 |
20130176602 | LIGHT BEAM SCANNING DEVICE, IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, AND SCANNING LINE ADJUSTING METHOD - A light beam scanning device scans a luminous flux irradiated from a light source and deflected by a deflector to a scanned surface through an optical system having a set of mirrors. A apparatus, such as the light beam scanning device, further includes a scanning line curve adjusting device to bend a first mirror of the set of mirrors so as to correct a curve in a scanning line on the scanned surface, and a scanning line tilt adjusting device to change orientation of a second mirror of the set of mirrors so as to correct a tilt in the scanning line on the scanned surface. The light beam scanning device may be provided in an image forming apparatus. | 07-11-2013 |
20130251407 | OPTICAL SCANNER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME - An optical scanner includes a light source, an optical element, a deflector, a casing, and a first cover. The deflector deflects the light beam emitted from the light source to scan a photoreceptor through the optical element. The casing includes an upper opening, walls including a transparent plate defining a deflector compartment to accommodate the deflector, and an optical element mounting portion to accommodate the light source and the optical element. The first cover covers the upper opening of the casing and includes a recessed portion recessed toward the bottom of the casing and including a first opening at the bottom thereof facing the deflector. The recessed portion and the walls are directly or indirectly connected to define a single continuous space isolating the deflector compartment from the optical element mounting portion. The recessed portion and the deflector compartment communicate via the first opening. | 09-26-2013 |
20140146121 | OPTICAL SCANNING APPARATUS, METHOD FOR PERFORMING THE SAME AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanning apparatus for optically scanning at least one scanning target surface, the optical scanning apparatus including: a light source; a light-flux dividing unit disposed on a main optical path of a main light flux emitted from the light source, and the light-flux dividing unit configured to spatially divide the main light flux; an optical deflector disposed on a divided optical path of the divided light flux, and the optical deflector configured to deflect the divided optical path; an optical path opening/closing switch unit disposed on the divided optical path between the light-flux dividing unit and the optical deflector, and the optical path opening/closing switch unit configured to interrupt or pass at least one of the divided optical path; and a controller configured to control operation of interrupting or passing the at least one of the divided optical path by the optical path opening/closing switch unit. | 05-29-2014 |
20140146332 | OPTICAL SCANNER AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SAME - An optical scanner, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes a light source including a recessed portion provided on an outer circumference thereof, and a housing configured to support the light source. The housing includes a positioning unit configured to position the light source in a vertical optical axis of the light source, and a cutout provided on an inner circumference of the positioning unit. The light source is positioned to the positioning unit with the recessed portion being disposed at the cutout and then is fixed to the housing. The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier configured to form an image on a surface thereof, and the above-described optical scanner. | 05-29-2014 |
20140146375 | OPTICAL SCANNING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical scanning device includes an optical housing; an elongated optical element arranged in the optical housing and having a shape extending in a main-scanning direction; a retaining member provided at a side opposite to a surface of the optical housing on which the optical element is arranged to maintain an attachment attitude of the optical element in the optical housing; a curvature adjusting unit configured to adjust a curvature of the elongated optical element in a scanning line via the retaining member; a tilt adjusting unit configured to adjust a tilt of the optical element in the scanning line by making the optical element rotate on an optical axis via the retaining member; and a positioning unit configured to position the optical element in the optical axis direction, and provided in the optical housing and having such a shape that the optical element fits the positioning unit. | 05-29-2014 |
20140354757 | OPTICAL WRITING DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS - An optical writing device includes a light source, an optical deflector that deflects and scans light from the light source, a pre-deflector optical system that guides the light from the light source to the deflector, a post-deflector optical system that guides the scanned light to a target surface, a cover covering the deflector and including a first opening and a second opening provided at different positions, and a housing housing these optical elements. Light traveling from the light source to the deflector and the light scanned by the deflector are transmitted through the first opening but not through the second opening. During the rotation of the deflector, a forced inflow of air flowing from outside to inside the cover is generated in the first opening, and a discharged airflow flowing from inside to outside the cover is generated in the second opening. | 12-04-2014 |