IMAGING DEVICE ARRAY AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20130314754A1
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Tec Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: SHIRAISHI, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,947,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/475
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/26 for reproducing with unit magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/086 wherein the system is made of a single block of optical material, e.g. solid catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0068 arranged in a single integral body or plate, e.g. laminates or hybrid structures with other optical elements G02B5/1885, G02B17/002, G02B30/27 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14629 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00997 Light control, e.g. shielding from ambient light or preventing light leakage
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0311 using an array of elements to project the scanned image elements onto the photodetectors H04N1/0318 takes precedence

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an imaging device array includes a plurality of imaging devices integrally including an incidence surface that converges light in the primary scanning direction, plural reflective surfaces that reflect light from the incidence surface multiple times, and an exit surface through which light that has reflected at the plural reflective surfaces exits the array. At least one of the plural reflective surfaces is formed at the apex of a protrusion that protrudes outwardly from the surface of the array, and the light that is output from the exit surface is imaged at an image point.

Claims

1. An imaging device array for an imaging apparatus having a primary and a secondary scanning direction comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices integrally including an incidence surface that converges light in the primary scanning direction;

a plurality of reflective surfaces that reflect light from the incidence surface multiple times;

and an exit surface that outputs light that has gone through the plurality of reflective surfaces;

wherein

in the imaging device, at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces is formed on the apex of a protrusion, and the light that is exits the imaging device at the exit surface is imaged at an image point.

2. The imaging device array according to claim 1, wherein

the imaging device includes an incidence lens surface to which light enters as the incidence surface, and has an exit lens surface through which light that has been reflected by the plurality of reflective surfaces exits the imaging device;

and

the plurality of imaging devices are arranged in the primary scanning direction of an imaging apparatus.

3. The imaging device array according to claim 1, wherein

in the imaging device, among the plurality of reflective surfaces, at least one of a first reflective surface that is positioned adjacent to the incidence surface and a second reflective surface that is positioned adjacent to the exit surface is formed on the apex of a protrusion.

4. The imaging device array according to claim 3, wherein

in the imaging device, a light shielding layer is formed on a wall surface of the protrusion on which the first reflective surface or the second reflective surface is formed.

5. The imaging device array according to claim 1, wherein,

among the plurality of reflective surfaces, at least one has a shape that is each asymmetric in the direction perpendicular to the primary scanning direction.

6. The imaging device array according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of reflective surfaces are arranged with an angle that fulfills a total reflection condition to all of the light that contribute to image forming.

7. The imaging device array according to claim 1, wherein

the incidence surface or the exit surface of the plurality of imaging devices that are arranged in the primary scanning direction respectively are in contact with one another.

8. The imaging device array according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of imaging devices are provided, and a surface that inhibits the progression of light other than light that is reflected at the reflective surfaces to the exit surface is formed between at least one of the reflective surfaces among the plurality of reflective surfaces.

9. An imaging device array comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices integrally including a lens surface or a mirror surface that converges light in the primary scanning direction;

a plurality of reflective surfaces that reflect light from the lens surface or the mirror surface that converges the light in the primary scanning direction multiple rounds; and

an exit surface that through which light that has been reflected at the plurality of reflective surfaces exits, wherein

at least one of the plurality of reflective surfaces is formed at the apex of a protrusion and the light that exits from the exit surface is imaged at an image point.

10. The imaging device array of claim 9, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces comprises more than one and less than seven.

11. The imaging device array of claim 9, wherein a reflective surface formed at the apex of the protrusion is tapered in the direction of light passing through the imaging device array.

12. The imaging device array of claim 9, wherein at least one reflective surface has positive power in primary scanning direction.

13. The imaging device array of claim 11, wherein the tapered surface is a flat mirror having a smaller reflective surface width in the taper direction thereof.

14. The imaging device array of claim 13, wherein at least one of the reflective surfaces is a focusing surface.

15. A method of directing light from an original image to an image plane, comprising:

providing a plurality of reflective surfaces, wherein at least one reflective surface disposed between the original image and image plane is formed having a side wall extending therefrom in the direction of light incident thereon; and

reflecting stray light at the sidewall and directing the light to a location other than the image plane.

16. The method of claim 15, further including the step of providing a lens adjacent the original image.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of positioning a plurality of individual first lenses side by said across the primary scanning direction of an image, wherein each lens is coupled to discrete reflective surfaces.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of providing exit lenses at the image plane, each lens in light communication with a single first lens.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the reflective surfaces has positive power in secondary scanning direction.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein at least one of the reflective surfaces is asymmetric.