Variable scanning speed optical scanning device

• US 5,253,085 A
• Filed: 09/25/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yasuaki, Hori, Yasuro, Maruo, Seizi
• Primary Examiner(s): BRINICH, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US07/765,521
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 358/480-481, 358/486, 358/449, 358/487, 355/235, 346/108, 346/160, 250/235-236
• US Class Current: 358/481
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/122 Control of the scanning speed of the polygonal mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0031 for scanning purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/053 in main scanning direction, e.g. synchronisation of line start or picture elements in a line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/1135 for the main-scan only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/12 using the sheet-feed movement or the medium-advance or the drum-rotation movement as the slow scanning component, e.g. arrangements for the main-scanningsheet-feed movement by translatory movement of a flat picture-bearing surface H04N1/1008; main-scanning using oscillating or rotating mirrors H04N1/113; using multi-element arrays H04N1/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/02439 Positioning method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0471 using dedicated detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04732 Detecting at infrequent intervals, e.g. once or twice per line for main-scan control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04744 by detecting the scanned beam or a reference beam
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04755 by controlling the position or movement of a scanning element or carriage, e.g. of a polygonal mirror, of a drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/04794 Varying the control or compensation during the scan, e.g. using continuous feedback or from line to line

Abstract

An optical scanning device which can prevent increase of the weight or capacity involved with distortion correction to sufficiently correct the distortion at low cost. A correction arrangement is provided to control the rotating angular velocity of a scanning rotary mirror in accordance with the scanning position of a scanning face. By controlling the rotating angular velocity of the scanning rotary mirror, the distortion aberration on the scanning face is corrected so that sufficiently accurate optical scanning can be performed without optically correcting the distortion aberration.

Claims

1. An optical scanning device wherein a part of an optical path from a light source to a scanning face is deflected by rotating a scanning rotary mirror so as to linearly scan the scanning face with a light spot, the optical scanning device comprising angular velocity control means for controlling a rotary angular speed of the scanning rotary mirror in accordance with a scanning position on the scanning face, the rotating angular velocity control means including correcting means for generating at least one of magnetic power and friction power, the correcting means adding at least one of a positive and a negative driving force changing in accordance with the scanning position on the scanning face to a predetermined rotary driving source supplied to a rotary shaft of the scanning rotary mirror.

2. An optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the correcting means supplies an additive rotary resistance to the rotary shaft of the scanning rotary mirror.

3. An optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the correcting means for generating friction power includes a cooling fan of a motor for rotating the scanning rotary mirror and supplying a friction resistance by wind loss of the cooling fan.

4. An optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the correcting means for generating magnetic power includes first magnetic power generating means provided at a position corresponding to a central portion of a mirror face of the scanning rotary mirror and second magnetic power generating means provided at a fixed position corresponding to the first means.