Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus using the same

• US 6,987,593 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Miyatake, Naoki, Hayashi, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, James
• Application Number:
  US10/382,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20030214693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 359204-207, 347243-244
• US Class Current: 359/204.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/471 using dot sequential main scanning by means of a light deflector, e.g. a rotating polygonal mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/123 Multibeam scanners, e.g. using multiple light sources or beam splitters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/125 Details of the optical system between the polygonal mirror and the image plane G02B26/123, G02B26/127 take precedence; F-Theta lenses G02B13/0005

Abstract

An optical scanning device deflects, by a common optical deflecting part, a plurality of groups of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources and directs, by a scanning and imaging optical system, the groups of deflected light beams to respective scan surfaces so as to optically scan the scan surfaces. Each of the groups of light beams deflected by the optical deflecting part passes through at least two scanning lenses while being directed to a corresponding one of the scan surfaces. A first scanning lens arranged nearest to the optical deflecting part among the scanning lenses transmits the groups of light beams directed to the respective scan surfaces and satisfies Pm>0≧Ps, where Pm is a power in a main scanning direction and Ps is a power in a sub-scanning direction. A second scanning lens arranged nearest to the corresponding scan surface among the scanning lenses possesses a positive power in the sub-scanning direction and transmits only the group of light beams directed to the corresponding scan surface.

Claims

1. An optical scanning device, comprising:

a plurality of light sources emitting a plurality of groups of light beams;

an optical deflecting part deflecting the plurality of groups of light beams emitted from the plurality of light sources;

a plurality of scan surfaces to be optically scanned; and

a scanning and imaging optical system directing the groups of deflected light beams to said respective scan surfaces so as to optically scan said scan surfaces,

each of the groups of light beams deflected by said optical deflecting part passes through at least two scanning lenses while being directed to a corresponding one of the scan surfaces,

a first scanning lens arranged nearest to said optical deflecting part among said scanning lenses transmits the plurality of groups of light beams directed to the respective scan surfaces and satisfies Pm>

0≧

Ps, where Pm is a power in a main scanning direction of said first scanning lens and Ps is a power in a sub-scanning direction of said first scanning lens, and

a second scanning lens arranged nearest to the corresponding scan surface among said scanning lenses possesses a positive power in the subs-canning direction and transmits only one of the groups of light beams directed to the corresponding scan surface.

2. The optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein |(1/Rs1)+(1/Rs2)|·

L<

0.5 is satisfied where Rs1 is a radius of curvature in the sub-scanning direction of an entering surface of the first scanning lens, Rs2 is a radius of curvature in the sub-scanning direction of an exiting surface of the first scanning lens, and L is an optical path length from a point of deflection of the optical deflecting part to an arbitrary one of the scan surfaces.

3. The optical scanning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein |(1/Rm1)+(1/Rm2)|·

L<

0.1 is satisfied where Rm1 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an entering surface of the second scanning lens, Rm2 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an exiting surface of the second scanning lens, and L is the optical path length from the point of deflection of the optical deflecting part to the arbitrary one of the scan surfaces.

4. The optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein |(1/Rm1)+(1/Rm2)|·

L<

0.1 is satisfied where Rm1 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an entering surface of the second scanning lens, Rm2 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an exiting surface of the second scanning lens, and L is an optical path length from a point of deflection of the optical deflecting part to an arbitrary one of the scan surfaces.

5. The optical scanning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the groups of light beams deflected by the optical deflecting part is directed to the corresponding scan surface by only two scanning lenses,

one of said two scanning lenses is arranged nearer to the optical deflecting part, possesses a positive power only in the main scanning direction, and transmits the groups of light beams directed to the respective scan surfaces, and

the other of said two scanning lenses is arranged nearer to the corresponding scan surface, possesses a positive power in the sub-scanning direction, and transmits one of the groups of light beams directed to the corresponding scan surface.

6. An optical scanning device, comprising:

a plurality of light sources emitting a plurality of groups of light beams;

a deflecting part deflecting the groups of light beams emitted from the light sources;

a plurality of scan surfaces to be optically scanned; and

a scanning and imaging optical system directing the groups of deflected light beams to said respective scan surfaces so as to optically scan said scan surfaces,

said scanning and imaging optical system comprising;

a first type scanning lens satisfying Pm>

0≧

Ps, where Pm is a power in a main scanning direction of said first type scanning lens and Ps is a power in a sub-scanning direction of said first type scanning lens, and transmitting the groups of light beams directed to said respective scan surfaces; and

a second type scanning lens having a positive power in the sub-scanning direction and transmitting one of the groups of light beams directed to a corresponding one of said scan surfaces,

wherein all scanning lenses arranged on light paths from said optical deflecting part to said scan surfaces are one of said first and second type scanning lenses.

7. The optical scanning device as claimed in claim 6, wherein |(1/Rs1)+(1/Rs2)|·

L<

0.5 is satisfied where Rs1 is a radius of curvature in the sub-scanning direction of an entering surface of the first type scanning lens, Rs2 is a radius of curvature in the subs-canning direction of an exiting surface of the first type scanning lens, and L is an optical path length from a point of deflection of the optical deflecting part to an arbitrary one of the scan surfaces.

8. The optical scanning device as claimed in claim 7, wherein |(1/Rm1)+(1/Rm2)|·

L<

0.1 is satisfied where Rm1 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an entering surface, of the second type scanning lens, Rm2 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an exiting surface of the second scanning lens, and L is the optical path length from the point of deflection of the optical deflecting part to the arbitrary one of the scan surfaces.

9. The optical scanning device as claimed in claim 6, wherein |(1/Rm1)+(1/Rm2)|·

L<

0.1 is satisfied where Rm1 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an entering surface of the second type scanning lens, Rm2 is a radius of curvature in the main scanning direction of an exiting surface of the second type scanning lens, and L is an optical path length from a point of deflection of the optical deflecting part to an arbitrary one of the scan surfaces.

10. An image forming apparatus forming an image by optically scanning one or more photosensitive medium, comprising:

an optical scanning device, comprising;

a plurality of light sources emitting a plurality of groups of light beams;

an optical deflecting part deflecting the groups of light beams emitted from the light sources;

a plurality of scan surfaces to be optically scanned; and

a scanning and imaging optical system directing the groups of deflected light beams to said respective scan surfaces so as to optically scan said scan surfaces,

each of the groups of light beams deflected by said optical deflecting part passes through at least two scanning lenses while being directed to a corresponding one of the scan surfaces,

a first scanning lens arranged nearest to said optical deflecting part among said scanning lenses transmits the groups of light beams directed to the respective scan surfaces and satisfies Pm>

0≧

Ps, where Pm is a power in a main scanning direction of said first scanning lens and Ps is a power in a sub-scanning direction of said first scanning lens; and

a second scanning lens arranged nearest to the corresponding scan surface among said scanning lenses possesses a positive power in the sub-scanning direction and transmits only one of the groups of light beams directed to the corresponding scan, surface.

11. An image forming apparatus forming an image by optically scanning one or more photosensitive medium, comprising:

an optical scanning device, comprising;

a plurality of light sources emitting a plurality of groups of light beams;

a deflecting part deflecting the groups of light beams emitted from the light sources;

a plurality of scan surfaces to be optically scanned; and

a scanning and imaging optical system directing the groups of deflected light beams to said respective scan surfaces so as to optically scan said scan surfaces,

said scanning and imaging optical system comprising;

a first type scanning, lens satisfying Pm>

0≧

Ps, where Pm is a power in a main scanning direction of said first type scanning;

lens and Ps is a power in a sub-scanning direction of said first type scanning lens, and transmitting the groups of light beams directed to said respective scan surfaces; and

a second type scanning lens having a positive power in the sub-scanning direction and transmitting one of the groups of light beams directed to a corresponding one of said scan surfaces,

wherein all scanning lenses arranged on light paths from said optical deflecting part to said scan surfaces are one of said first and second type scanning lenses.