In-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams

• US 7,649,654 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: E-Pin Optical Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: E-Pin Optical Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wong, He-Pin, Chu, I-Lin, Chen, Guo-Zen, Wen, Ming-Hua, Shyu, San-Woei
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, II; Jerome
• Application Number:
  US11/448,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20070176084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 250/341.7, 250/342, 250/349, 250/367, 250/559.06, 250/559.07, 250/559.08, 359/210.1, 359/210.2, 359/213.1, 359/224.2, 359/226.1, 359/204.1, 359/204.2, 359/204.4, 347/232, 347/233, 347/244, 358/474, 358/505, 358/508, 358/509, 358/513, 358/481, 358/484, 358/475, 358/482
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/123 Multibeam scanners, e.g. using multiple light sources or beam splitters

Abstract

An in-line laser scanning unit (LSU) with multiple light beams is disclosed. The LSU includes a minimized in-line mirror set composed by a plurality of vertically stacked Micro Electronic Mechanical System (MEMS) oscillatory mirrors and a linear corresponding scanning lens set formed by a plurality of F-Sin θ lens stacked vertically so as to correct the variation of reflective angle of the oscillatory mirror that is sinusoidal in time. Thus the scanning speed of multiple laser beams on the image plane is constant. Therefore, the volume of color printers is effectively reduced and the scanning efficiency is improved when the LSU in accordance with the present invention is applied to the optical engines of color printers.

Claims

1. An in-line laser scanning unit (LSU) with multiple light beams comprising a semiconductor laser set, a collimator lens set, a micro electronic mechanic system (MEMS) oscillatory mirror set, and a F-sin θ

linear scanning lens set;

the semiconductor laser set emits a plurality of laser beams and respectively emitted onto the collimator lens set;

the collimator lens set receives laser beams from the semiconductor laser set and form parallel light beams respectively being emitted to the MEMS oscillatory mirror set;

axis of each laser beam corresponds to oscillatory axis of the MEMS oscillatory mirror set;

the micro electronic mechanic system (MEMS) oscillatory mirror set having a plurality of MEMS oscillatory mirror that stacked vertically into a MEMS array structure;

by the MEMS oscillatory structure oscillating in harmonic motion at regular oscillating amplitude, the incident laser beams are reflected from each oscillatory mirror onto the F-sin θ

linear scanning lens set; and

the F-sin θ

linear scanning lens set having a plurality of F-sin θ

lens stacked into an array structure and each of the F-sin θ

lens corresponds to a laser beam being reflected by the MEMS oscillatory mirror;

the F-sin θ

lens corrects the variation of reflective angle sinusoidal in time of the MEMS oscillatory mirror so as to make the scanning speed of laser beam on the image plane to be constant;

thereby a plurality of laser beams emitted from the semiconductor laser set respectively passes through the collimator lens to form parallel beams, each of which is emitted to the MEMS oscillatory mirror;

then each of the laser beams is reflected onto the F-sin θ

lens by the oscillatory mirror oscillating in harmonic motion at regular oscillating amplitude;

the F-sin θ

lens corrects the variation of reflective angle of the MEMS harmonic moved oscillatory mirror that is sinusoidal in time as to make the scanning speed of multiple laser beams on the image plane to be constant for achieving requirement of scanning linearity.

2. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein the F-sin θ

lens corrects the variation of reflective angle sinusoidal in time so as to correct unequal scanning speed of laser spots on the image plane into constant scanning speed because when the MEMS mirror in harmonic motion reflects the laser beam, the spot-to-spot spacing on the image plane decreases with time and the scanning speed of laser spots on the image plane are not constant.

3. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein central axis of the laser beams aligns with mechanical center of the MEMS oscillatory mirror.

4. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein the F-Sin θ

lens is a single-element lens, a double-element lens, or a multiple-element lens.

5. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor laser set having at least one single beam semiconductor laser.

6. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein the semiconductor laser set having at least one multiple beam semiconductor laser.

7. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collimator lens set having a plurality of collimator lens stacked vertically into an array.

8. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collimator lens set having a single collimator lens with larger numerical aperture.

9. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mirror of the MEMS oscillatory mirror set has proper longitudinal width so as to make the mirror correspond a plurality of laser beams simultaneously.

10. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cylindrical lens set is disposed between the collimator lens set and the micro electronic mechanic system (MEMS) oscillatory mirror set so that laser beams respectively passing through the cylindrical lens set are projected onto each mirror of the MEMS oscillatory mirror set.

11. The in-line laser scanning unit with multiple light beams as claimed in claim 10, wherein the cylindrical lens set having a plurality of cylindrical lens stacked vertically into an array.