Optical scanner and image forming apparatus

• US 8,917,435 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Mizoguchi, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Doak, Jennifer L.
• Application Number:
  US14/186,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20140168736A1
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 3591981-1994, 3592006-2008, 359/202.1, 359/221.2, 3592231-2251, 359/226.2, 359/904, 359290-295, 359/838, 359/846, 359/871, 359/872, 250/204, 250/559.06, 250/559.29, 250/230, 250/234, 347255-260, 353/39, 353 98- 99, 385 15- 18, 385/22, 398/12, 398/19, 398/45, 11981-1994, 12006-2008, 120/21, 122/12, 12231-2251, 122/62, 190/4, 1290-295, 183/8, 184/6, 187/1, 187/2
• US Class Current: 359/224.1
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/47 using the combination of scanning and modulation of light
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/101 with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/904 Micromirror

Abstract

An optical scanner includes: a light reflecting section having light reflectivity; a movable plate which includes the light reflecting section and can be displaced; four link sections connected to the movable plate; and a supporting section supporting the four link sections. The four link sections are provided on an outer circumference of the movable plate at 90-degree intervals along a circumferential direction of the movable plate in a plan view. Each link section includes a turnable drive section, and a shaft section which connects the movable plate and the drive section. The shaft section is bent and deformed in a thickness direction of the movable plate by turning the drive section.

Claims

1. An optical scanner comprising:

a light reflecting section;

a movable plate provided to the light reflecting section;

four link sections connected to the movable plate; and

a supporting section supporting the four link sections,

the four link sections are provided on an outer circumference of the movable plate at 90-degree intervals along a circumferential direction of the movable plate in an X-Y plane view,

each link section includes;

a turnable drive section, and

a shaft section which connects the movable plate and the turnable drive section, the shaft section being bendable and deformable in a thickness direction of the movable plate by turning the turnable drive section, and

the shaft section including a stress alleviating section,

wherein the stress alleviating sections each have a pair of deformation sections, and

one of the pair of deformation sections is connected to a movable plate-side shaft section, and the other of the pair of deformation sections is connected to a drive section-side shaft section, and

the stress alleviating sections each have a non-deformable section provided between the pair of deformation sections, the non-deformable section extending in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the deformation section, and being torsionally non-deformable about a central axis thereof.

2. The optical scanner according to claim 1, the four link sections further comprise:

a first link section facing a second link section in an X-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween; and

a third link section facing a fourth link section in a Y-axis direction with the movable plate therebetween,

the X-axis direction is at a right angle to the Y-axis direction in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate,

the first link section and the second link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the X-axis direction, and

a second shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the third link section and the fourth link section each have;

a first shaft section extending in the Y-axis direction and connecting the movable plate and the turnable drive section so the turnable drive section is spaced apart from the movable plate in the Y-axis direction,

a second shaft section extending in the X-axis direction and connecting the turnable drive section and the supporting section, and

the stress alleviating section included each of the first shaft section.

3. The optical scanner according to claim 2, wherein each of the first shaft sections of the four link sections is bent at the stress alleviating sections.

4. The optical scanner according to claim 3, each of the movable plate-side shaft sections of the four link sections is torsionally deformed about a central axis of the movable plate-side shaft section.

5. The optical scanner according to claim 3, the drive section-side shaft sections of the four link sections are substantially non-deformable relative to a deformability of the movable plate-side shaft sections.

6. The optical scanner according to claim 3, each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a deformation section extending in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the movable plate-side shaft section and the drive section-side shaft section in an X-Y plane view of the movable plate, the deformation section being torsionally deformed about a central axis.

7. The optical scanner according to claim 1, each of the stress alleviating sections of the four link sections has a plurality of extending sections extending in the X-axis direction and a plurality of extending sections extending in the Y-axis direction, and

each of the plurality of extending sections is adapted to torsionally deform about a central axis and bend.