Abstract: A light source beam is incident on an optical guide block and converted in its diffusion angle by a diffusion angle conversion film on a second inclined portion of the optical guide block, and reflected by a reflecting film on a first inclined portion. Then, the light is incident on a first beam splitter film on the second inclined portion and split into transmitted light and reflected light. The reflected light is focused an optical disk light reflected from the disc passes through the first beam splitter film, and then is transmitted and reflected by a second beam splitter film on a third inclined portion. This transmitted light is incident on a polarization plane conversion plate between the third inclined portion and a fourth inclined portion, so that P and S polarization components and are transmitted through and reflected by its polarized light splitting portion, respectively. The S polarization component is reflected by its reflecting surface toward light-receiving elements.

Abstract: A dot matrix printer of a dispersion printing type in which a printing noise is suppressed and dots arranged in longitudinal rows are driven while shifting the timing for every print wire dot. The present dot matrix printer is characterized by a construction in which respective print wires are driven at different timings within one pitch, and a space around a print head is surrounded by a housing and a platen, and a sound generated in the space is transmitted outside through walls. Further, the present dot matrix printer is characterized in that there is provided a memory storing printing intervals among the whole dots and print head conduction time, and the print head is driven in accordance with information read out of said memory in order to correct deviation of dot rows arranged in a longitudinal direction of the print head from perpendicularity.