Abstract: In one embodiment, a printing device includes: a print engine configured to apply marking material to print media; a laser writer configured to expose the print media to a laser beam of sufficient energy to change the reflectivity of exposed portions of the print media; a media path along which the print engine may apply marking material to print media in a macro printing zone and along which the print media may be exposed to a beam of light emitted by the laser writer in a micro printing zone; and an electronic controller operatively connected to the print engine for selectively applying marking material to the print media and to the laser writer for selectively exposing the print media to a laser beam.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier having a curvature in a first direction; and an exposure head including a first light emitting element that emits a light having a wavelength ?11 and a light having a wavelength ?12, a first optical system that converges each of the light emitted from the first light emitting element onto the image carrier, a second light emitting element, and a second optical system that converges a light emitted from the second light emitting element onto the image carrier, wherein a position at which the first optical system converges each of the light and a position at which the second optical system converges the light are different from each other with respect to the first direction.

Abstract: The image densities of images formed with a plurality of laser beams on the basis of image data are measured. The quantity of each of the plurality of laser beams is adjusted in accordance with the measurement result.

Abstract: A scanning optical device includes a deflector for scanningly deflecting a plurality of light beams from a plurality of light sources, and an imaging optical system for imaging the light beams upon a plurality of scan surfaces to be scanned, wherein at least one piece of reflecting element is provided at each of a plurality of light paths extending from the deflector toward the scan surfaces.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a laser scanner configured to irradiate a photoconductive drum with light and having a cover glass transmitting the light, a laser shutter movable between a closed position, where the laser shutter blocks an optical path of the light emitted from the laser scanner through the cover glass toward the photoconductive drum, and an open position, where the laser shutter opens the optical path, and a cleaning member with which the cover glass is cleaned, the cleaning member being supported by the laser shutter in such a manner as to be movable along the laser shutter.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus include improving print quality of a bi-directionally scanning electrophotographic (EP) device, such as a laser printer or copy machine, according to ambient pressure in which operated. A moving galvanometer or oscillator reflects a laser beam to create scan lines of a latent image in opposite directions. A damping of the motion occurs per air density implicated by temperature and pressure, where the pressure changes occurring especially from altitude changes. During use, a drive signal, such as a pulse train, moves the galvanometer or oscillator at or near its resonant frequency. Based on a parameter of the drive signal, such as pulse width, the ambient pressure can be made known. In general, a high-pressure environment requires a relatively longer pulse width to resonate the galvanometer or oscillator in comparison to a shorter pulse width for a low-pressure environment. Corrections to print quality stem from the determined ambient pressure.

Abstract: A scanning unit in an image forming apparatus includes a light source, a coupling lens, an aperture, an image forming lens, and a polygon mirror. The light source includes a plurality of surface-emitting lasers. The coupling lens, the aperture, and the image forming lens are arranged on the optical path of light beams emitted by the light source. The polygon mirror deflects light beams of an image formed by the coupling lens towards a photosensitive drum for scanning. The focal length of the image forming lens in a sub-scanning direction is set to be equal to or smaller than an optical path length between the image forming lens and the aperture.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes: a light source that emits plural laser-beams; a deflecting section that deflects the laser-beams; a first optical-element that reflects the laser-beams deflected at the deflecting section and converges the laser-beams in a slow-scanning direction, and that can adjust positions, in the slow-scanning direction, of the laser-beams that the first optical-element reflects; a second optical-element that converges, in the slow-scanning direction, the laser-beams reflected at the first optical-element, and that can adjust scan line tilt of the laser-beams that the second optical-element reflects; and a planar reflecting member provided on an optical path between the first and second optical-elements, and reflects, toward the second optical-element, the laser-beams converged in the slow-scanning direction, the reflecting member having an adjusting mechanism that can adjust an angle of incidence in the slow-scanning direction of the laser-beams that are incident on the second optical-elemen

Abstract: An exposure unit which exposes photoconductive drums having rotary axes thereof arranged parallel to each other on a single plane by light beams, includes one or more polygon mirrors each having a plurality of reflection surfaces, where the one or more polygon mirrors rotate about a common rotary axis. Each light beam is deflected by the one or more polygon mirrors and scans the surface of a corresponding photoconductive drum. The common rotary axis is separated from the rotary axes of the photoconductive drums by identical distances along respective normals which are perpendicular to both the common rotary axis and the rotary axes of the photoconductive drums.

Abstract: A light source unit is disclosed. The light source unit includes a phase type optical element which modulates a phase distribution of laser beams emitted from a light source. The phase type optical element has a phase distribution so that a first ratio of the peak intensity of side lobe laser beams to the peak intensity of main lobe laser beams in a beam intensity profile at a focal position of the laser beam condensing element is greater than a second ratio of the peak intensity of side lobe laser beams to the peak intensity of main lobe laser beams in the beam intensity profile at the focal position of the laser beam condensing element when it is assumed that the phase type optical element is not disposed.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an optical scanning apparatus which includes a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser including a plurality of light-emitting portions that are spaced from each other in at least a sub-scanning direction, a first optical system including a light-condensing element that converts each of light beams from the laser into a light beam in another state; a deflector that reflects and deflects the light beams from the first optical system, and a second optical system that focuses the light beams deflected by the deflecting member on a surface to be scanned, where the second optical system includes at least an imaging optical element having an optical surface with a non-arc shape in a sub-scanning cross section.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a first optical member for receiving a plurality of light beams with an interval and for causing a first group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the first optical member being rotatable to adjust the interval of the beams emergent therefrom; a second optical member for receiving a second light beam and the first group of beams emergent from the first optical member with an interval and for causing a third group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the second optical member being rotatable to change the interval between the first group of beams and the second beam; and deflecting means for scanningly deflecting a third group of beams emergent from the second optical member.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a first optical member for receiving a plurality of light beams with an interval and for causing a first group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the first optical member being rotatable to adjust the interval of the beams emergent therefrom; a second optical member for receiving a second light beam and the first group of beams emergent from the first optical member with an interval and for causing a third group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the second optical member being rotatable to change the interval between the first group of beams and the second beam; and deflecting means for scanningly deflecting a third group of beams emergent from the second optical member.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device, when pixel density is taken to be n, number of the light beams is taken to be b, and number of the deflection surfaces of a deflecting unit is taken to be p, a spatial frequency S denoted by S=1/(1/(25.4/n×b×p) is within a range of a spatial frequency characteristic for a visual perception system of a high relative luminous efficiency. When spacing between ends in a sub-scanning direction of a scanning line formed by one scan by the deflection unit is taken to be L1, and spacing between all progressive scanning lines at the surface to be scanned is taken to be L2, then L1>(k?1)×L2 is satisfied, where k is a total number of light emitting points of a light source.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes at least one scanning unit having a deflector for scanningly deflecting a light beam from a light source, and an imaging optical system for imaging the light beam scanningly deflected by the deflector upon a plurality of photosensitive drums, wherein, at each of a plurality of light paths extending from the deflector to the plurality of photosensitive drums, at least one reflection member for turning the light path into a sub-scan direction is provided, wherein the plurality of light paths are different in the number of the reflection members, wherein a polarization direction of a light beam incident on each reflection of the plurality of light paths is S-polarized at an optical axis of the imaging optical system, wherein the reflection surfaces of all the reflection members of the plurality of light paths have the same film structure, and wherein the difference among the plurality of light paths of a total turn angle defined by the reflection surface or surfaces of the ref

Abstract: A light source device includes a light source, a coupling lens, a first opening plate, a second opening plate, a photoreceptor, a package member, a cover glass, a half mirror, and a light source control device. In relation to a main-scanning corresponding direction and a sub-scanning corresponding direction, divergence angles ?m and ?s of a light beam output from the light source, emission angles ?m1 and ?s1 of a light beam passing through an opening portion A, and emission angles ?m2 and ?s2 of a light beam passing through an opening portion B satisfy relationships |(?m1??m2)/?m|?0.085 and |(?s1??s2)/?s|?0.085.

Abstract: An optical scanning device cover, covering an upper portion of an optical scanning device, includes an exposure window, a close stopper, an open stopper, and a rotation cam plate. A projection to be held in a link portion of a rotation cam is fixedly provided on a shutter. When the rotation cam is rotated in a direction of an arrow R(1) from a state in which the shutter is closed, A-side of the shutter turns until the shutter comes into contact with the open stopper to open that side of shutter, and thereafter, the B-side of the shutter turns to open that side of the shutter.

Abstract: An optical beam is selectively output towards a scanner in accordance with image data for a scan line of an image. The optical beam has a beam irradiance distribution that is elliptical in shape. The optical beam passes through an aperture stop, ordinarily creating side lobes within a focus irradiance distribution of the optical beam. The scanner scans the optical beam to form the scan line on a photosensitive surface by selectively exposing positions along the scan line in accordance with image data. The optical beam is modified before it reaches the photosensitive surface to substantially remove the side lobes that have been created within the focus irradiance distribution and/or to substantially prevent the side lobes from being created within the focus irradiance distribution of the optical beam.

Abstract: A light-amount detecting device includes: a light source which emits a light beam; a branching optical element which divides the light beam emitted from the light source into a first light beam traveling in a predetermined direction and a second light beam traveling in a direction different to the predetermined direction; a light-condensing element which condenses the second light beam; a light-receiving element having a light-receiving surface which receives the second light beam condensed by the light-condensing element; and a detector which detects a light-amount of the second light beam received by the light-receiving element, and at least one of a direction of reflected light of the second light beam reflected from the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element and spread of the reflected light of the second light beam reflected from the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving element is adjusted to control a light-amount of the reflected light of the second light beam returning to the

Abstract: Emission windows are prevented from being contaminated and are cleaned easily. The emission windows for emitting light beams are disposed on a housing of a laser exposure device having optical elements arranged inside for exposing a photoreceptor, and the upper surface of the housing is provided with a slidable shutter with openings. An image forming apparatus includes guide rails independent of the laser exposure device to movably guide predetermined cleaning brushes in the longitudinal direction of the emission windows. When the cleaning brushes are mounted on the guide rails and moved toward the inner side of the apparatus, the cleaning brushes touch a slant portion of a rib and the shutter is moved to the right to align the openings with the emission windows. While the cleaning brushes touch a longitudinally extending portion, the emission windows are exposed to enable the cleaning of the exposed window using the cleaning tool.

Abstract: An optical scanning device configured to remove or sufficiently reduce ghost light includes an input optical system for directing a light beam from a light source to a deflecting surface of a deflector, and an imaging optical system for imaging a light beam scanningly deflected by the deflecting surface upon a surface to be scanned, wherein, in a sub-scan section, the light beam is incident on the deflecting surface of the deflector from an oblique direction with respect to an optical axis of the imaging optical system, wherein a light blocking member for blocking ghost light is disposed on a light path between the deflecting surface and the scanned surface, wherein an end portion of the light blocking member in the sub-scan direction is formed with a curved shape having a height in the sub-scan direction which height changes in accordance with the position in the main-scan direction.

Abstract: The exposure apparatus is provided with: a substrate; plural light emitting elements that are arranged in a line on a first surface of the substrate; and a heating unit that heats the substrate from the first surface side.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed; a first body which rotatably supports the photosensitive member; an exposing unit which exposes the photosensitive member; a second body which supports the exposing unit movably between an exposing position in which the exposing unit exposes the photosensitive member and a retracting position in which the exposing unit is retracted from the photosensitive member; a first grounding unit which, when the exposing unit is positioned at the exposing position, causes the exposing unit to be electrically connected to the first body; and a second grounding unit which, when the exposing unit is positioned at the retracting position, causes the exposing unit to be electrically connected to the first body via the second body.

Abstract: A disclosed optical scanning device scans an object scanning surface with a light beam projected from a light source and traveling through an optical system. The optical scanning device includes a liquid crystal element configured to modulate a phase. The liquid crystal element is driven by electric signals and provided on a light path between the light source and the object scanning surface. The liquid crystal element generates different power components in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction under temperature variations.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a light source to emit a laser beam; a resonant scanning mirror, including a reflection surface to reflect the laser beam emitted from the light source, to scan the reflected laser beam by oscillating the reflection surface; at least one detector to detect the reflected laser beam during the scanning of the reflected laser beam, and generate a synchronizing signal each time the reflected laser beam is detected; and at least one light selection unit to restrict a path over which the reflected laser beam is incident on the at least one detector to a predetermined path.

Abstract: A line head includes a positive lens system having two lenses, image-side and object-side lens arrays, a light emitter array on an object side of the positive lens system, and an aperture plate that forms an aperture diaphragm. Where the row number of lenses arrayed in a second direction is ‘m’, a gap between effective regions of two image-side lenses adjacent to each other in a first direction is ‘?’, an image-side angle of aperture is ‘?i’, a width of light-emitting elements images in the first direction is ‘Wi’, a focal length of the image-side lens is ‘f2’ and a distance from an image-side principal plane of the image-side lens to an image surface is ‘Si’, the following conditions are satisfied: f2?(mWi??)/(2?i), Wi?2Si?i/(m?1)+?/(m?1).

Abstract: A lens array includes: a lens array substrate having a light transmissive property; a first lens disposed on the lens array substrate; and a second lens disposed on the lens array substrate in a first direction from the first lens and different from the first lens in peripheral shape.

Abstract: A laser irradiation apparatus and method of fabricating an organic light emitting display using the same are provided. The laser irradiation apparatus includes: a laser generator; a mask having means for changing a propagation path of a laser beam; and a projection lens. The method of fabricating an organic light emitting display includes: irradiating a laser beam on an edge of an irradiated region of a donor substrate using the laser irradiation apparatus with high intensity to form an organic layer pattern on a substrate. The laser beam having low intensity can perform a transfer process to improve laser beam efficiency. In addition, it is possible to reduce damage on the organic layer, and improve quality of the transferred organic layer pattern.

Abstract: Provided are a laser irradiation apparatus and method of fabricating an organic light emitting display using the same. The laser irradiation apparatus includes a mask positioned below the laser generator, and the mask is patterned such that lengths of an upper portion and a lower portion of a mask pattern are patterned longer than a length of a middle portion of the mask pattern with respect to the scanning direction. The method of fabricating an organic light emitting display includes scanning a laser beam on a predetermined region of the donor substrate using the laser irradiation apparatus to form an organic layer pattern on the substrate. When the organic layer pattern is formed using a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) method, the transfer may be carried out using a laser beam having low energy, laser beam efficiency may be enhanced, the organic layer may be less damaged, and the quality of the organic layer pattern to be transferred may also be enhanced.

Abstract: An optical scanner forms an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive member by scanning the photosensitive member with a light beam. The optical scanner includes: an incident optical system which at least comprises: a light beam emission device configured to emit a light beam; and a cylindrical lens configured to condense the light beam emitted from the light beam emission device, and a scanning optical system which at least comprises: a light deflecting device configured to reflect the light beam having passed through the cylindrical lens to deflect the light beam in a main scanning direction for scanning the photosensitive member; and a scanning lens configured to focus the light beam deflected by the light deflecting device on the photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image thereon. The incident optical system and the scanning optical system are divided by a light shielding wall.

Abstract: A optical scanning apparatus includes a surface emitting type laser diode, a collimator lens which converts the emitted laser beam into an substantially parallel laser beam, a stop member which shapes the substantially parallel laser beam into a desired shape, a polygon mirror which deflects and scans the shaped laser beam, an electro-optical crystal member which is provided in the optical path between the stop member and the polygon mirror, and deflects the shaped laser beam by an applied voltage, a light amount sensor which detects the amount of laser beam deflected by the electro-optical crystal member, and a light amount control unit which controls the amount of laser beam emitted from the laser diode while repeatedly comparing the detected light amount obtained from the light amount sensor with a light amount corresponding to a reference voltage for control light amount.

Abstract: An exposing device includes a light-emitting element array including plural light-emitting elements disposed in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to or substantially orthogonal to the first direction, a lens array including plural lenses that focus lights from the light-emitting elements, a supporting member that supports the light-emitting element array and the lens array, and an exposure-position adjusting mechanism including a rotation adjusting unit that rotates the supporting member around or substantially around an axis in the first direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for marking a bitmap image on tape includes a source of a modulatable laser-beam. The beam is directed to an oscillating mirror on a carriage translatable across the width direction of the tape. The oscillating mirror directs the beam to a focusing lens mounted on the carriage. The focusing lens is arranged to focus the beam to a focal-spot on the tape. As the carriage is translated, the focal-spot is swept reciprocally in a wave-like path across the tape. Modulation of the beam is arranged such that pixels of a plurality of rows of the bitmap image are printed in one traverse of the carriage. The tape is advanced incrementally and repeated traverses of the carriage are made to complete printing of the bitmap image.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device employing a multi-beam scanning method, a surface emitting laser light source includes laser emission sources; a parallel-plate-like quarter wavelength plate is arranged between the surface emitting laser light source and a first optical system; a light-intensity detecting unit separates light intensity of the laser beams of which form is converted by the first optical system and detects separated laser beams; and a light-intensity adjusting unit adjusts emission intensity of the laser emission sources individually based on a detection result by the light-intensity detecting unit. The quarter wavelength plate is arranged so that an optical axis thereof is tilted ±45 degrees with respect to the main-scanning direction around an optical axis of the first optical system.

Abstract: Apparatus for marking a bitmap image on tape includes a source of a modulatable laser-beam. The beam is directed to an oscillating mirror on a carriage translatable across the width direction of the tape. The oscillating mirror directs the beam to a focusing lens mounted on the carriage. The focusing lens is arranged to focus the beam to a focal-spot on the tape. As the carriage is translated, the focal-spot is swept reciprocally in a wave-like path across the tape. Modulation of the beam is arranged such that pixels of a plurality of rows of the bitmap image are printed in one traverse of the carriage. The tape is advanced incrementally and repeated traverses of the carriage are made to complete printing of the bitmap image.

Abstract: Apparatus for laser-marking on tape includes a laser arranged to emit a modulated beam of laser-radiation. Projection-optics are arranged to focus a beam to a spot on the tape. The tape is driven under the focal spot for scanning the beam in the length direction of the tape. The projection-optics are rotated reciprocally to scan the focal spot over the tape in a direction transverse to the length direction of the tape.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a lens having a negative optical power at least in a sub-scanning direction and a lens having a positive optical power at least in the sub-scanning direction between a light source and a deflecting unit. The optical scanning device further includes a coupling lens and an adjusting lens whose positions can be adjusted in an optical axis direction and then bonded with ultraviolet curing resin. Therefore, the magnification of an optical system can be adjusted and consequently a desired scan-line interval can be obtained.

Abstract: Positioning displacement characteristics of each of scanning beams are obtained in advance. The positioning displacement characteristics is indicative of a relation between temperature and a displacement amount by which each of the scanning beams is displaced in a sub-scanning direction. A displacement control is performed based on the positioning displacement characteristics by shifting the positioning displacement characteristics in a direction opposite to that of a trend of the positioning displacement characteristics within a pixel pitch.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device of opposite scanning type, two target surfaces for scanning are scanned in opposite main scanning directions by using a single optical deflector. End portions of a scanning lens arranged in a scanning optical system are configured not to have refractive power in the main scanning direction. A synchronization light beam passes through the end portions of the scanning lens and falls on a light receiving element via a synchronizing optical system. The synchronizing optical system includes a first synchronizing lens, a synchronizing fold mirror, and a second synchronizing lens. The synchronizing fold mirror and the light receiving element are arranged to be in a conjugate relation with the second synchronizing lens.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a calibration mode in which a calibration image is formed on a print medium to correct image forming conditions. The image forming apparatus detects print medium information to determine, on the basis of the print medium information, whether the print medium is a sheet recommended as a print medium for use in the calibration mode. The image forming apparatus sets calibration conditions corresponding to the determined recommended sheet. The image forming apparatus corrects the image forming conditions on the basis of the set calibration conditions.

Abstract: An exposure device is provided that has a light emitting unit having a plurality of light emitting elements and a lens array having a pair of lenses having a first lens and a second lens, the lens array having a shielding unit for shielding a light from any one of the pair of lenses, wherein a formula EC<EP/2 is satisfied, where EP denotes an interval between two adjacent light emitting elements of the plurality of light emitting elements and where EC denotes an off-set between a central axis of the first lens and a central axis of the second lens.

Abstract: An exposure head, includes: a lens array that includes lenses that are arranged in a first direction and in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a light emitting element substrate that is provided with light emitting elements that emit lights to be imaged by the lenses, wherein a relationship defined by a following formula: 1<L1/L2 is satisfied, where the symbol L1 denotes a length of the lens in the first direction and the symbol L2 denotes a length of the lens in the second direction.

Abstract: A disclosed optical path switching device includes a polarization bistable VCSEL that emits a beam having a rising polarization plane, a laser light source configured to emit a beam having a polarization plane orthogonal to the rising polarization plane, and an optical path switching unit configured to switch an optical path of the beam emitted from the polarization bistable VCSEL by switching the angle of the rising polarization plane of the beam emitted from the polarization bistable VCSEL. The beam emitted from the polarization bistable VCSEL is incident on an entrance window of the optical path switching unit, and the beam emitted from the laser light source is incident on an exit window of the polarization bistable VCSEL.

Abstract: An scanning optical apparatus of present invention converts plural light beams emitted from corresponding light source units by a light beam conversion unit, deflectively scans by a deflection unit, focuses by an imaging optical unit onto corresponding scanned surfaces. At least two of light source units are arranged along a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light beams are emitted. The light beam conversion unit includes plural light beam conversion elements that reflect the light beams emitted in the same direction from the light source units to deflect the light beams in the same direction. Each of the light beam conversion elements has at least one reflecting surface having a power and at least one diffracting surface having a power, and has different powers with respect to the main scanning direction and with respect to the sub scanning direction.

Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus for printing information on a printing area of an object to be printed by irradiating the object to be printed with a first laser beam. The printing apparatus includes a light source for outputting the first laser beam, a light collecting optical system for collecting the first laser beam to the printing area of the object to be printed, and a scanning unit for performing scanning with the first laser beam. The object to be printed contains moisture at least in the printing area, and a wavelength of the first laser beam is 350 nm or more and 550 nm or less.

Abstract: An optical scanning device, that outputs a light beam through an emission window in an optical housing to scan a surface, may include a shutter member that closes or opens the emission window. The shutter member may include a first opening, that may allow the light beam passed through the emission window to pass the first opening, and a second opening, that may be at a position corresponding to an insertion operation of a cleaning member for cleaning the emission window. The shutter member may include a first opening, that may be on a front surface of the shutter member to allow the light beam passed through the emission window to pass the first opening, and a second opening, that may be on a side surface of the shutter member to allow a cleaning member to be inserted through the second opening for cleaning the emission window.

Abstract: An optical scanning unit of an image forming apparatus may include: an optical housing configured to include at least one optical part and to have a light-beam emitting aperture through which a light beam can emanate from the optical housing; a shutter configured to cover the light-beam emitting aperture; and a driving unit configured to drive the shutter to and fro, thus opening and closing the light-beam emitting aperture. Such a driving unit further can operate to coordinate at least one of the opening and the closing to occur after activation and before deactivation of a writing operation conducted by the optical scanning unit, respectively.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier having a curvature in a first direction; and an exposure head including a first light emitting element that emits a light having a wavelength ?11 and a light having a wavelength ?12, a first optical system that converges each of the light emitted from the first light emitting element onto the image carrier, a second light emitting element, and a second optical system that converges a light emitted from the second light emitting element onto the image carrier, wherein a position at which the first optical system converges each of the light and a position at which the second optical system converges the light are different from each other with respect to the first direction, wherein the first optical system focuses the light having the wavelength ?11 at an imaging position P11 and focuses the light having the wavelength ?12 at an imaging position P12, the imaging position P11 and the imaging position P12 being different from each other with respect to an opti

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a first optical member for receiving a plurality of light beams with an interval and for causing a first group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the first optical member being rotatable to adjust the interval of the beams emergent therefrom; a second optical member for receiving a second light beam and the first group of beams emergent from the first optical member with an interval and for causing a third group of beams to emerge with a narrower interval, the second optical member being rotatable to change the interval between the first group of beams and the second beam; and deflecting means for scanningly deflecting a third group of beams emergent from the second optical member.

Abstract: An optical scanning characteristic control method is applied to an optical scanning system in which a beam is deflected, and the deflected beam is converged and directed toward a scanning surface, so that optical scanning of the scanning surface is performed by an optical spot formed thereon by the deflected beam. The method comprising the steps of a) disposing a beam deflection control device on the light path of the beam before it is incident on the scanning surface; and b) controlling a beam deflection amount of the beam deflecting device provide to an incident beam so as to control a scanning characteristic of the optical scanning.