Abstract: A plurality of types of engine units which have nonvolatile storage units and which have different performances, respectively, can be attached to an image formation apparatus main body in a replaceable manner. A control unit which controls the performance of an overall apparatus based on information stored in the storage units provided in the engine units, respectively, which are attached to the image formation apparatus main body, is provided in the image formation apparatus main body. Therefore, even if the image formation apparatus main body is common, the performance of the overall apparatus related to recording speed or resolution can be changed only by replacing the engine units different in performance. It is also possible to easily deal with various types of apparatuses.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device of the present invention, a plurality of light sources emit a plurality of light beams. An optical system has a rotary polygonal mirror deflecting the light beams from the light sources, the optical system focusing the deflected light beams onto a scanned surface to form light spots thereon, the scanned surface being optically scanned with the light spots by a rotation of the rotary polygonal mirror. A light-amount monitoring unit monitors respective amounts of the light beams emitted by the light sources. A control unit controls the respective amounts of the light beams emitted by the light sources, based on detection signals output from the light-amount monitoring unit.

Abstract: An image forming lens for forming an image of an original document includes a front side lens group arranged at an object side and a rear side lens group arranged at an image forming side. The front side lens group includes from 2 to 4 lenses including at least one positive lens, and the rear side lens group includes one negative lens. The back-focus of the image forming lens when in use is equal to or smaller than 25% of an entire length of the image forming lens, and the open space between the front side lens group and the rear side lens group is equal to or greater than 50% of the entire length of the image forming lens. The front side lens group lens can include two, three or four pieces of lenses. By configuring an image forming lens with at least three lenses, correction of aberration is easy and high performance can be realized.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus which uses a semiconductor laser as a light source, a semiconductor laser is controlled by adjustment of an image write-in clock, and a highly accurate scanning position alignment is performed with a simple structure. An optical unit scans a rotational photo conductor by a laser light output by a semiconductor laser. A photodetector detects the laser light output by the semiconductor laser at a predetermined position. An electrostatic latent image is formed by scanning the rotational photo conductor based on the laser light detected by the photodetector. By dividing a clock output from a high-frequency clock generation circuit, an image clock which synchronized with the output of the photodetector is generated, and the phase of the image clock is changed.

Abstract: A multi-beam scanning apparatus includes a light source having a semiconductor laser chip in which a plurality of light emitting points are arranged such that optical beam spots are impinged at predetermined intervals in a sub-scanning direction on a surface to be scanned. A light receiving element receives a light flux from the semiconductor laser chip for monitoring the light. A case houses therein the semiconductor laser chip and the light receiving element, and has an opening for transmitting the light emitted from a surface of the semiconductor laser chip. A coupling lens couples a divergent light flux from the light source with a subsequent system. A deflector deflects the light flux. A first imaging system arranged between the coupling lens and the deflector has a power in the sub-scanning direction so as to transform the light flux from the coupling lens into a substantially linear image in a vicinity of a deflecting surface of the deflector.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus is constructed to detect one or more defective or damaged light emitting devices of a light source unit and forms images having substantially the same quality as that of the images formed when all of a plurality of light emitting devices of a light source of the apparatus are functioning normally even when any one of the plurality of light emitting devices are damaged or broken, without decreasing the image forming performance of the apparatus. The optical scanning apparatus detects one or more damaged or broken light emitting devices and then compensates for the light omitted due to the damaged or broken light emitting devices using the normally functioning light emitting devices without decreasing the image forming speed or quality of the optical scanning apparatus.

Abstract: In an optical scanning device of the present invention, a plurality of light sources emit a plurality of light beams. An optical system has a rotary polygonal mirror deflecting the light beams from the light sources, the optical system focusing the deflected light beams onto a scanned surface to form light spots thereon, the scanned surface being optically scanned with the light spots by a rotation of the rotary polygonal mirror. A light-amount monitoring unit monitors respective amounts of the light beams emitted by the light sources. A control unit controls the respective amounts of the light beams emitted by the light sources, based on detection signals output from the light-amount monitoring unit.

Abstract: A coupling lens couples a beam emitted from a light source. A light deflector deflects the beam from the coupling lens at a uniform angular velocity. A line-image imaging optical system is disposed between the coupling lens and light deflector, and causes the beam to image a line image long along main scanning directions on or in the vicinity of a deflection reflective surface of the light deflector. A scanning and imaging optical system causes the beam deflected by the light deflector to image a beam spot on a medium to be scanned. In an optical housing, the light source, coupling lens, light deflector, line-image imaging optical system and scanning and imaging optical system are disposed, and contained. A plurality of holding and fixing datums are provided for holding and fixing a light-source part including the light source and coupling lens is provided in at least one of the light-source part and optical housing.

Abstract: The optical scan module comprises a light emission source, a deflection unit, a light emission source drive circuit, a deflection unit drive circuit, a fixing unit by concurrent use of terminals, etc. are integrally fixed to a holder. The optical scan module is constituted as a single integral solid body with a function for deflecting a light beam from the light emission source by the deflection unit to repeat scanning. Furthermore, the optical module is mounted on a substrate to constitute an optical scanner, which is used for constitution of an image generator and an image reader.

Abstract: A scanning imaging optical component is used in an optical scanning device which deflects a beam from a light source by a light deflector, condenses the deflected beam toward a surface to be scanned by a scanning imaging optical system, forms a beam spot on the surface to be scanned, and performs optical scanning of the surface to be scanned. The optical component forms at least a part of the scanning imaging optical system, and at least a part of a surface of the optical component other than an effective optical surface is made to be a roughened surface, and roughness thereof is such that: Rmax>0.5 (&mgr;m).

Abstract: Male and female connectors of an extremely small size, while having a number of connection terminals, are provided. The male connector consists of a cylindrical cable-supporting member, a cylindrical conductive-wire guide member, and a core member for coupling the two with each other. The conductive-wire guide member has partitions and holding sections. The conductive wire of the cable passing through the cable-supporting member is folded on the holding section from outside to inside so that the exposed portion of the conductive wire forms a connection terminal of the male connector. The female connector consists of a casing having an insertion hole to be inserted by the male connector, a locking member for locking the male connector, projected from the end of the casing, and female side connection terminals, each to be fitted to a terminal retaining section of the casing so that the leading end thereof is exposed in the insertion hole.

Abstract: An image forming optical system for an equal speed scan converges a deflected light beam as a light spot onto a scanned face to perform an optical scanning operation at an equal speed. The image forming optical system has an f.theta. lens having an f.theta. function in a main scan-corresponding direction and converging the deflected light beam onto the scanned face in the main scan-corresponding direction. The image forming optical system also has a concave reflecting mirror having positive refracting power only in a cross scan-corresponding direction and converging the deflected light beam onto the scanned face in the cross scan-corresponding direction in cooperation with the f.theta. lens. A radius of curvature of the concave reflecting mirror in the cross scan-corresponding direction is increased from a central region thereof toward both end portions of the concave reflecting mirror in a longitudinal direction thereof in accordance with a predetermined formula of the second degree at a deflection angle .

Abstract: In an optical scanner, a light beam from a light source device is formed by a linear image forming optical system as a linear image extending in a main scan-corresponding direction. The light beam is then deflected by an optical deflector at an equal angular velocity and is converged by an image forming reflecting mirror as a light spot on a scanned face. An optical scanning operation is performed at an equal speed by using this light spot. An error in an image forming position in a cross scan-corresponding direction caused by an error in arrangement of an optical system is corrected by displacing and adjusting an arranging position of the linear image forming optical system in the cross scan-corresponding direction. In the optical scanner using the image forming reflecting mirror, a curve ill a scanning line caused by the error in arrangement of the optical system can be effectively corrected and reduced.

Abstract: An optical scanner has a light source device for emitting a light beam for performing an optical scanning operation; a cylindrical lens system for converging the light beam from the light source device only in a cross scan-corresponding direction and focusing and forming the light beam as a linear image extending in a main scan-corresponding direction; an optical deflector for reflecting the light beam from this cylindrical lens system on a deflecting reflecting face and deflecting this light beam at an equal angular velocity; an image forming mirror system for converging the deflected light beam as a light spot on a scanned face and performing the optical scanning operation at an equal speed by using the light spot; and an adjusting mechanism for displacing and adjusting a position of the cylindrical lens system in an optical axis direction thereof.

Abstract: In an optical scanner, an optical deflector has a deflecting reflecting face rotated at an equal speed. A light beam from a light source is deflected on a plane by the deflector at an equal angular velocity and is incident to a reflective image-forming element through a half mirror inclined with respect to a beam deflecting face. The light beam reflected on the reflective image-forming element is reflected on the half mirror and is converged by an image-forming action of the reflective image-forming element as a light spot on a scanned face to perform an optical scanning operation. The reflective image-forming element has a function for substantially performing the optical scanning operation using the light spot at an equal speed. The reflective image-forming element is arranged such that the reflective image-forming element is shifted by a predetermined shifting amount in a direction perpendicular to the beam deflecting face to correct the curve of a scanning line on the scanned face.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a device capable of identifying an image orientation to allow adequate processing to be executed and a device capable of binding sheets by determining a binding position. When an image orientation cannot be identified on the basis of a predetermined reference object, it is identified on the basis of another object. When the image orientation of a reference image and the image orientations of the other images are not coincident, an adequate procedure is executed to avoid an undesirable result. An orientation of a document image matching a predetermined adequate binding position is surely and accurately determined.

Abstract: A scanning image-forming lens system is constructed by two lens groups composed of first and second lenses sequentially arranged from the side of a rotary polygon mirror to the side of a scanned face and having toric faces. The scanning image-forming lens system has a function for approximately providing a conjugate relation in geometrical optics between positions of the scanned face and a deflecting reflecting face of the rotary polygon mirror with respect to a cross scan-corresponding direction, and has and f.theta. function with respect to a main scan-corresponding direction. The first and second lenses are arranged such that the first and second lenses are respectively shifted from a reference optical axis by distances .DELTA..sub.1 and .DELTA..sub.2 in the main scan-corresponding direction. The distances .DELTA..sub.1 and .DELTA..sub.2, and focal lengths f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 of the first and second lenses with respect to the main scan-corresponding direction satisfy the following conditions:0.0001<.

Abstract: In an f.theta. lens system in an optical scanner, an approximately parallel light beam from a light source device is formed as a linear image extending in a main scan-corresponding direction and is deflected at an equal angular velocity by a rotary polygon mirror having a reflecting face in the vicinity of the position of the formed linear image. The deflected light beam is formed by an image forming lens system as an image in the shape of a spot on a scanned face to optically scan the scanned face at an approximately equal speed. The image forming lens system forms the light beam deflected by the rotary polygon mirror as an image on the scanned face. The f.theta. lens system has a function for setting a reflecting position of the rotary polygon mirror and the scanned face in an approximately conjugate relation in geometrical optics with respect to a cross scanning direction, and an f.theta. function with respect to a main scanning direction. The f.theta.

Abstract: In an f.theta. lens system in an optical scanner, an approximately parallel light beam from a light source device is formed as a line image extending in a main scan-corresponding direction and is deflected at an equal angular velocity by a rotary polygon mirror having a reflecting face in the vicinity of the position of the formed line image. The deflected light beam is formed by an image forming lens system as an image in the shape of a spot on a scanned face to optically scan the scanned face at an approximately equal speed. The image forming lens system forms the light beam deflected by the rotary polygon mirror as an image on the scanned face. The f.theta. lens system includes a functional device having a function for setting a reflecting position of the rotary polygon mirror and the scanned face in an approximately conjugate relation in geometrical optics with respect to a cross scanning direction, and an f.theta.

Abstract: In an optical scanner, a light beam from a light source is formed as a line image extending in a main scanning corresponding direction and is deflected at an equal angular velocity by a rotary polygon mirror having a reflecting face in the vicinity of an image forming position of the line image and is then formed by an image forming lens system in the shape of a spot on a scanned face to optically scan the scanned face. An f.theta. lens system focuses and forms the light beam deflected by the rotary polygon mirror as an image on the scanned face. The f.theta. lens system comprises a functional device having a function for connecting a reflecting position of the rotary polygon mirror and the scanned face in an approximately conjugate relation with respect to a secondary scanning direction and an f.theta. function with respect to a main scanning direction; and two groups of first and second lenses are sequentially arranged from the side of the rotary polygon mirror toward the scanned face side.