Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is related to an optical scanner, which includes at least one optical element that can separate ghost light from scanning light facilitating the blocking of the ghost light.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes plural light source devices, a deflecting device having deflecting surfaces, an input optical system and a plurality of imaging optical systems, wherein a plurality of scan surfaces are simultaneously scanned by the deflecting device, wherein each of the plurality of imaging optical systems includes at least one transmission type imaging optical element and at least one reflection optical element, wherein each of at least two light beams scanningly deflected by the different deflecting surfaces of the deflecting device passes through the at least one transmission type imaging optical element constituting the imaging optical system and is thereafter reflected by the at least one reflection optical element and, subsequently, it passes again through the transmission type imaging optical element, and wherein, after passing again through the transmission type imaging optical element, the at least two light beams scanningly deflected by the different deflection surfaces of the de

Abstract: Optical scanners are configured so a principal ray of an incident beam from a light source device to a deflector and a principal ray of a scanning beam from the deflector to a scanned surface travel on the same side (or opposite sides) of an optical axis of an optical element(s) respectively wherein entrance and exit surfaces of the optical element(s) are both convex (or both concave) toward the deflector in the sub-scanning section. In various embodiments, the aforementioned principal rays travel on the same side, and surfaces are convex toward the deflector in the sub-scanning section. In various embodiments, the aforementioned principal rays travel on opposite sides, and surfaces are concave toward the deflector in the sub-scanning section. Embodiments may beneficially separate the scanning beam from ghost light and/or be incorporated in image forming apparatuses.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a condensing optical system for collecting a light beam emitted from light source means, a deflecting system for scanningly deflecting the light beam collected by the condensing optical system, and an imaging optical system configured to image the light beam scanningly deflected by the deflecting means, on a surface to be scanned, the deflecting means having a deflecting surface reciprocally movable within a main-scan sectional plane to scanningly deflect the light beam from the condensing optical system, wherein, when the deflecting surface reciprocally moves within the main-scan sectional plane, the deflecting surface receives an angular acceleration which is able to cause deformation being asymmetric with respect to a sub-scan direction, and wherein the condensing optical system collects the light beam from the light source means to a region of the deflecting surface which is at a side of a central line of the deflecting surface with respect to the sub-scan direction whe

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an optical scanning apparatus that employs a short wave light source to constantly maintain a spot having a tiny diameter, even when an environmental temperature change occurs, by employing a lens and/or a diffractive optical element.

Abstract: An optical scanning device and an image forming apparatus having the same include a light source, a deflecting system, an imaging optical system with at least one imaging optical element for imaging a light beam deflected by the deflecting system on a surface to be scanned, and at least one reflection type optical element disposed between the imaging optical element and the scanned surface, wherein the deflected light beam passes through a first transmission surface and a second transmission surface of the imaging optical element in this order and, after being reflected by the reflection type optical element, the light beam then passes through a third transmission surfaced and a fourth transmission surface of the imaging optical element in this order, and wherein a relation |øM/ø|<0.

Abstract: Disclosed in an optical scanning apparatus which includes a deflecting unit comprised of a rotary polygon mirror for deflecting a light beam radiated from a light source unit, and a scanning optical system for guiding the light beam deflected by the deflecting unit to a surface to be scanned. In the optical scanning apparatus, individual elements are set such that a diameter of a circumscribed circle of the rotary polygon mirror, the number of deflecting facets of the rotary polygon mirror, an incident angle of the light beam on the deflecting facet at the time when the light beam scans a scanning center, a maximum swing angle of the deflecting facet at the time when an effective scanning range is scanned, and a magnification of the scanning optical system in a sub scanning section can satisfy a predetermined condition, thereby reducing an unevenness of pitches due to a deflecting-facet fall of the rotary polygon mirror, and readily achieving a highly precise and fine image.

Abstract: An optical scanning system having an imaging optical system for imaging a plurality of light beams deflected by a deflecting surface of a optical deflector upon different scan surfaces. The imaging optical system includes an imaging optical element which has at least one optical surface defined, with respect to the sub-scan sectional plane, in accordance with different functions related to different regions. When with respect to the sub-scan sectional plane the plurality of light beams incident on one and the same deflecting surface of the optical deflector have the same reflection point thereon, there is relationship defined for a meridional line of the optical surface of the imaging optical element defined in accordance with the function, whereas when the plurality of light beams have different reflection points on the optical deflector, there is a different relationship for the meridional line.

Abstract: An optical scanning device has a light shield plate where a scanning line emitted from a light source passes through a scanning lens, and is reflected by a rotation polygon mirror, and after that, passes through the scanning lens again, and is reflected by the scanning lens at the opposite side of the rotation polygon mirror by nipping the scanning lens, wherein the light shield plate is placed at a position wherein the distance between the rotation polygon mirror and the scanning lens, the thickness in the optical axial direction of the scanning lens, the angle by which the scanning line incident the rotation polygon mirror and the convergent angle of the scanning line satisfies a certain relationship.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus including a light source, deflection unit configured to deflect a light flux emitted by the light source, a first optical system configured to condense a divergent light flux emitted by the light source, a second optical system configured to focus the deflected light flux on a target scanning face, where the wavelength of the light flux is short, and the first and second optical systems include respective refractive optical elements.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus and a color image forming apparatus using the same, in which streak-shaped density unevenness is reduced to prevent image deterioration: each of scanning surfaces is simultaneously scanned with light beams emitted from light source units and scanning lines are simultaneously drawn on the scanning surfaces; the light beams emitted from at least four light emitting portions of the corresponding light source unit are simultaneously deflected for scanning by a deflecting unit; and image data corresponding to a first scanning line, i.e. a scanning line located on an uppermost stream side in a direction in which the scanning surfaces move among scanning lines, on at least one of the scanning surfaces in a k-th scanning by the deflecting unit is displaced by at least one line space from image data corresponding to a first scanning line on another scanning surface in the k-th scanning.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical scanning device which includes a light source device, a deflecting system for deflecting a light beam emitted from the light source device, and a scanning optical system for scanning a surface to be scanned, with the light beam deflected by the deflecting system, wherein the scanning optical system includes a scanning optical element disposed so that, with respect to a sub-scan direction, a principal ray of the deflected light beam passes a portion other than an optical axis, wherein the scanning optical element has a sagittal aspherical amount changing surface in which an aspherical amount of a sagittal changes along a main scan direction of the scanning optical element, and wherein, throughout the whole surface to be scanned, the position in the sub-scan direction upon which the deflected light beam impinges is made even.

Abstract: An optical scanning system having an imaging optical system for imaging a plurality of light beams deflected by a deflecting surface of a optical deflector upon different scan surfaces. The imaging optical system includes an imaging optical element which has at least one optical surface defined, with respect to the sub-scan sectional plane, in accordance with different functions related to different regions. When with respect to the sub-scan sectional plane the plurality of light beams incident on one and the same deflecting surface of the optical deflector have the same reflection point thereon, there is relationship defined for a meridional line of the optical surface of the imaging optical element defined in accordance with the function, whereas when the plurality of light beams have different reflection points on the optical deflector, there is a different relationship for the meridional line.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus in which streaks in an image or unevenness in density of an image caused by influences of dusts, scratches and toner etc on the surface of a reflecting member are unlikely to occur and excellent images can be always obtained and an image forming apparatus equipped with such an optical scanning apparatus are to be achieved. The apparatus comprises a first optical system for guiding a light beam emitted from light source unit to deflecting unit, the deflecting unit for reflecting and deflecting the light beam from the first optical system, a second optical system for guiding the light beam reflected and deflected by the deflecting unit onto a surface to be scanned through reflecting unit including n (n is an integer equal to or larger than 1) reflecting members.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus includes light source means 1 which irradiates a light beam of which a wavelength is equal to or shorter than 450 nm, deflection means 5 which uses the light beams, for scanning in deflection, emitted from the light source means, an incidence optical system LA which makes the light beam incident on the deflection means, an imaging optical system 6 which guides the light beam deflected by the deflection means onto a surface 8 to be scanned, light intensity detection means 14 which detects fluctuations in spectral transmittances of the incidence optical system and of the imaging optical system, which are caused as a concomitant of a fluctuation in wavelength of the light beam, and control means 15 which controls an output of the light source means on the basis of a detection value detected by the light intensity detection means.

Abstract: A scanning optical system using a short-wavelength light of 500 nm or less uses a reflecting mirror having a higher absolute reflectivity and having reduced wavelength and angle dependences. Divergent ray of light emitted from a semiconductor laser is converted into an approximately parallel light beam by a collimator lens and the diameter of the light flux is reduced by an aperture before travel to a polygon mirror. The light beam from the polygon mirror passes through scanning lenses to form a small spot at any point in the entire scanning area. The semiconductor laser is a gallium nitride semiconductor laser having an oscillation wavelength of 408 nm. The polygon mirror has such a characteristic that, if the complex refractive index N of a metallic film contributing to a reflection characteristic of the reflecting mirror is defined as N(?)=n(?)?ik(?), then k(?)>?{square root over ((?n(?)2+18n(?)?1))}{square root over ((?n(?)2+18n(?)?1))} is satisfied.

Abstract: There is provided a diffraction grid which is easily produced without reducing a grid size. There is provided an optical scanning device having effects such as a chromatic aberration correction and a temperature compensation even when a short wavelength light source having a wavelength of 500 nm or less is used, and an image forming apparatus using the optical scanning device. In the optical scanning device having the diffraction grid, for which the short wavelength light source having a wavelength of 500 nm or less is used, a design order of the diffraction grid is set to a diffraction order equal to or larger than a second order to obtain a grid shape which is easily formed.

Abstract: There is provided a diffraction grid which is easily produced without reducing a grid size. There is provided an optical scanning device having effects such as a chromatic aberration correction and a temperature compensation even when a short wavelength light source having a wavelength of 500 nm or less is used, and an image forming apparatus using the optical scanning device. In the optical scanning device having the diffraction grid, for which the short wavelength light source having a wavelength of 500 nm or less is used, a design order of the diffraction grid is set to a diffraction order equal to or larger than a second order to obtain a grid shape which is easily formed.

Abstract: An optical scanning device has a light shield plate where a scanning line emitted from a light source passes through a scanning lens, and is reflected by a rotation polygon mirror, and after that, passes through the scanning lens again, and is reflected by the scanning lens at the opposite side of the rotation polygon mirror by nipping the scanning lens, wherein the light shield plate is placed at a position wherein the distance between the rotation polygon mirror and the scanning lens, the thickness in the optical axial direction of the scanning lens, the angle by which the scanning line incident the rotation polygon mirror and the convergent angle of the scanning line satisfies a certain relationship.

Abstract: An optical scanning device is provided, which includes: a light source unit for emitting at least one light flux having a wavelength equal to or smaller than 500 nm; a deflection unit for deflecting at least one of the light fluxes emitted from the light source unit; and a scanning optical system for imaging the light flux deflected by the deflection unit onto a surface to be scanned. In the optical scanning device, the scanning optical system includes at least two lenses including a glass lens and a plastic lens, each of which has an opposite sign of power, and chromatic aberration of magnification in a main scanning direction in the optical scanning device is corrected to be equal to or smaller than 40 ?m in the case where a difference of wavelengths in the light flux emitted from the light source unit is set to 5 nm.