Abstract: An optical scanner is configured such that an anamorphic condensing lens in an incident optical system has a diffractive lens structure at least in one lens surface thereof, and a length of an optical path increased by the diffractive lens structure ? [rad] is defined by an equation below by a function of height h from an optical axis: ?(h)=M(P2·h2+P4·h4+ . . . ), where Pn is a coefficient of an nth-order term of the height h (n is an even number), and M is a diffraction order, that the lens satisfies the following relations: ?216?P2??49, 1100?P4·(hm max)4/(fm·NAm4)?3800, and 10?fm?35, where hmmax [mm] is an effective diameter in the main scanning direction, fm [mm] is a focal length in the main scanning direction, and NAm is a numerical aperture in the main scanning direction, and that a wavefront aberration WFE1 [?rms] in a first wavelength ?1 [nm] satisfies the following relation: WFE1?0.01.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, an illumination optical system has a diffractive power ?dM and a refractive power ?nM in a main scanning direction, and a ratio ?nM/?dM in the main scanning direction for a focal length fi in a range of 10-22 mm satisfies: g2(fi)??nM/?dM?g1(fi), where A(Z)=(1.897×107)Z2+6744Z+0.5255, B(Z)=(2.964×107)Z2+5645Z+0.6494, C(Z)=(3.270×107)Z2+3589Z+0.5250, D(Z)=(5.016×107)Z2+4571Z+0.8139, g1(fi)=fi{D(Z)?B(Z)}/12?5D(Z)/6+11B(Z)/6, g2(fi)=fi{C(Z)?D(Z)}/12?5C(Z)/6+11A(Z)/6.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, an illumination optical system has a diffractive power ?dM in a main scanning direction, a diffractive power ?dS in a sub-scanning direction, a refractive power ?nM in the main scanning direction, and a refractive power ?nS in the sub-scanning direction. A ratio ?nM/?dM in the main scanning direction for a focal length fi in a range of 10-30 mm satisfies: g2(fi)??nM/?dM?g1(fi), where A(Z)=(3.532×107)Z2+3023Z+0.7010, B(Z)=(5.719×107)Z2+4169Z+0.7678, C(Z)=(1.727×107)Z2+3244Z+0.4217, D(Z)=(1.373×108)Z2+3232Z+1.224, g1(fi)=fi{D(Z)?B(Z)}/20?0.5D(Z)+1.5B(Z), g2(fi)=fi{C(Z)?D(Z)}/20?0.5C(Z)+1.5A(Z), and a ratio ?nS/?dS in the sub-scanning direction satisfies: ?nS/?dS<1.3.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus including a single lens configured to convert a beam deflected by a polygon mirror into a spot-like image on a to-be-scanned surface, the lens satisfies the conditions: ?0.59<?1?0, ?0.46<?2?0.2, ?0.6?D1<0.43, and ?0.17?D2?0.16 where ?1 indicates an angle [deg] formed in a main scanning plane between a first optical axis and a reference line perpendicular to the to-be-scanned surface, ?2 indicates an angle [deg] formed in the main scanning plane between the first optical axis and a second optical axis, D1 indicates an amount of shift [mm] in the main scanning plane, of a point of intersection between the first optical axis and an incident-side lens surface, from the reference line, and D2 indicates an amount of shift [mm] in the main scanning plane, of a point of intersection between the second optical axis and an exit-side lens surface, from the first optical axis.

Abstract: An optical scanner is configured such that an anamorphic condensing lens in an incident optical system has a diffractive lens structure at least in one lens surface thereof, and a length of an optical path increased by the diffractive lens structure ? [rad] is defined by an equation below by a function of height h from an optical axis: ?(h)=M(P2·h2+P4·h4+ . . . ), where Pn is a coefficient of an nth-order term of the height h (n is an even number), and M is a diffraction order, that the lens satisfies the following relations: ?216?P2??49, 1100?P4·(hm max)4/(fm·NAm4)?3800, and 10?fm?35, where hmmax [mm] is an effective diameter in the main scanning direction, fm [mm] is a focal length in the main scanning direction, and NAm is a numerical aperture in the main scanning direction, and that a wavefront aberration WFE1 [?rms] in a first wavelength ?1 [nm] satisfies the following relation: WFE1?0.01.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, a third optical element is configured such that a first optical axis defined as an optical axis of an incident-side lens surface of the third optical element is inclined in a main scanning plane with respect to a normal line extending from a scanning center on a target surface to be scanned and an intersection point between the first optical axis and the incident-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the normal line, and that a second optical axis defined as an optical axis of an emission-side lens surface is inclined in the main scanning plane with respect to the first optical axis and an intersection point between the second optical axis and the emission-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the first optical axis.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes: a light source; a first optical element configured to convert light emitted from the light source into a beam of light; a second optical element configured to convert the beam of light having passed through the first optical element into a linear image extending in a main scanning direction; a deflecting mirror configured to deflect the beam of light having passed through the second optical element in the main scanning direction; and a third optical element configured to convert the beam of light having been deflected by the deflecting mirror into a spot-like image and focus it on a target surface to be scanned. The third optical element is a single lens having a pair of opposite lens surfaces, and each of the pair of lens surfaces is aspheric in a main scanning plane to satisfy the formula: ? ( 1 - S k ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) f t ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ) · h ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ? < r e ? min 2 .

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, light emitted from each of a plurality of light sources is converted by a first optical element into a beam of light, which in turn is converted by a second optical element into a linear image extending in a main scanning direction incident on a deflecting mirror at which the beams of light are deflected in the main scanning direction. A third optical element configured to convert the beams from the deflecting mirror into spot-like images is a single lens, and each of opposite lens surfaces thereof has a curvature in a sub-scanning direction varying continuously from a position corresponding to an optical axis thereof outward in the main scanning direction in such a manner that MTF values in a sub-scanning direction of an image formed on the scanned surface vary less with image height.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, light emitted from each of a plurality of light sources is converted by a first optical element into a beam of light, which in turn is converted by a second optical element into a linear image extending in a main scanning direction incident on a deflecting mirror at which the beams of light are deflected in the main scanning direction. A third optical element configured to convert the beams from the deflecting mirror into spot-like images is a single lens, and each of opposite lens surfaces thereof has a curvature in a sub-scanning direction varying continuously from a position corresponding to an optical axis thereof outward in the main scanning direction in such a manner that MTF values in a sub-scanning direction of an image formed on the scanned surface vary less with image height.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus including a single lens configured to convert a beam deflected by a polygon mirror into a spot-like image on a scanned surface, an angle ?2 [deg] formed in a main scanning plane between the first optical axis and the second optical axis of the opposite lens surfaces of the lens satisfies the condition of ?0.6<?2??0.1, and at least one of the conditions ?0.5<?1<0 and ?0.1<D2<0.2 are satisfied where ?1 indicates an angle [deg] formed in the main scanning plane between the first optical axis and a reference line perpendicular to the scanned surface, and D2 indicates an amount of shift [mm] in the main scanning plane, of a point of intersection between the second optical axis and the exit-side lens surface, from the first optical axis.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus including a single lens configured to convert a beam deflected by a polygon mirror into a spot-like image on a scanned surface, an angle ?2 [deg] formed in a main scanning plane between the first optical axis and the second optical axis of the opposite lens surfaces of the lens satisfies the condition of ?0.6<?2??0.1, and at least one of the conditions ?0.5<?1<0 and ?0.1<D2<0.2 are satisfied where ?1 indicates an angle [deg] formed in the main scanning plane between the first optical axis and a reference line perpendicular to the scanned surface, and D2 indicates an amount of shift [mm] in the main scanning plane, of a point of intersection between the second optical axis and the exit-side lens surface, from the first optical axis.

Abstract: An optical device including: a laser light emitting portion that emits laser light; a polygon mirror having a reflective surface that reflects the laser light, the polygon mirror being driven to rotate and deflecting the laser light emitted from the laser light emitting portion; a first lens through which the laser light reflected by the polygon mirror is transmitted, the first lens refracting the laser light; a second lens through which the laser light having passed through the first lens is transmitted, the second lens refracting the laser light; and an adjustment unit that adjusts at least one of a length of a first optical path between the polygon mirror and the first lens, and a length of a second optical path between the first lens and the second lens.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, a third optical element is configured such that a first optical axis defined as an optical axis of an incident-side lens surface of the third optical element is inclined in a main scanning plane with respect to a normal line extending from a scanning center on a target surface to be scanned and an intersection point between the first optical axis and the incident-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the normal line, and that a second optical axis defined as an optical axis of an emission-side lens surface is inclined in the main scanning plane with respect to the first optical axis and an intersection point between the second optical axis and the emission-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the first optical axis.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes: a light source; a first optical element configured to convert light emitted from the light source into a beam of light; a second optical element configured to convert the beam of light having passed through the first optical element into a linear image extending in a main scanning direction; a deflecting mirror configured to deflect the beam of light having passed through the second optical element in the main scanning direction; and a third optical element configured to convert the beam of light having been deflected by the deflecting mirror into a spot-like image and focus it on a target surface to be scanned. The third optical element is a single lens having a pair of opposite lens surfaces, and each of the pair of lens surfaces is aspheric in a main scanning plane to satisfy the formula: ? ( 1 - S k ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) f t ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ) · h ? ( y 1 , y 2 ) ? < r e ? min 2 .

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a light source device includes: preparing a holder for a semiconductor laser and a coupling lens having a first side confronting the semiconductor laser and a second side opposite to the first side, a photopolymerizable resin being provided on the holder at least at a location between the coupling lens and the holder; locating a light source for emitting a curing light for curing the photopolymerizable resin on an opposite side of the semiconductor laser with respect to the coupling lens, a reflecting member being provided on an opposite side of the light source with respect to the coupling lens; and curing the photopolymerizable resin by irradiating the curing light from the light source directly on a part of the photopolymerizable resin, and also on another remaining part of the photopolymerizable resin by reflecting the curing light on the reflecting member irradiating the curing light.

Abstract: In a cryotherapy apparatus 1, an FPSC2 (free piston type Stirling cooling machine) is used that is driven by a normal power supply, and that is comparatively small and inexpensive. In addition, to a heat absorbing portion 2a of the FPSC2 connected is a base end 6a of an inner pipe 6 in which a refrigerant that operates at a low temperature is encapsulated. As a result of this, when the FPSC2 is driven in a state where a heat exchanging portion 8 provided at a tip 6b of the inner pipe 6 is located on a predetermined site inside a body, heat moves from the heat exchanging portion 8 to the heat absorbing portion 2a of the FPSC2 through the refrigerant. At this time, the refrigerant encapsulated in the inner pipe 6 is insulated from the outside since a vacuumed gap S is formed by the inner pipe 6 being covered with an outer pipe 7. As a result of this, an ice ball is formed on the predetermined site where the heat exchanging portion 8 has been located.

Abstract: A light deflector includes: an oscillating mirror which includes a reflecting surface and which rotationally oscillates about a first axis; a mirror holder which holds the oscillating mirror; and a wiring drawn out from a surface of the mirror holder at a drawn-out start position, the drawn-out start position lying on a plane which includes the first axis and which is orthogonal to the reflecting surface of the oscillating mirror in a still state.

Abstract: To provide an image forming apparatus suppressing color slippage without using a mirror with high flatness, when a reflective surface of the mirror used in an optical system of, for example, yellow is formed in a completely flat surface, and a curvature R of the reflective surface of the mirror used in the optical system of magenta is +75 m, a deviation of a scanning position exceeds 100 ?m at maximum, resulting in accentuating the color slippage. Meanwhile, when the mirror of yellow is replaced with the mirror having the curvature R of +300 m, the slippage can be suppressed to 100 ?m or less. Therefore, each mirror is selected, so that the curvature of each mirror becomes all positive or all negative. Thus, the deviation of the scanning position is in the same direction of laser beams L of each color, and the slippage can be prevented.

Abstract: A light scanning device includes: a light source; a lens which converts a light emitted from the light source to a parallel light flux; an oscillating mirror which oscillates rotationally; a mirror support body which supports the oscillating mirror and which includes a first opening; a light shield wall which is disposed between the lens and the oscillating mirror and which includes a second opening; and a diaphragm which is disposed between the light source and the light shield wall and which includes a third opening. A relation expression A1<W<B is satisfied, where W indicates a width of the second opening in any direction orthogonal to an optical axis, A1 indicates a width of the third opening in a direction corresponding to the direction of the width W of the second opening, and B indicates a width of the first opening in the direction corresponding to the direction.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus forms color images on a recording medium by superposing images one after another. The color image forming apparatus includes at least one image bearing member and a plurality of scanning units. At least the one image bearing member bears a latent image thereon. The plurality of scanning units includes a first scanning unit and a second scanning unit. Each scanning unit scans a light beam over at least the one image bearing member to form the latent image thereon. The first scanning unit and the second scanning unit share at least one lens having an optical axis and a shape substantially symmetrical with respect to the optical axis. At least the one lens is disposed in a reverse orientation rotated 180 degrees from a normal orientation about the optical axis.