Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image using a plurality of scan lines on a photosensitive body by, on a basis of an image signal, performing scanning of the photosensitive body in a main scan direction using one or more scanning beams repeatedly in a sub-scan direction orthogonal to the main scan direction; and a unit configured to store start position information indicating start positions in the main scan direction of the plurality of scan lines. In a case where scan positions in the sub-scan direction of the plurality of scan lines are linearly shifted relative to a target position with a period of N number of scan lines, the start position information indicates to linearly shift the start positions of N scan lines in the main scan direction along the sub-scan direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus incudes a photosensitive member, a scanning optical unit and a control portion. The scanning optical unit is provided with a light source including a plurality of light emitting points and emitting laser lights form the plurality of light emitting points, respectively and a deflector deflecting each of the laser lights emitted from the plurality of light emitting points into a scanning direction. The scanning optical unit scans the photosensitive member with the plurality of laser lights deflected by the deflector and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member. The control portion controls the scanning optical unit. Based on information regarding a light emitting point pitch as an interval between the plurality of light emitting points, the control portion identifies the light emitting point pitch.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source, a rotary polygon mirror configured to deflect a light beam from the light source, a scanning lens through which the light beam passes, a reflection mirror configured to reflect and guide the light beam to a surface to be scanned and having an elongated shape in a longitudinal direction, and a casing configured to support the light source, the rotary polygon mirror, the scanning lens, and the reflection mirror, wherein the casing includes a pair of holding units configured to hold both ends of at least one of the scanning lens or the reflection mirror in the longitudinal direction, the holding unit closer to the light source has a side wall extending in the axial direction from a bottom of the casing, and, on the side wall, a diaphragm configured to restrict an incident beam to the rotary polygon mirror is arranged.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a scanning unit configured to form latent images in a first region and in a second region of the photoreceptor; and a control unit configured to control a light emission luminance of the scanning unit. The control unit is further configured to set the light emission luminance of the scanning unit to a first light emission luminance when scanning of the first region is started, and set the light emission luminance of the scanning unit to a second light emission luminance higher than the first light emission luminance when scanning of the second region is started, and to decrease the light emission luminance of the scanning unit while the second region is being scanned, in a case where the second region is an upstream side of the first region in the scanning direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus incudes a photosensitive member, a scanning optical unit and a control portion. The scanning optical unit is provided with a light source including a plurality of light emitting points and emitting laser lights form the plurality of light emitting points, respectively and a deflector deflecting each of the laser lights emitted from the plurality of light emitting points into a scanning direction. The scanning optical unit scans the photosensitive member with the plurality of laser lights deflected by the deflector and forms an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member. The control portion controls the scanning optical unit. Based on information regarding a light emitting point pitch as an interval between the plurality of light emitting points, the control portion identifies the light emitting point pitch.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a scanning unit configured to form latent images in a first region and in a second region of the photoreceptor; and a control unit configured to control a light emission luminance of the scanning unit. The control unit is further configured to set the light emission luminance of the scanning unit to a first light emission luminance when scanning of the first region is started, and set the light emission luminance of the scanning unit to a second light emission luminance higher than the first light emission luminance when scanning of the second region is started, and to decrease the light emission luminance of the scanning unit while the second region is being scanned, in a case where the second region is an upstream side of the first region in the scanning direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image using a plurality of scan lines on a photosensitive body by, on a basis of an image signal, performing scanning of the photosensitive body in a main scan direction using one or more scanning beams repeatedly in a sub-scan direction orthogonal to the main scan direction; and a unit configured to store start position information indicating start positions in the main scan direction of the plurality of scan lines. In a case where scan positions in the sub-scan direction of the plurality of scan lines are linearly shifted relative to a target position with a period of N number of scan lines, the start position information indicates to linearly shift the start positions of N scan lines in the main scan direction along the sub-scan direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a scanning unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor by scanning the photoconductor with one or more scanning beams in a main scanning direction based on an image signal, repetitively in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; a generating unit configured to perform halftone processing on image data to generate the image signal; and a storage unit configured to store correction information. The correction information is set such that start positions of a plurality of scanning lines are linearly displaced to either a negative side or a positive side of the main scanning direction along the sub-scanning direction, in accordance with a direction of a first vector forming a smaller angle with the sub-scanning direction among two vectors in the halftone processing.

Abstract: A scanning optical device includes a deflector, a reflecting mirror, a housing to accommodate the deflector and the mirror; and an elastic member to urge the mirror toward the housing. The mirror includes a first surface urged by the elastic member, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a third surface and a fourth surface perpendicular to the first and second surfaces. The housing includes a bearing surface to support the second surface and a regulating portion to regulate movement of the mirror to a mirror widthwise direction, perpendicular to a mirror longitudinal direction and parallel with the second surface, and toward an opening of the housing. The regulating portion is provided opposite to only a part of the third surface so that a ridge line of the mirror between the second surface and the third surface does not contact the regulating member even an attitude of the mirror changes in a direction away from the bearing surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a scanning unit configured to form an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor by scanning the photoconductor with one or more scanning beams in a main scanning direction based on an image signal, repetitively in a sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; a generating unit configured to perform halftone processing on image data to generate the image signal; and a storage unit configured to store correction information. The correction information is set such that start positions of a plurality of scanning lines are linearly displaced to either a negative side or a positive side of the main scanning direction along the sub-scanning direction, in accordance with a direction of a first vector forming a smaller angle with the sub-scanning direction among two vectors in the halftone processing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form a toner image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member and an optical scanning unit. The optical scanning unit includes an optical scanning unit, an optical box, a cover member, and a moving unit movable to an outside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit and the moving unit are arranged so that the moving unit and the optical scanning unit are opposed to each other when the moving unit is located in an inside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit is disposed so as to allow a user to touch the optical scanning unit through a space generated in the inside of the image forming apparatus when the moving unit is moved to the outside of the image forming apparatus. Between the optical box and the cover member, the cover member is opposed to the moving unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form a toner image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member and an optical scanning unit. The optical scanning unit includes an optical scanning unit, an optical box, a cover member, and a moving unit movable to an outside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit and the moving unit are arranged so that the moving unit and the optical scanning unit are opposed to each other when the moving unit is located in an inside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit is disposed so as to allow a user to touch the optical scanning unit through a space generated in the inside of the image forming apparatus when the moving unit is moved to the outside of the image forming apparatus. Between the optical box and the cover member, the cover member is opposed to the moving unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form a toner image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member and an optical scanning unit. The optical scanning unit includes an optical scanning unit, an optical box, a cover member, and a moving unit movable to an outside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit and the moving unit are arranged so that the moving unit and the optical scanning unit are opposed to each other when the moving unit is located in an inside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit is disposed so as to allow a user to touch the optical scanning unit through a space generated in the inside of the image forming apparatus when the moving unit is moved to the outside of the image forming apparatus. Between the optical box and the cover member, the cover member is opposed to the moving unit.

Abstract: A scanning optical device includes a deflector, a reflecting mirror, a housing to accommodate the deflector and the mirror; and an elastic member to urge the mirror toward the housing. The mirror includes a first surface urged by the elastic member, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a third surface and a fourth surface perpendicular to the first and second surfaces. The housing includes a bearing surface to support the second surface and a regulating portion to regulate movement of the mirror to a mirror widthwise direction, perpendicular to a mirror longitudinal direction and parallel with the second surface, and toward an opening of the housing. The regulating portion is provided opposite to only a part of the third surface so that a ridge line of the mirror between the second surface and the third surface does not contact the regulating member even an attitude of the mirror changes in a direction away from the bearing surface.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form a toner image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member and an optical scanning unit. The optical scanning unit includes an optical scanning unit, an optical box, a cover member, and a moving unit movable to an outside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit and the moving unit are arranged so that the moving unit and the optical scanning unit are opposed to each other when the moving unit is located in an inside of the image forming apparatus. The optical scanning unit is disposed so as to allow a user to touch the optical scanning unit through a space generated in the inside of the image forming apparatus when the moving unit is moved to the outside of the image forming apparatus. Between the optical box and the cover member, the cover member is opposed to the moving unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which forms an image on a recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes a housing; a plurality of photosensitive members which bear respective toner images; a scanning unit which scans surfaces of the plurality of photosensitive members by laser light in accordance with image information; and a recording medium container which contains the recording medium and is detachably mounted in the housing. The scanning unit is disposed under the plurality of photosensitive members and over the recording medium container in the vertical direction, and other components are not interposed between the scanning unit and the recording medium container in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided which forms an image on a recording medium. The image forming apparatus includes a housing; a plurality of photosensitive members which bear respective toner images; a scanning unit which scans surfaces of the plurality of photosensitive members by laser light in accordance with image information; and a recording medium container which contains the recording medium and is detachably mounted in the housing. The scanning unit is disposed under the plurality of photosensitive members and over the recording medium container in the vertical direction, and other components are not interposed between the scanning unit and the recording medium container in the vertical direction.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a first light source, a second light source, a first driving element, a second driving element, a rotatable polygonal mirror, a first scanning optical portion, a second scanning optical portion, a detecting element, and a circuit board. The first light source, the first driving element and the detecting element are arranged in a named order on the circuit board. The following relationship is satisfied: ?1>?2, where ?1 is an angle formed by a direction of the first laser light and a first direction, and ?2 is an angle formed by a direction of the second laser light and a second direction.

Abstract: A spectral color measuring apparatus includes a light source, an optical emitting element configured to regulate a position of the light source in an emission direction of a light flux, and to guide the light flux emitted from the light source onto a color-patch image formed on a surface of a sheet, and an urging member configured to urge the light source toward the optical emitting element in the emission direction of the light flux. With this, relative positional accuracy between the light source and the optical emitting member is enhanced, thereby enabling accurate measurement of a color of an image in a short color measuring takt (time period).

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a first light source, a second light source, a first driving element, a second driving element, a rotatable polygonal mirror, a first scanning optical portion, a second scanning optical portion, a detecting element, and a circuit board. The first light source, the first driving element and the detecting element are arranged in a named order on the circuit board. The following relationship is satisfied: ?1>?2, where ?1 is an angle formed by a direction of the first laser light and a first direction, and ?2 is an angle formed by a direction of the second laser light and a second direction.