Abstract: A casing of an optical scanning apparatus housing a rotary polygon mirror and an optical member: a mounting portion on which a sound insulation member separating the optical member from the rotary polygon mirror is mountable; a first support portion supporting a transparent member which covers an opening of the casing on which the sound insulation member is mounted; a second support portion supporting a transparent member which covers the opening of the casing on which the sound insulation member is not mounted and is thicker than the transparent member to be supported by the first support portion; and a bearing surface of the second support portion located on an inner side of the casing than a bearing surface of the first support portion so that light beam emission surfaces of the transparent members to be supported by the first and second support portions are on a substantially same plane.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a holding member that holds a lens array and a circuit board. In the holding member, a portion where a light emission portion is attached, a portion where the lens array is attached, a portion where the circuit board is attached, and a portion where a first link member and a second link member are connected, are integrally molded as a molded resin article.

Abstract: An opening, from which a cleaning member is inserted from the outer side of a main body of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, is provided further toward the front side than an end portion of a front side of a holding member. The opening guides movement of the cleaning member in the direction of insertion as the inserted cleaning member moves toward the downstream side in the direction of insertion, so that downstream-side end portions of engaging portions in the insertion direction engage upstream-side end portions of protruding portions formed on the holding member in the direction of insertion.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes: a casing having a bottom face; a cylindrical portion having a first opening through which a laser beam from a light source passes; a light-transmitting member arranged between the cylindrical portion and a rotary polygon mirror; a plate spring fixing the light-transmitting member; and a sealing member between the cylindrical portion and the plate spring, wherein a width of the first opening narrows progressively in a insertion direction of the plate spring, the sealing member comes into contact with the cylindrical portion in a first region when the plate spring is inserted, and in a second region closer to the bottom face than the first region, a region, in which the sealing member comes into contact with the cylindrical portion, expands toward a center part from two end portions of a leading end portion of the sealing member as the plate spring is inserted further.

Abstract: The length of an abutting pin of an optical print head is decided such that the upper end of the abutting pin when at a cleaning position is on the opposite side of a movement path of a cleaning member, from the upper end of another abutting pin of the optical print head when in an exposure position.

Abstract: An exposing unit includes a holding member, an abutting pin protruding on both sides in the vertical direction at the rear side of the holding member, a second support portion provided further to the rear side than the holding member, and a movement mechanism that causes the holding member to move between an exposure position and a retracted position. The second support portion has a gap formed where the rear side of the holding member moves in the vertical direction, and this gap restricts movement of the holding member in the left-and-right direction. The holding member that is moved from the retracted position toward the exposure position by the movement mechanism is guided by the gap formed in the second support portion so that the abutting pin abuts a fitting portion.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus including: a light source; a rotary polygon mirror configured to deflect a light beam emitted from the light source; an optical component of an incident optical system configured to introduce the light beam to the rotary polygon mirror; an optical box configured to contain the rotary polygon mirror and the optical component; and a supporting base installed between the light source and the rotary polygon mirror and configured to support the optical component, wherein the supporting base includes: a first dust-proof member configured to seal a boundary portion between the optical box and the supporting base; and a protrusion configured to enter an opening, which is formed in a side wall of the optical box from the inside of the optical box in a state in which the supporting base is mounted to the optical box, the light source being fixed to the opening.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus including: a bottom surface on which a rotary polygon mirror is mounted; a housing including a bottom surface on which the rotary polygon mirror is mounted and a side wall portion on which a first light source and a second light source are mounted, the side wall portion standing from the bottom surface; and a wall portion standing from the bottom surface, the wall portion being configured to block a first light beam emitted from the first light source and reflected by an inner wall of a first holder holding the first light source and a second light beam emitted from the second light source and reflected by an inner wall of the second holder holding the second light source.

Abstract: Provided is a casing of a light scanning apparatus accommodating a rotary polygon mirror and an optical member, the casing including: first seat surfaces arranged on a bottom surface of the casing to mount a first deflection portion that includes a first rotary polygon mirror, a first motor, and a first board on which the first rotary polygon mirror and the first motor are fixed; and second seat surfaces arranged on the bottom surface to mount a second deflection portion that includes a second rotary polygon mirror, a second motor having a maximum number of revolutions higher than that of the first motor, a second board on which the second rotary polygon mirror and the second motor are fixed, and a mounting portion supporting the second board, wherein at least one of the second seat surfaces is arranged outside of a region formed by connecting the first seat surfaces.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photosensitive member; a process member configured to act on the photosensitive member; and a light scanning apparatus configured to emit a light beam to the photosensitive member. The light scanning apparatus includes: a light source; a rotary polygon mirror; a first signal generating unit configured to receive the light beam deflected by the rotary polygon mirror to generate a first signal indicating a scan starting position; and a second signal generating unit configured to generate a second signal based on a rotation angle of the rotary polygon mirror. A lighting-up timing of the light source for generating the first signal is determined based on a number of the second signals after a voltage for image formation is applied and a relationship between the first signal and the second signal is obtained before the voltage is applied and after the rotary polygon mirror is rotated.

Abstract: Sealability between a cover member and a transparent member of an optical scanning apparatus is improved to improve dustproof performance. An optical scanning apparatus includes an elastic member 75 for sealing a portion between a cover member 70 and a glass member 90, the elastic member 75 being formed on the cover member 70 so as to surround an opening portion 42, the elastic member 75 being formed from a material that differs from that of the cover member 70. The elastic member 75 has a protrusion 75a that extends towards the glass member 90. The protrusion 75a fills a gap between the cover member 70 and the glass member 90 by contacting the glass member 90 and being elastically deformed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a light scanning apparatus, including: forming an optical box having a plurality of protrusions arranged along a longitudinal direction of a reflection mirror and provided at positions corresponding to one end side and the other end side of the reflection mirror in the longitudinal direction, respectively; processing protrusions except protrusions that are used for supporting the reflection mirror so that the protrusions except the protrusions that are used for supporting the reflection mirror on the one end side and on the other end side of the reflection mirror are out of contact with the reflection mirror; placing the reflection mirror on the protrusions that have not been processed in the processing; and fixing the reflection mirror, which has been placed on the protrusions that have not been processed in the placing, to the optical box.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting unit, a reflection mirror, a casing, and first and second leaf springs. The casing includes first and second mirror supporting portions and a facing portion. The following relationship is satisfied: D2<L+W?D1. With respect to a longitudinal direction, L is a length of the reflection mirror, D1 is a longest distance between the first and second supporting portions, W is a contact width of the second supporting portion to the reflection mirror, and D2 is a distance between the facing portion and a closest position thereto of the first supporting portion. The first and second leaf springs urge the reflection mirror against the first and second mirror supporting portions, respectively. At least one of the first and second leaf springs is bonded to the reflection mirror with an adhesive.

Abstract: An opening, from which a cleaning member is inserted from the outer side of a main body of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, is provided further toward the front side than an end portion of a front side of a holding member. The opening guides movement of the cleaning member in the direction of insertion as the inserted cleaning member moves toward the downstream side in the direction of insertion, so that downstream-side end portions of engaging portions in the insertion direction engage upstream-side end portions of protruding portions formed on the holding member in the direction of insertion.

Abstract: The length of an abutting pin of an optical print head is decided such that the upper end of the abutting pin when at a cleaning position is on the opposite side of a movement path of a cleaning member, from the upper end of another abutting pin of the optical print head when in an exposure position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a holding member that holds a lens array and a circuit board. In the holding member, a portion where a light emission portion is attached, a portion where the lens array is attached, a portion where the circuit board is attached, and a portion where a first link member and a second link member are connected, are integrally molded as a molded resin article.

Abstract: Provided are a first seating face and a second seating face, to which a lower side of a holding member of an optical print head being moved from an exposure position toward a retracted position by a movement mechanism strikes in the direction of movement thereof. A light emission face of a lens array of the holding member that has abutted the first seating face and second seating face is thereby positioned on a movement path of a rubbing portion provided on a cleaning member that is inserted from an opening.

Abstract: A simple structure is provided to move an optical print head toward a photosensitive drum. An image forming apparatus includes an optical print head having a first link portion and a second link portion, a sliding portion configured to move by sliding as to an image forming apparatus main body, and an abutting portion where one end of the optical print head abuts. When the sliding portion moves by sliding, the first link portion and the second link portion pivot as to the sliding portion, with the one end of the optical print head abutting the abutting portion, and the optical print head moves toward the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An exposing unit includes a holding member, an abutting pin protruding on both sides in the vertical direction at the rear side of the holding member, a second support portion provided further to the rear side than the holding member, and a movement mechanism that causes the holding member to move between an exposure position and a retracted position. The second support portion has a gap formed where the rear side of the holding member moves in the vertical direction, and this gap restricts movement of the holding member in the left-and-right direction. The holding member that is moved from the retracted position toward the exposure position by the movement mechanism is guided by the gap formed in the second support portion so that the abutting pin abuts a fitting portion.

Abstract: A laser holder includes a bridge portion connected to a holding portion via two projecting portions so as to bridge the two projecting portions, and the bridge portion includes a contacting portion configured to come into contact with the optical box by being pressed against an optical box by a screw head of a second fixing screw.