Abstract: A leaf spring configured to mount an optical element to a housing, the housing containing: a rotary polygon mirror configured to deflect a laser beam emitted from a light source; and the optical element configured to guide the laser beam deflected by the rotary polygon mirror to a member to be scanned, wherein an adhesive is applied to the leaf spring, the adhesive being configured to adhere separated material scraped from the housing, the separated material being scraped from the housing by rubbing between the leaf spring and the housing at a time of mounting the optical element to the housing.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus including: a light receiving portion configured to receive a first laser beam to generate a synchronization signal; and a standing portion, wherein a first opening through which a part of the first laser beam that is emitted from a first light source and travels toward a rotary polygon mirror and the first laser beam that is emitted from the first light source and is deflected by the rotary polygon mirror pass and a second opening through which a part of the second laser beam that is emitted from a second light source and travels toward the rotary polygon mirror passes are provided in the standing portion, and wherein the first laser beam that is deflected by the rotary polygon mirror and passes through the first opening is incident on the light receiving portion.

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: A casing of an optical scanning apparatus includes: a mounting portion to which a sound-insulating member is mountable; a first and a second support portions supporting a reflective mirror in the casing on which the sound-insulating member is mounted and brought into contact with a back surface of the reflective mirror; and a third and a fourth support portions supporting a reflective mirror in the casing on which the sound-insulating member is not mounted and brought into contact with a back surface of the reflective mirror, wherein the first and the second support portions are positioned between the third and the fourth support portions in a longitudinal direction of the reflective mirror, and contact portions of the third and the fourth support portions protrude toward a reflective surface side of the reflective mirror to be arranged with respect to contact portions of the first and the second support portions.

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: 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: 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 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: 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 75l a 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 light scanning apparatus, including: a light source; a deflector having a rotary polygon mirror configured to deflect the light beam emitted from the light source, and a motor configured to rotate the polygon mirror; a plurality of reflecting mirrors configured to reflect the light beam to the photosensitive member; and an optical box on which the light source is mounted, wherein the optical box has an installation wall on which the deflector is installed and a support wall positioned on a side of the photosensitive member with respect to the polygon mirror, the support wall being provided with a support portion configured to support at least one reflecting mirror, a stepped portion having a plurality of steps is formed between the installation wall and the support wall, and a back surface of the stepped portion has a shape following an inside surface of the stepped portion.

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 for sealing a portion between a cover member and a glass member, the elastic member being formed on the cover member so as to surround an opening portion, the elastic member being formed from a material that differs from that of the cover member. The elastic member has a protrusion that extends towards the glass member. The protrusion fills a gap between the cover member and the glass member by contacting the glass member and being elastically deformed.

Abstract: During an operation of assembling a cover on an optical box, a cover-side engaging portion comes into contact with a side wall of the optical box and hence is deformed. An optical scanning apparatus is configured so that a distal end portion of a protrusion and an apex portion of a side wall of an optical box pass each other prior to a distal end portion of a cover-side engaging portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: 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: A light scanning apparatus, including: an optical box configured to hold a deflector and an optical member; and a cover, the optical box including: a concave-shaped cut-away portion formed from a top portion of a side wall toward a bottom portion; and a connecting wall which stands from the bottom portion of the optical box and is bent and branched from the cut-away portion to an inside of the optical box so as to cross over the cut-away portion, the cover including a dustproof member sandwiched between the cover and the side wall and between the cover and the connecting wall which a cable passes, wherein a height of a distal end of the connecting wall, which the cable passes, from the bottom portion is larger than a height of a base portion of the cut-away portion from the bottom portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a light scanning apparatus having an optical box containing a deflector configured to deflect a light beam scanning a photosensitive member, the light scanning apparatus being mounted to a main body of the image forming apparatus by being inserted through an insertion portion formed in the main body; a supporting unit including a first and a second supporting portions to support, in a direction intersecting an inserting direction of the box, the box in a vicinity of a downstream side wall of the optical box in the inserting direction, and a third supporting portion to support the box in a vicinity of an upstream side wall of the box; and a connecting portion configured to connect the box and the main body in the vicinity of the upstream side wall and on at least one side of the third supporting portion in the direction.

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.

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: An image forming apparatus including: a photosensitive member; a charging unit; a light scanning apparatus configured to emit a light beam to scan the photosensitive member to form a latent image; and a developing unit configure to develop the latent image. The light scanning apparatus includes a light source, a rotary polygon mirror, a light receiving unit, and a signal generating unit. An incident timing when the light beam deflected by the polygon mirror enters the light receiving unit after the photosensitive member is charged by the charging unit and after a voltage is applied to a toner carrying member by the developing unit is identified based on the number of second signals generated by the signal generating unit between the first signal and the first signal generated by the light receiving unit before the photosensitive member is charged and before the voltage is applied to the toner carrying member.

Abstract: A light scanning apparatus, including: an optical box configured to hold a deflector and an optical member; and a cover, the optical box including: a concave-shaped cut-away portion formed from a top portion of a side wall toward a bottom portion; and a connecting wall which stands from the bottom portion of the optical box and is bent and branched from the cut-away portion to an inside of the optical box so as to cross over the cut-away portion, the cover including a dustproof member sandwiched between the cover and the side wall and between the cover and the connecting wall which a cable passes, wherein a height of a distal end of the connecting wall, which the cable passes, from the bottom portion is larger than a height of a base portion of the cut-away portion from the bottom portion.