Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to realize a multi-beam optical scanning device which is suitable for high speed and high recording density by almost completely offsetting and correcting a deviation of focusing positions in a main scanning direction of plural spots in an entire surface to be scanned without deteriorating focusing properties at all.

Abstract: A multibeam scanning optical system includes a light source unit having a light source and a plurality of beam converting elements having a first optical system for converting a beam emitted from the light source into a divergent beam or a convergent beam, beam combining element for combining a plurality of divergent beams or convergent beams emerging from the light source unit, and causing them to emerge substantially in the same direction, a second optical system for causing the plurality of divergent beams or convergent beams combined by the beam combining element to be imaged as a linear image long in the main scanning direction, deflector having a deflecting surface at or near the imaging position of the second optical system, and for reflecting and deflecting the plurality of incident divergent beams or convergent beams in the main scanning direction, and a third optical system for causing the plurality of divergent beams or convergent beams reflected and deflected by the deflector to be imaged on a sur

Abstract: A scanning optical system includes a first optical system for shaping a light beam emitted from a light source and forming the light beam into a linear image elongated in the same direction as a main scanning direction, a light deflector which has a deflection surface near an imaging position of the first optical system and deflects/scans the incident light beam in the main scanning direction, a second optical system for forming the light beam deflected by the light deflector into an image on a scanned surface in the main scanning direction, and a third optical system for forming the light beam deflected by the light deflector into an image on the scanned surface in a sub-scanning direction and setting the deflection surface of the light deflector and the scanned surface optically conjugate with each other. The light beam guided by the first optical system is made to strike said light deflector at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the light deflector.

Abstract: A light-scanning optical system and light-scanning apparatus are capable of presenting an image at high speed and with high quality so as to equalize spot sizes throughout an entire surface to be scanned and nullify curving of scanning line, and an image-forming apparatus is also capable. The light-scanning optical system has a first optical system 2 for converting a beam emitted from light source 1 into a nearly parallel beam, a second optical system 4 for focusing the converted beam into a linear beam along the main scanning direction on a deflection facet of a deflecting device 5, and a third optical system 9 for focusing the beam deflected by the deflecting device, on the surface to be scanned 8.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-beam scanning optical system, which can reduce relative deviation of a writing position of each light-emitting portion due to focus deviation of synchronization detection optical means, and an image forming apparatus using the same. In the multi-beam scanning optical system having the synchronization detection optical means including light source means, incident optical means, deflection means, scanning optical means and a slit, each element is set such that relative deviation of a writing position of each light beam due to deviation of a focus position within a main scanning cross section is reduced by a first light beam limiting element provided between the deflection means and the slit and a conditional expression is satisfied.

Abstract: A multi-beam scanning optical system which obtains an image by reducing an error between the imaging positions of light beams from a plurality of light sources without any complicated adjustment, and an image-forming apparatus using the same.

Abstract: A multibeam scanning optical system includes a light source unit having a light source and a plurality of beam converting elements having a first optical system for converting a beam emitted from the light source into a divergent beam or a convergent beam, beam combining element for combining a plurality of divergent beams or convergent beams emerging from the light source unit, and causing them to emerge substantially in the same direction, a second optical system for causing the plurality of divergent beams or convergent beams combined by the beam combining element to be imaged as a linear image long in the main scanning direction, deflector having a deflecting surface at or near the imaging position of the second optical system, and for reflecting and deflecting the plurality of incident divergent beams or convergent beams in the main scanning direction, and a third optical system for causing the plurality of divergent beams or convergent beams reflected and deflected by the deflector to be imaged on a sur

Abstract: A multi-beam light scanning optical system has a light beam incident optical system for causing a condenser lens to condense each of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources and making the light beams incident on a deflecting surface of an optical deflector. In the light beam incident optical system, a relay optical system is inserted between the plurality of light sources and the condenser lens. An aperture stop for limiting a beam width of each of the light beams emitted from the plurality of light sources is arranged on a light source side with respect to an image forming point of each of the plurality of light sources through the relay optical system.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus is capable of scanning a surface with a plurality of fluxes of light along a principal scanning direction. In the apparatus, a plurality of fluxes of light are emitted by a plurality of light sources arranged at intervals along an auxiliary scanning direction perpendicular to the principal scanning direction. The plurality of fluxes of light are lead to an optical deflector via an optical system for incident light and deflected by the optical deflector. Most part of the deflected fluxes of light are lead to the surface via an imaging optical system for scanning the surface, while small part of the deflected fluxes of light are lead to a photodetector to generate a synchronizing signal for controlling the timing of the scanning start of each of the fluxes of light.

Abstract: A scanning optical system includes a first optical system for shaping a light beam emitted from a light source and forming the light beam into a linear image elongated in the same direction as a main scanning direction, a light deflector which has a deflection surface near an imaging position of the first optical system and deflects/scans the incident light beam in the main scanning direction, a second optical system for forming the light beam deflected by the light deflector into an image on a scanned surface in the main scanning direction, and a third optical system for forming the light beam deflected by the light deflector into an image on the scanned surface in a sub-scanning direction and setting the deflection surface of the light deflector and the scanned surface optically conjugate with each other. The light beam guided by the first optical system is made to strike said light deflector at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the light deflector.

Abstract: Provided are a light-scanning optical system and light-scanning apparatus capable of presenting an image at high speed and with high quality so as to equalize spot sizes throughout an entire surface to be scanned and nullify curving of scanning line, and imageformlng apparatus using it The light-scanning optical system has a first optical system 2 for converting a beam emitted from light source 1 into a nearly parallel beam, a second optical system 4 for focusing the converted beam into a linear beam along the main scanning direction on a deflection facet of deflecting device 5, and a third optical system 9 for focusing the beam deflected by the deflecting device, on the surface to be scanned 8.

Abstract: A light-scanning optical system comprises a light source, a first optical system, a light deflector having a deflection surface, a second optical system, a photodetector and a luminous flux delimiting member. A luminous flux emitted from the light source is trimmed and imaged as a linear luminous flux extending in the main scanning direction by the first optical system. The deflection surface of the deflector is arranged near the imaging position of the first optical system so that it reflects and deflects the linear luminous flux for scanning operation. The deflected luminous flux is then imaged on the plane to be scanned by the second optical system that establishes a substantially conjugate relationship between the deflection surface and the plane to be scanned.

Abstract: In a light scanning optical system having a first optical system for causing a beam emitted from light source means to be incident on the deflecting surface of a light deflector at a predetermined angle in the sub-scanning cross-section, and a second optical system for imaging the beam reflected and deflected by the light deflector on a surface to be scanned and bringing the deflecting surface of the light deflector and the surface to be scanned into a substantially conjugate relation in the sub-scanning cross-section, when the maximum value and minimum value of the peak intensity in the effective scanning area of a spot imaged on the surface to be scanned by the second optical system are defined as EMAX and EMIN, respectively, to satisfy the condition that 0.8≦EMIN/EMAX.

Abstract: There are provided a multi-beam scanning optical system which can obtain a high-quality image at high speed by effectively reducing an error between the imaging positions of light beams from a plurality of light sources without requiring any complicated adjustment, and an image forming apparatus using the same.

Abstract: A multi-beam scanning optical apparatus comprises a light source having a plurality of light emitting sections, a rotary polygon mirror having deflection surfaces for deflecting light beams emitted from the light emitting sections, a first optical system arranged on the optical path between the light source and the polygon mirror for transforming the light beams into so many convergent or divergent light beams, a second optical system for focussing the convergent or divergent light beams on a deflection surface of the rotary polygon mirror as so many linear images extending in the main-scanning direction, and a third optical system for focussing the deflected light beams onto a surface to be scanned, which is typically a photosensitive surface of a drum and is held in a substantially conjugate relationship in the sub-scanning direction with the deflection surface.

Abstract: A scanning optical system includes a first optical system for shaping a light beam emitted from a light source to form a line image elongated in the same direction as a main scanning direction, a light deflector which has a deflection surface near an imaging position of the first optical system and deflectively scans an incident light beam in the main scanning direction, a second optical system for forming the light beam deflected by the light deflector into an image on a scanned surface in the main scanning direction, and a third optical system for forming the light beam deflected by the light deflector into an image on the scanned surface in a sub-scanning direction and setting the deflection surface of the light deflector and the scanned surface optically conjugate with each other. The light beam guided by the first optical system is made to strike the light deflector at a predetermined angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the light deflector.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus in which the luminous flux emitted from a light source is deflected by a deflecting device and formed by an optical device into a spot-shaped image on a plane to be scanned. The optical device has first and second toric lenses. The first toric lens has both lens surfaces formed into aspherical shapes in the main scanning cross section and has a meniscus shape in which a concave surface faces the deflecting device in the vicinity of the center of scanning and which provides a positive refractive power. The second toric lens has both lens surfaces formed into aspherical shapes in the main scanning cross section and has a meniscus shape in which a convex surface faces the deflecting device in the vicinity of the center of scanning and which provides a positive refractive power.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, deflector for deflecting a light beam emitted from the light source, and optical device for directing the light beam emitted from the light source onto a surface to be scanned. The optical device includes a diffracting optical element. An aberration fluctuation in a sub-scanning direction resulting from environmental fluctuation of the scanning optical apparatus is corrected by the characteristic of the optical device.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source device, a first optical element for converting a beam emitted from the light source device to a converging light beam, a deflecting element for deflecting the beam emitted from the light source device, a second optical element for focusing the beam emerging from the first optical element in a linear shape longitudinal in a main scanning direction on a deflective face of the deflecting element, and a third optical element for focusing the beam deflected by the deflecting element in a spot shape on a scanned surface.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflector for deflecting a beam emitted from the light source, an optical device for guiding the beam emitted from the light source to the deflector, a stop member, provided in an optical path between the optical device and the deflector, for shaping a beam size of the beam having passed the optical device, the stop member having an aperture portion, an imaging device for guiding the beam deflected by the deflector onto a surface to be scanned, and a shade member, provided in the optical path between the stop member and the deflector, for intercepting a beam traveling in a central part of the stop member.