Abstract: An optical scanner includes: a movable member having a light reflection portion and being configured to swing around a first axis; a frame body configured to swing around a second axis intersecting the first axis; a first shaft connecting the movable member and the frame body; a fixing member; a second shaft connecting the frame body and the fixing member; a first strain detection element disposed at the second shaft and detecting deformation of the second shaft; and a first signal processing unit to which a detection signal of the first strain detection element is input and which outputs a signal based on bending deformation of the second shaft.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes: a movable portion that is provided with a light reflection portion and is swingable around a first axis; a frame body portion that is swingable around a second axis; a first shaft portion that connects the movable portion and the frame body portion; a fixed portion; a second shaft portion that connects the frame body portion and the fixed portion; a strain detection element that is disposed in the second shaft portion to detect deformation of the second shaft portion; a first signal processing portion to which a detection signal of the strain detection element is input and that outputs a signal based on bending deformation of the second shaft portion; and a second signal processing portion to which a detection signal of the strain detection element is input and that outputs a signal based on torsional deformation of the second shaft portion.

Abstract: An optical scanner includes: a light reflecting section having light reflectivity; a movable plate which includes the light reflecting section and can be displaced; four link sections connected to the movable plate; and a supporting section supporting the four link sections. The four link sections are provided on an outer circumference of the movable plate at 90-degree intervals along a circumferential direction of the movable plate in a plan view. Each link section includes a turnable drive section, and a shaft section which connects the movable plate and the drive section. The shaft section is bent and deformed in a thickness direction of the movable plate by turning the drive section.

Abstract: An approach for obtaining a transducer mirror structure made from silicon. The structure may have a center portion and a perimeter portion that have an attachment between them which is made flexible after certain etching between the two portions. The attachment may be a web of links or legs. A force applied to the center portion at one end of the structure may cause the center portion to move relative to the perimeter portion. A piezo electric transducer or actuator may be attached to apply the force. An oxide layer, a thin layer of silicon and a mirror may be formed on the other end of the structure. The web of links or legs between the center and the perimeter portions may be established with an RIE etch of gaps through the structure to the oxide layer and an undercutting of the gaps with a KOH etch.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a light output unit, a light scanner that has a light reflection part reflecting the light from the light output unit, rotates the light reflection part around two axes, and scans with the light reflected by the light reflection part, and a scanner rotating unit the rotates the light scanner around a predetermined axis line while keeping a relative positional relation between an intersection of the two rotation axes and the light output unit constant, and the light scanner has a movable unit including the light reflection part, four connection parts provided at intervals of 90 degrees in an outer circumference of the movable unit, each of the connection parts has a shaft part that connects the movable unit and the drive unit and independently and bendingly deforms each of the shaft parts, and thereby, the movable unit rotates around the two axes.

Abstract: A rotation transmitting mechanism comprises: a three-layered coil that has an innermost layer coil portion, a middle layer coil portion and an outermost layer coil portion with alternating winding directions; and at least one elastic band that is fit to an outer peripheral area of said three-layered coil to press said outermost layer coil portion toward an inner peripheral side.

Abstract: An optical deflector includes a rotary body including a polygon mirror; a rotation shaft fixed to the rotary body; a bearing unit rotatably supporting the rotation shaft; and a board to which the bearing unit is fixed. Where P [rpm] is the number of revolutions of the rotary body, l [m] is a distance between a center of gravity of the rotary body and the board, m [kg] is mass of the rotary body, r [m] is a radius of the rotation shaft, E [Pa] is Young's modulus of the rotation shaft, and t [mm] is a thickness of the board, the following inequalities are satisfied: 1 2 ? ? ? ? ? 3 ? ? ? ? Er 4 4 ? ? ml 3 ? 2 × P 60 ? ? and ? ? 0.8 ? t ? 1.8 .