Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a deflector for deflecting a light beam to optically scan a scanned region on a scanned surface in a main scanning direction, and an imaging optical system for guiding the light beam deflected by the deflector, to the scanned surface. The imaging optical system includes an imaging optical element in which, in the main scanning direction, a distance to an optical axis from one effective end portion through which a light beam that enters one end portion of the scanned region passes is longer than a distance to the optical axis from another effective end portion through which a light beam that enters another end portion of the scanned region passes. In the imaging optical element, a thickness in an optical axis direction of the one effective end portion is thinner than a thickness in the optical axis direction of the other effective end portion.

Abstract: Provided is an image reading lens to be used for reading image information of an original. The image reading lens includes an anamorphic lens having at least one anamorphic surface with an aspherical shape which is rotationally asymmetric about an optical axis. The anamorphic lens has a non-arc shape in each of a main scanning section and a sub scanning section. The at least one anamorphic surface has a positive optical power in a main scanning direction on the optical axis, and a non-arc amount of the sub scanning section continuously changes with an increase in distance from the optical axis in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: An optical scan unit (10) is configured to include a light source (11), a divergent light conversion element (12) having such positive power as to convert divergent light from the light source (11) into convergent light to form a spot on a projection plane, an optical deflector (13) deflecting a light beam from the divergent light conversion element (12) to a first scan direction and a second scan direction which is orthogonal to the first scan direction, and a deflection angle conversion element 14 (14) having such negative power as to convert a deflection angle of the light deflected by the optical deflector (13).

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus including a single lens configured to convert a beam deflected by a polygon mirror into a spot-like image on a to-be-scanned surface, the lens satisfies the conditions: ?0.59<?1?0, ?0.46<?2?0.2, ?0.6?D1<0.43, and ?0.17?D2?0.16 where ?1 indicates an angle [deg] formed in a main scanning plane between a first optical axis and a reference line perpendicular to the to-be-scanned surface, ?2 indicates an angle [deg] formed in the main scanning plane between the first optical axis and a second optical axis, D1 indicates an amount of shift [mm] in the main scanning plane, of a point of intersection between the first optical axis and an incident-side lens surface, from the reference line, and D2 indicates an amount of shift [mm] in the main scanning plane, of a point of intersection between the second optical axis and an exit-side lens surface, from the first optical axis.

Abstract: An image reading optical system, including: an imaging optical system used for imaging a slit area of a document and includes an optical element having different cross section shapes in a main scanning direction and in a sub-scanning direction; an aperture stop; and an optical phase changing filter disposed adjacent to the aperture stop and including a phase lead area and a phase delay area, in which the optical phase changing filter includes a surface shape component that is symmetric only with respect to a predetermined plane including a surface normal at the center of the incident beam and one of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, and with respect to a surface that includes the surface normal at the center of the incident beam and is perpendicular to the predetermined plane, one side is the phase lead area, and another side is the phase delay area.

Abstract: A laser light projector includes a laser beam generated by a laser light source, a scanner associated with the laser light source and having one or more moving mirrors capable of scanning the laser beam along X-Y coordinates, a scan-fail monitor and a safety-lens. The safety-lens includes a plurality of powers arranged for increasing the safety of the projected light within audience areas by increasing beam divergence in the audience, while keeping beam divergence low above the heads of the audience, thus allowing mirror targeting to occur.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, an optical device for causing the beam of light emitted from the light source to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The optical device is comprised of a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the beam of light deflected by the deflecting element to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third optical element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the effective portion of the lens.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, and an optical device for causing the beam to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The device comprises a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the deflected beam of light to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the lens's effective portion.

Abstract: An oscillating mirror module as a deflecting unit is disposed so that a movable mirror faces a plane where image carriers are arranged. A plurality of light source units are disposed within a plane parallel to the plane where the image carriers are arranged so that main light fluxes of light beams emitted from the light sources form predetermined angles with each other. The oscillating mirror module includes an incidence mirror that bends a plurality of light beams emitted from the light source units to direct the light beams to the movable mirror, and a separation mirror that separates the light beams scanned by the movable mirror into two opposite directions with respect to a cross-section including a surface normal of the movable mirror and perpendicular to the rotation axis of the movable mirror. A light collecting unit collects light beams so that output optical axes of the light beams corresponding to the light source units intersect on a surface of the movable mirror of the deflecting unit.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus, a third optical element is configured such that a first optical axis defined as an optical axis of an incident-side lens surface of the third optical element is inclined in a main scanning plane with respect to a normal line extending from a scanning center on a target surface to be scanned and an intersection point between the first optical axis and the incident-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the normal line, and that a second optical axis defined as an optical axis of an emission-side lens surface is inclined in the main scanning plane with respect to the first optical axis and an intersection point between the second optical axis and the emission-side lens surface is shifted with respect to the first optical axis.

Abstract: Optical pattern generators use rotating reflective axicon segments to produce images that can have different dimensions along the pattern direction compared to the cross pattern direction. Examples include both single axicon pattern generators and dual axicon pattern generators that independently control the image space relative aperture and thereby control the image dimensions in two orthogonal directions.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, an optical device for causing the beam of light emitted from the light source to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The optical device is comprised of a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the beam of light deflected by the deflecting element to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third optical element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the effective portion of the lens.

Abstract: In a scanning optical apparatus including a single lens configured to convert a beam deflected by a polygon mirror into a spot-like image on a scanned surface, an angle ?2 [deg] formed in a main scanning plane between the first optical axis and the second optical axis of the opposite lens surfaces of the lens satisfies the condition of ?0.6<?2??0.1, and at least one of the conditions ?0.5<?1<0 and ?0.1<D2<0.2 are satisfied where ?1 indicates an angle [deg] formed in the main scanning plane between the first optical axis and a reference line perpendicular to the scanned surface, and D2 indicates an amount of shift [mm] in the main scanning plane, of a point of intersection between the second optical axis and the exit-side lens surface, from the first optical axis.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, an optical device for causing the beam of light emitted from the light source to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The optical device is comprised of a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the beam of light deflected by the deflecting element to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third optical element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the effective portion of the lens.

Abstract: A two-element f-? lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a positive refraction meniscus lens of which the convex surface is disposed on a side of a MEMS mirror, the second lens is a positive refraction meniscus lens of which the concave surface is disposed on the side of the MEMS mirror, at least one optical surface is an Aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-? lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and time into the linear relationship between image spot distances and time. The two-element f-? lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sun scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: A two-element f-? lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a positive refraction meniscus lens of which the convex surface is disposed on a side of a MEMS mirror, the second lens is a positive refraction meniscus lens of which the convex surface is disposed on the side of the MEMS mirror, at least one optical surface is an Aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-? lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and time into the linear relationship between image spot distances and time. The two-element f-? lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sub scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: A second scanning lens has a refracting power in a sub-scanning direction, and an optical element-deforming unit that changes a position of the center of curvature of the second scanning lens in the sub-scanning direction to a direction substantially parallel to the sub-scanning direction. Further, a function Cs(y) of a curvature in the sub-scanning direction of the scanning lens deformed by the optical element-deforming unit in the scanning lens is set to have only one extreme value within a mirror surface region on a first surface of the lens.

Abstract: An optical scanning device, which comprises a light source unit, a scanning unit for scanning a scanning surface with a light from the light source unit in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and an optical unit for guiding the scanning light onto the scanning surface. The scanning unit has a deflection surface which sine-wave-drives in the first direction. The optical unit has an optical surface whose arbitrary cross section in the first direction has a shape where a second order derivative of the function representing a shape of the cross section changes so as to diverge a light stronger as toward the periphery from the center. And the optical surface is configured by arranging the shape of each cross section in the first direction in the second direction.

Abstract: A two-element f-? lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a biconvex lens, the second lens is a meniscus lens of which the convex surface is disposed on a side of a MEMS mirror, at least one optical surface is an Aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-? lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and the time into the linear relationship between the image spot distances and the time. Meanwhile, the two-element f-? lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sun scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: A scanning optical apparatus includes a light source, a deflecting element for deflecting a beam of light emitted from the light source, an optical device for causing the beam of light emitted from the light source to be imaged into a linear shape long in the main scanning direction on the deflecting surface of the deflecting element. The optical device is comprised of a first optical element and a second optical element, and a third optical element for causing the beam of light deflected by the deflecting element to be imaged into a spot-like shape on a surface to be scanned. The third optical element includes a single lens, the opposite lens surfaces of which both include a toric surface of an aspherical surface shape in the main scanning plane, the curvatures of the opposite lens surfaces in the sub scanning plane being continuously varied from the on-axis toward the off-axis in the effective portion of the lens.

Abstract: A two-element f-? lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a biconvex lens, the second lens is a meniscus lens of which the concave surface is disposed on a side of a MEMS mirror, at least one optical surface is an Aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-? lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and the time into the linear relationship between the image spot distances and the time. Meanwhile, the two-element f-? lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sun scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: A two-element f? lens with short focal distance is used for a laser scanning unit with a polygon mirror and the two-element f? lens comprises a first lens and a second lens. The first lens is a positive power meniscus lens and the second lens is a negative power meniscus lens in the main scanning direction. The first lens has a first and a second optical surface, the second lens has a third and a fourth optical surface. Concave surfaces of the first, second and third optical surfaces are disposed on the polygon mirror side. The fourth optical surface has an inflection point in SAG counted from the optical axis to peripheral portion and its paraxial portion is convex that is disposed on the polygon mirror side. The two-element f? lens satisfies an optical condition of 0.4557?tan(?)?0.7265, wherein ? is a maximum effective window angle.

Abstract: A two-element f? lens with short focal distance for a laser scanning unit comprises a first lens and a second lens. The first lens has first and second optical surfaces, the second lens has third and fourth optical surfaces, and all the optical surfaces in a main scanning direction on the optical axis are aspherical surfaces. The fourth optical surface has an inflection point in SAG counted from the optical axis to peripheral portion and its paraxial portion is convex that is disposed on the polygon mirror side. The two-element f? lens satisfies an optical condition of: 0.5429?tan(?)?1.2799, wherein ? is a maximum effective window angle. The first and second lenses of the two-element f? lens with short focal distance of the invention effectively reduces the distance from the polygon mirror to an imaging surface to achieve the purpose for reducing the volume of the laser scanning unit.

Abstract: A light scanning unit includes: a light source generating and irradiating at least one beam corresponding to an image signal; a beam deflector deflecting and scanning the beam irradiated by the light source; and an f-? lens forming an image from the beam deflected by the beam deflector onto a surface to be scanned, the f-? lens being provided as one lens and satisfies the following equation (2): - 0.2 < SAG ? ? 1 + SAG ? ? 2 d 2 < 0.2 ( 2 ) where SAG 1 is Z value of an incident surface of the f-? lens, which faces the beam deflector, SAG 2 is Z value of the exit surface of the f-? lens, which faces the surface to be scanned, based on an XYZ coordinate system in which a main scanning plane is a Y-Z plane and a sub-scanning plane is an X-Z plane, and d2 is a center thickness of the f-? lens.

Abstract: A two-element f-? lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a positive power meniscus lens of which concave surface is disposed on a side of a MEMS mirror, the second lens is a negative power meniscus lens of which convex surface is disposed on the side of the MEMS mirror, at least one optical surface is an Aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-? lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and time into the linear relationship between the image spot distances and time. Meanwhile, the two-element f-? lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sun scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: A two-element f-? lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a bi-convex lens and the second lens is a bi-convex lens. At least one optical surface is an Aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-? lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and the time into the linear relationship between the image spot distances and the time. Meanwhile, the two-element f-? lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sun scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light-source unit, an incident optical system for directing light beams emitted from the light-source unit to a deflecting unit, and an imaging optical system for guiding the light beams deflected from the deflecting unit to a surface to be scanned. The imaging optical system includes a toric lens whose power in the main scanning direction is different from that in the sub-scanning direction; the toric lens having the curvature centers of the meridians of a first toric surface connected to form a curved line located in a common plane Ha, and the curvature centers of the meridians of a second toric surface connected to form a curved line not located in a common plane.

Abstract: A two-element f-? lens used for a micro-electro mechanical system (MEMS) laser scanning unit includes a first lens and a second lens, the first lens is a biconvex lens and the second lens is a biconcave lens. At least one optical surface is aspherical surface in both main scanning direction and sub scanning direction, and satisfies special optical conditions. The two-element f-? lens corrects the nonlinear relationship between scanned angle and the time into the linear relationship between the image spot distances and the time. Meanwhile, the two-element f-? lens focuses the scan light to the target in the main scanning and sun scanning directions, such that the purpose of the scanning linearity effect and the high resolution scanning can be achieved.

Abstract: An optical scanning apparatus includes a light-source unit, an incident optical system for directing light beams emitted from the light-source unit to a deflecting unit, and an imaging optical system for guiding the light beams deflected from the deflecting unit to a surface to be scanned. The imaging optical system includes a toric lens whose power in the main scanning direction is different from that in the sub-scanning direction; the toric lens having the curvature centers of the meridians of a first toric surface connected to form a curved line located in a common plane Ha, and the curvature centers of the meridians of a second toric surface connected to form a curved line not located in a common plane.