Patent · US Expired

Return optical deflecting element, optical deflecting element and optical scanner

US5170278A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
4References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 2, 1991
Grant dateDec 8, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 2, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B26/121
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Reflecting faces constituting one or more reflecting face pairs are respectively inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the rotational axis of an optical deflecting element. The reflecting faces are opposed to each other such that these reflecting faces are perpendicular to each other. The reflecting face pairs are arranged with axial symmetry with respect to the rotational axis. A light beam is incident to one of the reflecting faces in parallel to the rotational axis. This light beam is sequentially reflected on this one reflecting face and the other reflecting face constituting the reflecting face pairs together with this one reflecting face. Then, the light beam is returned from the other reflecting face in parallel to the rotational axis and is emitted as a deflected light beam. An optical scanner using the return optical deflecting element and an optical deflecting element is also shown. The optical scanner may have a light source device, a deflector, a member for reflecting a light beam from the deflector in a predetermined direction, etc.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.