Optical scanning device and a scanning lens therefor
US5986791A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B13/0005
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical scanning device of the present invention includes a simple scanning lens. At least one of opposite surfaces of the lens has a nonarcuate shape, as seen in a polarization plane. At least one of the opposite surfaces is a special toric surface. Further, in a plane perpendicular to the polarization plane, the lens has a meniscus shape concave toward a polarizer. With this configuration, the lens achieves a desirable uniform velocity scanning capability and a desirable field curvature in the main scanning direction. The lens is therefore free from errors in configuration ascribable to molding while reducing the limitation on the tolerance of optical elements in the optical axis direction as to assembly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.