Patent · US Expired

Multi-beam scanning optical system and image forming apparatus using the same

US6366385B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
1References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 11, 2000
Grant dateApr 2, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 11, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B26/123
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A multi-beam scanning optical system includes a light source having a plurality of light-emission points, an incident optical system for guiding a plurality of light beams emitted from the light source to a deflector, a scanning optical system for forming the plurality of light beams reflected/deflected by the deflector into images on a scanned surface, and a synchronization detection device in which a part of the plurality of light beams from the deflector are reflected at a predetermined angle in a sub-scanning cross-section by using a mirror to be scanned on a surface of a slit member and to be guided to a surface of a synchronization detection element via the slit member, and a timing at a scanning start position on the scanned surface is controlled by using a signal from the synchronization detection element. The slit member is positioned such that a plurality of light beams scanned on a surface of a slit opening are substantially vertically scanned on the slit opening.

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