Optical scanning lens and apparatus capable of effectively generating accurately-pitched light spots, and image forming apparatus using the same
US6856438B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 7, 2003 |
| Grant date | Feb 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 7, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B26/123
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An optical scanning lens used in a multi-beam scanning optical apparatus including a first mechanism reforming the light beams into line images, a deflecting mechanism reforming the light beams into multiple scanning beams, and a second mechanism reforming the multiple scanning beams into scanning light spots running on a recording surface. The optical scanning lens has a refractive index profile and is included in the second optical mechanism, and satisfies a formula (m−1)×PLs×V/WLs≦2.3×10−6, where m is a number of light emission points, PLs is a pitch of the multiple beams, V represents the refractive index profile, W [mm] represents an effective recording width of the recording surface, and WLs represents an effective range of the optical scanning lens in the sub-scanning direction corresponding to the effective recording width W. An optical scanning apparatus or image forming apparatus may use the optical scanning apparatus.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.