Optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus

The present document incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese priority document, 2005-077573 filed in Japan on Mar. 17, 2005.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical scanning apparatus and an image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art

Optical scanning apparatuses are used in image forming apparatuses, such as an optical printer, an optical plotter, an optical facsimile apparatus, and a digital copying machine.

With the progress of colorization of these image forming apparatuses, a so-called tandem type color image forming apparatus has become very popular to increase the image forming speed. The tandem type color image forming apparatus forms toner images of different colors respectively on a plurality of photoconductive surfaces, and sequentially transfers the toner images one on another on a sheet-like recording medium, thereby forming a color image. An example of such conventional technology is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-90672.

Further, to achieve high-quality, high-definition images with the optical scanning apparatus, the spot size of a light beam spot is made smaller.

The spot size of a light beam spot on a surface to be scanned (hereinafter, referred to as scanning target surface) is determined by the design of the optical system that constitutes the optical scanning apparatus. Theoretically, a light beam spot is accurately formed on the scanning target surface, i.e., when the light beam waist position of a light beam that forms a light beam spot matches with an image surface. In practice, there are factors that shift the light beam waist position with respect to the scanning target surface.

One of such factors is deformation of the shape of the deflective reflection surface of a polygon mirror used as a light beam deflector, caused by the high-speed rotation of the polygon mirror. That is, the polygon mirror, which is generally formed of a light metal like aluminum, rotates fast at a very high speed of, for example, 20,000 rotations per minute (rpm). The high-speed rotation causes large centrifugal force to act on the polygon mirror, thus deforming the deflective reflection surface.

While the deflective reflection surface is normally flat, it is curved when deformed by the centrifugal force. In this case, in the optical system constituting the optical scanning apparatus, the deflective reflection surface itself will have an image forming action although small, thus changing the light beam waist position or the image-forming position of a deflected light beam. This enlarges a spot size such that the size of the light beam spot becomes greater than the designed size, thereby reducing the resolution of a formed image.

Methods of compensating for the influence of the deformation of the deflective reflection surface of a polygon mirror are proposed in the specifications of Japanese Patent Nos. 2746397 and No. 3432054.

The method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2746397 is based on the fact that a laser beam from a light source has a Gaussian intensity distribution on the cross section of the light beam, and reduces or prevents the enlargement of a spot size by adjusting the emission intensity of the light source. The method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3432054 designs the scanning optical system to cancel out a deviation of the light beam waist position caused by the deformation of the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror.

Japanese Patent No. 2746397 discloses a case in which the deflective reflection surface is deformed into a concaved surface, and Japanese Patent No. 3432054 discloses a case in which the deflective reflection surface is deformed into a convex surface.

The deformation of the deflective reflection surface according to the high-speed rotation of the polygon mirror, and the degree of the deformation actually depend on various factors, such as the number of rotations of the polygon mirror, the number of the deflective reflection surfaces, the shape of the deflective reflection surface, and the diameter of the rotational axis, and can fluctuate among polygon mirrors manufactured with the same design.

The method described in Japanese Patent No. 3432054 is effective when the amount of deformation of the deflective reflection surface is specifically known beforehand. However, in reality, the amount of deformation of the deflective reflection surface fluctuates according to various factors, and is not uniquely specified. When the scanning optical system is designed to eliminate the influence of the deformation of the deflective reflection surface, the design of the scanning optical system is changed every time a parameter like the number of rotations on the polygon mirror is changed.

The method described in Japanese Patent No. 2746397 requires an electrical unit that regulates the intensity of the laser beam source according to the deformation of the deflective reflection surface.

It is an object of the present invention to at least solve the problems in the conventional technology.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an optical scanning apparatus includes a light source that emits a light beam, a coupling optical system that receives the light beam from the light source and converts the light beam into a specific form, a line-image forming optical system that receives the light beam from the coupling optical system and forms a line image elongated in a main scanning direction, a polygon mirror that rotates, wherein the polygon mirror receives the light beam from the line-image forming optical system and deflects the light beam, the polygon mirror including a deflective reflection surface near an image-forming position at which the line image is formed, and a scanning optical system that receives the light beam from the polygon mirror and converges the light beam as a light beam spot onto a target surface to be scanned, and optically scans the target surface with the light beam spot, wherein at least one of the optical systems closer to the light source than the polygon mirror is configured so as to correct a change in an image-forming position of the light beam spot caused by deformation of the deflective reflection surface originating from the rotation of the polygon mirror.

The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical and industrial significance of this invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of an optical scanning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and an image forming apparatus using the optical scanning apparatus;

FIG. 2 depicts a polygon mirror of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B , as viewed from a rotation axis direction; and

FIG. 3 depicts curving of an image surface in a main scanning direction, along with deformation of a polygon mirror.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are explanatory diagrams of an optical scanning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and an image forming apparatus using the optical scanning apparatus. FIG. 1A is an explanatory diagram of the optical layout of the optical scanning apparatus. FIG. 1A is a top view of the optical layout as viewed from a rotation axis direction of the polygon mirror, and depicts an optical path extending from the polygon mirror in a linearly exploded view. FIG. 1B schematically depicts the configuration of the image forming apparatus as viewed from the rotation axis direction of a drum-like photoconductor. Optical system portions shown in FIG. 1B are equivalent to components laid out in an area at and following the polygon mirror.

The image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B is a so-called tandem type color image forming apparatus. Images of magenta, yellow, cyan, and black components are respectively written on four photoconductors by optical scanning, and electrostatic latent images formed on the respective photoconductors are developed with a magenta toner, a yellow toner, a cyan toner, and a black toner so as to be visible as toner images. The color toner images are transferred, one on another onto the same recording sheet (transfer paper or the like), and are then fixed to form a color image.

Hereinafter, the colors that correspond to magenta, yellow, cyan, and black are designated with alphabetical letters M, Y, C, and K attached to reference numerals. Each of light sources 1 Y to 1 K is a semiconductor laser.

As shown in FIG. 1A , the light source 1 Y emits an optical signal for writing a yellow component image. A divergent light beam emitted from the light source 1 Y is converted to a light beam form suitable for the subsequent optical system by a coupling lens 3 Y. The light beam converted by the coupling lens 3 Y can be parallel rays of light, or a light beam with a lower convergence or a light beam with a lower divergence. In this specification, the light beam will be explained as a parallel rays of light.

The coupled light beam is converged in the sub-scanning direction by a cylindrical lens 5 Y, is formed as a line image elongated in the main scanning direction at the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 , and is deflected equiangularly by the equiangular rotation of the polygon mirror 7 .

Likewise, a light beam from the light source 1 M, which emits an optical signal for writing a magenta component, is coupled by a coupling lens 3 M, is formed as a line image elongated in the main scanning direction at the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 due to the action of a cylindrical lens 5 M, and is deflected equiangularly by the equiangular rotation of the polygon mirror 7 .

A light beam from the light source 1 C, which emits an optical signal for writing a cyan component, is coupled by a coupling lens 3 C, is formed as a line image elongated in the main scanning direction at the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 due to the action of a cylindrical lens 5 C, and is deflected equiangularly by the equiangular rotation of the polygon mirror 7 .

A light beam from the light source 1 K, which emits an optical signal for writing a black component, is coupled by a coupling lens 3 K, is formed as a line image elongated in the main scanning direction at the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 due to the action of a cylindrical lens 5 K, and is deflected equiangularly by the equiangular rotation of the polygon mirror 7 .

The incident positions of the light beam from the light source 1 Y, and the light beam from the light source 1 M to the polygon mirror 7 are shifted in the rotation axis direction (the sub-scanning direction) of the polygon mirror 7 , and the incident positions of the light beam from the light source 1 C, and the light beam from the light source 1 K to the polygon mirror 7 are shifted in the rotation axis direction of the polygon mirror 7 . The optical path from the light source 1 Y to the polygon mirror 7 , and the optical path from the light source 1 M to the polygon mirror 7 can be set so as to overlap each other in a direction orthogonal to the sheet of FIG. 1A (the sub-scanning direction). Likewise, the optical path from the light source 1 C to the polygon mirror 7 , and the optical path from the light source 1 K to the polygon mirror 7 can be set so as to overlap each other in the sub-scanning direction.

FIG. 1B depicts the optical path running from the polygon mirror to the scanning target surface.

As shown in FIG. 1B , the polygon mirror 7 has two deflection portions defined by the deflective reflection surfaces, which are separated from one another in an axial direction. Those portions designated by reference numerals 7 A and 7 B are the two deflection portions. The deflection portion 7 A has a predetermined number of deflective reflection surfaces, and deflects the light beams from the light sources 1 M and 1 C. The deflection portion 7 B has the same structure as the deflection portion 7 A, and deflects the light beams from the light sources 1 Y and 1 K.

The light beam from the light source 1 Y deflected by the deflection portion 7 B has its optical path bent by mirrors MY 1 , MY 2 , MY 3 , is guided to the drum-like photoconductor 11 Y that actually serves as the scanning target surface, and forms a light beam spot on the photoconductor 11 Y by the actions of scanning lenses 91 Y and 92 Y disposed on the optical path.

The light beam from the light source 1 K deflected by the deflection portion 7 B has its optical path bent by mirrors MK 1 , MK 2 , MK 3 , is guided to the drum-like photoconductor 11 K that actually serves as the scanning target surface, and forms a light beam spot on the photoconductor 11 K by the actions of scanning lenses 91 K and 92 K disposed on the optical path.

The light beam from the light source 1 M deflected by the deflection portion 7 B has its optical path bent by mirrors MM 1 , MM 2 , MM 3 , is guided to the drum-like photoconductor 11 M that actually serves as the scanning target surface, and forms a light beam spot on the photoconductor 11 M by the actions of scanning lenses 91 M and 92 M disposed on the optical path.

The light beam from the light source 1 C deflected by the deflection portion 7 B has its optical path bent by mirrors MC 1 , MC 2 , MC 3 , is guided to the drum-like photoconductor 11 C that actually serves as the scanning target surface, and forms a light beam spot on the photoconductor 11 C by the actions of scanning lenses 91 C and 92 C disposed on the optical path.

The scanning lens 91 Y ( 91 M, 91 C, 91 K), and the scanning lens 92 Y ( 92 M, 92 C, 92 K) constitute the scanning optical system that converges each deflected light beam on the corresponding photoconductor 11 Y, 1 M, 1 C, 11 K as a light beam spot.

Each photoconductor is charged by a charger (not shown), electrostatic latent images formed through optical scanning are made visible with toners of the colors corresponding to the electrostatic latent images on the corresponding photoconductors by a developing unit (not shown), and the resultant toner images are transferred, one on another on a recording sheet (not shown), forming a color image. The color image formed on the recording sheet this way is fixed by a fixing unit (not shown), and is then discharged out of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 depicts the polygon mirror as viewed from a rotation axis direction.

The deflection portions 7 A and 7 B of the polygon mirror 7 have the same shape, and the deflective reflection surface has a right hexagonal shape in a plan view as indicated by solid lines when the polygon mirror 7 is stationary. When each deflection portion rotates at a high speed, each deflective reflection surface is deformed by the action of the centrifugal force. The deflective reflection surface can be deformed into a convex form as indicated by reference numeral 71 , or can be deformed into a concave form as indicated by reference numeral 72 .

Whether the deflective reflection surface that is approximately flat in a stationary state is deformed into a convex form or a concave form when being rotated depends on the diameter and the shape of the center portion of the polygon mirror 7 , the material for the polygon mirror 7 , and the number of rotations of the polygon mirror 7 . If the parameters of the polygon mirror 7 , such as the shape, the size, and the number of rotations, are specified, however, the deformation state of the deflective reflection surface is also specified.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 is deformed into a convex form as indicated by reference numeral 71 in FIG. 2 . In this case, the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 becomes a convex cylindrical face with the bus line being the sub-scanning direction, and serves as an optical element having negative power in the main scanning direction with respect to the deflected light beam.

When such deformation occurs, therefore, the light beam waist of the deflected light beam in the main scanning direction is shifted from the position before deformation in a direction away from the polygon mirror. To correct the shifting of the light beam waist position, the distance between the light source and the coupling lens is set slightly larger, so that the light beam output from the coupling lens has slightly greater convergence than a parallel light beam.

Regarding the sub-scanning direction, when the deflective reflection surface has a convex shape, the positional relationship between a line image elongated in the main scanning direction and the deflective reflection surface is shifted, and the amount of the shift changes the light beam waist position in the sub-scanning direction due to the vertical magnification. If the distance between the light source and the coupling lens is set slightly longer, and the light beam output from the coupling lens is made to have slightly greater convergence than a parallel light beam, the deviation of the line image elongated in the main scanning direction from the deflective reflection surface becomes smaller. Therefore, correcting the positional relationship between the coupling lens and the light source can reduce the positional deviation of the light beam waist in the sub-scanning direction. With regard to the sub-scanning direction, fluctuation of the light beam waist position can be reduced further by correcting the positional relationship between the coupling lens and the light source in the aforementioned manner, and the position of the cylindrical lens 5 Y, for example, is adjusted in the optical axis direction.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , there is another case that the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 is deformed into a concave form as indicted by reference numeral 72 in FIG. 2 . In this case, the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror 7 becomes a concave cylindrical face with the bus line being the sub-scanning direction, and serves as an optical element having positive power in the main scanning direction with respect to the deflected light beam.

When such deformation occurs, therefore, the light beam waist of the deflected light beam in the main scanning direction is shifted from the position before deformation in a direction toward the polygon mirror. To correct the shifting of the light beam waist position, the distance between the light source and the coupling lens is set slightly shorter, so that the light beam output from the coupling lens has slightly greater divergence than a parallel light beam.

Regarding the sub-scanning direction, when the deflective reflection surface has a concave shape, the positional relationship between a line image elongated in the main scanning direction and the deflective reflection surface is shifted, and the amount of the shift changes the light beam waist position in the sub-scanning direction due to the vertical magnification. If the distance between the light source and the coupling lens is set slightly shorter, and the light beam output from the coupling lens is made to have slightly greater divergence than a parallel light beam, the deviation of the line image elongated in the main scanning direction from the deflective reflection surface becomes smaller. Therefore, correcting the positional relationship between the coupling lens and the light source can reduce the positional deviation of the light beam waist in the sub-scanning direction. With regard to the sub-scanning direction, fluctuation of the light beam waist position can be reduced further by correcting the positional relationship between the coupling lens and the light source in the aforementioned manner, and the position of the cylindrical lens 5 Y, for example, is adjusted in the optical axis direction.

FIG. 3 depicts curving of an image surface in the main scanning direction.

In FIG. 3 , reference numeral 30 is a scanning target surface, and reference numeral 31 is curving of an image surface when there is no deformation caused by high-speed rotation of the polygon mirror. When the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror is deformed to a convex form, the light beam waist position in the main scanning direction is shifted in the direction away from the polygon mirror (rightward in FIG. 3 ) as mentioned above, and the curving of the image surface in the main scanning direction becomes as indicated by reference numeral 33 . If the distance between the coupling lens and the light source is set slightly longer so that the coupled light beam has a low convergence, however, the light beam waist position in the main scanning direction can be made closer to the position of the polygon mirror, causing the curving of the image surface in the main scanning direction to approach the intended curving 31 of the image surface.

When the deflective reflection surface of the polygon mirror is deformed to a concave form, the light beam waist position in the main scanning direction is shifted in the direction toward the polygon mirror (leftward in FIG. 3 ), and the curving of the image surface in the main scanning direction becomes as indicated by reference numeral 32 . If the distance between the coupling lens and the light source is set slightly shorter so that the coupled light beam has a low divergence, however, the light beam waist position in the main scanning direction can be set apart from the position of the polygon mirror, causing the curving of the image surface in the main scanning direction to approach the intended curving 31 of the image surface.

The adjustment of the positional relationship between the coupling lens and the light source, and the positional adjustment of the cylindrical lens can be done by actually rotating the polygon mirror 7 when the optical scanning apparatus is assembled.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the polygon mirror 7 has the two deflection portions 7 A and 7 B separated from each other in the rotation axis direction. The amount of deformation of the deflective reflection surface by the high-speed rotation (the maximum amounts of deviation of the concave shape or the convex shape originating from the deformation, and the flat deflective reflection surface in a stationary state in the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis) in this case has been simulated. The simulation result shows that the amount of deformation at a high-speed rotation is not the same for the deflection portions 7 A and 7 B, and there is a slight difference between both amounts.

In this case, as the amount of adjustment of the distance between the light source and the coupling lens (or further the amount of the positional adjustment of the coupling lens in the optical axis direction) is adjusted according to the average amount of deformation of the deflective reflection surface of the deflection portion 7 A, 7 B, adjustment of the positional relationships of each light source and the corresponding coupling lenses or the like can be carried out commonly. Setting the amount of adjustment of the distance between the light source and the coupling lens according to the amount of deformation of each deflection portion is effective when higher definition with optical scanning is intended.

In the embodiment, the polygon mirror 7 has the deflection portions 7 A and 7 B that are formed integral with each other and are separated from each other in the rotation axis direction. However, the polygon having a plurality of deflection portions in the rotation axis direction is not limited to this structure, and can have a plurality of different polygon mirrors integrally placed one on another in the rotation axis direction.

In the optical scanning apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention, a light beam emitted from the light source 1 Y ( 1 M, 1 C, 1 K) is converted into a desired light beam form by the coupling lens 3 Y ( 3 M, 3 C, 3 K), after which the converted light beam is formed as a line image elongated in the main scanning direction by the line-image forming optical system 5 Y ( 5 M, 5 C, 5 K), the line image is deflected by the high-speed rotation of the polygon mirror 7 that has a deflective reflection surface near an image-forming position of the line image, and the deflected light beam is converged as a light beam spot onto the scanning target surface of the photoconductor 11 Y ( 1 M, 1 C, 11 K) by the scanning optical system 91 Y ( 91 M, 91 C, 91 K), 92 Y ( 92 M, 92 C, 92 K) to optically scan the scanning target surface with the light beam spot, wherein that optical system that is closer to the light source than the polygon mirror 7 is set so as to correct a change in the image-forming position of the light beam spot caused by deformation of the deflective reflection surface originating from the high-speed rotation of the polygon mirror.

In the optical scanning apparatus, setting the optical system located closer to the light source than the polygon mirror 7 is carried out by adjusting at least the positional relationship between the light source 1 Y ( 1 M, 1 C, 1 K) and the coupling lens 3 Y ( 3 M, 3 C, 3 K), the position of a light beam waist in any one of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction of a light beam to be converged onto the scanning target surface or both is closer to the scanning target surface when the polygon mirror rotates at a high speed than when the polygon mirror does not rotate. The optical scanning apparatus includes two or more light sources 1 Y to 1 K for optically scanning two or more scanning target surfaces of the photoconductors 11 Y to 11 K different from one another, wherein optical scanning is performed on the two or more scanning target surfaces of the photoconductors 11 Y to 11 K simultaneously, light beams from the two or more light sources are deflected by the polygon mirror common thereto, and that optical system that is closer to each light source than the common polygon mirror 7 is set so as to correct a change in the image-forming position of the light beam spot caused by deformation of the deflective reflection surface originating from the high-speed rotation of the polygon mirror.

Light beams for optically scanning at least two different scanning target surfaces of the photoconductors 11 Y, 11 M ( 11 C, 11 K) are input to different positions of the common polygon mirror 7 in a rotation axis direction of the polygon mirror, and deflected, and the common polygon mirror 7 has two deflection portions 7 A and 7 B defined by the deflective reflection surface that are separated from one another in the axial direction.

The optical system on each light source side, which emits a light beam to be deflected by each deflection portion 7 A, 7 B of the common polygon mirror 7 from that deflection portion of the common polygon mirror 7 , can be set according to the average amount of deformation of the deflective reflection surface of each deflection portion 7 A, 7 B originating from the high-speed rotation of the common polygon mirror 7 , or the optical system on each light source side, which emits a light beam to be deflected by each deflection portion 7 A, 7 B of the common polygon mirror 7 from that deflection portion of the common polygon mirror, can be set according to the amount of deformation of the deflective reflection surface of each deflection portion originating from the high-speed rotation of the common polygon mirror.

There are four scanning target surfaces of the photoconductors 11 Y to 11 K to be optically scanned simultaneously, and images of color components for forming a combined color image are written respectively on the scanning target surfaces.

The image forming apparatus according to the embodiment exposes one or more photoconductors 11 Y to 11 K to form an image by optical scanning, and uses the optical scanning apparatus described above as an optical scanning apparatus, the photoconductors 11 Y to 11 K that perform exposure by optical scanning are of a photoconductive type, and electrostatic latent images formed by optical scanning are made visible as toner images. Four drum-like or belt-like photoconductors 11 Y to 11 K are laid out with rotation axis in parallel to one another, the optical scanning apparatus is one described above, and electrostatic latent images formed on the respective photoconductors are made visible by four different toners for forming a color image, obtained toner images that are transferred one on another on a same recording sheet, and are fixed, thereby forming a color image.

As described above, according to the optical scanning apparatus of the present embodiment, an adequate light beam spot of a small diameter can be formed on the scanning target surface, regardless of whether the shape of the deflective reflection surface is concave or convex, or regardless of the amount of deformation. This makes it unnecessary to design the scanning optical system according to the deformed shape and the amount of deformation of the deflective reflection surface. Therefore, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention can perform favorable image forming using the optical scanning apparatus of the invention.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a specific embodiment for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims are not to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying all modifications and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.