Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Naoki Matsushita

Yoshihiko Tanaka

Takatoshi Tanaka

Mitsuhiro Ohta

Hiroki Katayama

Hisanori Kobayashi

Fumihiko Yamaya

Akira Yoshimura

Shoji Yamamoto

Akitoshi Toyota

Shogo Nagamine

Jun Nagatoshi

Hiroyuki Fukuhara

Atsushi Takata

A rotatable polygon mirror includes a plurality of reflecting surfaces provided in parallel to a rotational axis direction, first surface and second surface of polygonal shape perpendicular to the plurality of reflecting surface and of which each side is continued to the plurality of reflecting surfaces. The second surface is opposite to the first surface. A through hole penetrates though the first and second surfaces in parallel to the rotational axis direction and to engage with a rotational shaft of a driving portion. As seen in the rotational axis direction, the through hole has substantially similar shape to the polygonal shape of the first and the second surfaces, and vertexes of the similar shape of the through hole are different in phase from apexes of the polygonal shape of the first and second surfaces with respect to a rotational direction of the polygon mirror.

Rotatable polygon mirror, optical deflector, scanning optical device, and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member and a scanning unit including a light source, a rotatable polygonal mirror, and a sensor. The image forming apparatus includes setting of an operation in a first mode and setting of an operation in a second mode. The image forming apparatus further comprises, a surface identifying portion and a correction data storing portion configured to prestore correction data including first correction data for a first rotational speed and second correction data for a second rotational speed. Positional deviation in a main scan direction of laser light is corrected on the basis of the first correction data or the second correction data.

Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a tubular body defining a space in which at least a part of the exposure device is contained, and a support portion that supports the exposure device and is provided along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive member in the space of the tubular body. The image forming apparatus further includes, in the rotation axis direction, a first side plate fixed to one end portion of the tubular body, and a second side plate fixed to another end portion of the tubular body. One support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the first side plate, and another support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the second side plate.

Image forming apparatus with improved vibration rigidity

In an image forming apparatus, a lifetime detection unit acquires an activation time threshold using a threshold stored in an activation time storage unit and an environmental temperature detected by a temperature detection unit, and, in a case where activation time acquired by an activation time acquisition unit is shorter than the activation time threshold, makes a notification of at least one of a lifetime or replacement of a deflection unit or an optical scanning unit.

A light deflector includes a rotary polygon mirror and a motor to rotate the rotary polygon mirror. The rotary polygon mirror includes reflecting surfaces to reflect light emitted from a light source and a hole portion provided in a rotational axis direction. The motor includes a shaft portion in the hole portion and a support member supporting the rotary polygon mirror. The support member is fixed to, and coaxial with, the shaft portion, and includes an insertion portion in the hole portion. The rotary polygon mirror includes a protruded portion near the hole portion and protruding from at least one reflecting surface orthogonal to the rotational axis direction. The protruded portion includes a fitting portion fitted to the shaft portion or the support member and in which a portion continued from a hole portion surface is protruded toward the rotation center more than the surface forming the hole portion.

Light deflector, light scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus

A manufacturing method of a polygonal mirror using a metal mold including a first mold, a second mold, a third mold, and a fourth mold includes a step of forming the molded member by providing the third mold and the fourth mold between the first mold and the second mold in a state in which the third mold and the fourth mold are in contact with each other and then by injecting a resin material into the metal mold, and a step of separating the third mold from the first crossing surface of the molded member in a direction crossing the first crossing surface.

Manufacturing method of polygonal mirror, polygonal mirror, deflector, optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus

In an optical scanning device, an outer wall closest to a circumscribed circle of a rotating polygon mirror has a space in a position facing to a position of a reflection surface of the rotating polygon mirror in an axial direction of a rotating shaft. A part of a cover is provided in a position farther from the circumscribed circle than the outer wall so as to close the space, when the optical scanning device is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

Optical scanning device having rotating polygon mirror, and image forming apparatus including the same

A polygonal mirror includes reflecting surfaces, a molded member including a first surface and a second surface, a contact portion, and gate marks. Each of said first surface and said second surface has a polygonal shape. The contact portion and the gate marks are formed at non-overlapping positions with a line segment connecting a vertex of the polygonal shape with a rotation center. The gate marks and the reflecting surfaces are the same in number. A perpendicular bisector of a line segment connecting centers of the gate marks adjacent to each other with respect to a rotational direction of the polygonal mirror is formed at a position passing through an associated vertex of the polygonal shape and the rotation center.

Polygonal mirror, deflector, optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus

Image forming apparatus to address vibration rigidity of a scanner unit

A rotary polygon mirror has no recess in a thickness region of one of the reflecting surfaces of the rotary polygon mirror in the direction of the rotation axis of the rotary polygon mirror and has a protruding portion protruding from the thickness region in a direction away from the thickness region.

Rotary polygon mirror, light deflecting unit, and optical scanning apparatus including light deflecting unit

An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member; an optical scanning unit including a light source, an optical box, and a cover; and a fan. The fan is provided so that air from the fan directly impinges on the cover of the optical scanning unit. As seen in a direction perpendicular to a rotational axis of the rotatable polygonal mirror, a rib extending from a top plate of the cover toward an optical box side is provided at a portion of the cover in the neighborhood of a light beam emitting port of the optical scanning unit. The cover is provided with an extended portion extended from the rib in a light beam emitting direction.

Image forming apparatus with fan configured for dust-resistant cooling of optical scanning unit

A scanning optical device includes a light source device, a rotational polygon mirror, a rotor which rotates together with the rotational polygon mirror, a stator which rotates the rotor, wherein a substrate for holding the stator includes a first regulation portion arranged so as to overlap with a portion of the rotor in a rotational axis direction of the rotor, and in a case where the rotor is caused to move in the rotational axis direction, the first regulation portion comes into contact with the rotor, and a second regulation portion is arranged in a position in relation with the first regulation portion so as to maintain the first regulation portion in a position where the first regulation portion overlaps with the portion of the rotor in the rotational axis direction, so as to regulate deformation of the first regulation portion.

Scanning optical device and image forming apparatus

Provided is an optical scanning apparatus, including: an optical deflector having a polygon mirror reflecting a light flux emitted from a light source to carry out scanning, a drive unit rotating the polygon mirror about a rotation shaft, and a board supporting the drive unit; an optical box to which the board is fixed; two holes provided in the optical box, through which two screws fixing the board are inserted, respectively; two bearing surfaces provided on the optical box at positions around the two holes, respectively, the two bearing surfaces supporting the board; and an abutment portion provided on the optical box and abutting against a portion that is prevented from being pressed by the two screws in the board which is sandwiched between the two screws and the two bearing surfaces so as to be fixed to the optical box.

Growing community of inventors

Suntou-gun, Japan

Naoki Matsushita