The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 09, 1998
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A light beam scanning optical apparatus is provided which simultaneously converges a plurality of light beams on different locations in a scanning surface and thereby simultaneously writes a plurality of lines in one scanning operation. The light beam scanning optical apparatus comprises a light source having three or more light emitting points, and a converging lens which shapes light beams emitted from the light source, into generally parallel or convergent bundles of rays. The converging lens has a shape generally symmetrical with respect to the optical axis, and the light emitting points on the light source are disposed on a circle having its center generally on the optical axis. Alternatively, the light source comprises a first light source having one light emitting point, a second light source having a plurality of light emitting points, and a light beam coupling device for unifying the directions of travel of light beams emitted from the first and second light sources. Scanning with light beams of which the number is n and which have been emitted from the light source is simultaneously performed at unequal intervals with respect to the direction of sub scanning on the scanning surface, and then the following relational expressions hold: