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:
Oct. 17, 2000
Filed:
Sep. 10, 1998
Katsumi Yamaguchi, Kawasaki, JP;
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A multiple beam scanning apparatus and a light source unit employed in the multiple beam scanning apparatus and a method of multiple beam scanning. A multiple beam scanning apparatus is realized which utilizes a multiple beam system in which four or more light beams are employed with comparatively low cost without making a light source unit, deflection medium, focusing optical system, etc. large sized. The light source unit employed in the multiple beam scanning apparatus includes m (m.gtoreq.2) pieces of semiconductor laser arrays respectively having n (n.gtoreq.2) light-emitting points. A multiple beam system is realized utilizing n-times multiple beams without making the light source unit large sized. Furthermore, another multiple beam system is realized utilizing m-times multiple beams and enabling making such a multiple beam system on further profitable conditions.