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:
Nov. 05, 2002
Filed:
Feb. 01, 1999
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a LED array head which includes a base plate, and an array of protruding LED light-emitting portions formed on the base plate. Further, a mirror array including reflection mirror structures is formed on an upper circumferential surface of corresponding LED light-emitting portions, thereby narrowing a radiation angle of light emitted by the corresponding light-emitting portions. In addition, the reflection mirror structures have a circular cone frustum shape with a diameter at an upper emission side larger than a diameter at a lower emission side. The present invention also relates to a minute reflection optical elements array of an optical writing apparatus having an array of light-emitting elements formed on a base plate of an LED array head. The optical elements array includes opening portions having a tapering cross-section shape which becomes narrower in a direction toward the base plate at sides opposing corresponding light-emitting elements. In addition, the corresponding opening portions are disposed over the corresponding light emitting elements. The minute reflection optical elements array also includes marginal escape recess portions formed at a surface of the optical elements array to be joined with a surface of the base plate of the array of light-emitting elements. The marginal escape recess portions have a shape corresponding to a shape of a wiring portion on the surface of the array of light-emitting elements at sides of the corresponding light-emitting elements. The present invention further described a method of making the devices described above.