JP2000231068A - Optical device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the conversion of a light emitting element by the restoring force of a flexible printed board (FPC) connected to the light emitting element and a driver base plate and elastically deformed between them with simple constitution and operation. SOLUTION: A 1st load restricting member 34 in rib shape perpendicularly hung from the outer periphery end to a bottom board part 15 side is formed integrally with a cover plate 14. In an assembly state where the cover plate 14 is attached to a box main body 13, either end face 34A of the member 34 faces to the disposing path of the FPC 21 and the end face 34A abuts on the FPC 21 so as to prevent the FPC 21 from being restored. Thus, the restoring force P1 of the FPC 21 does not act on an LD 17 and the LD attaching part of the main body 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical device such as an optical scanning device for scanning a photosensitive member with a laser beam, and more particularly to a flexible printed circuit (Flexible Printed Circuit).
The present invention relates to an optical device for connecting a light emitting element such as a semiconductor laser and a driver substrate using it).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or a digital copying machine is provided with an optical scanning device for scanning a photosensitive member with a laser beam corresponding to an image signal to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member. I have. Such an optical scanning device includes, for example, an optical box to which components of the device are attached. The optical box is provided with at least a semiconductor laser (hereinafter, referred to as an LD) that emits a laser beam, a driver board for driving and controlling the LD, and the like. Some optical scanning devices are directly mounted on a driver board on which a drive control circuit is mounted to electrically connect the LD to the driver board (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-282516). However, when the LD is directly mounted on the driver substrate, the driver substrate protrudes in a direction that reduces the utilization efficiency (space utility) with respect to the space inside and outside the device depending on the mounting position and the mounting angle of the LD in the optical box. As a result, the dead space inside and outside the device may increase.

Therefore, some optical scanning devices connect the LD and the driver substrate using a strip-shaped flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter, referred to as FPC) in consideration of efficient use of the space inside and outside the device. . Thereby, the driver board can be installed at a position distant from the LD, and furthermore, since the FPC has flexibility, when the arrangement path of the FPC connecting the LD and the driver board is not linear, Also, by bending the FPC along the disposition path, the LD and the driver substrate can be connected by the FPC.
Here, in order to reduce the impedance of the FPC, FP
A larger cross-sectional area of C is advantageous. For this reason, in recent years, a multilayer FPC in which a plurality of thin-film circuit boards are stacked in a thickness direction is often used for connection between an LD and a driver board. Further, in order to suppress the trouble due to the electromagnetic wave noise, it is advantageous to arrange the driver board as close as possible to the ROS control board which controls the entire optical scanning device. From this, if the LD and the driver board are connected by the FPC so that the installation position of the FPC can be easily adjusted, it is easy to suppress the electromagnetic interference.

[0004]

However, the multilayer F
Since the PC has a larger restoring force (spring constant) against bending deformation than the FPC having a single-layer structure, an LD using a multilayer FPC is used.
When the multilayer FPC is curved with a small radius of curvature (for example, a radius of curvature of 10 mm or less) between the LD and the driver substrate, the restoring force of the FPC increases, and this restoring force is reduced. LD or LD in optical box
When acting on the mounting portion, the mounting position or mounting angle of the LD may change over time. If the mounting position or the mounting angle of the LD changes from the initial state, the incident angle and the incident position of the laser beam emitted from the LD with respect to the scanning optical system such as the lens and the mirror are shifted from the initial incident angle and the incident position.
The image quality of the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor by the laser beam is reduced. Conventionally, in order to prevent such a decrease in image quality, for example, a plurality of clamp members are provided along an arrangement path of the FPC, the FPC is clamped by these clamp members, and the FPC is moved from the FPC to the LD and the LD mounting portion. Transmission of the restoring force was restricted, but the device configuration became complicated,
There has been a problem that the clamping work on the FPC is complicated.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to connect a light emitting element and a driver board to each other, and to provide a simple structure and a simple structure and a simple method for changing the light emitting element due to the restoring force of a flexible printed board elastically deformed therebetween. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical device that can be prevented by work.

[0006]

According to an aspect of the present invention, an optical device includes a light emitting element for emitting a light beam, a driver board for controlling the light emitting element, and the light emitting element and the driver board, respectively. A support housing, connected to the light emitting element and the driver board, respectively;
A flexible printed circuit board that is elastically deformed between the light emitting element and the driver board, and the flexible printed circuit board is disposed along an arrangement path of the flexible printed circuit board to receive an elastic restoring force from the flexible printed circuit board; A load limiting member that limits transmission of the restoring force from a printed circuit board to the light emitting element or the light emitting element mounting portion of the support housing.

According to the optical device having the above-described structure, the load limiting member receives an elastic restoring force from the flexible printed circuit board connected to the light emitting element and the driver board, and the load limiting member receives one of the light emitting element and the light emitting element mounting portion. By restricting the transmission of the restoring force to one or both, the elastic restoring force does not act on the light emitting element or the light emitting element mounting part from the flexible printed circuit board, or from the flexible printed circuit board to the light emitting element and the light emitting element mounting part. The acting elastic restoring force can be made sufficiently small. As a result, even if the elastic restoring force of the flexible printed circuit board is large,
The light-emitting element attached to the light-emitting element mounting portion can be prevented from being displaced or deformed by the restoring force, so that the mounting position and the mounting angle of the light-emitting element in the optical box do not change.

Here, the elastic restoring force of the flexible printed circuit board, which is limited by the load limiting member, directly acts on the light emitting element, and indirectly acts on the light emitting element mounting portion via the light emitting element. On the contrary, the case directly acts on the light emitting element mounting portion, and the case where the light acts on the light emitting element indirectly via the light emitting element mounting portion, and also on both the light emitting element and the light emitting element mounting portion. May act in a dispersed manner.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the optical device according to the first aspect, the load limiting member is provided integrally with the support housing, or integrated with a mounting component attached to the support housing. It is provided in a typical manner.

According to the optical device having the above-described structure, the load limiting member is provided integrally with the support housing or provided integrally with a mounting component attached to the support housing, so that the load limiting member is supported and stored. Since it can be provided as a part of the body or a part mounted thereon, the limiting member can be provided without increasing the number of parts and the number of assembling steps of the apparatus, and an increase in apparatus cost can be suppressed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the optical device according to the first or second aspect, the flexible printed circuit board has a shape such that the width of the flexible printed circuit board decreases from the driver board connecting portion toward the light emitting element connecting portion. Things.

According to the optical device having the above structure, the elastic restoring force near the light emitting element connecting portion of the flexible printed board can be made smaller than the elastic restoring force near the driver board connecting portion. Even when the vicinity of the element connection portion is curved, the restoring force acting on the light emitting element and the light emitting element mounting portion can be sufficiently reduced. As a result, even when the restoring force from the flexible printed circuit board cannot be completely shut off by the load limiting member,
Since the light emitting element attached to the light emitting element mounting portion by the restoring force from the flexible printed board is displaced with respect to the optical box, or the optical element mounting portion can be prevented from being deformed, the mounting position of the light emitting element in the optical box and The mounting angle does not change.

An optical device according to a fourth aspect is the optical device according to the first or second aspect.
Or the optical device according to 3, wherein the support housing body includes:
A swing support mechanism for swingably supporting the driver board around one end of the driver board is provided, and the load limiting member is configured to move the driver board supported by the swing support mechanism in a swing direction. The transmission of the restoring force from the flexible printed circuit board to the light-emitting element and the light-emitting element mounting portion in an arbitrary position in the above.

According to the optical device having the above-described structure, the light-emitting element and the light-emitting element can be mounted on the flexible printed circuit board in a state where the load limiting member is at an arbitrary position in the swing direction with the driver board supported by the swing support mechanism. By restricting the transmission of the restoring force to the part, the elastic restoring force does not act on the light emitting element and the light emitting element mounting part from the flexible printed circuit board, or acts on the light emitting element and the light emitting element attaching part from the flexible printed circuit board. It is possible to move the driver board attached to the support housing to an arbitrary position in the swinging direction while sufficiently reducing the elastic restoring force to be generated.

As a result, for example, even if the ROS control board for controlling the entire optical scanning device is located at an arbitrary position, the driver board is moved to a position close to the ROS control board in order to suppress the disturbance due to the electromagnetic noise. The mounting position and the mounting angle of the light emitting element in the optical box do not change even when the driver substrate is rocked to such a position.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an optical scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Structure of Embodiment) FIGS. 1 to 4 show an optical scanning device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The optical scanning device 10 scans the drum-shaped photoconductor 11 shown in FIG. 2 with the laser beam L, and forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image signal on the photoconductor 11. This photoconductor 11
Are rotatably supported about an axis S.

In the following description, a direction perpendicular to the height direction (direction of arrow H) of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and parallel to the axis S of the photoconductor 11 is defined as the width direction of the apparatus (direction of arrow A). The direction orthogonal to both the height direction and the width direction of the apparatus is defined as the depth direction of the apparatus (arrow B direction).

As shown in FIG. 2, the optical scanning device 10
Includes an optical box 12, an LD 17 attached to the optical box 12, and a driver board 22 for controlling the LD 17. As shown in FIG. 2, the optical box 12 includes a box body 13 having an upper surface opened, and a lid plate 14 for closing the upper opening of the box body 13. The box body 13 and the lid plate 14 are integrally formed, for example, using resin as a material. Box body 13
A bottom plate portion 15 having a substantially trapezoidal shape and a side wall portion 16 erected from the outer peripheral end of the bottom plate portion 15 are integrally provided. The box main body 13 is provided with an LD mounting portion 18 to which an LD 17 as a light source of the laser beam L is mounted outside the side wall portion 16. The LD mounting portion 18 is arranged at one end in the width direction of the box body 13 as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 3, the LD mounting portion 18 has a mounting plate 19 extending outward so as to be parallel to the bottom plate portion 15, and a laser beam L projecting from the upper surface of the mounting plate 19. Base 20 having concave groove 20A formed on the side surface
And

As shown in FIG. 3, the LD 17 has a small-diameter cylindrical portion 17A, a large-diameter cylindrical portion 17B having different outer diameters, and a disk-shaped flange portion 17C disposed between the cylindrical portions 17A and 17B. Are provided coaxially, and the small-diameter cylindrical portion 17A is provided.
An emission opening (not shown) for the laser beam L is formed in the center of the top surface on the side.

The LD 17 is provided with a cable connection socket (not shown) on the end surface on the side of the large-diameter cylindrical portion.
As shown in FIG. 6, the FPC 21
Are connected at one end. At one end of this FPC 21,
As shown in FIG. 5, a plug portion 21A corresponding to the socket portion of the LD 17 is provided.
Is inserted into the socket of the LD 17 and the FPC 21 is
D17. A board connection plug 21B is provided at the other end of the FPC 21, and the FPC is connected to a driver board 22 described later via the plug 21B. The LD 17 is, as shown in FIG.
1 is fixed to the fixed base 20 with screws or the like (not shown) such that the bottom surface of the large-diameter cylindrical portion 17B side is pressed against the bottom of the concave groove 20A.

Here, as the FPC 21, a multilayer FPC in which two or more thin-film substrates are laminated is used. The FPC 21 has a plug 21B as shown in FIG.
The width is gradually reduced (from two levels in the present embodiment) toward the plug portion 21A. The narrow portion 21C, which is the narrowest in the FPC 21, is bent in a crank shape along the longitudinal direction. As a result, gaps in the height direction between the socket portion of the LD 17 and the socket 23 of the driver board 22 are absorbed, and the twisting of the FPC 21 is prevented.

Further, considering the propagation characteristics of the image signal by the FPC 21, it is advantageous that the cross-sectional area of the FPC 21 is large, and if the width of the FPC 21 is reduced while keeping the thickness constant, the propagation characteristic of the image signal by the FPC 21 is impaired. . However, when the width of the portion near the connection portion of the FPC 21 to the LD 17, for example, a portion of about 30 to 40 mm from the connection end to the LD 17 is locally reduced, the image signal is compared with the case where the width of the entire FPC 21 is reduced. Of the propagation characteristics of the semiconductor device can be made small.

As shown in FIG.
The driver board 22 is arranged outside the width direction with respect to D17. The driver board 22 includes a thin board-shaped circuit board 24 and a support member 25 fixed to the back surface of the circuit board 24. A drive control circuit for controlling the LD 17 and a cable connection socket 23 are provided on the circuit board 24.
Etc. have been implemented. The socket 23 of the circuit board 24 is formed in an elongated block shape, and is arranged on the circuit board 24 so that its longitudinal direction is along the board end. The plug 23B of the FPC 21 is inserted into the socket 23. As a result, the LD 17 and the driver board 22 are electrically connected via the FPC 21, and signal transmission between the LD 17 and the driver board 22 is performed.
7 becomes possible.

A circuit board 24 is attached to a side end of the support member 25.
Extends sideways along the width direction (the direction of arrow D in FIG. 3),
A bracket 26 having a distal end bent toward the circuit board 24 is provided. A shaft member 27 is fixed to a lower end surface of the bracket 26 near a tip end thereof. Shaft member 2
7 is a disk-shaped flange 27A as shown in FIG.
A round bar-shaped shaft portion 27B protruding from the lower surface of the flange portion 27A.
The upper surface of the flange portion 27A is fixed to the lower end surface of the bracket 26.

At the lower end of the support member 25, a fixed arm 28 extending to the front side of the circuit board 24 is provided. A U-shaped groove 2 formed along the longitudinal direction of the arm and opened to the distal end of the arm is provided at the distal end of the fixed arm 28.
8A are formed.

A swing support member 32 is fixed to the side wall portion 16 of the box body 13 so as to be adjacent to the LD mounting portion 18 as shown in FIG. The swing support member 32 has a flat horizontal portion 29 formed substantially in an L shape when viewed from the height direction.
And a rib-shaped portion 30 bent upward from an end of the horizontal portion 29 on the side wall portion 16 side. Rib shaped part 3
0, a pair of leg portions 31 protruding toward the side wall portion 16 is formed.
6 is fixed. The horizontal portion 29 is supported so as to be parallel to the bottom plate portion 15 of the box body 13.
9, a bearing hole (not shown) is formed at the end on the LD mounting portion 18 side and penetrates along the height direction. The shaft portion 2 of the shaft member 27 fixed to the bracket 26 is provided in the bearing hole.
7B is rotatably inserted. As a result, the driver board 22 is swingably supported around the vicinity of the tip of the bracket 26. At this time, the swing center of the driver board 22 is parallel to the height direction of the apparatus (the direction of arrow H). The driver board 22 is moved from the retracted position abutting on the horizontal portion 29 of the swing support member 32 as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
It becomes possible to swing to the operating position which has swung clockwise.

The driver board 22 is usually fixed to either the retracted position or the operating position.
1 is fixed at any position, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1, the projecting length of the optical scanning device 10 in the width direction as compared with the case where the driver substrate 80 is directly fixed to the LD 17. Can be reduced.

When the driver board 22 is at the storage position, the FPC 21 is bent in one direction as shown in FIG. When the driver board 22 swings in the direction of the operating position from this state, the amount of bending of the FPC 21 decreases up to a predetermined range, but when the driver board 22 swings beyond the predetermined range to the operating position side, the FPC 21 is driven by the driver. The substrate 22 bends in the direction opposite to the case where the substrate 22 is at the storage position. When the driver board 22 swings to the operating position, the FPC 21
Is bent in the opposite direction with a smaller radius of curvature than in the storage position, as shown in FIG. FPC21
Has elasticity in the bending direction, and the restoring force for returning to a flat state without bending increases as the amount of deformation increases.

When the driver board 22 is located at the storage position as shown in FIG. 3, the FPC 21 considers the connection with the driver board 22 as a reference.
An elastic restoring force (moment) P1 is generated in the counterclockwise direction centering on the connection with the second member. FPC 21
As shown in FIG. 4, when the driver board 22 is in the operating position, the elastic restoring force in the clockwise direction around the connection with the driver board 22 is considered based on the connection with the driver board 22. (Moment) P2 is generated. At this time, the amount of bending of the FPC 21 at the operating position is larger than the amount of bending of the FPC 21 at the storage position.
The restoring force P2 at the operating position by the PC 21 becomes larger than the restoring force P1 at the storage position.

As shown in FIG. 2, a first load limiting member 34 in the form of a rib is suspended at one end in the width direction at right angles from the outer peripheral end of the cover plate 14 toward the bottom plate 15 as shown in FIG. Is formed. This first load limiting member 34
The mounting plate 19 is provided so as to correspond to the mounting plate 19, and is bent substantially in an L shape along the outer peripheral corner of the mounting plate 19 when viewed from the height direction. The cover plate 14 is the box body 13
In the assembled state mounted above, as shown in FIG. 3, the first load limiting member 34 is fixed with its inner surface in contact with the outer surface of the outer peripheral corner portion of the mounting plate 19. In this assembled state, the first load limiting member has one end face 34A at F
When the driver board 22 is in the storage position, the end surface 34A contacts the FPC 21 to prevent the FPC 21 from being restored. Thereby, when the driver board 22 is in the storage position, the FP
When the restoring force P1 of C21 does not act on either the LD 17 or the LD mounting portion 18 and the FPC 21 is elastically deformed on the LD 17 side with respect to the first load limiting member 34, the FPC 21 is partially elastically deformed. Only the corresponding restoring force acts on the LD 17 and the LD mounting portion 18.

On the other hand, the mounting plate 19 of the LD mounting portion 18 has
As shown in FIG. 4, a rib-shaped second load limiting member 35 erected at a right angle from the end on the side of the swing support member 32 toward the cover plate 14 is integrally formed. As shown in FIG. 4, the horizontal portion 29 of the swing support member 32 of the LD mounting portion 18 also has a third rib-shaped upright standing toward the cover plate 14 at a right angle from the end on the LD mounting portion 18 side. The load limiting member 36 is formed integrally. Each of the load limiting members 35, 36 has one end surface 35A, 36A facing the path in which the FPC 21 is provided, and when the driver board 22 is in the operating position, both of the end surfaces 35A, 36A are connected to the FPC 21. And the FPC 21 is prevented from restoring. Thereby, when the driver board 22 is in the operating position,
The restoring force P2 of the FPC 21 is equal to the LD 17 and the LD mounting portion 18.
When the FPC 21 is elastically deformed on the LD 17 side with respect to the second load limiting member 35, only the restoring force corresponding to the partial elastic deformation of the FPC 21 is applied to the LD 17 and the LD mounting member. Acts on the part 18.

Also, when the driver board 22 is at an arbitrary position between the storage position and the operation position and the FPC 21 is bent, the first load limiting member 34, the second load limiting member 35, and the third Since the load limiting members 36 are arranged in a staggered manner along the arrangement route of the FPC 21,
One of the load limiting members 34, 35, 36 contacts the FPC 21 to prevent the FPC 21 from restoring. Therefore, FPC2
The restoring force of 1 does not act on either the LD 17 or the LD attaching portion 18, or only the restoring force corresponding to the partial elastic deformation of the FPC 21 acts on the LD 17 and the LD attaching portion 18.

In the image forming apparatus to which the optical scanning device 10 of the present embodiment is assembled, a ROS control board (not shown) for controlling the entire optical scanning device 10 is located at a position close to the operating position of the driver substrate 22. Are located in Therefore, if the driver substrate 22 is fixed to the operating position in a state where the optical scanning device 10 is assembled to the image forming apparatus, it is possible to suppress the trouble due to the electromagnetic wave noise.

As shown in FIG. 1, a light transmitting plate 40 made of glass or the like is fitted into the box body 13 of the optical box 12 at a portion facing the laser beam L emission opening of the LD 17. The collimating lens 4 is provided inside the box body 13 along the optical path of the laser beam L emitted from the LD 17.
1. Cylindrical lens 42, plane mirrors 43, 4
4, optical components such as fθ lens group 45 and polygon mirror 46 are housed.

The collimator lens 41 shapes the laser beam L emitted from the LD 17. The cylindrical lens 42 having power only in the sub-scanning direction condenses the laser beam L passing through the collimating lens 41 in the sub-scanning direction, and the polygon mirror 46 through the fθ lens group 45.
Image up.

The laser beam L that has passed through the cylindrical lens 42 is turned back by a pair of plane mirrors 43 and 44, and enters the polygon mirror 46 through the fθ lens group 45 from the front.

The polygon mirror 46 is formed in a polygonal column shape, and is provided with a plurality of flat reflecting surfaces on the outer peripheral surface around the central axis. The polygon mirror 46 is coaxially connected to a scanner motor 47, and rotates at a high speed when the scanner motor 47 is driven. Thereby, the laser beam L incident on the polygon mirror 46 is reflected and deflected along the main scanning direction.

The fθ lens group 45 includes a polygon mirror 46.
The laser beam L reflected and deflected by the laser beam is condensed on the photoconductor 11 as a light spot, and the light spot is moved on the surface of the photoconductor 11 at a constant speed. As described above, the optical scanning device 10 employs a so-called front-incidence double-pass optical system in which the laser beam L incident on and reflected by the polygon mirror 46 passes through the fθ lens group 45 twice.

The light is reflected and deflected by the polygon mirror 46, and fθ
The laser beam L that has passed through the lens group 45 twice is reflected by a plane mirror 48 having a rectangular shape elongated in the main scanning direction. The laser beam L reflected by one end of the plane mirror 48 slightly deviating from the main scanning area with respect to the photoconductor 11
Mirror 5 that guides the laser beam L to the SOS sensor 49 for detecting the scanning start position in the main scanning direction
0 is arranged.

The laser beam L reflected by the main scanning area of the plane mirror 48 with respect to the photoconductor 11 is applied to the cylindrical mirror 51 having power only in the sub-scanning direction.
And reaches the photoconductor 11. Here, the cylindrical mirror 51 plays a role of correcting a displacement in the sub-scanning direction caused by the reflection surface of the polygon mirror 46 falling.

(Operation of Embodiment) Next, the operation of the optical scanning device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

As described above, according to the optical scanning device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the load limiting members 34, 3
5, 36 receive an elastic restoring force from the FPC 21 connected to the LD 17 and the driver board 22, respectively, and
By restricting the transmission of the restoring force to the D17 and the LD mounting portion 18, the FPC 21
8, the elastic restoring force does not work, or FPC
The elastic restoring force acting on the LD 17 and the LD mounting portion 18 from the portion 21 can be sufficiently reduced. As a result, even when the elastic restoring force of the FPC 21 is large, it is possible to prevent the LD 17 attached to the LD attaching portion 18 from being displaced or deforming due to the restoring force. Does not change the mounting position and mounting angle of the LD 17.

In the optical scanning device 10 of the present embodiment,
Since the load limiting members 34, 35, and 36 are provided as part of the swing support member 32 attached to the box main body and the cover plate 14 and the box main body 13 of the optical box 12, respectively, The load limiting members 34, 35, and 36 can be provided without increasing the number of parts and the number of assembly steps, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the optical scanning device 10.

Also, when the FPC 21 is elastically deformed on the LD 17 side with respect to the first load limiting member 34 or the second load limiting member 35, as shown in FIG.
Since the portion on the LD 17 side with respect to the load limiting members 34 and 35 is a narrow portion 21C narrower than the other portions, the partial restoring force acting on the LD 17 and the LD mounting portion 18 from the FPC 21 is reduced. Can be small enough. As a result, F
Partial restoring force of PC 21 is LD 17 and LD mounting part 1
8 can be prevented from displacing or deforming the LD 17 mounted on the LD mounting portion 18 due to the partial restoring force from the FPC 21, and thus the mounting of the LD 17 on the optical box 12 can be prevented. The position and mounting angle do not change.

(Modification of Embodiment) FIGS. 7 and 8 show a modification of the load limiting member in the optical scanning device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, a rib-shaped first load limiting member 61 extending at one end in the width direction from the outer peripheral end of the cover plate 14 to the bottom plate 15 side at a right angle is integrated with the cover plate 14 as shown in FIG. Is formed. The first load limiting member 61 includes:
It is provided corresponding to the mounting plate 19 of the LD mounting portion 18. In the assembled state in which the cover plate 14 is mounted on the box main body 13, the first load limiting member 61 has an inner surface whose inner surface is the outer side corner of the mounting plate 19 as shown in FIG. It is fixed in contact with the outer surface of the part. At one end of the first load limiting member 61, a bent portion 61A bent toward the driver board 22 along the arrangement path of the FPC 21 is provided.
Are formed.

The first load limiting member 61 prevents the FPC 21 from being restored by bringing the bent portion 61A into contact with the FPC 21 when the driver board 22 is in the retracted position as shown in FIG. . Thereby, the driver board 2
2 is in the retracted position, the restoring force P1 of the FPC 21 does not act on either the LD 17 or the LD mounting portion 18, and the FPC 21
When the FPC 21 is also elastically deformed, only the restoring force corresponding to the partial elastic deformation of the FPC 21 is applied to the LD 17 and the LD 17.
Acts on the D mounting part 18.

On the other hand, the mounting plate 19 of the LD mounting portion 18 has
As shown in FIG. 8, a rib-shaped second load limiting member 62 erected from the end on the side of the swing support member 32 to the cover plate 14 at a right angle is integrally formed. Second load limiting member 62
A bent portion 62 </ b> A bent toward the driver board 22 is formed along one end of the FPC 21 along the path of the FPC 21.

The second load limiting member 62 prevents the FPC 21 from restoring by bringing the bent portion 62A into contact with the FPC 21 when the driver board 22 is in the operating position as shown in FIG. . Thereby, the driver board 2
When the FPC 2 is in the operating position, the restoring force P2 of the FPC 21 does not act on either the LD 17 or the LD mounting portion 18, and the FPC 21
When the FPC 21 is also elastically deformed, only the restoring force corresponding to the partial elastic deformation of the FPC 21 is applied to the LD 17 and the LD 17.
Acts on the D mounting part 18.

Therefore, the load limiting members 61 and 62 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 have the same effect as the load limiting members 34, 35 and 36 shown in FIGS.
Even when the elastic restoring force of the LD 21 is large, it is possible to prevent the LD 17 attached to the LD attaching portion 18 from being displaced or deformed by the restoring force. The effect that the mounting position and the mounting angle do not change can be obtained.

[0053]

As described above, according to the optical device of the present invention, the light-emitting element is connected to the driver board and the driver board, and the displacement of the light-emitting element due to the restoring force of the flexible printed board elastically deformed between them. Prevent by simple structure and work.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a configuration of an optical scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of an optical scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a relationship between an FPC and a load limiting member when the driver board according to the embodiment of the present invention is at a storage position.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the relationship between the FPC and the load limiting member when the driver board according to the embodiment of the present invention is at the operating position.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a shape of an FPC according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a shape of an FPC according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a relationship between an FPC and a modified example of a load limiting member when the driver board according to the embodiment of the present invention is at a storage position.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a relationship between an FPC and a modified example of the load limiting member when the driver board according to the embodiment of the present invention is at the operating position.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 optical scanning device (optical device) 12 optical box (support housing) 13 box body (support housing) 14 cover plate (support housing) 17 semiconductor laser (light emitting element) 21 flexible printed board 22 driver board 32 swing support Member (oscillation support portion) 34 First load limiting member 35 Second load limiting member 36 Third load limiting member 61 First load limiting member 62 Second load limiting member

Claims (4)

[Claims] A light emitting element for emitting a light beam; a driver board for controlling the light emitting element; a support housing to which the light emitting element and the driver board are respectively mounted; and a light emitting element and the driver board. Respectively, and a flexible printed board which is elastically deformed between the light emitting element and the driver board, and along a flexible printed board arrangement path to receive an elastic restoring force from the flexible printed board. An optical device, comprising: a load limiting member disposed to limit transmission of the restoring force from the flexible printed circuit board to the light emitting element and the light emitting element mounting portion of the support housing. 2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the load limiting member is provided integrally with the support container, or is provided integrally with a mounting component attached to the support container. apparatus. 3. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has a shape such that the width decreases from the driver board connecting portion to the light emitting element connecting portion. 4. A swing support mechanism for swingably supporting the driver board around one end of the driver board, wherein the load limiting member comprises a swing support mechanism. In a state where the driver board supported by a mechanism is at an arbitrary position in the swing direction, transmission of the restoring force from the flexible printed board to the light emitting element and the light emitting element mounting portion is limited. The optical device according to claim 1.