JP2000249954A - Scanning optical system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a scanning optical system capable easily adjusting the reflection angle of a laser beam by a reflecting mirror. SOLUTION: A shaft 44 is protrudingly formed from the central part in a longitudinal direction of the both-end parts in a width direction of a reflecting mirror main body 40, each shaft 44 is freely rotatably and pivotally supported on a supporting leg 42, so that the main body 40 can freely rotate around the shaft 44. A pair of threaded holes 46 and 52 is formed along a height direction on a side wall 34 on the back surface side of the main body 44, and adjusting screws 48 and 54 are screwed. The leading end of the screw 48 abuts on the back surface of the main body 40 which is upper part from the center of the main body 40 in the longitudinal direction, and the leading end of the screw 54 abuts on the back surface of the main body 40 which is lower part from the center of the main body 40 in the longitudinal direction. Consequently, the screws 48 and 54 are rotated to be displaced along the longitudinal direction, so that the main body 40 rotates, a besides, is held in a condition where the main body 40 is rotated at a specified angle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a scanning optical system applied to a copying machine, a facsimile, a laser printer, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for writing an image in a digital lab system or the like for recording an image recorded on a photographic film on a photosensitive material, an image forming apparatus that scans and exposes the photosensitive material using a light source that generates a laser beam is known. Widely used.

In this type of image forming apparatus, generally, R
(Red), G (green), and B (blue) are provided.
The laser light is modulated for each of G and B colors, these laser lights are deflected in the main scanning direction by a deflector such as a polygon mirror, and the photosensitive material is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction. The fθ lens, the cylindrical lens, the plane mirror, The photosensitive material is scanned and exposed through an optical system including a folding mirror and the like, and a color image is recorded.

In the scanning optical system in such an image forming apparatus, various reflecting mirrors such as the above-mentioned flat mirror and folding mirror are housed inside a frame (housing) and fixed at a predetermined position in the frame. I have.

[0005]

However, since the above-mentioned reflecting mirror is fixed to the frame, if there is a dimensional error in the frame itself, the angle of reflection of the laser beam by the various reflecting mirrors changes. The laser light is reflected at a reflection angle different from the ideal reflection angle, and scanning exposure is performed at a position slightly different from a predetermined position on the photosensitive material.
For this reason, it is necessary to finely adjust the reflection angle of the laser beam by the reflector in order to scan and expose a predetermined position on the photosensitive material with the laser beam after installing the various reflectors on the frame.

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, it is impossible to adjust the reflection angle of the laser beam by the reflecting mirror unless the housing is opened. Adjustment of the light reflection angle is extremely complicated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a scanning optical system capable of easily adjusting the reflection angle of a laser beam by a reflecting mirror in consideration of the above fact.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a scanning optical system comprising: a light source for emitting laser light; and a deflecting means for reflecting the laser light emitted from the light source and deflecting the laser light in a predetermined scanning direction. Converging means for converging the laser light deflected by the deflecting means onto a photosensitive material; and reflection means disposed on an optical path of the laser light, for reflecting the laser light from the light source side toward the upper side of the photosensitive material. A mirror, a housing for accommodating the reflecting mirror, support means for rotatably supporting the reflecting mirror around an axis parallel to a reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror within the housing, and Operating means for rotating the reflecting mirror around the axis, and limiting means for restricting rotation of the reflecting mirror around the supporting axis of the supporting shaft means are provided.

According to the main scanning optical system having the above configuration, the laser light emitted from the light source is reflected while being deflected in the predetermined scanning direction by the deflecting means, and further converged on the photosensitive material by the converging means. Thus, an image corresponding to the converged laser light is formed on the photosensitive material.

A reflecting mirror is arranged on the optical path of the laser beam emitted from the light source until the laser beam is converged on the photosensitive material. Is reflected by

Here, the reflecting mirror is rotatably supported by a supporting means around an axis parallel to the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror, and when the operating means is operated from the outside of the housing for housing the reflecting mirror. The operating means rotates the reflecting mirror around the support axis of the supporting means until the rotation of the reflecting mirror is limited by the limiting means. Thereby, the reflection angle of the laser beam by the reflecting mirror is changed, so that the reflection angle of the laser beam by the reflecting mirror by the reflecting mirror can be adjusted to a desired angle. In addition, since the operating means is operated from the outside of the housing, it is possible to adjust the reflection angle of the reflecting mirror after the reflecting mirror is assembled in the housing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the scanning optical system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the operating means penetrates the housing in a state of being screwed into a screw hole formed in the housing. The front end portion on the inner side of the housing abuts against the back surface of the reflecting mirror at a position displaced along the rotational radius direction of the reflecting mirror with respect to the axis of the support means, and the screw hole of the screw hole with respect to the housing. It is an operation screw for displacing the inside of the housing along the axial direction to press the back surface of the reflecting mirror and rotate the reflecting mirror.

In the scanning optical system having the above configuration, the operation screw is screwed into a screw hole formed in the housing, and the portion of the operation screw protruding outside the housing is rotated once around the axis of the operation screw itself. Then, the operation screw is displaced toward the inside of the housing by one pitch of the operation screw along its own axis, and when the operation screw is rotated one turn in a direction opposite to this rotation, the operation screw is turned into the housing. One of the operating screws along its own axis towards the outside of the body
Displaced by the pitch. When the operation screw is displaced toward the inside of the housing by the pitch corresponding to the rotation speed, the end of the operation screw on the housing inner side directly or indirectly presses the reflecting mirror according to the amount of the displacement. In this pressed state, since the pressing force from the operation screw is applied to a position displaced outward in the rotation radial direction from the rotation center of the reflecting mirror, the pressing direction of the pressing force is set as a tangential direction around the support portion by the support means. The reflector rotates.

Here, the operation screw is displaced toward the inside of the housing only by the pitch corresponding to the number of rotations, and the rotation amount corresponding to the displacement amount of the operation screw unless a special external force acts on the reflecting mirror. As described above, the reflecting mirror does not rotate. For this reason,
Fine adjustment of the amount of rotation of the reflecting mirror is possible.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the scanning optical system according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, the restricting unit is configured to screw the housing into a screw hole formed in the housing. The tip of the inner side of the housing penetrates and contacts the rear surface of the reflector at a position displaced along the rotation radius direction of the reflector with respect to the axis of the support means, thereby rotating the reflector. It is a limiting screw that limits the

In the scanning optical system having the above configuration, the limiting screw is screwed into the screw hole formed in the housing, and the portion of the limiting screw that protrudes outside the housing rotates once around the axis of the limiting screw itself. When the limit screw is displaced toward the inside of the housing by one pitch of the limit screw along its own axis, and when the limit screw is rotated once in the direction opposite to this rotation, the limit screw is turned into the housing. One of the limiting screws along its own axis towards the outside of the body
Displaced by the pitch.

Here, the limiting screw is displaced along the axial direction of the limiting screw itself by the pitch corresponding to the number of rotations only when rotated around the axis of the limiting screw itself. When the external force along the limit screw is applied to the limit screw, the limit screw does not basically displace. Therefore, in a state where the limiting screw is rotated and displaced along the axial direction with respect to the housing, the rotation of the reflecting mirror in a direction approaching the limiting screw is limited until the reflecting mirror comes into contact with the tip of the limiting screw. Even if the reflector is pressed against the tip of the limiting screw to further rotate the reflector while the reflector is in contact with the tip of the limiting screw, the limiting screw is not displaced along its axial direction. .
For this reason, the rotation of the reflecting mirror can be reliably restricted. Moreover,
Since the limit screw is displaced in the axial direction by only one pitch per rotation, the position of the tip of the limit screw along the axial direction of the limit screw itself can be finely adjusted, and the rotation limit position with respect to the reflecting mirror can be adjusted. The rotational position of the reflecting mirror can be adjusted while finely adjusting.

In the present invention, when the operating screw according to the present invention is applied to the operating means, the rotation of the reflecting mirror which is rotated by being pressed by the operating screw is limited by the limiting screw. Therefore, in the case of this configuration, the screw hole through which the operation screw is screwed through an imaginary line that passes through the axis of the support means and is parallel to the axial direction of the screw hole into which the operation screw is screwed. A screw hole into which the limiting screw is screwed is formed on the opposite side. In addition, in the case of such a configuration, each of the pair of adjustment screws can serve as an operating unit and a limiting unit. That is, the rotation of the reflecting mirror due to the pressing force applied to the reflecting mirror due to the displacement of one adjusting screw toward the inside of the housing is restricted by the other adjusting screw. In this case,
One of the adjusting screws serves as operating means (operating screw), and the other adjusting screw serves as limiting means (limiting screw). Conversely, when one adjusting screw is displaced toward the outside of the housing and the other adjusting screw is displaced toward the inside of the housing, the other adjusting screw presses the reflecting mirror and the tip ends. The adjustment screw rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation of the adjustment screw until it comes into contact with the tip of one adjustment screw. In this case, the other adjusting screw serves as the operating means (operating screw), and one adjusting screw serves as the limiting means (limiting screw).

[0019]

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an example in which a scanning optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a laser printer unit 12 of a digital laboratory system 10 as an image forming apparatus. Have been.

As shown in FIG. 1, the laser printer section 12 of the digital lab system 10 has a housing 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the housing 14 has an optical system housing portion 20 above the middle bottom wall 16 as a wall portion and a transport system housing portion 22 as a photosensitive material housing portion below. The upper part of the optical system housing 22 is closed by the cover 18. FIG. 1 shows the optical system housing section 20 above the inner bottom wall 16.

As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of laser light sources 24, 26, and 28 are provided on the inner bottom wall 16 as light sources. The laser light source 24 is configured to include a semiconductor laser that emits a laser beam having an R wavelength (for example, 680 nm). On the other hand, the laser light source 26 reduces the semiconductor laser and the laser light emitted from this semiconductor laser by half.
And a wavelength conversion element that converts the laser light into a laser light having a wavelength of λ. The oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor laser is set such that a laser light having a wavelength of G (for example, 532 nm) is emitted from the wavelength conversion element. I have. The laser light source 28
Also includes a semiconductor laser and a wavelength conversion element for converting the laser light emitted from the semiconductor laser to a laser light having a half wavelength, and the wavelength conversion element outputs a wavelength of B (for example, 475 nm). The oscillation wavelength of the semiconductor laser is set so that the laser light is emitted. In the present embodiment, the above laser light sources 24, 26,
Although a semiconductor laser is used for 28, another laser such as a solid-state laser may be used instead of this semiconductor laser.

The image data read by the scanner unit of the digital lab system 10 (not shown), which is converted into a predetermined digital signal by the image processing unit, is transmitted to these laser light sources 24-28.
4 to 28 emit laser light corresponding to this signal at a predetermined timing.

On the laser light emitting side of these laser light sources 24-28, collimator lenses 30 are arranged corresponding to the laser light sources 24-28, respectively. On the opposite side, acousto-optic conversion elements 32 are arranged, respectively, and the laser light passing through each collimator lens 30 is incident on the acousto-optic conversion element 32 corresponding to each collimator lens 30. Each of the acousto-optic conversion elements 32 is arranged so that the incident laser light passes through the acousto-optic medium, and is connected to an AOM (acousto-optic conversion element) driver (not shown). When a high-frequency signal is input from the AOM driver to each of the acousto-optic conversion elements 32, an ultrasonic wave corresponding to the high-frequency signal propagates in the acousto-optic medium, and the acousto-optic effect acts on the laser light transmitted through the acousto-optic medium. Diffraction occurs, and a laser beam having an intensity corresponding to the amplitude of the high-frequency signal is emitted from the acousto-optic conversion element 32 as diffracted light.

Through holes are formed in the side walls 34 of the laser printer section 12 which are opposed to each other on the diffracted light emission side of the acousto-optic conversion element 32, and a window glass 36 is provided in these through holes. Each diffracted light enters the inside of the section 12. On the opposite side of the acousto-optic conversion element 32 via each window glass 36 inside the laser printer unit 12, a reflecting mirror 38 is arranged corresponding to each acousto-optic conversion element 32. Is reflected in a predetermined direction.

FIG. 3 shows these reflecting mirrors 3.
8 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the reflecting mirrors 38, and FIG. 4 is a side view of the reflecting mirror 38.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the reflecting mirror 38 includes a reflecting mirror main body 40 substantially constituting a reflecting mirror and a pair of supporting legs 42 as supporting means for supporting the main body. Each support leg 42 is disposed so as to sandwich the reflecting mirror body 40 from both sides in the width direction.
Is fixed to the inner bottom wall 16 by screwing. Also,
A reflector body 4 is provided at an intermediate portion in the height direction of these support legs 42.
Shafts 44 protruding from the longitudinal center portions at both ends in the width direction of 0 are penetrated. Have been.

As described above, the reflecting mirror body 40 (reflecting mirror 38) reflects the diffracted light incident through the window glass 36, but the reflecting mirror body 40 is diffracted around the shaft 44 by the rotation position. The light reflection direction changes.

Further, the side wall 34 on the back side of the reflecting mirror body 40
Is formed with a screw hole 46 penetrating along its thickness direction. The screw hole 46 is located further above the shaft 44 penetrating the reflector main body 40 and below the upper end of the reflector main body 40. , An adjusting screw 48 as an operation screw and a limiting screw is screwed. Adjustment screw 4
8 is a laser printer unit 12 that passes through the screw hole 46
The reflector has a sufficient length to protrude inside and outside, and a tip portion thereof is a spherical portion 50 protruding toward the back side of the reflector main body 40. On the other hand, the proximal end of the adjusting screw 48 protruding outside from the side wall 34 is, for example,
An adjusting tool (not shown) such as a hexagon wrench can be engaged. Basically, the adjusting screw 48 is rotated by rotating the adjusting tool around the adjusting screw 48 by engaging such an adjusting tool. By rotating the adjusting screw 48 about its own axis, the adjusting screw 48 can be rotated along its longitudinal direction by the pitch of the adjusting screw 48 and the screw hole 46 according to the amount of rotation. Can be displaced.

On the other hand, a screw hole 52 penetrating the side wall 34 along the thickness direction thereof is provided below the screw hole 46 of the side wall 34.
Are formed. The screw hole 52 is located further below the shaft 44 penetrating the reflector main body 40 and above the lower end of the reflector main body 40.
2, an operating means and a limiting means, more narrowly, an adjusting screw 54 as an operating screw and a limiting screw are screwed. The adjusting screw 54 has a length sufficient to penetrate the screw hole 52 and still protrude into and out of the laser printer unit 12, and the distal end thereof is directed toward the rear side of the reflecting mirror body 40. The overhanging spherical portion 56 is provided. On the other hand, the base end of the adjusting screw 54 projecting from the side wall 34 to the outside can be engaged with an adjusting tool (not shown) such as a hexagon wrench. By rotating the adjustment tool around its own axis by rotating the adjustment tool around the adjustment screw 54 by engaging with the, the adjustment screw 54 is rotated around its own axis, and the amount of rotation is adjusted according to the amount of rotation. Thus, the adjusting screw 54 can be displaced along the longitudinal direction by the pitch of the adjusting screw 54 and the screw hole 52.

A spherical lens 58 is provided on the diffracted light reflecting side of the reflecting mirror 38 having the above-described configuration so as to correspond to each of the reflecting mirrors 38, and on the opposite side of the corresponding reflecting mirror 38 via each of the spherical lenses 58. Is provided with a cylindrical lens 60. Further, a polygon mirror 62 as a deflecting unit is disposed on the opposite side of the corresponding spherical lens 58 via each cylindrical lens 60. Polygon mirror 62
Has a regular polygonal shape in plan view, and rotates around its center by the driving force of a driving unit (not shown). The optical axis of the above-described diffracted light from the cylindrical lens 60 is set to the radial direction of the polygon mirror 62, and the diffracted light from the cylindrical lens 60 is
2 is incident on the outer peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surface of the polygon mirror 62 is a mirror surface, and the incident diffracted light is reflected by the outer peripheral surface of the polygon mirror 62.

An fθ lens 64 as convergence means is disposed on the diffracted light reflection side of the polygon mirror 62.
A plurality of plane mirrors 66 are disposed on the opposite side of the polygon mirror 62 via the lens 64, and the fθ lens 6
The diffracted light that has passed through 4 is directed downward in the height direction of laser printer unit 12 by reflection at plane mirror 66, and passes through window 68 as a rectangular through-hole formed in middle bottom wall 16 of housing 14. pass.

As shown in FIG. 2, a photosensitive material 70 is disposed in the transport system housing section 22 below the middle bottom wall 16 of the housing 14. The photosensitive material 70 is arranged so that the width direction thereof is the longitudinal direction of the window 68 described above.
The diffracted light transmitted through is irradiated on the photosensitive material 70. Here, the diffracted light scans the photosensitive material 70 along the width direction by rotating the above-described cylindrical lens 60.

One end of the photosensitive material 70 in the longitudinal direction is housed in a magazine (not shown) in a wound state, and is conveyed along a longitudinal direction thereof at a predetermined speed by conveying means such as a conveying roller 80.

Also, as shown in FIG.
On the side wall 72 opposite to the side wall 34 and at one end in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive material 70, a filter 74 constituting a dustproof device 73 is provided as an intake unit. Prevents the entry of minute objects such as dust.

On the other hand, a fan 78 constituting a dustproof device 73 is provided on the side wall 76 on the downstream side (the other end in the longitudinal direction) of the photosensitive material 70 and opposite to the side wall 72 as exhaust means. The fan 78 operates and rotates, so that the inner bottom wall 16 is rotated.
The inside of the housing 14 on the lower side is exhausted to the outside of the housing 14, whereby a negative pressure is generated inside the housing 14, so that the outside air flows from the filter 74 into the housing 14. Inhaled. Accordingly, in the operating state of the fan 78, an airflow along the direction of the arrow W in FIG.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.

Laser light emitted from the laser light sources 24 to 28 in the laser printer unit 12 of the digital lab system 10 passes through the collimator lens 30 and enters the acousto-optic conversion element 32. Ultrasonic waves corresponding to the high-frequency signal input to the optical conversion element 32 propagate into the acousto-optic medium, and laser light transmitted through the acousto-optic medium is emitted as diffracted light corresponding to the amplitude of the high-frequency signal. The diffracted light enters the laser printer unit 12 through the window glass 36 and is reflected by the reflecting mirror body 40 of the reflecting mirror 38.

Here, the reflecting mirror body 40 is rotatable around the shaft 44, and the angle of incidence of the diffracted light on the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror body 40 varies depending on the rotating state.
The reflection angle is also different, and as a result, it changes along the sub-scanning direction of the photosensitive material 70 (the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive material 70). However, when the spherical portions 50 and 56 of the adjusting screws 48 and 54 are in contact with the back surface of the reflector main body 40, the rotation of the reflector main body 40 around the shaft 44 is limited.
The incident angle and the reflection angle of the diffracted light do not change carelessly.

In this state, for example, first, an adjusting tool (not shown) is engaged with the base end of the adjusting screw 54 to adjust the adjusting screw 5.
When the adjusting screw 54 is rotated around its own axis to move the adjusting screw 54 to the outside of the side wall 34 along its own axis, the spherical portion 56 of the adjusting screw 54 Move away from the back. Therefore, in this state, the rear surface of the reflecting mirror body 40 is
The back of the reflector body 40 is adjusted from the position where
Of the reflecting mirror body 4 until it comes into contact with the spherical portion 56 of the reflecting mirror body 4
0 is rotatable around the shaft 44.

Next, from this state, an adjusting tool (not shown) is engaged with the base end of the adjusting screw 48 to rotate around the adjusting screw 48, and the adjusting screw 48 is rotated around its own axis to adjust the adjusting screw 48. Is moved to the inside of the laser printer unit 12 along its own axis.
0 presses the back surface of the reflector main body 40 to rotate the reflector main body 40 around the shaft 44. When the adjusting tool is rotated and the rear surface of the reflecting mirror body 40 is continuously pressed by the spherical portion 50 of the adjusting screw 48, the rear surface of the reflecting mirror body 40 comes into contact with the spherical portion 56 of the adjusting screw 54, and the further reflecting mirror body The rotation of 40 is limited by spherical portion 56.

On the contrary, if the adjusting screw 48 is moved to the outside of the side wall 34 by rotating the adjusting tool and then the adjusting screw 54 is moved to the inside of the laser printer section 12 by rotating the adjusting tool, The pressing force from the spherical portion 56 of the adjusting screw 54 causes the reflecting mirror main body 40 to rotate around the shaft 44 in a direction opposite to the above-described rotation direction.

As described above, the present digital lab system 1
In the laser printer unit 12 of No. 0, the adjusting screw 4
The angle of incidence of the diffracted light on the reflecting mirror main body 40 and the angle of reflection of the diffracted light on the reflecting mirror main body 40 can be adjusted by appropriately rotating the adjusting screw 8 and the adjusting screw 54, and the imaging of the diffracted light on the photosensitive material 70 can be performed. The position can be adjusted. Moreover, the adjusting screws 48, 54
Can be rotated from the outside of the side wall 34. Therefore, even after the apparatus is assembled to some extent and a lid (not shown) is attached to the housing 14 and the inside of the housing 14 is closed, the angle of incidence of the diffracted light on the reflecting mirror body 40. In addition, since the angle of reflection of the diffracted light by the reflecting mirror body 40 can be adjusted, the adjustment work in the manufacturing process and maintenance becomes extremely easy. Further, each of the adjusting screws 48, 54 can move along its own axis by only one pitch per rotation. Therefore, extremely fine angle adjustment of the reflecting mirror main body 40 is possible, and in this sense, adjustment work in the manufacturing process and maintenance is extremely easy.

Then, the diffracted light reflected by the reflecting mirror body 40 of the reflecting mirror 38 passes through the spherical lens 58 and the cylindrical lens 60 and is incident on the side surface of the rotating fθ lens 64. The diffracted light reflected on the side surface of the fθ lens 64 passes through the fθ lens 64,
The laser beam is reflected at 6 and its optical axis is directed downward in the height direction of the laser printer unit 12. The diffracted light whose optical axis is directed downward in the height direction passes through the window 68 of the inner bottom wall 16 and passes through the inner bottom wall 16.
Is formed on the photosensitive material 70 below the photosensitive material 70, whereby a latent image is formed on the photosensitive material 70 and an image is formed on the photosensitive material 70 by developing the photosensitive material 70.

Here, at least in the operating state of the apparatus, the fan 78 is operated. When the fan 78 is operated, a negative pressure is generated in the transport system housing unit 22.
Outside air is sucked from the filter 74 and is directed from the filter 74 side to the fan 78 side under the inner bottom wall 16 (that is,
A flowing airflow (in the direction of arrow W in FIG. 4) is generated. For this reason, minute substances such as dust and dirt that cannot be captured by the filter 74 and have entered the transport system housing portion 22 of the housing 14 are exposed to the photosensitive material 70.
Fan 7 on air flow without collecting on top or near window 68
8 to the outside.

Since the internal space of the optical system housing section 20 closed by the cover 18 communicates with the transport system housing section 22 through the window 68, the above-described airflow is generated, or When a negative pressure is generated in the transport system housing unit 22, the air inside the optical system housing unit 20 is guided to the transport system housing unit 22 side and joins the airflow on the transport system housing unit 22 side. For this reason, minute substances such as dust and dirt floating in the housing 14 on the optical system housing 20 side are guided to the transport system housing 22 through the window 68, and are also taken from the fan 78 by airflow. It is discharged outside. For this reason, each member constituting the optical system (that is, the collimator lens 30)
And the reflection mirror 38, the polygon mirror 62, etc.) can be prevented from adhering fine particles such as dust and dirt, and the image quality of the photosensitive material 70 due to the adherence of these fine particles to members constituting the optical system can be reduced. Drop can be prevented.

In the present embodiment, the adjusting screws 48 and 54 are applied to the operating means and the restricting means. However, the structures of the operating means and the restricting means are not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, instead of the adjusting screw 54, the reflecting mirror main body 40 is directed in the direction of arrow C in FIG.
The operating means and the restricting means may be constituted by the compression coil spring 82 and the adjusting screw 48 for urging the pressure.

In the case of this configuration, the reflecting mirror main body 40 tends to rotate in the direction of arrow C in FIG. 5 by the urging force of the compression coil spring 82, but the rear surface of the reflecting mirror main body 40 contacts the spherical portion 50 of the adjusting screw 48. The rotation of the reflector main body 40 is restricted by the contact. In this state, since the urging force of the compression coil spring 82 and the pressing reaction force from the spherical portion 50 of the adjusting screw 48 are balanced, the reflecting mirror main body 40 is held.

In this state, when the adjusting screw 48 is rotated in a direction in which the adjusting screw 48 is removed from the screw hole 48, the reflecting mirror main body 40 is caused to move by the urging force of the compression coil spring 82.
The adjustment screw 48 is rotated while being in contact with, and is held at a rotation position corresponding to the position where the adjustment screw 48 stops.

When the adjusting screw 48 is rotated in a direction to be inserted into the inside of the housing 14, the spherical portion 50 rotates the reflecting mirror main body 40 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 82. Even in this case, the biasing force of the compression coil spring 82 acts on the reflecting mirror main body 40, so that the rear surface of the reflecting mirror main body 40 does not rotate until it is separated from the spherical portion 50, and the adjusting screw 48 stops. For example, the reflector main body 40 is held at the rotation position corresponding to the stop position.

That is, in the above modification, the adjusting screw 4
8 and the compression coil spring 82 are both operating means and limiting means.

[0050]

As described above, according to the present invention, the reflection angle of the laser beam by the reflecting mirror can be easily adjusted, and the number of steps in the manufacturing process and maintenance can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a laser printer unit of a digital laboratory system to which a scanning optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention has been applied.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a laser printer unit of a digital laboratory system to which the scanning optical system according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a reflecting mirror.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing a configuration of a reflecting mirror.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing another embodiment of the reflecting mirror.

[Explanation of symbols]

14 Housing 24 Laser light source (light source) 26 Laser light source (light source) 28 Laser light source (light source) 42 Support leg (support means) 46 Screw hole 48 Adjusting screw (operation screw, limiting screw, operation means,
Limiting means) 52 Screw hole 54 Adjusting screw (operating screw, limiting screw, operating means,
Limiting means) 62 polygon mirror (deflecting means) 64 fθ lens (converging means) 82 compression coil spring (operating means, limiting means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] A light source that emits a laser beam; a deflecting unit that reflects the laser beam emitted from the light source and deflects the laser beam in a predetermined scanning direction; Converging means for converging on the optical path of the laser light, a reflecting mirror for reflecting the laser light from the light source side toward the upper side of the photosensitive material, a housing accommodating the reflecting mirror, A supporting means for rotatably supporting the reflecting mirror around an axis parallel to the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror in the housing; and an operating means for rotating the reflecting mirror about the axis from outside the housing. Limiting means for limiting rotation of the reflecting mirror about the support axis of the support shaft means. 2. The operating means penetrates the housing in a state in which the operating means is screwed into a screw hole formed in the housing, and a tip on the inner side of the housing is positioned with respect to an axis of the supporting means. By contacting the rear surface of the reflecting mirror at a position displaced along the rotational radius direction of the reflecting mirror, and displacing the housing toward the inside of the housing along the axial direction of the screw hole with respect to the housing. 2. The scanning optical system according to claim 1, wherein the scanning optical system is an operation screw that presses a back surface of the reflecting mirror to rotate the reflecting mirror. 3. The restricting means penetrates the housing in a state of being screwed into a screw hole formed in the housing, and a tip on an inner side of the housing is positioned with respect to an axis of the supporting means. The limiting screw according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the screw is a limiting screw that restricts rotation of the reflecting mirror by abutting against a rear surface of the reflecting mirror at a position displaced along a radial direction of rotation of the reflecting mirror. Scanning optical system.