JP2002244007A - Optical unit assembling method, reading lens block, image reader and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an optical unit assembling method by which a lens barrel can be disused, specified accuracy is easily obtained and the reduction of cost is realized, a reading lens block, an image reader and an image forming device. SOLUTION: By using lens barrel type jigs 25 and 26 where a plurality of lenses 34, 35 and 36 are arranged by leaving specified space in between, the plurality of lenses are arranged at the specified positions of the jigs and the mutual positional relation of the lenses is decided. In such a state, the respective lenses are fixed on a supporting base plate, and then the jigs are detached from the respective lenses. By using space rings and the lens barrel type tools where the plurality of lenses are arranged by leaving the specified space in between, arranging the plurality of lenses at the specified positions of the jigs and also arranging the space ring between the respective lenses, the mutual positional relation of the lenses is decided and the respective lenses and the respective space rings are fixed so as to obtain an integrated lens unit. Thereafter, the jigs are detached from the lens unit, and the lens unit is fixed on the supporting base plate.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical unit assembling method, a reading lens block, an image reading apparatus, and an image forming apparatus, and is applied to an analog copying machine, a digital copying machine, a facsimile, a scanner, an image capture, a printer, and the like. It is possible.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in digital copiers, scanners, and the like, movements toward higher image quality have become remarkable.
On the other hand, there is a severe demand for cost reduction, and even for products such as digital copiers and scanners aiming at high image quality, image reading apparatuses mounted on these products are required to have low cost. In a reading lens mounted on an image reading apparatus such as a conventional copier, facsimile, scanner, etc., FIG.
As shown in FIG. 7, a plurality of lenses 94 are housed in a lens barrel 91 to form a lens unit 95.
Satisfying the imaging performance in units of
5 is mounted on a support substrate 92 and fixed with a fastening member 93, and further, the relative positional relationship between the support substrate 92 and a document (not shown) and a light receiving element is adjusted.

There are many other examples of the above-described lens unit position adjusting method, and a typical one is an image reading apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-332077. This forms a lens unit by an imaging lens and a cylindrical housing that houses the imaging lens, and a pair of left and right side end surfaces supporting the outer peripheral surface of the housing and a positioning end surface perpendicular to the side end surface. Using a lens unit mounting plate having a cut-out portion having the same and a tightening band for fixing the lens unit to the mounting plate, bringing the outer peripheral surface of the housing into contact with the pair of left and right side end surfaces, One end surface of the housing in the optical axis direction is brought into contact with the positioning end surface, and in this state, the lens unit is tightened to the mounting plate by the tightening band to integrate the lens unit and the mounting plate. The mounting plate is attached to the fixing plate such that the position in the optical axis direction can be adjusted.

According to the image reading apparatus described in the above publication, a housing for accommodating the lens, a mounting plate for the housing, and a band for fastening the housing to the mounting plate are required, so that the number of parts is increased. Cannot meet the demand for cost reduction. Therefore, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-288972, the present applicant has a simple configuration including a lens and a cradle for receiving the lens, and the lens has a bottom surface facing the lens cradle. The present invention proposes a lens holding device in which a projection is formed, a concave portion in which the above-mentioned projection fits is formed in a lens receiving base, and the concave portion is filled with an adhesive, and the lens projection is fitted and adhered and fixed.

[0005]

According to the lens holding device described in the above publication proposed by the present applicant, it is only necessary to fit the projection of the lens into the concave portion of the lens receiving base. There is an advantage that it is cost. However, there are still points to be improved. That is,
Assuming that a plastic lens is used, a projection is formed on the lower surface of the lens and this is fitted into the concave portion of the receiving base. Therefore, the accuracy of the fitting portion, that is, the accuracy of the projection on the lens side and the accuracy of the receiving side. This is because the lens performance depends on the accuracy of the concave portion, and in order to obtain a predetermined accuracy, it is necessary to strictly control the accuracy of the protrusion and the concave portion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and it has been made possible to abolish the lens barrel and to obtain a predetermined accuracy easily. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical unit assembling method, a reading lens block, an image reading device, and an image forming device that achieve cost reduction. The more specific purposes of each claim are as follows.

[0007] The invention according to claims 1, 2, 3 and 4 is:
Even an optical unit composed of multiple lenses,
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of assembling an optical unit that does not require a lens barrel and can directly fix a lens to a support substrate in a short time while maintaining the positional relationship between lenses with high accuracy. When trying to fix lenses directly to the support substrate, a method of fixing a plurality of lenses to the support substrate one by one is conceivable. However, for each lens, the relative positional relationship with other lenses can be accurately determined. Since it is necessary to fix while adjusting well, it is difficult to shorten the assembling time.

[0008] The inventions according to claims 5 and 6 are as follows.
In the inventions described in 2, 3 and 4, it is an object to provide an optical unit assembling method which is more effective at reducing the assembly time at a lower cost.

[0009] The invention according to claim 7 is the invention according to claims 1, 2, and 3.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a reading lens block which is effective at low cost and shortens the assembling time by using the optical unit assembled by the method described in (4) and (4).

[0010] The invention described in claim 8 is the first, second, and third inventions.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image reading apparatus which is effective at reducing cost and shortening the assembling time by using the optical unit assembled by the method described in (4).

[0011] The ninth aspect of the present invention is the first aspect of the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus which is effective at reducing cost and shortening the assembling time by using the optical unit assembled by the method described in (4) and (4).

[0012]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
The present invention relates to an optical unit assembling method, in which a lens barrel-shaped jig in which a plurality of lenses can be arranged at predetermined intervals is used, and a plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of the jig to position the lenses relative to each other. The relationship is determined, and in this state, each lens is fixed to the support substrate, and then the jig is removed from each lens.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical unit assembling method, comprising a spacing ring and a lens barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals. By arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined positions and arranging the spacing rings between the lenses, the positional relationship between the lenses is determined, and each lens and each spacing ring are fixed together to form a lens unit, Thereafter, the jig is removed from the lens unit, and the lens unit is fixed to a support substrate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assembling an optical unit, wherein a plurality of lenses are used in contact with each other, and a plurality of lenses are disposed at predetermined positions of the jig. The positional relationship between the lenses is determined by arranging the lenses, and the lenses are fixed to each other to form an integrated lens unit. Thereafter, the jig is removed from the lens unit, and the lens unit is fixed to a support substrate. And

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical unit assembling method, comprising: a spacing ring; and a lens barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals. A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions, the spacing ring is arranged between the predetermined lenses, and another lens is placed in contact with each other to determine the positional relationship between the lenses. In addition, the another lens is fixed to each other to form an integrated lens unit. Thereafter, the jig is removed from the lens unit, and the lens unit is fixed to a support substrate.

The invention according to claim 5 is the invention according to claims 1, 2, and 3
Alternatively, in the invention described in Item 4, the means for fixing the lens unit to the support substrate is an adhesive. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first, second, third, or fourth aspect, the barrel-shaped jig is divisible.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, a plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a lens-barrel-like jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals, and the positional relationship between the lenses is determined. In this state, after each lens is fixed to the support substrate, an optical unit configured by removing the jig from each lens, or a lens barrel in which a plurality of lenses can be arranged at predetermined intervals A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a jig and a spacing ring is arranged between the lenses, so that the positional relationship between the lenses is determined, and each lens and each spacing ring are fixed and integrated with each other. A reading lens block using an optical unit configured by removing a jig to form a lens unit and fixing the lens unit to a support substrate. A is characterized by having a light-receiving element array for outputting an image formed by the plurality of lenses constituting the optical unit and photoelectrically converted.

[0018] The invention according to claim 8 relates to an image reading apparatus, wherein a plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals. An optical unit constituted by the jig being removed from each lens after each lens is fixed to the support substrate in this state where the positional relationship between the lenses is determined, or a plurality of lenses are separated by a predetermined interval. A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a barrel-shaped jig that can be arranged, and a spacing ring is arranged between the lenses, so that the positional relationship between the lenses is determined, and each lens and each spacing ring are arranged. An optical unit formed by fixing and integrating with each other and removing the jig to form a lens unit, and fixing the lens unit to a support substrate; Means for illuminating the document surface, means for scanning the illuminated document surface, and an image of the scanned document surface formed on a light receiving surface by a plurality of lenses constituting the optical unit, and the photoelectric conversion is performed in accordance with the image on the document surface. And a light receiving element array for converting and outputting.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus, wherein a plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a lens barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals. An optical unit configured by removing the jig from each lens after the lenses are fixed to the support substrate in this state where the positional relationship between the lenses is determined, or a plurality of lenses are separated by a predetermined interval. A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a barrel-shaped jig that can be arranged, and a spacing ring is arranged between the lenses, so that the positional relationship between the lenses is determined, and each lens and each spacing ring are arranged. An optical unit formed by fixing and integrating with each other and removing the jig to form a lens unit, and fixing the lens unit to a support substrate; Means for illuminating the document surface, means for scanning the illuminated document surface, and an image of the scanned document surface formed on a light receiving surface by a plurality of lenses constituting the optical unit, and the photoelectric conversion is performed in accordance with the image on the document surface. It is characterized by having a light receiving element array for converting and outputting, and an image carrier that is exposed to a signal output from the light receiving element array and forms an image corresponding to an image on a document surface.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of an optical unit assembling method, a reading lens block, an image reading apparatus, and an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numerals 34, 35, 3
Reference numeral 6 denotes a lens. These lenses 3
4, 35 and 36 constitute a lens unit described later. Reference numerals 25 and 26 indicate jigs. The jigs 25 and 26 are connected to form a lens barrel. Jig 2
5 and 26 are connected with an appropriate number of positioning pins 27 and 28 therebetween, so that mutual positional accuracy is maintained. The jig 25 has concave portions 41, 42, and 43 in which the outer peripheral portions of the lenses 34, 35, and 36 are fitted.
Concave portions 44, 45, 46 into which outer peripheral portions of 4, 35, 36 fit.
have.

Using the above jigs 25 and 26, an optical unit is assembled in the following procedure. First, jig 2
5 and 26 are separated or separated, and the concave portions 41, 42, 43 of the jig 25 and the concave portions 44, 45,
The lenses 34, 35, 36 are arranged corresponding to 46, and then the jig 25,
26 are fixed, and the relative positional relationship between the lenses 34, 35, 36 is fixed. The concave portions 41, 42, 43 of the jig 25 and the concave portions 44, 45, 46 of the jig 26 have a relative positional relationship in the lens optical axis direction and a contact surface with a corresponding lens which have been precisely finished in advance. , 26
Lens 3 only by sandwiching the lenses 34, 35, 36
The relative positional relationship between 4, 35, and 36 is accurately determined.
The vertical dimensions of the jigs 25, 26 are set so that the upper and lower portions of the lenses 34, 35, 36 are exposed when the lenses 34, 35, 36 are positioned in this manner.

Next, the jigs 25 and 26 connected while holding the lenses 34, 35 and 36 are placed on a support substrate 47 shown in FIG. 2, and only the lenses 34, 35 and 36 are fixed to the support substrate 47. I do. Lens 34, 3 on support substrate 47
The fixing means of 5, 36 is optional, but the number of parts is small,
From the viewpoint of simplifying the assembling work, fixing by adhesion is preferable. The portions of the lenses 34, 35, 36 that are exposed below the jigs 25, 26 are
Glue to Since the relative positions of the lenses 34, 35, 36 are accurately maintained by the jigs 25, 26, the positions of the jigs 25, 26 with respect to the support substrate 47 are accurately determined. It is adhered to the support substrate 47 in place. Thus, the lens unit 10 including the lenses 34, 35, 36 is formed, and the lenses 34, 35, 36 can be fixed with high positional accuracy.

After fixing the lenses 34, 35 and 36 in this way, the jigs 25 and 26 are fixed to the respective lenses 34, 35 and 3
When removed from 6, an optical unit is formed on the support substrate 47 in which the three lenses 34, 35, 36 are fixed at a predetermined mutual interval with high positional accuracy, as shown in FIG.

The application of the optical unit is optional, but in the example shown in FIG. 2, the optical unit is configured as a reading lens block applied to a copying machine, a scanner or the like. That is, the lenses 34, 35, 36
The light receiving element array 4 is fixed on the extension of the optical axis with the substrate 5 interposed. A plurality of lenses 34, 35, 36
The reflected light from a document surface (not shown) is incident on the lens unit 10 formed by the lens unit 10, and an image of the document surface is formed on the light receiving surface of the light receiving element array 4 by the lens unit 10.
The light receiving element array 4 photoelectrically converts an image formed on the light receiving surface and outputs the image.

According to the optical unit assembling method described above, even if the optical unit is composed of a plurality of lenses, a lens barrel is not required, and the lens can be quickly mounted while maintaining the positional relationship between the lenses with high accuracy. Can be directly fixed to the supporting substrate, and a highly accurate and inexpensive optical unit can be obtained. In addition, by configuring a reading lens block using such a highly accurate and inexpensive optical unit, a highly accurate and inexpensive reading lens block can be obtained.

The lenses 34, 3
Since the bonding is used as the fixing means for 5, 36, a cheaper optical unit can be obtained. However, the means for fixing the lens to the support substrate is not limited to adhesion.
Any one that fits the design, such as one that locks the lens with a locking piece integrally formed on the support substrate, one that locks the lens to the support substrate with a locking member separate from the support substrate, etc. Can be selected and adopted. In order to stably fix the lens to the support substrate 47, a part of the lens is cut off so that the contact surface of the lens with the support substrate 47 forms a plane, and the lens is brought into surface contact with the support substrate 47. It is also effective to do so.

3 and 4 show another embodiment of the optical unit assembling method. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 48 indicates a lens-bar-shaped jig. An inward flange 49 is integrally formed at one end of the jig 48. In the jig 48,
The lens 54, the spacing ring 63, the lens 53, the spacing ring 62, the lens 52, the spacing ring 61, and the lens 61 are inserted in this order. The outer peripheral edge of the rear end of the lens 54 (the lower end in FIG. 3) corresponds to the inward flange 49 of the jig 48, and the above-mentioned spacing rings are arranged between the outer peripheral edges of the lenses, so that the positional relationship between the lenses is reduced. It is decided.

The jig 48 may be divided as in the above-described embodiment, or may be an integral body that cannot be divided. The part is configured to be exposed. Then, an adhesive is applied from the exposed portion, and the lens 54 and the spacing ring 63, the spacing ring 63 and the lens 53, and the lens 5
3 and spacing ring 62, spacing ring 62 and lens 52, lens 52
And the spacing ring 61, and the spacing ring 61 and the lens 51 are bonded to each other. The bonding location may be the entire circumferential direction or a part in the circumferential direction. Thus, four lenses 51,
The lens unit 50 is formed by fixing and integrating the 52, 53, 54 with the interposition of the spacing rings 61, 62, 63. Thereafter, the jig 48 is removed from the lens unit 50.

The four lenses 51, 52, 53, 54
And the three spacing rings 61, 62, 63 are adhered to form a unitary lens unit 50, which is placed on a support substrate 47 as shown in FIG. The optical unit is fixed to the substrate 47. The means for fixing the lens unit 50 to the support substrate 47 is shown in FIG.
In the embodiment shown in (1), an inexpensive bonding method is used. However, similarly to the above-described embodiment, the fixing means is not limited to the bonding, but may be a method using a locking member integrally formed with the support substrate 47, a method using a locking member separate from the support substrate 47, or the like. An appropriate method may be selected. Light reflected from a document surface (not shown) is incident on the lens unit 50, and the lens unit 50 forms a document image on the light receiving surface of the light receiving element array 47.

According to the optical unit assembling method shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, even if the optical unit is composed of a plurality of lenses, no lens barrel is required, and the positional relationship between the lenses can be accurately determined by the spacing ring. An integrated lens unit can be formed while keeping it well, and this lens unit can be directly fixed to the support substrate in a short time to form an optical unit. Therefore, a highly accurate and inexpensive optical unit can be obtained. . In addition, by configuring a reading lens block using such a highly accurate and inexpensive optical unit, a highly accurate and inexpensive reading lens block can be obtained.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the spacing ring is arranged between all the lenses. However, the lens action is performed by directly contacting the lenses over the entire circumference or a part of the circumference. If a predetermined spacing is maintained between the surfaces, it is not necessary to use a spacing ring, and the lenses are fixed and integrated by directly bonding the lenses in a lens barrel-shaped jig, thereby forming the lens unit. Can be configured. The optical unit and the reading lens block as described above can be configured using this lens unit. In addition, a spacing ring is arranged between some lenses constituting the lens unit, and the lens and the spacing ring are fixed by bonding or the like, and the other lenses are directly contacted with each other and fixed by bonding or the like, and a plurality of lenses are fixed. The lens unit may be fixed to form an integrated lens unit. The optical unit and the reading lens block as described above can be configured using this lens unit.

The optical unit assembled by the method described above can be incorporated in an image reading device such as a copying machine or a scanner. FIG. 5 shows an example. In FIG. 5, an image reading device 150 includes a contact glass 11 on which a document 12 is placed, a first carriage 31 having a light source 14 and a first mirror 15 as means for illuminating the surface of the document 12, a second carriage 31, Second with three mirrors 16, 17
It comprises a carriage 32, a reading lens 10, and a light receiving element array 4. The document 12 is pressed against the upper surface of the contact glass 11 in close contact with the document holder 13. The first carriage 31 travels in the sub-scanning direction at a constant speed in the left-right direction in FIG. 5 while the light source 14 illuminates the document 12 in a linear manner. The reflected light from the document 12 is reflected by the first mirror 15 toward the second carriage 32,
The light receiving element array 4 is folded by the mirror 16 and the third mirror 17 and passes through the reading lens 10.
The image of the document 12 is formed on the light receiving surface of the document 12. Note that the reading lens 10 refers to the lens unit 10 in the embodiment shown in FIG. The first carriage 31 and the second carriage 32 constitute a unit for scanning the illuminated document surface.

The light receiving element array 4 includes a line sensor in which pixels are arranged in the main scanning direction, and outputs a signal corresponding to an image formed on the light receiving surface. The second carriage 32 is
The carriage 31 travels in the same direction at half the speed of the carriage 31, and the optical path length from the document surface to the light receiving surface of the light receiving element array 4 is always kept constant. The light receiving element array 4 performs photoelectric conversion for each main scanning line at regular intervals in the sub-scanning direction in accordance with the formed document image, and outputs document information via the substrate 5. The document information is output to the outside via the control unit 20.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of an image forming apparatus using the image reading apparatus shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus is roughly divided into an automatic document feeder 101, an image reading device 150, a writing unit 157, a paper feeding unit 130, and a post-processing unit 140. The automatic document feeder 101 feeds a document to the image reading device 150, and automatically discharges the document when reading is completed. The image reading device 150 is the same as the image reading device shown in FIG. 5, illuminates the original sent by the automatic original feeder 101, and receives light from the light receiving element array 4, which is a photoelectric conversion element, by the reading lens 10. The original image on the surface,
The light receiving element array 4 performs photoelectric conversion according to the image of the document, and outputs a document information signal from the light receiving element array 4.
Note that the image reading apparatus 150 shown in FIG. 5 and the image reading apparatus 150 in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

The writing unit 157 forms an image on the surface of the image carrier 115 composed of a photosensitive drum according to the document information signal output from the light receiving element array 4.
The writing unit 157 has a laser light source (not shown). The laser light source is driven by the document information signal, and is turned on and off in accordance with the document information signal. A light beam from the laser light source is applied to a light deflecting surface of an optical deflector 21 composed of a rotating polygon mirror or the like, and is deflected by the light deflector 21 within a predetermined deflection angle range. The deflected light is converged in a spot shape on the surface of the image carrier 115 by transmitting through the scanning image forming optical system 22, and scans the surface of the image carrier 115 at a constant speed in the main scanning direction.
Since this scanning light is turned on and off according to the document information signal, an image corresponding to the document image is formed linearly in the main scanning direction. By rotating the image carrier 115 while repeating main scanning and performing sub-scanning, an image similar to the image of the document is formed on the surface of the image carrier 115 as an electrostatic latent image. Note that a mirror that changes the optical path to an appropriate direction is disposed between the scanning imaging optical system 22 and the image carrier 115.

Around the image carrier 115, a charging unit, a developing unit, a transfer unit, a cleaning unit, and the like for executing a known electrophotographic process are arranged. The developing unit supplies the toner to the surface of the image carrier 115 to visualize the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier 115 with the toner. The transfer unit is
The visualized toner image is transferred to a transfer paper. The transfer paper is supplied from the paper supply unit 130 to the transfer unit at a predetermined timing. The transfer paper on which the toner image has been transferred is fixed in a fixing unit. The transfer paper after the fixing is discharged to the post-processing unit 140, where desired post-processing such as sorting and stapling is performed. The surface of the image carrier 115 after the transfer is neutralized and cleaned by the cleaning unit to prepare for a series of electrophotographic processes to be repeated.

The image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 6 uses a laser light source and forms an image on an image carrier by deflecting and scanning the laser light source. However, the image forming apparatus may use a light emitting element array as a light source. . That is, the original information signal photoelectrically converted by the light receiving element array of the image reading device is added to the light emitting element array in which the light emitting elements are arranged in the main scanning direction at minute intervals.
Each light emitting element is turned on and off in accordance with the document information signal by inputting an amount corresponding to the number of scanning lines of the book, and the light from the light emitting element array is transmitted to the image carrier surface using an appropriate imaging element array or the like. To form an image on the surface of the image carrier one scanning line at a time. The image formed on the surface of the image carrier is an electrostatic latent image, as in the example shown in FIG. 6, and a visible image can be formed on transfer paper by processing this image by an electrophotographic process.

According to the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 6, the image forming apparatus does not require a lens barrel and uses an inexpensive optical unit capable of maintaining the positional relationship between lenses with high accuracy. An inexpensive image forming apparatus can be obtained.

[0039]

According to the optical unit assembling method of the first to fourth aspects, even if the optical unit is composed of a plurality of lenses, a lens barrel is not required and the positional relationship between the lenses can be accurately determined. The lens can be directly fixed to the support substrate in a short time while keeping it, and a highly accurate and inexpensive optical unit can be obtained.

According to the optical unit assembling method of the fifth aspect, the lens can be fixed to the supporting substrate at low cost, and a more inexpensive optical unit can be obtained. According to the lens according to the sixth aspect, the work of fixing the lens to the support substrate or the work of integrating a plurality of lenses into a lens unit becomes easy by making the lens barrel-shaped jig divideable.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the reading lens block is formed by using the optical unit assembled as described above, a highly accurate and inexpensive reading lens block can be obtained.

According to the lens of the eighth aspect, since the image reading apparatus is constituted by using the optical unit assembled as described above, a highly accurate and inexpensive image reading apparatus can be obtained.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since the image forming apparatus is configured using the optical unit assembled as described above, a highly accurate and inexpensive image forming apparatus can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an optical unit assembling method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an optical unit obtained by the above assembling method.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the optical unit assembling method according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of an optical unit obtained by the assembling method shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing an embodiment of the image reading apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional optical unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 4 light receiving element array 14 illuminating means 25 jig 26 jig 31 scanning means 32 scanning means 34 lens 35 lens 36 lens 47 support substrate 48 jig 50 lens unit 51 lens 52 lens 53 lens 54 lens 61 interval ring 62 interval ring 63 interval Ring 115 Image carrier

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yasutaka Izumi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Akihisa Itabashi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Ricoh Co., Ltd. F term (reference) 2H044 AA02 AA17 AJ04 2H076 AA07 AA12 AB05 AB12 EA05 EA11 2H108 AA01 HA01 HA03 HA07 5C051 AA01 BA03 DA03 DB22 FA01

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A lens barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals, and arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined positions of the jig to determine a positional relationship between the lenses. An optical unit assembling method, wherein each lens is fixed to a support substrate in this state, and then the jig is removed from each lens. 2. Using a spacing ring and a barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals,
A lens unit in which a plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of this jig and the above-mentioned spacing rings are arranged between the lenses to determine a positional relationship between the lenses, and each lens and each spacing ring are fixed to each other and integrated. And thereafter, removing the jig from the lens unit and fixing the lens unit to a support substrate. 3. A positional relationship between lenses is determined by using a lens barrel-shaped jig capable of placing a plurality of lenses in contact with each other and arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined positions of the jig. An optical unit assembling method, wherein each lens is fixed to each other to form an integrated lens unit, the jig is removed from the lens unit, and the lens unit is fixed to a support substrate. 4. A spacing ring and a lens barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals,
A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of the jig, the spacing ring is arranged between the predetermined lenses, and another lens is placed in contact with each other to determine the positional relationship between the lenses, and the predetermined lens and A method for assembling an optical unit, comprising: fixing a spacing ring and another lens to each other to form an integrated lens unit; removing the jig from the lens unit; and fixing the lens unit to a support substrate. 5. The optical unit assembling method according to claim 1, wherein the means for fixing the lens unit to the support substrate is an adhesive. 6. The method of assembling an optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the barrel-shaped jig is dividable. 7. A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a lens-bar jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals, and a positional relationship between the lenses is determined. An optical unit configured by fixing a lens to a support substrate and removing the jig from each lens, or a predetermined position of a lens barrel-shaped jig in which a plurality of lenses can be arranged at predetermined intervals A plurality of lenses are arranged at the same time, and the spacing relationship between the lenses is determined by arranging the spacing rings between the lenses, and the lenses and the spacing rings are fixed to each other and integrated, and the jig is removed. A reading lens block using an optical unit configured by fixing a lens unit to a support substrate. Reading lens block characterized by having a light-receiving element array in which a plurality of the image formed by the lens and performs photoelectric conversion to output constituting the Tsu bets. 8. A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a lens barrel-shaped jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals, and a positional relationship between the lenses is determined. An optical unit configured by fixing a lens to a support substrate and removing the jig from each lens, or a predetermined position of a lens barrel-shaped jig in which a plurality of lenses can be arranged at predetermined intervals A plurality of lenses are arranged at the same time, and the spacing relationship between the lenses is determined by arranging the spacing rings between the lenses, and the lenses and the spacing rings are fixed to each other and integrated, and the jig is removed. An optical unit configured by fixing the lens unit to a support substrate, means for illuminating the original surface, and Scanning means, and a light receiving element array for forming a scanned image of the document surface on a light receiving surface by a plurality of lenses constituting the optical unit and performing photoelectric conversion according to the image of the document surface and outputting the converted image. Image reading device. 9. A plurality of lenses are arranged at predetermined positions of a lens-bar jig capable of arranging a plurality of lenses at predetermined intervals, and a positional relationship between the lenses is determined. An optical unit configured by fixing a lens to a support substrate and removing the jig from each lens, or a predetermined position of a lens barrel-shaped jig in which a plurality of lenses can be arranged at predetermined intervals A plurality of lenses are arranged at the same time, and the spacing relationship between the lenses is determined by arranging the spacing rings between the lenses, and the lenses and the spacing rings are fixed to each other and integrated, and the jig is removed. An optical unit configured by fixing the lens unit to a support substrate, means for illuminating the original surface, and A light-receiving element array in which a scanned image of the document surface is imaged on a light-receiving surface by a plurality of lenses constituting the optical unit, and photoelectrically converted and output according to the image of the document surface; An image carrier that forms an image corresponding to an image on a document surface by being exposed to an output signal.