JP2004198924A - Optical unit of electrophotographic type printer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that adjustment of a scanning position is difficult since reflection light of a laser beam with which a detection sensor is irradiated is hardly seen and confirmation of the scanning position is difficult, in an optical unit of an electrophotographic type printer. <P>SOLUTION: In the optical unit of the electrophotographic type printer provided with a laser oscillating part oscillating the laser beam having 390 to 420 nm wavelength, a lens condensing the laser beam, a rotary polygon mirror reflecting the laser beam and scanning a photo conductor and a detection sensor detecting the position of the laser beam and controlling a print beginning position, a fluorescent member is disposed on a scanning line of the laser beam. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical unit of an electrophotographic printing device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
An optical unit of a conventional electrophotographic printing apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0003]
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration of a conventional detection sensor.
[0004]
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the optical unit of the electrophotographic printing apparatus.
[0005]
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the optical unit and the photoconductor.
[0006]
The optical unit 13 of the electrophotographic printing apparatus includes a laser oscillation unit 1, a laser beam 2, a lens 3, a mirror 4, a lens 5, a lens 6, a rotating polygon mirror 7, an f / θ lens 8, a mirror 9, a detection sensor 10, The photoconductor 14 is configured by the mirror 11, and the photoconductor 14 is disposed in front of the mirror 11 of the optical unit 13.
[0007]
A laser beam 2 having a wavelength of 390 to 420 nm oscillated from a laser oscillating unit 1 serving as a writing light source passes through a lens 3, a mirror 4, a lens 5, and a lens 6 so as to be focused on a photoreceptor 14, and has a beam diameter of The light is applied to the rotating polygon mirror 7 while being changed. The laser beam 2 radiated and reflected on the rotary polygon mirror 7 is reflected by the mirror 9 and the mirror 11 via the f · θ lens 8. The laser beam 2 reflected by the mirror 9 scans on the detection sensor 10, and the laser beam 2 reflected by the mirror 11 scans on the photoconductor 14 to write a desired image. The detection sensor 10 is provided with a slit 10a, and detects the laser beam 2 passing through the slit 10a. The detection sensor 10 and the photoreceptor 14 are arranged so that the distance from the rotary polygon mirror 7 is equal.
[0008]
When detecting the laser beam 2 that has passed through the slit 10a, the detection sensor 10 generates a signal for determining a print start position. The writing position on the photoreceptor 14 is controlled so that printing starts after a certain period of time after the detection sensor 10 detects the laser beam 2, so that the laser beam 2 is positioned on the slit 10a of the detection sensor 10. Is not scanned, an error occurs and the printing operation is not performed.
[0009]
The scanning position of the laser beam 2 is adjusted by adjusting the angle of the mirror 9 so that the laser beam 2 scans on the slit 10a while confirming the scanning position by the reflected light of the laser beam 2 applied to the detection sensor 10.
[0010]
In the optical unit 13 including the detection sensor 10, an anti-reflection material is used to prevent irregular reflection of the laser beam 2.
[0011]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been a laser light detection device provided with a marking indicating a laser light scanning reference position, and a laser light that can be visually observed by using a member that irregularly reflects the laser light in the marking (for example, see Patent Document 1). ).
[0012]
However, in order to increase the printing speed, current printers use a drum using a selenium photoconductor having good response characteristics and a laser beam having a wavelength of 390 to 420 nm, which is highly sensitive to the selenium photoconductor. Lasers of the above wavelength suitable for high-speed printing appear dark to human eyes and are very difficult to visually recognize. For this reason, the method of improving the visibility by irregularly reflecting the laser light is insufficient for obtaining sufficient visibility for adjustment.
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-36767
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the optical unit of the conventional electrophotographic printing apparatus as described above, the reflected light of the laser beam applied to the detection sensor is hard to see, and it is difficult to confirm the scanning position. Therefore, it is very difficult to adjust the scanning position.
[0014]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical unit of an electrophotographic printing apparatus which solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, makes it easy to confirm a scanning position of a laser beam, and easily adjusts a scanning position. .
[0015]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a laser oscillation unit that oscillates a laser beam having a wavelength of 390 to 420 nm, a lens that focuses the laser beam, and a rotary polygon mirror that reflects the laser beam and scans the photoconductor. An optical unit of an electrophotographic printing apparatus having a detection sensor for detecting a position of a laser beam and controlling a printing start position, wherein a fluorescent member is arranged on a scanning line of the laser beam. .
[0016]
Further, the fluorescent member is disposed immediately before or immediately after the detection sensor.
[0017]
Further, the fluorescent member is characterized in that, when a laser beam having a wavelength of 390 to 420 nm is irradiated, a portion irradiated with the laser beam emits visible light.
[0018]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0019]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a detection sensor in an optical unit of an electrophotographic printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020]
On the left and right sides of the slit 10 a of the detection sensor 10, the fluorescent members 12 that emit the visible portion of the laser beam when the laser beam having the wavelength of 390 to 420 nm is irradiated are arranged. The fluorescent member 12 has a size that covers a range that is equal to or longer than the length of the slit 10a in the longitudinal direction.
[0021]
According to the above configuration, when the laser beam 2 is adjusted to scan on the slit 10a of the detection sensor 10, the portion of the fluorescent member 12 irradiated with the laser beam 2 emits visible light, so that the laser beam 2, the scanning position can be easily confirmed, and the scanning position can be easily adjusted.
[0022]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, there is provided an optical unit of an electrophotographic printing apparatus in which a fluorescent member is arranged on a scanning position of a laser beam so that the scanning position of the laser beam can be easily confirmed and the scanning position can be easily adjusted. You.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a detection sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing a configuration of a conventional detection sensor.
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a configuration of an optical unit of the electrophotographic printing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a positional relationship between an optical unit and a photoconductor.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Laser oscillation part, 2 ... Laser beam, 3 ... Lens, 4 ... Mirror, 5 ... Lens, 6 ... Lens, 7 ... Rotating polygon mirror, 8 ... f.theta. Lens, 9 ... Mirror, 10 ... Detection sensor, 10a ... Slit, 11 ... Mirror, 12 ... Fluorescent member, 13 ... Optical unit, 14 ... Photoconductor.

Claims (3)

A laser oscillation unit that oscillates a laser beam having a wavelength of 390 to 420 nm, a lens that focuses the laser beam, a rotary polygon mirror that reflects the laser beam and scans the photoconductor, and detects the position of the laser beam to print and write. An optical unit for an electrophotographic printing apparatus, comprising: a detection sensor for controlling a position, wherein a fluorescent member is arranged on a scanning line of the laser beam. The optical unit according to claim 1, wherein the fluorescent member is disposed immediately before or immediately after the detection sensor. 2. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein, when the fluorescent member is irradiated with a laser beam having a wavelength of 390 to 420 nm, a portion irradiated with the laser beam emits visible light. 3. unit.

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