JP2005266827A - Multibeam scanner and image forming apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multibeam scanner, without causing jitters by conducting synchronization detection at the same timing at all times, and to provide an image forming device which uses the scanner. <P>SOLUTION: In the multibeam scanner in which a plurality of luminous fluxes emitted from a light source means 1 are guided to a deflection means 5, a scanning optical means 7 guides a plurality of the luminous fluxes deflected by the deflection means onto a face to be scanned 8, a part of a plurality of the luminous fluxes deflected by the deflection means is led to a synchronization detection means 10, and a synchronizing signal obtained by the synchronization detection means is used to scan beams, the synchronization detection means has a synchronization position decision means 11 to decide a timing for the synchronization detection and the synchronization position decision means has a member with excellent smoothness. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a multi-beam scanning device and an image forming apparatus using the same, and in particular, a light beam emitted from a light source means is reflected and deflected by a polygon mirror as a deflecting means, and the surface to be scanned is optically scanned via a scanning optical means. In particular, the present invention relates to an optical scanning optical system suitable for an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer having an electrophotographic process, a digital copying machine, or a multi-function printer (multi-function printer). The present invention relates to a multi-beam scanning device that simultaneously scans a light beam to achieve high speed and high definition, and can always obtain a good image with reduced jitter.

  Conventionally, a multi-beam scanning apparatus has a synchronization detecting means for accurately determining a writing position on a scanned surface which is a photosensitive image carrier. The synchronization detection means includes a light detection element (BD sensor) that detects that a synchronization detection light beam (BD light beam) is incident, and a slit (BD slit) that determines a synchronization position incident on the BD sensor. Yes.

  This synchronization detection means is a BD sensor when a part of a plurality of light beams (BD light beams) reflected and deflected by a deflecting means (optical deflector) is optically scanned on the BD slit and reaches the opening of the BD slit. It has become the composition which reaches to. That is, the BD slit serves as a synchronization position determination unit that determines the timing of synchronization detection. There is also a configuration in which the edge of the BD sensor is used as the synchronization position determining means instead of the BD slit.

  A configuration example of a synchronization detection unit is known in which jitter generated when the synchronization detection light (BD light flux) has a light amount difference is corrected by tilting a slit of the synchronization detection unit by a predetermined angle (Patent Document 1). ).

  The synchronization detecting means is configured such that the front edge of the light receiving portion of the beam detecting means has a shape substantially perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and the width of the light receiving portion of the beam detecting means is shorter than the gap in the main scanning direction of the multiple beams LD1 and LD2. A configuration example is known (Patent Document 2).

The multi-beam scanning devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not mention that the amount of jitter generated varies depending on the smoothness of the synchronization position determining means.
JP 2000-284194 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-151796

  In order to record image information with high accuracy in this type of multi-beam scanning device, multiple beams are focused on the entire surface to be scanned, and jitter (print position deviation in the main scanning direction) is corrected well. It is important that

  However, when the edge of the BD slit or the edge of the BD sensor, which is the synchronization position determining means, is uneven due to structural factors and factors due to manufacturing errors, the synchronization detection timing is relatively shifted. This is a problem because it causes jitter on the surface to be scanned.

  Note that the jitter here refers to a print position shift in the main scanning direction due to the inconsistency of the writing positions of the scanning lines corresponding to a plurality of BD light beams.

  The present invention uses a multi-beam scanning apparatus capable of always obtaining a good image with no jitter on the surface to be scanned due to the smoothness of the edge of the BD slit or the edge of the BD sensor, which is a synchronization position determining means, and the same. An object is to provide an image forming apparatus.

  The multi-beam scanning device according to the first aspect of the invention guides the plurality of light beams emitted from the light source means to the deflecting means, and guides the plurality of light beams deflected by the deflecting means onto the surface to be scanned by the scanning optical means. In a multi-beam scanning apparatus that uses a synchronization signal obtained by guiding a part of a plurality of light beams that are emitted and deflected by the deflection unit to the synchronization detection unit and uses the synchronization signal obtained by the synchronization detection unit, the synchronization detection unit detects synchronization The synchronous position determining means for determining the timing of the above-mentioned is characterized in that the synchronous position determining means has a member having good smoothness.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: the multi-beam scanning device according to the first aspect; a photosensitive member disposed on the surface to be scanned; and a light beam scanned by the multi-beam scanning device. A developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the toner as a toner image, a transfer device that transfers the developed toner image to a transfer material, and a fixing device that fixes the transferred toner image to the transfer material; It is characterized by having.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: the multi-beam scanning apparatus according to the first aspect; and a printer controller that converts code data input from an external device into an image signal and inputs the image signal to the multi-beam scanning apparatus. It is characterized by that.

  In the present invention, as described above, by using a member having smoothness and small unevenness at the edge of the BD slit or the edge of the BD sensor which is the synchronization position determining means, synchronization detection can always be performed at the same timing. It is possible to achieve a multi-beam scanning apparatus and an image forming apparatus using the multi-beam scanning apparatus that can always obtain a good image with no jitter.

  A multi-beam scanning device capable of easily forming a synchronous position determining means with good smoothness by forming a member constituting the light shielding wall of the synchronous position determining means with a smooth member having a smoothness better than that of the base member, and An image forming apparatus using the same can be achieved.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part of a multi-beam scanning device according to Embodiment 1 of the multi-beam scanning device of the present invention.

  In this specification, the direction in which the light beam is reflected and deflected (deflected and scanned) by the deflecting means is defined as the main scanning direction, and the direction perpendicular to the optical axis and the main scanning direction of the scanning optical means is defined as the sub-scanning direction.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a light source means, which comprises, for example, a semiconductor laser array having four light emitting points (light emitting portions). Note that the number of light emitting points is not limited to four, but may be other (two or more).

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a condensing lens system having a single collimator lens, which converts four light beams emitted from the light source means 1 into parallel light beams. The condenser lens system may be composed of a plurality of lenses. The condensing lens system may convert the four light beams emitted from the light source means 1 into divergent light beams or convergent light beams as necessary.

  Reference numeral 3 denotes an aperture stop, which limits the widths of the four light beams emitted from the light source means 1.

  A cylindrical lens 4 has a predetermined refractive power only in the sub-scanning direction, and the four light beams that have passed through the collimator lens 2 are long in the main scanning direction in the vicinity of the deflecting surface 5a of the deflecting means 5 to be described later. It is formed as a line image.

  An optical deflector 5 serving as a deflecting unit is composed of, for example, a six-sided polygon mirror (rotating polygonal mirror), and is rotated at a constant speed in the direction of arrow A in the figure by a driving unit 6 such as a motor.

  Reference numeral 7 denotes a scanning optical means (scanning lens system) having imaging performance and fθ characteristics, which has one lens (fθ lens) having an anamorphic refractive power, and is reflected and deflected by the optical deflector 5. The light beam is imaged on the photosensitive drum surface 8 as the surface to be scanned, and the surface tilt of the deflecting surface 5a of the optical deflector 5 is corrected.

  At this time, the four light beams (scanning light beams) reflected and deflected by the deflecting surface 5a of the optical deflector 5 are guided to the photosensitive drum surface 8 via the scanning optical means 7, and the optical deflector 5 is guided in the direction of arrow A. , The optical drum surface 8 is simultaneously optically scanned in the arrow B direction (main scanning direction). As a result, four scanning lines are formed on the photosensitive drum surface 8, and image recording is performed.

  Further, part of the four light beams reflected and deflected by the optical deflector 5 (BD light beam: synchronization detection light beam) is turned back by the synchronization detection mirror (BD mirror) 9 via the scanning optical means 7, and the synchronization detection means 10. Is incident. The synchronization detection means 10 aligns the writing start position on the photosensitive drum surface 8 by detecting four incident BD light beams and measuring the timing.

  FIG. 2 is a sectional view (main scanning sectional view) of the principal part in the main scanning direction of the first embodiment of the multi-beam scanning apparatus of the present invention. In the figure, the same elements as those shown in FIG.

  In the figure, the synchronization detection means 10 includes a slit (BD slit) 11 having a light shielding wall (BD slit portion) in the main scanning direction as a synchronization position determination means for determining the timing of synchronization detection, and a BD sensor as a light detection element. 12. In this embodiment, the light shielding wall of the BD slit 11 is formed of a member having good smoothness.

  The BD light beam incident on the synchronization detecting means 10 scans the light shielding wall of the BD slit 11 and enters the BD sensor 12 when reaching the opening 11b. The BD sensor 12 detects the incident BD light beam (BD detection), starts light emission after a predetermined time T of the light detection, and aligns the writing start position on the photosensitive drum surface 8 that is the surface to be scanned.

  In the present embodiment, among the four BD light beams, the BD light beam that is scanned in advance is first turned on, the light is detected after being detected by the BD sensor 12, and then the BD light beam that is scanned next is turned on. The light is detected. This is sequentially repeated to detect the four BD light beams synchronously. At this time, the predetermined time T from the detection of each BD light beam to the start of writing is the same for all four BD light beams. That is, the intervals in the main scanning direction of the four BD light beams are equal on the BD slit 11 and the photosensitive drum surface 8.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the BD slit which is the synchronous position determining means shown in FIGS. In the figure, the same elements as those shown in FIG.

  In the figure, each of four BD light beams 1a to 1d is optically scanned in the direction of arrow C in the figure, and is detected by a BD sensor (not shown) when it reaches the opening 11b of the BD slit 11.

  A conventional BD slit is integrally formed in an optical box on which an optical deflector, a scanning lens system, and the like are placed. Since this optical box is made of plastic material mixed with glass fiber to increase its rigidity, the glass fiber was deposited on the edge of the light shielding wall of the BD slit, and the surface was rough.

  Here, for example, when the edge 11a1 of the light shielding wall 11a has poor smoothness and is uneven, the opening 11b of the BD slit 11 becomes narrow in the protrusion 14a, and the opening 11b of the BD slit 11 becomes wide in the recess 14b. The detection timing is affected by the shape of the BD slit 11. Further, the writing start position on the photosensitive drum surface 8 is also shifted as if it matches the shape of the BD slit 11.

  In the multi-beam scanning device, since a plurality of BD light beams are scanned at different positions on the BD slit 11, the amount of light detection timing that is affected by the shape of the BD slit 11 is different for each BD light beam. Each BD light beam has a scanning line corresponding to the BD light beam, and naturally, the writing position varies from scanning line to scanning line. This phenomenon becomes jitter and is a problem.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to improve the smoothness of the edge 11a1 of the light shielding wall (BD slit portion) 11a, the molding temperature is lowered so that the glass fiber is not exposed at the edge 11a1 of the light shielding wall 11a. It is formed with. As a result, the above-described problem is solved in this embodiment.

As a specific accuracy, when the pixel density in the main scanning direction on the photosensitive drum surface 8 is Am (dpi), even if the unevenness Lm (mm) in the main scanning direction of the BD slit 11 exists, that is, Even if 0 (mm) ≦ Lm (mm), the unevenness difference Lm (mm) is
Lm ≦ 25.4 / Am / 3 (1)
The following conditional expression is satisfied.

More preferably,
Lm ≦ 25.4 / Am / 5 (2)
The following conditional expression is satisfied.

  If the range of the conditional expression (1) is exceeded, the jitter becomes large and the level is not acceptable.

  In this embodiment, the pixel density in the main scanning direction on the photosensitive drum surface 8 is Am = 600 (dpi), and the unevenness in the main scanning direction indicating the smoothness of the BD slit 11 is Lm = 0.008 (mm). This is a configuration that satisfies 0 (mm) <Lm (mm) and satisfies the conditional expression (1), and further satisfies the preferable conditional expression (2).

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a synchronization detection method in a BD sensor which is a light detection element. In the figure, the horizontal axis represents the time after the BD light beam starts to enter the BD sensor 12, and the vertical axis represents the detected light quantity.

  In the BD sensor 12, a certain threshold level is determined to determine the timing of light detection. In the BD sensor 12 used in the present embodiment, the light amount of 40% with respect to the peak value of the total incident light amount is set as the threshold level, and the moment when the output from the BD sensor 12 reaches the light amount is set as the timing of synchronization detection. .

  On the BD slit 11 in FIG. 3, four BD light beams 1a to 1d are imaged as spots, respectively. Since the spot has a very small area of the BD light beam, the amount of vignetting due to slight unevenness of the edge 11a1 of the light shielding wall 11a becomes a relatively large amount. When the protrusion (projection) 14a of the BD slit 11 has a wide width in the sub-scanning direction and covers most of the spot, most of the light quantity is vignetted by the protrusion 14a of the BD slit 11 and detected by the BD sensor 12. The amount of light does not reach the threshold level, and synchronization detection is performed when the spot exceeds the threshold level for the first time at a position where the spot has passed through the protrusion 14a.

  Further, when the protrusion 14a of the BD slit 11 has a narrow width in the sub-scanning direction and covers only a part of the spot, the amount of light that is vignetted by the protrusion 14a of the BD slit 11 is small, and the protrusion 14a is scanned. In the middle, the light quantity reaches the threshold level of the BD sensor 12, and synchronization detection is performed.

  As described above, when the width (roughness) of the protruding portion 14a in the sub-scanning direction differs depending on the location of the BD slit 11, the position exceeding the threshold level differs in each scanning line, and as a result, the writing position is not aligned and jitter occurs. It becomes a problem. Even if this is not the projecting portion 14a but the recessed portion (recessed portion) 14b, the timing relationship only reverses and jitter occurs.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the uneven pitch Ls in the sub-scanning direction of the BD slit 11 is suppressed to be a predetermined ratio or less with respect to the spot diameter. In addition, the uneven pitch Ls in the sub-scanning direction refers to the interval in the sub-scanning direction from the apex of a certain protruding portion to the apex of the adjacent depression as shown in FIG.

That is, the light beam width (spot diameter) of the BD light beam on the BD slit 11 in the present embodiment in the sub-scanning direction is Ws = 0.070 (mm), and the uneven pitch of the BD slit 11 in the sub-scanning direction is Ls = 0. .010 (mm),
Ls ≦ Ws / 3 (3)
The following conditional expression is satisfied.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the jitter is suppressed to a level that is not practically problematic by satisfying the conditional expression (1) or / and the conditional expression (3).

  In this embodiment, the BD slit 11 is a straight line parallel to the sub-scanning direction. However, the shape of the BD slit 11 is not limited to this. For example, the BD slit 11 is fixed in a rotated state from a state parallel to the sub-scanning direction. The BD slit may be a circular arc (or an ellipse), and the effect of the present invention can be sufficiently obtained by improving the smoothness of the BD slit.

  In this embodiment, the light beam from the light source means 1 may be directly guided to the optical deflector 5 via the aperture stop 3 without using the collimator lens 2 and the cylindrical lens 4.

  In this embodiment, the scanning optical means is composed of one lens. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the scanning optical means may be composed of two or more lenses.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part of a second embodiment of the multi-beam scanning device according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a sectional view (main scanning sectional view) of the principal part in the main scanning direction of the second embodiment of the multi-beam scanning device of the present invention. 5 and 6, the same elements as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  This embodiment is different from the first embodiment described above in that a part of two light beams (BD light beam) reflected and deflected by the optical deflector 5 is not transmitted through the scanning optical means (scanning lens system) 7. This is the point where light is guided to the synchronization detection means 10 by the synchronization detection optical means 13 provided separately from the scanning optical means 7, and the optical path length is shortened by omitting the BD mirror 9. Other configurations and optical actions are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, and the same effects are obtained.

  That is, in the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes an optical means for synchronization detection, which is a synchronous detection lens (BD lens) having a single anamorphic power in which the power in the sub-scanning direction is stronger than the power (refractive power) in the main scanning direction. ), And part of the two light beams (BD light beams) reflected and deflected by the optical deflector 5 are respectively guided to the synchronization detecting means 10. The synchronization detection optical means 13 may be composed of a plurality of lenses.

  In the present embodiment, the focal length of the scanning lens system 7 in the main scanning direction is fk = 109.00 (mm), and the focal length of the BD lens 13 in the main scanning direction is fb = 42.72 (mm). By satisfying fk> fb, the optical path length from the optical deflector 5 to the synchronization detecting means 10 is shortened, thereby reducing the size of the entire apparatus.

At this time, the ratio M of the focal lengths of the scanning lens system 7 and the BD lens 13 in the main scanning direction is:
M = fk / fb (4)
It becomes.

  When synchronous detection is performed without using the scanning lens system 7, the scanning speed of the BD slit 11 changes in inverse proportion to the proportional coefficient M in the above equation (4). When the focal length fk of the scanning lens system 7 in the main scanning direction is longer than the focal length fb of the BD lens 13 in the main scanning direction as in this embodiment, scanning is performed on the BD slit 11 later, and the photosensitive drum surface. 8 is scanned faster.

This is because, when there is unevenness on the edge 11a1 of the light shielding wall 11a (that is, 0 (mm) <Lm (mm)), the unevenness difference is enlarged M times, and jitter on the photosensitive drum surface 8 is generated. It means to do. Therefore, in order to suppress the jitter amount to the same level as in the first embodiment, the unevenness difference Lm (mm) of the BD slit 11 is calculated in consideration of the above equation (4).
0 (mm) Lm ≦ (25.4 / Am / 3) × (fb / fk) (5)
It is necessary to satisfy the following conditional expression.

More preferably,
0 (mm) Lm ≦ (25.4 / Am / 5) × (fb / fk) (6)
It is necessary to satisfy the following conditional expression.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the jitter is suppressed to a level that causes no practical problem by satisfying the conditional expression (5) and further the conditional expression (6).
(Other examples)
FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the main part of a BD slit according to another embodiment of the second embodiment. In the figure, the same elements as those shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, in order to improve the smoothness of the edge 11a1 of the light shielding wall 11a of the BD slit 11, the member constituting the light shielding wall of the BD slit 11 is composed of the smooth member 15 having a smoothness better than that of the base member 11a. Yes.

  Specifically, the smooth member 15 is a knife edge made of plastic (PC) that does not contain glass fiber and has good smoothness. The unevenness in the main scanning direction is Lm = 0.003 (mm), and the sub-scanning is performed. The unevenness in the direction is Ls = 0.003 (mm).

  In this embodiment, the pixel density in the main scanning direction on the photosensitive drum surface 8 is Am = 600 (dpi), which satisfies the conditional expression (5), and further satisfies the preferable conditional expression (6). Therefore, the multi-beam scanning apparatus is configured in which the jitter is suppressed to a level at which there is no practical problem.

  A part of the two light beams (BD light beam) reflected and deflected by the optical deflector 5 is imaged on the BD slit 11 by the BD lens 13. Since the absolute value of the sub-scanning magnification of the BD lens 13 is smaller than the sub-scanning magnification of the scanning lens system 7, the spot diameter formed on the BD slit 11 is also smaller than that in the first embodiment. In addition, the spot diameter is smaller than that on the photosensitive drum surface 8.

  At this time, the spot diameter in the sub-scanning direction on the BD slit 11 is Ws = 0.027 (mm). Therefore, the multi-beam scanning device of the present embodiment is configured to satisfy the conditional expression (3).

  In addition, although the example which used the plastic knife edge for the smooth member 15 was given in the present Example, it is not restricted to this, For example, knife edges, such as metal and vinyl (tape), are used as the smooth member, and the BD slit 11 is made. If the BD slit portion is formed on the light shielding wall 11a, the same effect as the present invention can be obtained.

  FIG. 8 is a sectional view (main scanning sectional view) of the main part in the main scanning direction of Embodiment 3 of the multi-beam scanning device of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a front view of the BD sensor shown in FIG. is there. 8 and 9, the same elements as those shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  The difference between the second embodiment and the second embodiment is that the synchronization position determining means is the edge of the BD sensor 12 and the BD slit is eliminated. Other configurations and optical actions are substantially the same as those in the second embodiment, and the same effects are obtained.

  That is, in this embodiment, the synchronization position determination means is the edge 12a of the BD sensor 12, thereby eliminating the BD slit, thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying the entire apparatus (cost reduction).

  In FIG. 9, 12 a is an edge of the BD sensor 12, and 12 b is a light receiving surface of the BD sensor 12.

  In this embodiment, a part (BD light beam) of two light beams reflected and deflected by the optical deflector 5 is imaged as a spot on the BD sensor 12 by the BD lens 13. That is, a part (BD light beam) of two light beams reflected and deflected by the optical deflector 5 optically scans the BD sensor 12 via the BD lens 13. At this time, when the preceding BD light beam reaches the edge 12a of the BD sensor 12, it is simultaneously turned off by the BD sensor 12, and simultaneously turned off, and the other BD light beam is turned on and synchronously detected in the same manner. At this time, if the smoothness of the edge 12a of the BD sensor 12 is poor and uneven, jitter occurs on the photosensitive drum surface 8 and becomes a problem.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the unevenness in the main scanning direction is set to Lm = 0.002 (mm) by improving the smoothness of the edge 12a of the BD sensor 12 by etching. That is, the conditional expression (5) and further the conditional expression (6) are satisfied by suppressing the unevenness Lm (mm) in the main scanning direction of the edge 12a of the BD sensor 12 to be small. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can always obtain a good image without jitter.

[Image forming apparatus]
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the main part in the sub-scanning section showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus (electrophotographic printer) using the multi-beam scanning apparatus of Embodiments 1 to 3 described above. In FIG. 10, reference numeral 104 denotes an image forming apparatus. Code data Dc is input to the image forming apparatus 104 from an external device 117 such as a personal computer. The code data Dc is converted into image data (dot data) Di by a printer controller 111 in the apparatus. The image data Di is input to the optical scanning unit 100 having the configuration shown in the first to third embodiments. The light scanning unit (multi-beam scanning device) 100 emits a light beam (light beam) 103 modulated in accordance with the image data Di, and the light beam 103 causes the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum 101 to move in the main scanning direction. Scanned.

  The photosensitive drum 101 serving as an electrostatic latent image carrier (photoconductor) is rotated clockwise by a motor 115. With this rotation, the photosensitive surface of the photosensitive drum 101 moves in the sub-scanning direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction with respect to the light beam 103. Above the photosensitive drum 101, a charging roller 102 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 101 is provided so as to contact the surface. The surface of the photosensitive drum 101 charged by the charging roller 102 is irradiated with the light beam 103 scanned by the optical scanning unit 100.

  As described above, the light beam 103 is modulated based on the image data Di, and by irradiating the light beam 103, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 101. This electrostatic latent image is developed as a toner image by a developing device 107 disposed so as to abut on the photosensitive drum 101 further downstream in the rotational section of the photosensitive drum 101 than the irradiation position of the light beam 103. .

  The toner image developed by the developing unit 107 is transferred onto a sheet 112 as a transfer material by a transfer roller (transfer unit) 108 disposed below the photosensitive drum 101 so as to face the photosensitive drum 101. The paper 112 is stored in a paper cassette 109 in front of the photosensitive drum 101 (on the right side in FIG. 10), but can be fed manually. A paper feed roller 110 is provided at the end of the paper cassette 109, and feeds the paper 112 in the paper cassette 109 into the transport path.

  As described above, the sheet 112 on which the unfixed toner image has been transferred is further conveyed to a fixing device behind the photosensitive drum 101 (left side in FIG. 10). The fixing device includes a fixing roller 113 having a fixing heater (not shown) therein and a pressure roller 114 disposed so as to be in pressure contact with the fixing roller 113 and has been fed from a transfer unit. The unfixed toner image on the sheet 112 is fixed by heating the sheet 112 while being pressed by the pressure contact portion between the fixing roller 113 and the pressure roller 114. Further, a paper discharge roller 116 is disposed behind the fixing roller 113, and the fixed paper 112 is discharged out of the image forming apparatus.

  Although not shown in FIG. 10, the print controller 111 controls not only the data conversion described above but also each part in the image forming apparatus including the motor 115 and the polygon motor in the optical scanning unit 100. Do.

[Color image forming apparatus]
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a main part of a color image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a tandem type color image forming apparatus in which four multi-beam scanning devices are arranged side by side and image information is recorded on a photosensitive drum surface as an image carrier in parallel. In FIG. 11, 60 is a color image forming apparatus, 71, 72, 73, and 74 are multi-beam scanning apparatuses each having one of the configurations shown in the first to third embodiments, and 21, 22, 23, and 24 are image carriers. The photosensitive drums 31, 32, 33, and 34 are developing units, and 51 is a conveyor belt.

  In FIG. 11, the color image forming apparatus 60 receives R (red), G (green), and B (blue) color signals from an external device 52 such as a personal computer. These color signals are converted into C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and B (black) image data (dot data) by a printer controller 53 in the apparatus. These image data are input to the multi-beam scanning devices 71, 72, 73, 74, respectively. From these multi-beam scanning devices, light beams 41, 42, 43, and 44 modulated according to each image data are emitted, and the photosensitive surfaces of the photosensitive drums 21, 22, 23, and 24 are emitted by these light beams. Are scanned in the main scanning direction.

  The color image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment includes four multi-beam scanning devices (71, 72, 73, 74), each of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and B (black). The image signals (image information) are recorded on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 21, 22, 23, and 24 in parallel with each other, and a color image is printed at high speed.

  As described above, the color image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment uses the light beams based on the respective image data by the four multi-beam scanning devices 71, 72, 73, 74, and the corresponding photosensitive drums 21, It is formed on the 22, 23, and 24 surfaces. Thereafter, a single full color image is formed by multiple transfer onto a recording material.

  As the external device 52, for example, a color image reading device including a CCD sensor may be used. In this case, the color image reading apparatus and the color image forming apparatus 60 constitute a color digital copying machine.

1 is a perspective view of main parts of a multi-beam scanning device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a main scanning sectional view of the multi-beam scanning device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Schematic diagram of the main part of the slit Diagram explaining the synchronization detection method The principal part perspective view of the multi-beam scanning apparatus in Example 2 of this invention FIG. 9 is a main scanning sectional view of the multi-beam scanning device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The principal part schematic of the synchronous position determination means in Example 2 of this invention FIG. 9 is a main scanning sectional view of a multi-beam scanning device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Front view when the BD sensor shown in FIG. 8 is viewed from the front. Cross-sectional view of essential parts of the image forming apparatus of the present invention Sectional drawing of the principal part of the color image forming apparatus of this invention

Explanation of symbols

1 Light source means (semiconductor laser array)
2 Condensing lens system (collimator lens)
3 Aperture stop 4 Cylindrical lens 5 Deflection means (optical deflector)
6 Driving means 7 Scanning optical means (fθ lens system)
8 Scanned surface (photosensitive drum surface)
9 BD mirror 10 Synchronization detection means 11 Synchronization position determination means (BD slit)
11a Shading wall (BD slit)
11a1 Edge 11b Opening portion 12 BD sensor 12a Edge 12b Light receiving surface 13 BD lens 14a Protruding portion 14b Depressed portion 15 Smoothing member 71, 72, 73, 74 Multi-beam scanning device 21, 22, 23, 24 Image carrier (photosensitive drum)
31, 32, 33, 34 Developer 41, 42, 43, 44 Light beam 51 Conveying belt 52 External device 53 Printer controller 60 Color image forming apparatus 100 Multi-beam scanning apparatus 101 Photosensitive drum 102 Charging roller 103 Light beam 104 Image forming apparatus 107 Developing Device 108 Transfer Roller 109 Paper Cassette 110 Paper Feed Roller 111 Printer Controller 112 Transfer Material (Paper)
113 Fixing Roller 114 Pressure Roller 115 Motor 116 Paper Discharge Roller 117 External Equipment

Claims (3)

A plurality of light beams emitted from the light source means are guided to the deflecting means, a plurality of light beams deflected by the deflecting means are guided onto the surface to be scanned by the scanning optical means, and a plurality of light beams deflected by the deflecting means are guided. In a multi-beam scanning device that conducts a part of the light flux to the synchronization detection means and performs using the synchronization signal obtained by the synchronization detection means,
The multi-beam scanning apparatus characterized in that the synchronization detection means has synchronization position determination means for determining the timing of synchronization detection, and the synchronization position determination means has a member having good smoothness.   A multi-beam scanning device according to claim 1, a photoconductor disposed on the surface to be scanned, and an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor by a light beam scanned by the multi-beam scanning device. An image forming apparatus comprising: a developing device that develops the toner image; a transfer device that transfers the developed toner image onto a transfer material; and a fixing device that fixes the transferred toner image onto the transfer material.   An image forming apparatus comprising: the multi-beam scanning apparatus according to claim 1; and a printer controller that converts code data input from an external device into an image signal and inputs the image signal to the multi-beam scanning apparatus. .