JP2006259434A - Optical scanner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical scanner, with which various characteristics are measured as a single unit of the optical scanner, the position of such an optical component as a scanner motor is easily adjusted, and the vibration of the optical components and the optical scanner as a whole is suppressed. <P>SOLUTION: The optical scanner has a rigidity-enhancing member 30, which is connected to a housing 20 that holds optical components 1 and 2 and enhances the rigidity of a connected body C, in which the member and the housing 20 are connected to a value larger than the rigidity of the housing itself, and the optical scanner is made detachable from an image forming apparatus F. The rigidity-enhancing member 30 has rigidity larger than that of the housing 20, and the position of optical components is adjusted, after the housing 20 has been connected to the rigidity-enhancing member 30. At least one of screws 3, for fixing the optical components 1 and 2 to the housing 20, penetrates the housing 20 and is fixed directly to the rigidity-enhancing member 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical scanning device used in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, or the like that forms an image using electrophotographic technology.

In general, in an optical scanning device, optical parts such as a scanner motor are fixed to a synthetic resin housing, and are fastened and fixed to an image forming apparatus at several points of the housing.
However, as the speed of image formation increases, as the speed of the scanner motor increases, the plastic resin housing with low rigidity and light weight suppresses the vibration of the scanner motor and vibration from the image forming device. I can't do that.
For this reason, the optical components or the entire optical scanning device vibrate, causing scanning line displacement, causing various optical characteristics deterioration and noise generation, such as scanning width deviation, jitter, and scanning position deviation. It has become. Further, there has been a problem that the optical characteristics deteriorate due to the temperature rise causing the plastic housing to be deformed and the optical path to deviate from the adjusted state. If an optical component is arranged in a metal die-cast housing, it is advantageous for vibration and deformation due to heat, but the optical scanning device becomes very expensive.

Therefore, conventionally, the substrate of the scanner motor is directly fastened to the optical stand of the image forming apparatus (the main body frame of the image forming apparatus) with a screw that penetrates the bottom wall of the housing, thereby reducing the vibration of the motor itself. There has been proposed an optical scanning device that prevents vibration of a motor from propagating to a housing (Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-11825 A

In the above-described conventional optical scanning device, the position of the scanner motor (and hence the rotating polygon mirror) is determined only by fastening the scanner motor substrate to the optical bench of the image forming apparatus, so the scanner motor substrate is fastened to the optical bench. Until then, the positional relationship between the scanner motor (and hence the rotating polygon mirror) and all other optical components is not determined.
For this reason, there has been a problem that various characteristics of the optical scanning device alone cannot be measured.
Also, until the scanner motor board is fastened to the optical bench, the positional relationship between the scanner motor (and hence the rotating polygon mirror) and all other optical components is not determined. As a result, the positioning accuracy of optical parts such as a scanner motor may be reduced.
The object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems, to measure various characteristics of the optical scanning device alone, to easily adjust the position of optical components such as a scanner motor, and to improve the optical components and the entire optical scanning device. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical scanning device capable of suppressing vibration.

In order to achieve the above object, an optical scanning device of the present invention comprises a housing for holding an optical component,
A member that is coupled to the housing, and has a high rigidity member that increases the rigidity of the combined body in which the member and the housing are coupled to each other than the rigidity of the housing alone. A detachable optical scanning device,
The high rigidity member is made to have higher rigidity than the housing, and the position of the optical component is adjusted after the housing is coupled to the high rigidity member.
According to such a configuration, since the rigidity of the combined body in which the high rigidity member and the housing are coupled is higher than the rigidity of the housing alone, the vibration of the optical components and the optical scanning device held in the housing, Resonance can be suppressed.
In addition, since the optical component can be fastened to the housing or the highly rigid member instead of being fastened to the frame of the image forming apparatus, it is easy to adjust the position of the optical part such as a scanner motor, and the optical scanning device is connected to the image forming apparatus. Before installing the optical scanning device, you can measure its various characteristics with the optical scanning device alone.
Further, since the highly rigid member is made to be more rigid than the housing, and the position of the optical component is adjusted after the housing is coupled to the highly rigid member, the above-described effects can be obtained more reliably. At the same time, the optical component is fixed and the optical path is adjusted after the shape of the housing is made to follow the high rigidity member by coupling the housing to the high rigidity member.
Therefore, the optical path deviation after the adjustment can be prevented.
In addition, since the high rigidity member is coupled to the housing, deformation of the housing due to a temperature rise can be suppressed, so that the optical characteristics can be improved.
That is, according to this optical scanning device, it is possible to measure various characteristics of the optical scanning device alone, to easily adjust the position of optical components such as a scanner motor, and to suppress vibrations of the optical components and the optical scanning device as a whole. An effect is obtained.
In addition, it is possible to prevent an optical path shift after adjusting the optical path.
Desirably, the rigidity of the combined body is higher than the rigidity of the mounting portion of the optical scanning device in the image forming apparatus.
According to this configuration, when the optical scanning device that has completed the optical path adjustment is attached to the image forming apparatus, the combined body follows the shape of the attachment portion of the image forming apparatus and the optical path changes. Can be prevented. In this case, more preferably, the optical scanning device is attached to the image forming apparatus by fixing the high-rigidity member to an attachment site of the optical scanning device in the image forming apparatus.
According to this configuration, when the optical scanning device that has completed the optical path adjustment is attached to the image forming apparatus, the combined body follows the shape of the attachment portion of the image forming apparatus and the optical path changes. It can prevent more reliably.
Preferably, the high rigidity member is made of metal.
If comprised in this way, when fastening the screw which fastens the optical component or the holding spring of an optical component to a highly rigid member, the tightening torque can be made high and it can avoid breaking a screw thread. Also, the tightening torque can be easily managed.
Desirably, after performing the drawing process or the like of the high-rigidity member, a portion such as a seating surface of the high-rigidity member is cut.
In this way, the seating surface and the like can be finished with high accuracy, so that the optical scanning device can be attached with high accuracy.
Desirably, the weight of the highly rigid member is made larger than the weight of the housing.
If comprised in this way, the amplitude of the vibration regarding the axial direction of an optical component, especially a scanner motor can be made smaller.
Desirably, at least a part of the outer peripheral portion of the highly rigid member rises.
If comprised in this way, the rigidity of a highly rigid member can be improved further and the effect mentioned above can be improved more.
Preferably, the high rigidity member is divided into a plurality of parts and coupled to the housing.
With this configuration, the rigidity of only a necessary portion of the housing can be increased, so that the light scanning device can be reduced in weight and cost can be reduced.
Or the rigidity of the attachment part of several optical components is improved with one high rigidity member.
In such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced.

  Note that the high rigidity member is the axis when the high rigidity member is fastened to the housing and the scanner motor mounting portion or other optical component mounting portion is pushed in the axial direction of the scanner motor with a certain force f. A member that makes the amount of bending in the direction smaller than the amount of bending when the scanner motor mounting portion or other optical component mounting portion is pressed by the force f in the housing alone.

Embodiments of an optical scanning device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of an optical scanning device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic II-II sectional view in FIG.
The optical scanning device 10 includes a housing 20 that holds optical components 1, 2, and the like, and a member that is coupled to the housing 20. An optical scanning device having a high-rigidity member 30 that is higher than the rigidity of the housing 20 alone and detachable from an image forming apparatus (a frame as a mounting portion in the image forming apparatus is indicated by F in FIG. 2) The rigidity increasing member 30 is made to be more rigid than the housing 20, and after the housing 20 is coupled to the rigidity increasing member 30, the position adjustment of the optical components 1, 2, etc. is performed. It is a feature.

  After attaching the optical parts 1, 2, etc. to the housing 20, the housing 20 may be coupled to the high rigidity member 30, and thereafter, the position adjustment of the optical parts 1, 2, etc. After the housing 20 is coupled, the optical components 1 and 2 may be attached, and thereafter the position of the optical components 1 and 2 may be adjusted. In any case, after the housing 20 is coupled to the high-rigidity member 30, the positions of the optical components 1 and 2 are adjusted.

A rotary polygon mirror 1b is attached to a rotary shaft 1a of the scanner motor 1, and the surface of the photosensitive drum of the image forming apparatus is moved by a laser beam from a light source (not shown) via the optical lens 2 or the like by the rotation of the rotary polygon mirror 1b. Scan to form a latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum.
In this embodiment, at least one of the screws 3 for fixing the scanner motor 1, the optical lens 2, etc. as optical parts to the housing 20 is passed through the housing 20 and directly fastened to the high rigidity member 30. .
In this embodiment, four screws 3 for fixing the substrate 1 c of the scanner motor 1 are directly fastened to the high rigidity member 30 through the housing 20.

The housing 20 is made of synthetic resin.
The housing 20 is provided with a cover 21 (see FIG. 2) that closes the opening 20a of the housing 20. The screw 6 for fixing the cover 21 passes through the housing 20 and is directly fastened to the high rigidity member 30.

The high rigidity member 30 is made of metal and has higher rigidity than the housing 20. Further, the high rigidity member 30 is heavier than the housing 20.
The housing 20 is coupled to the high-rigidity member 30 by the screw 4 and the fixing screw 3 of the substrate 1c described above, and the rigidity of the coupling body C is determined by the mounting portion of the optical scanning device 10 in the image forming apparatus. The rigidity is higher than the rigidity of a certain frame F. In this embodiment, the rigidity of the highly rigid member 30 itself is higher than that of the frame F. For example, if the frame F is made of a sheet metal having a thickness of about 1.2 mm, the highly rigid member 30 is made of a sheet metal having a thickness of about 1.6 mm.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the highly rigid member 30.
The high-rigidity member 30 is made of sheet metal, and is bent so that at least a part of the outer peripheral portion (the entire outer periphery in this embodiment) is raised so as to further increase its rigidity (the raised portion is denoted by reference numerals). In addition, after the drawing process 32 is applied to a necessary portion in order to increase the rigidity, the seating surfaces 33, 34, and 35 are cut to improve the accuracy. The seating surfaces 33 and 34 constitute the mounting surface of the housing 20 in the highly rigid member 30, and the seating surface 35 constitutes the mounting surface of the highly rigid member 30 to the frame F.
The seating surface F1 of the frame F is also cut to improve accuracy.

The shape of the throttle portion 32 of the high rigidity member 30, the height of the rising portion 31, the distance between the housing 20 and the high rigidity member 30, and the fastening position between the high rigidity member 30 and the housing 20 are as follows. The natural frequency of the combination C with the high rigidity member 30 is set so as not to coincide with the rotation frequency of the scanner motor 1.
The high-rigidity member 30 of this embodiment is provided over the entire bottom surface of the housing 20, and the single high-rigidity member 30 increases the rigidity of the mounting portions of the plurality of optical components 1, 2, etc. ing.
Reference numerals 36 and 37 denote holes into which positioning pins (not shown) provided on the frame F are inserted when the optical scanning device 10 is attached to the frame F. 3a is a screw hole for the screw 3 (female screw hole, the same applies hereinafter), 4a is a screw hole for the screw 4, and 6a is a screw hole for the screw 6.

As described above, the optical scanning device 10 as described above adjusts the positions of the optical components 1 and 2 after the housing 20 is coupled to the high-rigidity member 30 with the screws 4.
Further, the optical scanning device 10 is attached to the image forming apparatus by fixing the high-rigidity member 30 with a screw 5 to the attachment portion F of the optical scanning device 10 in the image forming apparatus.

According to the optical scanning device 10 as described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
The optical scanning device 10 includes a housing 20 that holds optical components 1, 2, and the like, and a member that is coupled to the housing 20. An optical scanning device having a high-rigidity member 30 that is higher than the rigidity of the housing 20 alone and detachable from the image forming apparatus. The high-rigidity member 30 has higher rigidity than the housing 20. At the same time, since the position of the optical component is adjusted after the housing 20 is coupled to the highly rigid member 30, according to such a configuration, the combined body C in which the highly rigid member 30 and the housing 20 are coupled is provided. The rigidity is higher than the rigidity of the housing 20 alone. Therefore, vibrations and resonances of the optical components 1 and 2 held by the housing 20 and the optical scanning device 10 can be suppressed.
In addition, since the optical parts 1 and 2 can be fastened to the housing 20 or the highly rigid member 30 instead of being fastened to the frame F of the image forming apparatus, the position adjustment of the optical parts such as the scanner motor is easy. Before the optical scanning device 10 is attached to the image forming apparatus, various characteristics of the optical scanning device 10 can be measured.
Furthermore, since the high rigidity member 30 is made more rigid than the housing 20, and the housing 20 is coupled to the high rigidity member 30, the positions of the optical components 1 and 2 are adjusted. At the same time, the housing 20 is coupled to the high-rigidity member 30 so that the shape of the housing 20 is made to follow the high-rigidity member 30, and then the optical components 1 and 2 are fixed and the optical path is adjusted. Will be performed.
Therefore, the optical path deviation after the adjustment can be prevented.
In addition, since the high-rigidity member 30 is coupled to the housing 20, deformation of the housing 20 due to temperature rise can be suppressed, so that optical characteristics can be improved.
That is, according to the optical scanning device 10, various characteristics of the optical scanning device 10 alone can be measured, the position of an optical component such as a scanner motor can be easily adjusted, and vibrations of the optical component and the entire optical scanning device 10 can be reduced. The effect that it can suppress is acquired.
In addition, it is possible to prevent an optical path shift after adjusting the optical path.

  Since at least one of the screws (see the screw 3) for fixing the optical components 1, 2 and the like to the housing 20 passes through the housing 20 and is directly fastened to the high rigidity member 30, vibration of the optical component 1 itself Can be reduced.

  Since the rigidity of the combined body C is higher than the rigidity of the attachment portion F of the optical scanning device 10 in the image forming apparatus, the optical scanning device 10 whose optical path adjustment has been completed is attached to the image forming apparatus (F). , It is possible to prevent the optical path from changing due to the combined body C following the shape of the attachment portion F in the image forming apparatus. Furthermore, since the optical scanning device 10 is attached to the image forming apparatus by fixing the high-rigidity member 30 to the attachment part F of the optical scanning device in the image forming apparatus, the optical scanning device 10 in which the optical path adjustment is completed When attached to the image forming apparatus, it is possible to more reliably prevent the combined body C from following the shape of the attachment site F in the image forming apparatus and changing the optical path.

  The housing 20 is provided with a cover 21 for closing the opening 20a of the housing 20, and at least one of the screws 6 for fixing the cover 21 is directly fastened to the high rigidity member 30 through the housing 20. Therefore, the vibration of the cover 21 due to the vibration from the scanner motor 1 and the image forming apparatus main body can be reduced, the vibration of the entire optical scanning device 10 can be suppressed, and noise can also be prevented.

Since the high-rigidity member 30 is made of metal, the tightening torque of the screw 3 for fastening the optical component (or a pressing spring for the optical component described later) can be increased, and the screw thread can be prevented from being broken. Also, the tightening torque can be easily managed.
Since the portions such as the seating surface 34 of the high-rigidity member 30 are cut after the drawing 32 of the high-rigidity member 30 is performed, the seating surface 34 and the like can be finished with high accuracy. Therefore, the optical scanning device 10 can be attached with high accuracy.

Since the weight of the high-rigidity member 30 is larger than the weight of the housing 20, the amplitude of vibration in the axial direction of the optical component, particularly the scanner motor 1, can be further reduced.
In addition, since at least a part of the outer peripheral portion 31 of the highly rigid member 30 is raised, the rigidity of the highly rigid member 30 can be further increased, and the above-described effects can be further increased.
In addition, since the single rigid member 30 is configured to increase the rigidity of the mounting portion of the plurality of optical components 1 and 2 and the like, the number of components can be reduced.

<Other embodiments>
FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of another embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of a highly rigid member 30 of the embodiment.
This embodiment is mainly different from the above-described embodiment in that the screw 3 for fixing the optical lens 2 is also directly fastened to the high rigidity member 30 through the housing 20 and the high rigidity of the housing 20. There are three fixing screws 4 to the adjusting member 30, and the other points are not changed.
In FIG. 5, 3 a is a screw hole for the screw 3 for fixing the optical lens 2, and 4 a is a screw hole for the screw 4.
If comprised in this way, while improving the coupling force of the housing 20 and the highly rigid member 30, the effect mentioned above can be improved more, and the vibration of optical lens 2 itself can also be reduced.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment.
This embodiment is mainly different from the above-described embodiment in that one high-rigidity member 30 is not provided on the entire bottom surface of the housing 20, but one is provided only in a necessary portion. The fixing screw is fastened to the housing 20 and the housing 20 is fastened to the frame F. The other points are not changed.
Even if comprised in this way, the effect corresponding to structures other than the said change point will be acquired.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing a highly rigid member 30 in still another embodiment.
This embodiment is mainly different from the above-described embodiment in that the high rigidity member 30 is not provided on the entire bottom surface of the housing 20, but a plurality of high rigidity members 30 (two in the drawing) are provided. This is in that it is provided only at a necessary portion of the housing 20, and other points are not changed.
30a is a high rigidity member for the scanner motor 1, and 30b is a high rigidity member for the optical lens 2.
Even if comprised in this way, the effect corresponding to structures other than the said change point will be acquired.
Further, by dividing the high-rigidity member into a plurality of parts and coupling them to the housing 20, it is possible to increase the rigidity of only necessary portions of the housing 20, thereby reducing the weight of the optical scanning device 10 and reducing the cost. Can be achieved.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view showing still another embodiment.
This embodiment is mainly different from the above-described embodiment in that the optical components 1 and 2 are fixed via the holding spring 7, and the other points are not changed.
Even if comprised in this way, the effect mentioned above is acquired.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of an optical scanning device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic II-II cross-sectional view in FIG. 1. The top view of the highly rigid member 30. FIG. The schematic plan view of other embodiment. The top view of the highly rigid member 30 of embodiment same as the above. Furthermore, the schematic sectional drawing which shows other embodiment. Furthermore, the schematic plan view which shows the highly rigid member 30 in other embodiment. Furthermore, the schematic sectional drawing which shows other embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  1: scanner motor (optical component), 2: optical lens (optical component), 3: screw, 10: optical scanning device, 20: housing, 21: cover, C: combined body, 30: high rigidity member, F: Attachment part of optical scanning device in image forming apparatus.

Claims (9)

A housing for holding optical components;
A member that is coupled to the housing, and has a high rigidity member that increases the rigidity of the combined body in which the member and the housing are coupled to each other than the rigidity of the housing alone. A detachable optical scanning device,
An optical scanning device characterized in that the high rigidity member is made to have higher rigidity than the housing, and the position of the optical component is adjusted after the housing is coupled to the high rigidity member.   3. The optical scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the rigidity of the combined body is higher than the rigidity of the mounting portion of the optical scanning device in the image forming apparatus.   3. The optical scanning according to claim 1, wherein the optical scanning device is attached to the image forming apparatus by fixing the high-rigidity member to an attachment site of the optical scanning device in the image forming apparatus. apparatus.   The optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the high-rigidity member is made of metal.   5. The optical scanning device according to claim 4, wherein after the drawing of the highly rigid member is performed, a portion such as a seating surface of the highly rigid member is cut.   The optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein a weight of the high-rigidity member is larger than a weight of the housing.   The optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of an outer peripheral portion of the high rigidity member rises.   The optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the high rigidity member is divided into a plurality of parts and coupled to the housing.   9. The optical scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the rigidity of the mounting portion of the plurality of optical components is increased by one high-rigidity member.

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