JP2009086649A - Method of manufacturing lens array, lens array, led head, exposure device, image forming apparatus and reading apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing a lens array preventing deterioration of the resolution of a formed image, a lens array, an LED head having the lens array, an exposure device having an LED head, and an image forming apparatus and a reading apparatus that have the exposure device. <P>SOLUTION: By using the lens array that satisfies the relationship between an amount of an off-set between a central axis of the first lens and a central axis of the second lens, that is, an off-set EC, and an interval EP between the light emitting elements in the exposure device, deterioration of the resolution is prevented. That is, the exposure device including the lens array and the image forming apparatus including the exposure device can prevent deterioration of the quality of an image. The reading apparatus including the lens array can provide image data faithfully representing a document. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a manufacturing method related to a lens array, a lens array, an LED head including the lens array, an exposure apparatus including the LED head, an image forming apparatus including the exposure apparatus, and a reading apparatus. is there.

  Conventionally, among electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, a rod lens array in which a plurality of rod lenses are arranged in an array is used in an LED printer in which a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) are arranged in an array. Further, among reading devices such as scanners and facsimiles, a rod lens array is used in an optical system for storing an image formed on a read document in a light receiving unit in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged in an array. The rod lens is an optical element in which a glass fiber is impregnated with ions so that the refractive index decreases from the central part toward the peripheral part, and forms an erecting multiplication of an object. A lens array in which a plurality of rod lenses are arranged in an array is an optical system that forms an image of an object in a line shape. Furthermore, as in Patent Document 1 below, an optical system in which a plurality of microlenses are integrally formed using a resin molding method to form an image of an object in a line shape can be configured.

  In addition, there is a lens array in which a plurality of microlenses are arranged in an array as an optical system that forms an image of an original in a line shape as an erecting equal-magnification image on a light receiving section in which a plurality of light receiving elements are arranged in an array. A lens array in which microlenses are integrally formed in this way can achieve high resolution by being efficiently manufactured with high lens shape accuracy by plastic injection molding.

JP 2003-202411 A

  The resolution in an optical system that arranges microlenses in an array and forms an image of an object in a line shape as shown in Patent Document 1 or the like depends on the shape of the microlens that forms the optical system. For example, it was manufactured with high accuracy so that the central axis of the surface on the light emitting part side of the microlens forming the lens pair together with the microlens forming the optical system coincides with the central axis of the surface on the imaging surface side. When a microlens is used, the resolution of the formed image does not decrease. However, when a microlens manufactured with low accuracy such that the center axis of the light emitting part side surface of the microlens forming the optical system is shifted from the center axis of the surface on the imaging surface side is used, The resolution will be reduced.

  Further, in the conventional lens array, when the lens array is elongated in the microlens arrangement direction in order to enlarge the printing area, the microlens cannot be accurately manufactured depending on the position in the lens array longitudinal direction. That is, in a plurality of microlenses arranged in a row, there is a problem that residual aberration, transmittance, focal length, and the like differ depending on each microlens due to errors in lens shape and refractive index.

  Therefore, the inventors of the present invention have made extensive studies, and as a result, depending on the amount of deviation between the center line of the surface of the microlens light emitting portion side and the center line of the surface of the imaged image side, the formed image It was found that a reduction in the resolution can be prevented. Moreover, the manufacturing method which can shape | mold the lens array which integrally formed the said microlens accurately was discovered. That is, the present invention provides a lens array manufacturing method, a lens array, an LED head, an exposure apparatus including the lens array or the LED head, and an image forming apparatus including the exposure apparatus that can prevent a reduction in resolution of the formed image. An object is to provide measures and a reading device.

  That is, the exposure apparatus of the present invention includes a light emitting unit having a plurality of light emitting elements, a lens pair including a first lens and a second lens, and a blocking unit that blocks light from the lens pair. Of the plurality of light emitting elements, where EP is the interval between adjacent light emitting elements, and EC is the difference between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens, EC <EP / 2 is satisfied.

  According to the exposure apparatus of the present invention, the amount of deviation between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens, that is, the relationship between the axial deviation amount EC and the arrangement interval EP of the light emitting elements of the exposure apparatus, By satisfying EC <EP / 2, it is possible to prevent a decrease in resolution that has occurred by using a lens having a conventional axis deviation.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes the above-described exposure apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes the exposure apparatus in which the resolution is prevented from being reduced, so that an image can be formed on the medium according to the image data, and quality deterioration such as image streaks and uneven density on the medium can be prevented. Can do.

  Furthermore, the reading apparatus of the present invention includes a light receiving unit having a plurality of light receiving elements, a lens pair including a first lens and a second lens, and a blocking unit that blocks light from the lens pair. Of the plurality of light receiving elements, where RP is the interval between adjacent light emitting elements, and EC is the difference between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens, EC <RP / 2 is satisfied.

  According to the reading apparatus of the present invention, the relationship between the amount of deviation between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens, that is, the amount of axial deviation EC and the arrangement interval EP of the light emitting elements of the exposure device, By satisfying EC <EP / 2, it is possible to prevent a reduction in resolution that has conventionally occurred using a lens having a misalignment, and it is possible to obtain the same image data as the original.

  In the present invention, the relationship between the amount of deviation between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens, that is, the amount of axial deviation EC and the arrangement interval EP of the light emitting elements of the exposure apparatus is EC <EP / 2. By using the lens array, it is possible to prevent a reduction in resolution. That is, the exposure apparatus using this lens array and the image forming apparatus provided with this exposure apparatus can prevent image quality deterioration, and the reading apparatus using this lens array can obtain the same image data as the original. .

  Hereinafter, an exposure apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a reading apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited to the following description, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it can change suitably.

[Embodiment 1]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus provided with the exposure apparatus of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 100 forms an image on a print medium P based on image data with toner made of a resin containing a pigment as a color material. The image forming apparatus 100 is, for example, an electrophotographic printer, a facsimile, a multifunction peripheral, or a multifunction peripheral having a plurality of functions. In the following description, a color image is described. However, a monochrome image may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a paper cassette 60 that stores a print medium P on which an image is not formed. The print medium P stored in the paper cassette 60 is fed out as the paper feed roller 61 rotates, and the transport rollers 62 and 63 disposed downstream of the paper feed roller 61 rotate. Accordingly, the toner is conveyed and placed at a predetermined timing onto a transfer belt 81 that rotates at a rotational speed corresponding to the printing speed by a motor (not shown).

  The image forming apparatus 100 is an electrophotographic system, and includes four image forming units 40C, 40M, corresponding to four colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K), respectively. 40Y and 40K are juxtaposed along the transfer belt 81 from the paper supply side to the paper discharge side of the print medium P in this order. Each of the image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K uses toner of each color with respect to the print medium P placed on the transfer belt 81 that is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) or a gear that transmits driving. Image formation. Specifically, the image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K respectively include photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K as electrostatic latent image carriers and the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K. Charging rollers 42C, 42M, 42Y and 42K for charging the respective peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 41, and the respective circumferences of the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y and 41K based on image data received from an external device via an interface unit (not shown). It is formed on the peripheral surfaces of the exposure devices 3C, 3M, 3Y, and 3K that selectively irradiate the surface with light to form an electrostatic latent image and the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K. Developing devices 5C, 5M, 5Y, and 5K that develop the electrostatic latent image with toner, and toners that are supplied to the developing devices 5C, 5M, 5Y, and 5K, respectively. Toner cartridges 51C, 51M, 51Y, 51K for storing the toner, transfer rollers 80C, 80M, 80Y, 80K for transferring the toner image obtained by visualizing the electrostatic latent image with toner onto the print medium P, and printing Cleaning blades 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K that clean and collect toner remaining on the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K without toner being transferred onto the medium P are provided. The photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K, the charging rollers 42C, 42M, 42Y, and 42K, and the transfer rollers 80C, 80M, 80Y, and 80K are driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) or a gear that transmits driving, respectively. It is comprised so that. The exposure apparatuses 3C, 3M, 3Y, and 3K, the developing apparatuses 5C, 5M, 5Y, and 5K, and the motor (not shown) are connected to a power source and a control unit (not shown), respectively.

  Such image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K are respectively photosensitive by charging rollers 42C, 42M, 42Y, and 42K to which a predetermined voltage is applied by a power source (not shown) under the control of a control unit (not shown). After the peripheral surfaces of the body drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K are charged to a uniform voltage, as the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K rotate, the charged peripheral surfaces Reaches the vicinity of the exposure devices 3C, 3M, 3Y, and 3K, the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K are each electrostatically irradiated with light modulated by the exposure devices 3C, 3M, 3Y, and 3K. A latent image is formed. Then, the image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K respectively attach the toners of the respective colors supplied from the developing devices 5C, 5M, 5Y, and 5K to the formed electrostatic latent images, respectively. A toner image is generated.

  The toner images of the respective colors developed by the image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K are rotated by the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K, respectively, under the control of a control unit (not shown). Accordingly, the transfer rollers 80C, 80M, and 80Y disposed to face the photoreceptor drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K so that the peripheral surface on which the toner image is generated sandwich the transfer belt 81 and the transfer belt 81 therebetween. , 80K, and as the print medium P is conveyed by the transfer belt 81, the transfer rollers 80C, 80M, 80Y, 80K sequentially superimpose and transfer onto the print medium P. The At this time, a predetermined voltage is applied to the transfer rollers 80C, 80M, 80Y, and 80K by a power source (not shown).

  The image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K remain on the peripheral surfaces of the photosensitive drums 41C, 41M, 41Y, and 41K under the control of a control unit (not shown) when the transfer is completed. The toner is cleaned by the cleaning blades 43C, 43M, 43Y, and 43K. In addition, the image forming apparatus 100 cleans the toner remaining on the surface of the transfer belt 81 with the cleaning blade 82 under the control of a control unit (not shown). In the image forming apparatus 100, the four image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K having such a configuration sequentially form each color image on the print medium P to form a color image. In the image forming apparatus 100, the print medium P is conveyed to the fixing device 9 while being electrostatically attracted to the transfer belt 81.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 100 includes a fixing device 9 downstream of the image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K. The fixing device 9 includes, for example, a fixing roller configured by adhering an elastic member to the outer periphery of a metal hollow roller, and a pressure roller that presses the print medium P together with the fixing roller. The pressure roller is disposed so as to abut against the fixing roller, and forms a nip portion that sandwiches the print medium P. In addition, a heater or a halogen lamp that generates heat or emits light from a power source (not shown) is embedded in the fixing roller. In the fixing device 9, the fixing roller is heated by energizing these heaters or causing a halogen lamp to emit light under the control of a control unit (not shown). Such a fixing device 9 rotates the fixing roller and the pressure roller to pass the print medium P through the nip portion, and heats and presses the print medium P to melt the toner on the print medium P, The toner image is heat-fixed. In the image forming apparatus 100, when the image is fixed on the print medium P by such a fixing device 9, the print medium P is transported and discharged to the outside according to the rotation of the transport roller 64 and the discharge roller 65. And are stacked on the paper discharge unit 7.

  Such an image forming apparatus 100 has an external interface (not shown) that receives print data from an external apparatus that is communicably connected. The image forming apparatus 100 receives the print data from the external interface, and It has a control unit that performs overall control.

  In such an image forming apparatus 100, the exposure apparatuses 3C, 3M, 3Y, and 3K are configured as described later. In the image forming apparatus 100, the four image forming units 40C, 40M, 40Y, and 40K corresponding to the four colors of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) described above, respectively. Since all have the same configuration, for example, as in the image forming unit 40, description will be made using numbers excluding C, M, Y, and K as reference numerals attached to each unit.

  FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the exposure apparatus of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the exposure device 3 is opposed to the photosensitive drum 41 and is disposed at a predetermined distance. The exposure apparatus 3 includes a lens array 1 held by a holding member 34 and an LED (Light Emitting Diode) array 30 formed on a wiring substrate 33 in the holding member 34 and having a plurality of light emitting elements 35. Is provided. The wiring board 33 is provided with a driver IC 31 that controls the light emission of the light emitting elements 35 of the LED array 30, and the LED array 30 and the driver IC 31 are connected by a wire 32.

  In the first embodiment, the LED array 30 having the light emitting elements 35 has been exemplified. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an organic EL (Electroluminescence) element may be used as a light source, and image formation is performed. A semiconductor laser that is generally used as an exposure apparatus of the apparatus may be used, and furthermore, an exposure apparatus that uses a light source such as a fluorescent lamp or a halogen lamp in combination with a shutter formed of a liquid crystal element may be used.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration and arrangement of the light emitting elements of the LED array. A plurality of the light emitting elements 35 are arranged on the LED array 30 in a predetermined direction at a predetermined arrangement interval EP, and electrodes 36 for supplying a current are connected. The light emitting element 35 has a predetermined length EY in a direction parallel to the arrangement direction of the light emitting elements 35 and a rectangular having a predetermined length EX in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the light emitting elements 35. Shape. The size and arrangement interval EP of the light emitting elements 35 are appropriately changed according to the resolution of the exposure apparatus. For example, in the case of an exposure apparatus of 600 dpi, the length EY is 21 μm, the length EX is 21 μm, and the array interval EP is 42 μm. In the case of an exposure apparatus of 1200 dpi, the length EY is 10 μm, the length EX is 10 μm, and the array interval EP is 21 μm. In the case of an exposure apparatus of 2400 dpi, the length EY is 5 μm, the length EX is 5 μm, and the array interval EP is 10.6 μm.

  In such an exposure apparatus 3, when a control signal of the exposure apparatus 3 is transmitted from the control unit of the image forming apparatus based on the image data, the light emitting element 35 emits light with an arbitrary amount of light according to the control signal of the driver IC 31. Light rays from the light emitting elements 35 enter the lens array 1 described in detail later, and an imaged image of the emitted light emitting elements 35 is formed on the photosensitive drum 41.

  FIG. 4 is a plan view of a lens array provided in the LED array, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lens array. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lens array 1 includes a lens plate 11 as a first and second lens group, a microlens 12 as a first and second lens, and a light shielding portion 13 as a blocking means. have. The light shielding portion 13 has a length t in the optical axis direction, two comb-shaped members 13a each having an opening formed on one end face side with a distance PY, and a thickness Tb, and the two comb-shaped members 13a. It is comprised by the partition plate 13b arrange | positioned between. As shown in FIG. 6, when the length from the center of the partition plate to the center of the circle with the radius RA (hereinafter referred to as the center of the opening) is PA, the opening is the center of the circle. And a straight line arranged at a distance of PA-Tb / 2. The two comb-shaped members 13a face each other through the partition plate 13b, and the opening of the comb-shaped member 13a on the opposite side through the partition plate 13b from the center of the opening of one comb-shaped member 13a. It arrange | positions so that the space | interval to the center of a part may be PY / 2. The comb-shaped member 13a and the partition plate 13b are formed of a material that blocks light from the light source.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the light shielding part 13 is provided with two lens plates 11 sandwiching the light shielding part 13 so as to close the opening. That is, a lens pair is formed by the corresponding two microlenses 12 through the opening of the light shielding portion 13. In the lens plate 11, a plurality of microlenses are arranged in a two-row staggered pattern, and a part of the microlens 12 is disposed so as to overlap the adjacent microlens 12. Furthermore, the microlenses 12 in each row are arranged so that the distance between them is PY, and the distance between the center of the microlens 12 and the center in the width direction of the lens plate 11 is a distance PA.

  The microlens 12 disposed on the lens plate 11 has two curved surfaces composed of rotationally symmetric high-order aspheric surfaces represented by the following formula 1. Then, when the planar shape of the microlens 12 is a length PN from the circle having the radius RL to the center of the circle having the radius RL of the microlens 12 adjacent to the center of the circle, as shown in FIG. The shape is formed by two straight lines arranged at a distance of PN / 2 from the center of a circle having a radius RL.

  This function z (r) represents a rotating coordinate system in which the direction parallel to the optical axis of the microlens 12 is an axis and the coordinate in the radial direction is r, the vertex of each curved surface of the microlens 12 is the origin, and the lens array It is represented by the number of directions from one light emitting surface toward the imaging surface. C represents a radius of curvature, A represents a fourth-order coefficient of the aspheric coefficient, and B represents a sixth-order coefficient of the aspheric coefficient. The microlens 12 in the present invention is not limited to a rotationally symmetric high-order aspherical surface, and may have a spherical surface, which is perpendicular to a conic surface such as a paraboloid, an ellipsoid, a hyperboloid, or the optical axis. Each surface may have an asymmetric toroidal surface or cylinder surface, and may form a public free-form surface.

  8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 4, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. In the microlens 12 described above, as shown in FIG. 8, the central axis of the inner curved surface 12b on the light shielding portion 13 side and the central axis of the outer curved surface 12a opposite to the inner curved surface 12b are in the width direction of the lens plate 11. Is shifted by the length ECX. That is, the central axis of the outer curved surface 12a of the upper microlens 12 in FIG. 8 is shifted to the left by the length ECX with respect to the central axis of the inner curved surface 12b. Similarly, the microlens 12 on the opposite side via the light shielding portion 13 is also shifted by the length ECX in the width direction of the lens plate 11, and the direction of the shift is the direction of the shift of the upper microlens 12 in FIG. 8. The right side is the opposite side.

Further, the central axis of the inner curved surface 12b of the microlens 12 and the central axis of the outer curved surface 12a are shifted by the length ECY in the longitudinal direction of the lens plate 11 as shown in FIG. The direction of the deviation is different from the direction of deviation in the width direction of the lens plate 11 described above, that is, the central axis of the outer curved surface 12a of each microlens 12 is on the left side with respect to the central axis of the inner curved surface 12b. Both are displaced in the same direction. The eccentricity of the microlens 12 having such a deviation is the axial deviation length EC between the central axis of the outer curved surface 12a and the central axis of the inner curved surface 12b, and the deviation ECY in the longitudinal direction of the lens plate 11 , EC ² = ECY ² + ECX ² is obtained from the length ECX of the deviation in the width direction.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of an optical system in the present invention. The lens array 1 as described above is arranged so as to have a predetermined distance between the photosensitive drum 41 and the LED array 30 as shown in FIG. At this time, the surface of the photosensitive drum 41 is an imaging surface, and the surface of the LED array 30 is an object surface (hereinafter referred to as a light emitting surface in the first embodiment). Here, the thickness of the microlens 12 is LT, and the distance between the microlenses 12 is LS. The distance between the outer curved surface 12a of the microlens 12 on the light emitting surface side and the light emitting surface (the surface of the LED array 30) is LO, and the outer curved surface 12a of the microlens 12 on the imaging surface side and the imaging surface (photosensitive drum). LI is the distance to the surface of 41. The distance between the image plane and the light emitting surface is defined as TC. In the present invention, the optical axis S of the microlens 12 whose center axis is shifted in this way is a line connecting each surface vertex of the inner curved surface 12 b and the center of the opening of the light shielding portion 13.

  The lens plate 11 that constitutes such a lens array 1 uses, for example, an optical resin (trade name: ZEONEX E48R, manufactured by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd.) that is a cycloolefin resin, and a plurality of microlenses 12 are formed by injection molding. Can be formed integrally. For example, the arrangement intervals of the microlenses 12 are PY = 1.2 mm, PA = 0.2 mm, and PN = 0.721 mm. A plurality of microlenses 12 are integrally formed on the lens plate 11, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the microlenses 12 are individually molded and fixed at a predetermined arrangement interval. There may be.

  Moreover, the light shielding part 13 which comprises the lens array 1 can be shape | molded by resin molding, using a polycarbonate, for example. For example, the light shielding portion 13 has a length in the optical axis direction of t = 2.5 mm, an opening radius RA = 0.45 mm, and a thickness Tb of the partition plate 13b = 0.2 mm. Further, the light shielding portion 13 is not limited to resin molding, and may be formed by cutting. Further, a light shielding pattern may be formed by a light shielding member that shields light from the light source on a material that transmits light, or a light shielding pattern may be formed by a light shielding member on a part of the lens plate 11. Further, a part of the lens plate 11 may be roughened so as to block the light beam, and further, a part of the lens plate 11 may be cut off so that a part of the light shielding does not enter. .

  FIG. 11 is a view showing the path of the light beam in the lens array 1, and among the members of the exposure apparatus of the present invention, only the light emitting element, a part of the plurality of microlenses, the light shielding portion, and the photosensitive drum. FIG. A plurality of microlenses 12 are arranged on the lens plate 11 of the lens array 1 as shown in FIG. 11 along the microlenses MLI1, MLI2, MLI3, MLI4,. Along with microlenses MLO1, MLO2, MLO3, MLO4.

  First, when light is emitted from the light emitting element 35, the light rays R 1, R 2 and R 3 are incident on the microlens MLI 1 closest to the light emitting element 35. The light rays R1, R2, and R3 incident on the microlens MLI1 are once condensed at the opening of the light shielding unit 13, and then incident on the microlens MLO1 again to form an image I on the photosensitive drum 41. On the other hand, since the light ray R ′ incident on the microlens MLI2 disposed next to the microlens MLI1 closest to the light emitting element 35 is shielded by the light shielding portion 13, the imaged image I ′ is not formed on the photosensitive drum 41. .

  In this way, the light emitted from the light emitting element 35 is imaged on the photosensitive drum 41 as an erecting equal-magnification image by the lens array, and an exposure image of the light emitting element 35 is formed. On the other hand, so-called stray light that does not contribute to the exposure image is shielded by the light shielding portion 13, so that the exposure image of the light emitting element 35 becomes clear.

  Here, the light quantity distribution of the exposure image formed by the exposure apparatus of the present invention is shown. As the lens array used in this exposure apparatus, those having the parameters and the lengths and coefficients shown in Table 1 below were used.

  FIG. 12 shows the light amount distribution when the microlens axis deviation EC is less than half the arrangement interval EP, and FIG. 13 shows the light quantity distribution when the microlens axis deviation EC is larger than half the arrangement interval EP. . This is the light amount distribution of the exposure image when every other light emitting element 35 emits light, that is, when the interval between the light emitting elements 35 emitting light is 2EP.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the lens plate axial deviation amount EC is less than half the arrangement interval EP of the light emitting elements 35, the exposure image of the light emitting elements 35 has high contrast. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13, when the lens plate axis deviation amount EC is larger than half of the arrangement interval EP of the light emitting elements 35, the maximum value of the light amount of the exposure image is reduced, and the base of the light amount distribution is broadened. The contrast of the exposure image of the light emitting element 35 is lowered.

Next, a measurement result of MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) indicating the resolution of the formed image will be shown. Here, MTF indicates the resolution of the exposure apparatus, and indicates the contrast of the light amount of the image formed by the LED array that is lit in the exposure apparatus. 100% indicates that the contrast of the formed image is the highest, and the resolution as the exposure apparatus is high. The MTF (%), the maximum value _{I max} of the light amount of the imaging image, when the minimum value of the light amount between the two imaging images adjacent to was _{I min MTF = (I max -I} min) / ( I _max + I _min ) × 100 (%).

  The MTF is measured by using a microscope digital camera to form an image formed at a distance LI (mm) in Table 1 above from the image forming surface side (photosensitive drum 41 side) end surface of the lens array 1 of the exposure apparatus 3. The MTF was calculated by analyzing the light amount distribution of the image formed by the light emitting element 35 from the captured image. In this measurement, the lens plate 11 having the microlens 12 that is not misaligned in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the light emitting elements 35 and is misaligned only in the arrangement direction of the light emitting elements 35 is arranged on the light emitting surface side (LED array 30 side). The lens array 1 using the lens plate 11 composed of the microlenses 12 with no axial deviation was mounted on the light emitting surface side (photosensitive drum 41 side). Then, the MTF was measured for each resolution by using an axis deviation amount EC having various values. 14 shows an exposure apparatus with a resolution of the LED array 30 of 600 dpi, FIG. 15 shows an exposure apparatus with a resolution of the LED array 30 of 1200 dpi, and FIG. 16 shows an exposure apparatus with a resolution of the LED array 30 of 2400 dpi. Is measured by emitting every other light.

  As shown in FIG. 14, in the exposure apparatus with a resolution of 600 dpi, the MTF was 80% or more at EC ≦ 21 μm. In addition, the slope of the MTF value increases in the range of EC> 21 μm. Thereby, in the range of EC> 21 μm, it is considered that the amount of change in MTF with respect to the change in EC is large. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, in the exposure apparatus having a resolution of 1200 dpi, the MTF was 80% or more at EC ≦ 10.6 μm. Further, the slope of the MTF value is large in the range of EC <10.6 μm. Thereby, in the range of EC> 10.6 μm, it is considered that the amount of change in MTF with respect to the change in EC is large. Further, as shown in FIG. 16, in the exposure apparatus having a resolution of 2400 dpi, the MTF was 80% or more at EC ≦ 5.3 μm. Further, the slope of the MTF value is large in the range of EC> 5.3 μm. Thereby, in the range of EC> 6 μm, it is considered that the amount of change in MTF with respect to the change in EC is large.

  Specifically, in the case of an exposure apparatus with a resolution of 600 dpi shown in FIG. 14, the MTF suddenly becomes 80% or less when the axis deviation EC> 21 μm as shown in the figure. Here, from 600 dpi (600 dots per inch) and 1 inch = 25400 μm, the distance EP between adjacent light emitting elements is EP = 25400/600 = 42 μm. Also, EC <21 μm = 42 μm / 2 = EP / 2 is desirable because good images cannot be obtained unless the MTF is 80% or more. Therefore, EC <EP / 2. Similarly, in the case of an exposure apparatus with a resolution of 1200 dpi shown in FIG. 15, the MTF suddenly becomes 80% or less when the axis deviation EC> 10.6 μm, as shown in the figure. Here, from 1200 dpi and 1 inch = 25400 μm, the distance EP between adjacent light emitting elements is EP = 25400 / 1200≈21.2 μm. In consideration of MTF of 80% or more, EC <10.6 μm = 21.2 μm / 2 = EP / 2 is desirable. Therefore, EC <EP / 2. Similarly, in the case of an exposure apparatus with a resolution of 2400 dpi shown in FIG. 16, as shown in the figure, when the axis deviation EC> 5.3 μm, the MTF suddenly becomes 80% or less. Here, from 2400 dpi and 1 inch = 25400 μm, the distance EP between adjacent light emitting elements is EP = 25400 / 2400≈10.6 μm. Further, considering that the MTF is 80% or more, EC <5.3 μm = 10.6 μm / 2 = EP / 2 is desirable. Therefore, EC <EP / 2. As described above, EC <EP / 2 can be generalized from data based on three resolutions of 600 dpi, 1200 dpi, and 2400 dpi.

  Next, the image of the image forming apparatus using the lens array of the example was evaluated using a color LED printer. In the evaluation of the image of the image forming apparatus, an image in which every other pixel is formed with dots is formed, and the quality of the image is evaluated. In an image forming apparatus with a resolution of 600 dpi, a good image was obtained with a lens array using a lens plate with an axis deviation EC of 21 μm or less. On the other hand, streaks and shading unevenness occurred in a lens array using a lens plate having an axis deviation EC of 22 μm or more. In an image forming apparatus with a resolution of 1200 dpi, a good image was obtained with a lens array using a lens plate with an axis deviation EC of 11 μm or less. On the other hand, streaks and shading unevenness occurred in a lens array using a lens plate having an axis deviation EC of 12 μm or more. In an image forming apparatus with a resolution of 2400 dpi, a good image was obtained with a lens array using a lens plate with an axis deviation EC of 5 μm or less. On the other hand, streaks and shading unevenness occurred in a lens array using a lens plate with an axis deviation EC of 6 μm or more. From the above, it has been found that when the measured value of MTF is 80% or more and the change of MTF with respect to the EC value is small, a good image without streaks and shading is obtained.

  The reason why a good image cannot be obtained when the MTF value is less than 80% will be described. Originally, the portion of the printed image where the toner is not applied must have a sufficiently high potential in the electrostatic latent image, and it must be dark in the image formed by the LED head. However, if the MTF value is less than 80%, in the image formed by the LED head, the light beam also enters the portion that must be dark, and in the electrostatic latent image, the potential must be sufficiently high. The potential of the part that does not become lower. For this reason, streaks and shading are generated in the printed image obtained by the image evaluation method due to toner adhering. Therefore, MTF = 80% is set as a threshold value.

  From this result and the relationship between the resolution of the exposure apparatus and the arrangement interval of the light emitting elements, between the axial deviation amount EC of the microlens 12 of the exposure apparatus 3 and the arrangement interval EP of the light emitting elements 35 that provide good optical characteristics, It can be seen that there is a relationship of EC <EP / 2.

  Thus, the amount of deviation between the central axis of the light emitting surface side (LED array 30 side) microlens 12 and the central axis of the imaging surface side (photosensitive drum 41 side), that is, the axial deviation amount EC, and the exposure apparatus The relationship with the arrangement interval EP of the three light emitting elements 35 is EC <EP / 2, so that it is possible to prevent a decrease in resolution that has occurred by using a lens having a conventional axis misalignment. The image forming apparatus 100 including this exposure apparatus can form an image on the print medium P as image data, and can prevent quality degradation such as streak and density unevenness of the image on the print medium P.

  Further, since the exposure apparatus and the image forming apparatus of the present invention do not require the high-precision microlens 12 with a small axis deviation amount EC, the lens plate 11 as a lens group in which a plurality of microlenses 12 are integrally formed. Even if it exists, it may be resin-formed. That is, even if the lens plate 11 in which the plurality of microlenses 12 are integrally formed is used, a good image can be obtained. Similarly, a good image can be obtained even when the resin-formed microlens 12 is used.

[Embodiment 2]
In the second embodiment, a reading device that reads a document will be described. As the reading device, a lens array mounted on the exposure device of the image forming apparatus described in the first embodiment is used.

  FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the reading apparatus of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 17, the reading apparatus 101 is held by a holding member 114, and is formed on the lens array 1 having the same configuration as in the first embodiment and the wiring substrate 112 in the holding member 114, and the received image is received. And a light source 113 that converts the light into an electric signal, and a light source 113 that is disposed between the holding member 114, the holding member 114, and the document table 115 on which the document is placed, and irradiates the read document with light rays. The light receiving elements 111 are linearly arranged on the wiring board 112 with an interval RP.

  This arrangement interval RP is appropriately changed according to the resolution of the reading device. For example, in the case of an exposure apparatus of 600 dpi, the arrangement interval RP is 42 μm. In the case of an exposure apparatus of 1200 dpi, the arrangement interval RP is 21 μm. The arrangement interval RP of 2400 dpi is 10.6 μm.

  FIG. 18 is a schematic view of an optical system according to the present invention. The lens array 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment, but is arranged so as to have a predetermined distance between the light receiving element 111 and the document on the document table 115. At this time, the surface of the light receiving element 111 is an imaging surface, and the surface of the original to be read is an object surface. Here, the thickness of the microlens 12 is LT, and the distance between the microlenses 12 is LS. Then, the distance between the outer curved surface 12a of the microlens 12 on the light emitting surface side and the object surface (the surface of the original) is LO, and the outer curved surface 12a of the microlens 12 on the imaging surface side and the imaging surface (the surface of the light receiving element 111). ) Is LI. The distance between the image plane and the object plane is defined as TC. In the present invention, the optical axis S of the microlens 12 whose center axis is shifted in this way is a line connecting each surface vertex of the inner curved surface 12 b and the center of the opening of the light shielding portion 13.

  In such a reading apparatus, first, the light beam emitted from the light source 113 is reflected by the surface of a document (not shown) disposed on the upper surface of the document table 115. The lens array 1 forms an image on the surface of the light receiving element 111 from a part of the reflected light from the document. The light receiving element 111 converts the formed image into an electrical signal. Image data is generated by an image processing device (not shown) from the electrical signal of the image formed on the original.

  For such a reading device, a document is actually read and image data is formed using the lens array 1 in which the amount of axial deviation EC of the microlens 12 differs for each resolution. For reading the original, an image in which every other dot was formed among all the dots at each resolution was used. That is, when the resolution is 600 dpi, an original on which an image having dots formed every 84 μm is formed on the print medium P is used. When the resolution is 1200 dpi, an image having dots formed every 42 μm is formed on the print medium P. In the case of using a manuscript and having a resolution of 2400 dpi, a manuscript in which an image in which dots are formed every 21 μm is formed on the print medium P was used.

  First, in a reading device with a resolution of 600 dpi, good image data similar to that of a document was obtained by using the lens array 1 using the microlens 12 having an axial deviation EC of less than 21 μm. On the other hand, when the lens array 1 using the microlens 12 having an axis deviation EC of 22 μm or more was used, dots that were supposed to be every other dot were connected and read, or dots that could not be read occurred. Further, in the reading apparatus having a resolution of 1200 dpi, good image data similar to that of a document was obtained by using the lens array 1 using the microlens 12 having an axis deviation EC of less than 11 μm. On the other hand, when the lens array 1 using the microlens 12 having an axis deviation EC of 11 μm or more was used, dots that were supposed to be every other dot were connected and read, or dots that could not be read occurred. Further, in the reading apparatus having a resolution of 2400 dpi, good image data similar to that of the original was obtained by using the lens array 1 using the microlens 12 having an axial deviation EC of less than 5 μm. On the other hand, when the lens array 1 using the microlens 12 having an axis deviation EC of 5 μm or more was used, dots that were supposed to be every other dot were connected and read, or dots that could not be read occurred.

  From this result, it can be seen that there is a relationship of EC <RP / 2 between the axial deviation amount EC of the microlens 12 of the reading apparatus 101 and the arrangement interval RP of the light receiving elements 111 that can obtain good optical characteristics.

  As described above, the amount of deviation between the central axis of the microlens 12 on the object plane side (document side) and the central axis on the imaging plane side (light receiving element 111 side), that is, the axial deviation amount EC and the reading device 101 Since the relationship with the arrangement interval EP of the light receiving elements 111 is EC <RP / 2, the same image data as the original can be obtained.

  Further, since the reading device of the present invention does not require the high-precision microlens 12 with a small axis deviation amount EC, even if the lens plate 11 is a lens group in which a plurality of microlenses 12 are integrally formed, The resin may be formed. That is, even if the lens plate 11 in which a plurality of microlenses 12 are integrally formed is used, the same image as the original can be obtained. Similarly, even when the resin-formed microlens 12 is used, the same image as the original can be obtained.

[Embodiment 3]
In the third embodiment, the configuration, operation, optical characteristics, and the like of a lens array mounted on an exposure apparatus of an image forming apparatus will be described.

  First, an outline of the configuration of the lens array will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 19 to 22. FIG. 19 shows a plan view of the lens array. FIG. 20 is a plan view of the light shielding portion 23. FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. FIG. 22 shows the shape of the opening of the light shielding portion 23 of the lens array. The lens array is formed of a lens plate 21 as a lens assembly and a light shielding portion 23. In addition, the lens array has a configuration in which lens groups including two microlenses 22 arranged so that their optical axes coincide with each other are arranged in two rows in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. In addition, a plurality of second surfaces 22b are formed on one surface of the lens plate 21 facing the light shielding portion 23, and a first surface 22a is formed on the other surface, and the vertices of the respective surfaces coincide with each other. Thus, the microlens 22 is configured. In addition, microlenses 22 are arranged on the lens plate 21 at intervals PY, and further arranged in two rows at intervals PX in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22. In the third embodiment, PX <PY. The microlenses 22 have a radius RL, and the interval between adjacent microlenses 22 is PN, and are arranged so that a part thereof overlaps with the adjacent microlenses 22. The lens plate 21 is made of a material that transmits light from the light emitting unit.

  Further, the light shielding portion 23 is formed of a material that shields light rays from the light emitting portion. Such a light shielding part 23 was molded by injection molding using polycarbonate. The light shielding portion 23 is formed with an opening 23a as a stop. The arrangement intervals of the openings 23a are formed at intervals PY in accordance with the arrangement intervals of the microlenses 22, and are further formed in two rows at intervals PX in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22. Further, the axis of the cylindrical portion of the opening 23 a is arranged so as to coincide with the optical axis of the microlens 22. The opening 23a has a shape partitioned by a plane parallel to the axis at a position (PX-TB) / 2 from the axis of the cylindrical portion having a radius RA.

  Next, the configuration and operation of the lens array will be specifically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 23 shows the path of light rays in the lens array.

  The configuration of the lens array will be described. FIG. 23 is a cross section obtained by cutting the cross section of the lens array along a plane that is horizontal to the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22 and includes the optical axis, and the horizontal direction in the drawing is a direction parallel to the arrangement of the microlenses 22. A first microlens 22-1 is disposed at a position LO from the object plane of the lens array. Further, the second microlens 22-2 is disposed opposite to the first microlens 22-1 so that the optical axes thereof coincide with each other, with a distance LS. Further, the imaging plane of the lens array is a position separated from the second microlens 22-2 by LI in the optical axis direction. Such a first microlens 22-1 has a thickness of LT1, a focal length of F1, and forms an image of an object located at a distance LO1 in the optical axis direction on a surface separated by a distance LI1 in the optical axis direction. . The second microlens 22-2 has a focal length of F2, and forms an image of the object at the position of the distance LO2 at a position separated by LI2 in the optical axis direction. The distance LO from the object plane of the lens array to the first microlens 22-1 is set equal to the distance LO1, and the interval LS between the first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2 is: LS = LI1 + LO2 is set.

  Further, the distance LI from the second microlens 22-2 to the imaging plane of the lens array is set equal to LI2. In addition, the first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2 can be configured to have the same configuration. The first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2 both have a thickness of LT1 and a focal length of F1, and an image of an object located at a distance LO1 in the optical axis direction is displayed in the optical axis direction. When forming on the surface separated by the distance LIl, the distance LO from the object surface of the lens array to the first microlens 22-1 is set equal to the distance LOI. The interval LS between the first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2 is set to LS = 2 × LI1. In addition, the first microlens 22-1 is disposed so as to face the surface having the same shape as the curved surface on the object plane side so as to be a curved surface on the imaging plane side of the second microlens 22-2. The distance LI from the second microlens 22-2 to the imaging plane of the lens array is set equal to LOI, and LI = LO. The second microlens 22-2 has a focal length F2 equal to the focal length F1 of the first microlens 22-1 and is set to F2 = Fl. Each curved surface of the microlens 22 is composed of a rotationally symmetric high-order aspheric surface represented by the above-described formula 1, so that high resolution can be obtained by correcting spherical aberration.

  The operation of the lens array will be described. The light beam of the LED array 70 as the object 90a is incident on the first microlens 22-1, and an intermediate image is formed on the intermediate image plane MIP at a position separated by LIl in the optical axis direction by the first microlens 22-1. 90b is formed. Further, an image 90c that is an image of the intermediate image 90b is formed by the second microlens 22-2. The image 90c is an erecting equal-magnification image of the object 90a. Further, the intermediate image 90b is an inverted reduced image of the object 90a, and the imaging 90c is an inverted enlarged image of the intermediate image 90b by the second microlens 22-2. Further, between the first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2, so-called telecentric, in which the chief rays of the light rays from each point on the object plane are parallel to each other. With the optical arrangement described above, the lens array forms an erecting equal-magnification image of the LED array 70. Of the light rays from the LED array 70, light rays that do not contribute to image formation are blocked by the light shielding unit 23 as stray light.

  In addition, when the first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2 are configured to have the same configuration, the lens array forms an erecting equal-magnification image of the LED array 70. The light beam of the LED array 70 as the object 90a is incident on the first micro lens 22-1 and the intermediate image 90b is formed on the intermediate image plane MIP at a position separated by LI1 in the optical axis direction by the first micro lens 22-1. It is formed. Further, an image 90c that is an image of the intermediate image 90b is formed by the second microlens 22-2. The image 90c is an erecting equal-magnification image of the object 90a. Further, the first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2 are telecentric. With the optical arrangement described above, even when the first microlens 22-1 and the second microlens 22-2 have the same configuration, the lens array forms an erecting equal-magnification image of the LED array 70.

  Next, optical characteristics of the microlens 22 formed in the lens array will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the cross section of the lens array taken along a plane that is horizontal in the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22 and includes the optical axis, and shows the path of light rays in the lens array.

  The horizontal direction shown in FIG. 24 is a direction parallel to the arrangement of the microlenses 22. The focal length of the first microlens 22-1 is F1. Specifically, the distance from the first main plane H1-1 of the first microlens 22-1 to the first focal plane FP1-1 is F1. The distance to the object plane is S0. The focal length of the second microlens 22-2 is F2. Specifically, the distance from the second main plane H2-2 of the second microlens 22-2 to the second focal plane FP2-2 is F2. The distance to the object plane is SI. Here, the difference between the distance S0 and the distance LO is inversely proportional to the radius of curvature of the curved surface on the object plane side of the first microlens 22-1. Similarly, the difference between the distance SI and the focal length LI is inversely proportional to the radius of curvature of the curved surface on the imaging surface side of the second microlens 22-2. In the lens array according to the fourth embodiment, since the curvature radius of each curved surface of the microlens 22 is sufficiently large, both the difference between the distance S0 and the distance LO and the difference between SI and LI can be ignored. . Therefore, SO≈LO and SI≈LI. Further, between the first micro lens 22-1 and the second micro lens 22-2, the principal ray of the light beam from each point on the object plane is parallel to the optical axis, and in particular, the inner wall of the light shielding portion 23. , The peripheral rays of the light ray passing immediately near the light beam are blocked by the light shielding unit 23, and are formed by the light ray, the object surface, the first main plane of the first microlens 22-1, and the first microlens 22-1 optical axis AXI. From the similarity of the figure, the field radius RV of the first microlens 22-1 is expressed by Equation 2.

  Next, the relationship between the arrangement of the microlenses 22 and the viewing radius RV will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram related to the optical arrangement when the microlenses 22 formed integrally with the lens array are arranged in two rows. FIG. 26 shows the microlenses 22 formed integrally with the lens array arranged in a plurality of lines. The schematic diagram which concerns on the optical arrangement | positioning in a case is shown.

  FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram relating to an optical arrangement when the microlenses 22 integrally formed in the lens array are arranged in two rows. When the microlenses 22 are arranged in two rows, all the LED arrays 70 are one. A condition in which the visual field radius RV included in the visual field of one or more microlenses 22 and the image formation of all the LED arrays 70 is formed on the photosensitive drum 41 is the smallest is shown. That is, this is a condition in which the field radius RV of the microlens 22 in which the lens array operates is the smallest. The intersection of the optical axis of the microlens 22 and the object plane is 22 m, and the field of view of the microlens 22 is 22n. The viewing radius RV under this condition is expressed by Equation 3, where PY is the interval in the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22 and PX is the interval in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22.

  From the formulas 2 and 3, the focal length of the micro lens 22 is F1, the distance between the lens array and the object surface of the lens array is LO, the optical axis of the micro lens 22 and the inner wall of the opening 23a of the light shielding portion 23. When the maximum value of the distance is RA, Expression 4 is obtained as an operation condition of the lens array.

  FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram relating to an optical arrangement when the microlenses 22 integrally formed in the lens array are arranged in a plurality of lines, and the LED array 70 and the microlenses 22 in which the LED elements are arranged in the array. The positional relationship of the optical axes is shown on the object plane. FIG. 26 shows a condition where all the LED arrays 70 are one or more and the field radius RV included in the field of the microlenses 22 in the outermost row is the smallest. The viewing radius RV in this condition is the distance between the LED array 70 and the optical axis of the outermost row of microlenses 22 in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22 and perpendicular to the optical axis of the microlenses 22. If the interval PY in the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22 and the interval in the direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the microlenses 22 are set as PX, it is expressed by Expression 5.

  Further, from the expressions 2 and 5, the focal length of the microlens 22 is F1, the distance between the lens array and the object surface of the lens array is LO, the optical axis of the microlens 22 and the inner wall of the opening 23a of the light shielding portion 23. When the maximum value of the distance is RA, Expression 6 is obtained as an operation condition of the lens array. Note that the conditions under which the lens array operates when the microlenses 22 are arranged in one line are when XO = 0 in Equation 6.

  Next, the verification result of the optical characteristics according to the lens array of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 27 shows a schematic diagram of an image in which dots are formed every other pixel among all the pixels related to the evaluation of the lens array.

As a result of measuring MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) indicating the resolution of the formed image of the LED head mounted with the lens array of the present embodiment, a value of 80% or more was shown. MTF indicates the resolution of the exposure apparatus, and indicates the contrast of the light amount of the image formed by the LED array 70 that is lit in the exposure apparatus. 100% indicates that the contrast of the formed image is the largest and the resolution as the exposure apparatus is high. The smaller the contrast, the smaller the contrast of the light amount of the image formed by the LED array 70, and the lower the resolution as the exposure apparatus. This MTF (%) is MTF = (I _mAXImin ) / (I _max ), where I _{max is} the maximum light amount of the imaged image and I _min is the minimum light amount between two adjacent imaged images. + I _min ) × 100 (%). In this MTF measurement, an exposure image at a position LI (mm) away from the end surface on the imaging surface side of the lens array of the LED head, which is the photosensitive drum 41 side, is photographed with a microscope digital camera. Thus, the MTF was calculated by analyzing the light distribution of the image of the LED array 70. In the MTF measurement, an LED head in which the array interval of the LED array 70 is PD = 0.423 mm was used. The resolution of the LED head is 600 dpi. Therefore, 600 LED arrays 70 are arranged per inch, that is, about 25.4 mm. Moreover, it measured by light-emitting every other LED array 70 which mounted the lens array in the LED head. Next, when an image of the surface image forming apparatus using the lens array of the example was evaluated using a color LED printer, a good image free of streaks and shading was obtained. In the evaluation of the image of the image forming apparatus, the quality of the image was evaluated by forming an image in which every other pixel shown in FIG. 27 forms dots on the entire print area. Note that D1 is a printing dot, and D2 is a non-printing dot.

  In Embodiment 3 described above, the microlens 22 is described as a rotationally symmetric high-order aspheric surface, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the spherical lens, anamorphic aspherical surface, paraboloid, elliptical surface, and biplane are not limited thereto. You may form by the curved surface which consists of a curved surface, a conic surface, etc. The lens plate 21 is formed by transferring the shape formed in the mold to a resin, but the resin may be used for the mold or may be formed by cutting. Furthermore, although resin is used for the material of the lens plate 21, glass may be used. Further, although polycarbonate is used as the material of the light shielding portion 23, other materials may be used. Moreover, although the light-shielding part 23 was shape | molded by injection molding, you may use another shaping | molding and shaping | molding method. In addition, the LED array 70 in which a plurality of LED elements are arranged as the light emitting unit is used. For example, an organic EL may be used as the light emitting unit, a semiconductor laser may be used, or a light emitting unit such as a fluorescent lamp or a halogen lamp You may comprise the exposure apparatus which used together the shutter comprised with the liquid crystal element.

  As described above, according to the third embodiment, even when the lens array is long in the microlens arrangement direction, all the microlenses 22 can be accurately molded. Further, an image formed with sufficient contrast could be obtained by the exposure apparatus using the lens array of the present embodiment. Furthermore, a good print image free of streaks and shading was able to be obtained by the image forming apparatus using the lens array of the present embodiment.

[Embodiment 4]
In the fourth embodiment, a manufacturing method related to a lens array mounted on the exposure apparatus of the image forming apparatus described in the third embodiment will be described.

  In order to facilitate understanding related to the manufacture of the lens plate 21 of the present invention, the mold and manufacturing method according to the conventional lens plate 19 will be described first, and then the mold and manufacture according to the lens plate 21 of the present invention. The method will be described. First, the mold related to the conventional lens plate 19 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 28 is a configuration diagram of a conventional type 700 used for manufacturing a lens plate 19 according to a conventional lens array. FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view relating to a plane parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of movable curved surfaces 701, and the arrangement direction of the movable curved surfaces 701 is the horizontal direction in the drawing. FIG. 29 is a schematic view relating to the process of injecting the resin 800 into the conventional mold 700. FIG. 30 is a schematic view relating to a state in which the resin 800 has been injected into the conventional mold 700. The conventional mold 700 includes an upper mold 703, a lower mold 704, and a gate 707. Further, the conventional mold 700 is different from the mold 600 of the fourth embodiment described later in the number of gates 707 described later, which are injection holes for the resin 800 related to the molding of the lens plate 19. Hereafter, each structural member which comprises the conventional type 700 is demonstrated.

  The upper mold 703 according to the conventional mold 700 is a movable mold that is released first from the lens plate 19. A curved surface 701 corresponding to the shape of the second surface is formed on the movable curved surface 701 formed on the upper die 703, which is a surface where the upper die 703 and the lower die 704 are opposed to each other. Transfer the surface shape. The movable curved surface 701 is arranged in two substantially straight lines that are perpendicular to the movable curved surface 701 and parallel to each other so as to correspond to the arrangement of the second surfaces. A lower mold 704 according to the conventional mold 700 is a fixed-side mold that is later released from the lens plate 19. A curved surface corresponding to the shape of the first surface is formed on the fixed-side curved surface 702 formed on the lower die 704, which is a surface where the lower die 704 and the upper die 703 are opposed to each other. Transfer the shape of the surface. The fixed-side curved surface 702 is arranged in two substantially straight lines that are perpendicular to the fixed-side curved surface 702 and parallel to each other so as to correspond to the arrangement of the first surfaces. Further, the gate 707 according to the conventional type 700 is an inlet for the resin 800 and is formed at both ends of the plurality of movable curved surfaces 701 in the arrangement direction.

  Next, a manufacturing process for molding the lens plate 19 using the conventional mold 700 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIG. 28, a softened resin 800 is injected through a gate 707 into a space surrounded by the upper mold 703 and the lower mold 704 of the conventional mold 700. A flow front 800a shown in FIG. 29 is a front end portion of the resin 800 inserted in a space surrounded by the upper mold 703 and the lower mold 704 of the conventional mold 700, and is a boundary surface with air. The resin 800 is injected from the gates 707 formed at both ends of the upper mold 703 according to the conventional mold 700, and from the vicinity of the gate 707 toward the center in the arrangement direction of the movable curved surface 701 of the conventional mold 700, The flow front 800a moves. Here, as shown in FIG. 30, when the resin 800 is sufficiently injected into the space surrounded by the upper mold 703 and the lower mold 704 of the conventional mold 700, in the vicinity of the central portion in the arrangement direction of the movable curved surface 701, Two flow fronts 800a moved from both directions in the arrangement direction of the movable curved surface 701 collide with each other. Furthermore, after the flow front 800a collides from both directions in the arrangement direction, stress is generated in the resin 800 from the gate 707 toward the center of the movable curved surface 701 in the arrangement direction.

  As a result of the above-described action of the flow front 800a, a thread-like shape is generated at a location where two or more flow fronts 800a merge and collide with each other in the vicinity of the center in the arrangement direction of the microlens 22 related to the molded lens plate 19. A weld line 800b which is a thin line mark is formed. At the place where the weld line 800b is generated, the optical characteristics deteriorate as the mechanical characteristics, particularly the impact strength characteristics, greatly decrease. Specifically, the refractive index of the resin 800 where the weld line 800b is generated changes because the molecular orientation changes. For example, as the refractive index increases, the transmittance decreases and the focal length of the lens decreases. Therefore, a difference occurs between the focal length of the lens where the weld line 800b occurs and the focal length of other lenses. Further, since internal stress is generated in the resin 800 where the weld line 800b is generated, the accuracy of the shape of the lens formed from the aspheric surfaces related to the first surface and the second surface is deteriorated. If the shape accuracy of the lens is deteriorated, the spherical aberration is not sufficiently corrected.

  Next, a mold, a manufacturing method, and the like related to the lens array according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. Specifically, first, a mold 600 used for manufacturing the lens plate 21 according to the lens array of the fourth embodiment will be described. Next, a manufacturing process for molding the lens plate 21 using the mold 600 will be described. Further, the molded lens 11 will be described.

  First, a mold 600 used for manufacturing the lens plate 21 according to the lens array of the fourth embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 31 and 32. 31 and 32 are both block diagrams of a mold 600 used for manufacturing the lens plate 21 according to the lens array of the fourth embodiment.

  A symbol related to the dimensional accuracy of a lens, which will be described later, is added to the mold 600 shown in FIG. A mold 600 shown in FIG. 32 includes a gate 607 related to lens manufacturing described later. Both FIG. 31 and FIG. 32 are cross-sectional views relating to a plane parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of movable-side curved surfaces 601, and the arrangement direction of the movable-side curved surfaces 601 is the left-right direction of the drawing. The mold 600 includes an upper mold 603, a lower mold 604, and a gate 607. Further, the mold 600 has only one gate 607, which will be described later, which is an injection port for the resin 800 related to the molding of the lens plate 21, compared with the conventional mold 700 described above. Hereinafter, each component constituting the mold 600 will be described.

  The upper mold 603 according to the mold 600 is a movable mold that is released first from the lens plate 21. A curved surface corresponding to the shape of the second surface 22b is formed on the movable curved surface 601 formed on the upper die 603, which is a surface where the upper die 603 and the lower die 604 are opposed to each other. The shape of the second surface 22b is transferred. The movable curved surface 601 is arranged in two substantially straight lines that are perpendicular to the movable curved surface 601 and parallel to each other so as to correspond to the arrangement of the second surfaces 22b. The lower mold 604 according to the mold 600 is a fixed mold that is later released from the lens plate 21. A curved surface corresponding to the shape of the first surface 22a is formed on the fixed-side curved surface 602 formed on the lower die 604, which is a surface where the lower die 604 and the upper die 603 are opposed to each other. The shape of one surface 22a is transferred. The fixed-side curved surface 602 is arranged in two substantially straight lines that are perpendicular to the fixed-side curved surface 602 and parallel to each other so as to correspond to the arrangement of the first surfaces 22a. The gate 607 associated with the mold 600 is an injection port for the resin 800 and is formed only on one surface of both ends in the arrangement direction of the plurality of movable-side curved surfaces 601.

  Further, the interval PCM at the end in the arrangement direction of the movable curved surface 601 shown in FIG. 31 is formed at a different interval from the interval PCF at the end in the arrangement direction of the fixed curved surface 602. Specifically, the interval PCM is an interval. It is formed larger than PCF. Further, the distance PEM from the movable side curved surface 601 at one end in the arrangement direction to the movable curved surface 601 at the other end in the arrangement direction is equal to the distance from the fixed curved surface 602 at one end in the arrangement direction to the end in the other arrangement direction. It is formed so as to be different from the distance PEF to the fixed-side curved surface 602. Specifically, the distance PEM is formed to be larger than the distance PEF. The PEF is, for example, 300 mm, and the difference between the PEM and the PEF is, for example, 0.03 mm. The mold 600 described above forms a space surrounded by the movable curved surface 601 and the fixed curved surface 602 when the upper mold 603 and the lower mold 604 are combined. The lens plate 21 is molded by injecting the softened resin 800 through the gate 607 into the space.

  Next, a manufacturing process for molding the lens plate 21 using the mold 600 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 33 is a schematic view showing a state in which the space where the upper mold 603 and the lower mold 604 of the mold 600 are combined is filled with the softened resin 800. FIG. 34 is a schematic view showing a state where the upper mold 603 of the mold 600 is released from the lower mold 604. FIG. 35 is a block diagram showing the lens plate 21 after molding.

  As shown in FIG. 33, a softened resin 800 is injected into a space surrounded by the upper mold 603 and the lower mold 604 of the mold 600. Next, as shown in FIG. 34, the upper mold 603, which is a movable mold that is released first from the lens plate 21, moves in a direction away from the lens plate 21. Accordingly, when the upper surface shown in the drawing, which is one surface of the lens plate 21, is exposed to the outside air, the temperature of the one surface of the lens plate 21 is lowered and the lens 11 is contracted. However, since the other surface of the lens plate 21 is in contact with the lower mold 604, the temperature does not decrease compared to the upper surface shown in the drawing of the lens plate 21, and the upper side shown in the drawing of the lens plate 21. The lens plate 21 does not shrink as much as this surface. Next, as shown in FIG. 35, the lens plate 21 is released from the lower mold 604. Accordingly, when the entire lens plate 21 is exposed to the outside air, the temperature of the lens plate 21 is lowered and the lens plate 21 is contracted as a whole. In the case of a conventional mold according to the manufacturing method described above, the lens plate 21 has a longer upper surface than the lower surface shown in FIG. It is different. Therefore, the contraction rate of the lens plate 21 does not match between the upper surface and the lower surface. Specifically, since the upper surface has a larger amount of contraction than the lower surface shown in FIG. 35, the position where the second surface 22b is formed is the position where the first surface 22a is formed. In comparison, the microlenses 22 are largely moved to the center in the arrangement direction.

  However, in the mold 600 according to the present invention, since the arrangement interval of the movable curved surface 601 formed in the upper mold 603 is larger than the arrangement interval of the fixed curved surface 602, the lens plate 21 contracts. After saturation, the position where the second surface 22b is formed coincides with the position where the first surface 22a is formed on the optical axis. Note that the difference between the arrangement interval of the movable curved surface 601 and the arrangement interval of the fixed curved surface 602 formed on the upper mold 603 can be derived by experiments. Specifically, the dimensions of the molded product as shown in FIG. 35 are such that when the number of lenses per row is 272, the lens plate first surface end lens-end lens interval PEM1 = 325.2 mm, Lens plate second surface edge lens-end lens distance PEF1 = 325.2 mm, lens plate edge-edge distance FRY1 = 333 mm, lens plate first surface lens pitch PCM1 = 1.2 mm, and lens plate second The surface lens pitch PCF1 = 1.2 mm. However, even if the mold dimensions for molding the product are the same as the product dimensions, the desired product dimensions cannot be obtained due to molding conditions in injection molding such as the expansion / contraction ratio of the resin 800, for example. Therefore, a shrinkage rate of the resin 800 was obtained by performing a trial production under predetermined molding conditions. That is, each dimension of the mold considering the shrinkage rate of the resin 800 includes a mold movable side end lens-end lens interval PEM = 3266.8585 mm, a mold fixed side end lens-end portion lens interval PEF = 326.826 mm, mold edge-edge distance FRY = 334.665 mm, mold movable side lens pitch PCM = 1.20612 mm, and mold fixed side lens pitch PCF = 1.206 mm were used.

  Further, the influence on the optical performance due to the difference in shrinkage ratio between the front and back surfaces of the lens can be ignored. If the number of lenses per row between the both ends of the lens plate 21 is N = 272, PCM = PCF + 0.03 / (N-1) to PCM = PCF + 0.00102. Also, the end lens is the endmost lens that acts on the formation of a dot image when the light beam of the LED is incident, and the central lens is the distance from one end lens to the other end lens as PEM. The lens is located at a position of PEM / 2 from one end lens.

  Next, the molded lens 11 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. FIG. 36 is a perspective view showing the lens plate 21.

  A microlens 22 is integrally formed on one surface of a lens plate 21 formed of a plate-like portion, and a gate mark 11a is provided on one of both ends in the arrangement direction of the microlens 22. In the lens array manufacturing process, such a gate mark 11a is formed by cooling the lens plate 21 and cooling it to release the lens plate 21 from the mold 600. Then, the gate protruding from the lens plate 21 is gated by a blade or a laser. It is a cut mark. The lens plate 21 was molded by an injection molding machine using a cycloolefin-based optical resin having a trade name of ZEONEX E48R manufactured by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd. Since the mold 600 is provided with only one gate, a weld line 800b, which is a thin line-like line-like trace generated at a location where two or more flow fronts 800a merge inside the mold, is not generated, and the lens plate The microlens 22 could be integrally formed on 21 with high accuracy. Therefore, the refractive index and the lens shape related to all the microlenses 22 can be formed uniformly. In addition, although the general injection molding method was used for the injection molding, an injection compression molding method or the like can also be performed.

  As described above, according to the fourth embodiment, since the weld line 800b is not generated in the manufacturing method according to the lens array, all the micro lenses 22 are accurately molded even if the lens array is long in the micro lens arrangement direction. I was able to.

[Embodiment 5]
In the fifth embodiment, a reading device that reads a document Q will be described. For this reading device, a lens array mounted on the exposure device of the image forming apparatus described in the third embodiment is used.

  The reading device 500 is a scanner that reads a print image printed on a document Q and generates electronic data. FIG. 37 shows a configuration diagram of the reading device 500, and FIG. 38 shows a configuration diagram of the reading head 400. The reading device 500 includes a reading head 400 and components that operate the reading head 400. Hereinafter, first, components for operating the read head 400 will be described, and then the read head 400 will be described. First, components for operating the reading head 400 according to the reading device 500 will be specifically described with reference to FIG. The components for operating the reading head 400 include a light source 501, a document table 502, a rail 503, a pulley 504, a driving belt 505, a motor 506, and a transmission belt 507. Hereinafter, each component constituting the reading device 500 will be described. The light source 501 is an illumination light source that illuminates the original Q with illumination light, and is disposed in the vicinity of the read head 400 so that reflected light reflected from the surface of the original Q by the illumination light enters the read head 400. As such a light source 501, for example, a rare gas fluorescent lamp can be used. The irradiation light source is not limited to a lamp, and for example, a white LED (Light Emitting Diode), a semiconductor laser, or the like may be used. The document table 502 is a table on which a document Q for generating electronic data is mounted, and is disposed on the reading head 400. Specifically, the document table 502 transmits the illumination light emitted from the light source 501 and then transmits the reflected light reflected from the document Q placed on the document table 502, and the reflected light is read by the read head 400. It is arrange | positioned so that it may inject into. Such a document table 502 is formed of glass or the like that sufficiently transmits light in the visible light region. The document table 502 is not limited to glass. For example, the document table 502 has a refractive index that transmits light in the visible light region necessary for reading the document Q, and emits ultraviolet rays contained in the light source 501 or light sources 501. It is also possible to use a plastic having heat and light resistance that does not deteriorate due to the generated heat.

  A rail 503, which is a structural member that operates the reading head 400 according to the reading device 500, is a rail member that is disposed below the reading head 400 in order to carry the scanning with the reading head 400. Specifically, the rail 503 is a rail member for causing the reading head 400 to read a print image printed on the document Q by driving a driving belt 505 described later connected to the plurality of rail support bases 503A. . Further, the pulley 504 includes a pair of pulleys 504A and 504B, and is provided at both ends of a drive belt 505, which will be described later, formed in an endless manner, and applies a constant tension to the drive belt 505. The pulleys 504A and the pulleys 504B are formed of a member made of high frictional resistance, and the pulley 504A is rotated by a motor 506, which will be described later, so that the drive belt 505 is driven and driven. The drive belt 505 is a conveying unit for scanning the rail 503 connected to the rail 503 on which the reading head 400 is mounted, and is formed from an endless belt. The motor 506 is disposed adjacent to the pulley 504A and is connected to the pulley 504A via a transmission belt 507. Such a motor 506 is rotated based on control from a control unit (not shown), thereby driving and rotating the pulley 504A.

  Next, components of the reading head 400 according to the reading device 500 will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. The reading head 400 is provided inside the reading device 500 and reads a print image printed on the document Q. Such a read head 400 includes a mirror 402, a pair of microlenses 22, a lens array including a light shielding unit 23 inserted between the microlenses 22, and a line sensor 401. Hereinafter, each component constituting the read head 400 will be described. The mirror 402 is a reflecting member that bends the optical axis of the reflected light reflected from the surface of the original Q by the illumination light of the light source 501 and transmitted through the original table 502 to, for example, an off-axis angle of 90 ° and enters the microlens 22. It is. Such a mirror 402 is formed by vapor-depositing aluminum or the like as a reflective film on a substrate having a planar shape made of a material such as glass, metal, or heat-resistant plastic. However, it is not necessary to deposit a reflective film as long as the substrate has a sufficient reflectance in the visible light region. The shape of the mirror 402 is not limited to a planar shape, and may be a toroidal shape, for example, to correct astigmatism that occurs with an off-axis angle.

  A lens array including a pair of microlenses 22 and a light-shielding portion 23 inserted between the microlenses 22 that are constituent members of the reading head 400 according to the reading apparatus 500 emits reflected light generated from the document Q by illumination light from the light source 501. An image is formed on a line sensor 401 described later. The lens array is the same as the lens array described in the third and fourth embodiments. Further, the line sensor 401 is a sensor that is disposed at a position that becomes an imaging plane related to the lens array. For the line sensor 401, a plurality of light receiving elements composed of, for example, CCDs arranged in a straight line at equal intervals PR are used. Since the resolution of the line sensor 401 is 600 dpi, 600 light receiving elements are arranged per inch, that is, about 25.4 mm. Therefore, the interval PR of the light receiving elements is 0.0423 mm. Such a line sensor 401 reads the printed image printed on the document Q and generates electronic data by converting the reflected light from the surface of the imaged document Q into an electrical signal.

  Next, an optical system related to the reading head 400 provided in the reading device 500 will be described in detail. FIG. 39 shows a schematic diagram of an optical system related to the read head 400. The reflected light reflected on the surface of the original Q by the illumination light from the light source 501 is incident on the microlens 22 having the lens thickness LT having a function of a collimator lens disposed at a distance LO from the original Q surface which is the object surface. Formed into parallel light. The parallel light is sufficiently removed from the stray light within the light shielding portion 23 at the distance LS. The parallel light from which the stray light has been sufficiently removed is reflected on the line sensor 401 disposed on the imaging surface at the distance LI by the microlens 22 having the lens thickness LT having the function of a condenser lens arranged in the same face to face. It is focused on. The total length TC is the sum of the above-described distance LO, lens thickness LT, distance LS, lens thickness LT, and distance LI. In addition, since a pair of microlens is arrange | positioned as a collimating lens and a condenser lens, the optical magnification is 1 time. Further, the mirror 402 (not shown) is disposed within the moving distance LO. Since the microlens 22 is an aspherical lens and the stray light is sufficiently removed by the light shielding unit 23, the reflected light reflected from the object surface on the document Q is sufficiently suppressed in the aberration, and the line sensor 401. The light is condensed on the upper image plane and imaged.

  Next, the operation of the reading device 500 will be described. The reading device 500 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention reads the print data from the document Q under the condition that the dot interval PD is 0.0423 mm and the resolution of the line sensor 401 is 600 dpi described above with reference to FIG. When electronic data was generated, no reading error or the like occurred, and good electronic data identical to that of the original Q was obtained.

  In the above-described fifth embodiment, the reading device 500 is described as a scanner that converts a print image printed on the document Q into electronic data. However, the reading device 500 converts an optical signal into an electrical signal. The present invention can also be applied to a sensor or a switch, an input / output device using a sensor or a switch that converts an optical signal into an electrical signal, a biometric authentication device, a communication device, and a size measuring device.

  As described above, according to the fifth embodiment, as a result of reading the print data from the original Q by the reading device 500 and generating electronic data, no reading error or the like occurs, and good electronic data, that is, image data identical to the original Q is obtained. I was able to get it.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an exposure apparatus mounted on an image forming apparatus of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the LED array used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a top view of the lens array used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a perspective view of the lens array used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the shape of the opening of the light-shielding part of the lens array used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the shape of the micro lens of the lens array used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is AA sectional drawing in FIG. It is BB sectional drawing in FIG. It is the schematic of the optical system of the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the path | route of the light ray in the lens array of the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows light quantity distribution in case the axial deviation | shift amount EC of a micro lens is less than half of arrangement | sequence space | interval EP. It is a figure which shows light quantity distribution in case the axial deviation | shift amount EC of a micro lens is larger than the half of arrangement | sequence space | interval EP. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the amount of axial deviation EC and MTF in the exposure apparatus with a resolution of 600 dpi. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the axial deviation amount EC and MTF in the exposure apparatus of resolution 1200 dpi. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the axial deviation amount EC and MTF in the exposure apparatus with a resolution of 2400 dpi. It is a figure which shows the structure of the reader of this invention. It is the schematic of the optical system of the reader of this invention. It is a top view of the lens array used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a top view of the light-shielding part used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is CC sectional drawing in FIG. It is a figure which shows the shape of the opening of the light-shielding part of the lens array used for the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows the path | route of the light ray in the lens array of the exposure apparatus of this invention. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the cross section of the lens array of the exposure apparatus of this invention by the plane containing the optical axis horizontally in the arrangement direction of a micro lens, and is a figure which shows the path | route of the light ray in a lens array. It is a schematic diagram which shows the optical arrangement | positioning at the time of arranging the microlens integrally formed in the lens array of this invention in 2 rows. It is a schematic diagram which shows the optical arrangement | positioning at the time of arranging the micro lens integrally formed in the lens array of this invention on the straight line of several rows. It is a schematic diagram which shows the image which formed the dot every other pixel among all the pixels which concern on evaluation of the lens array of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the conventional type used for manufacture of the lens plate which concerns on the conventional lens array. It is a schematic diagram which shows the process in which resin is inject | poured into the conventional type. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which injected the resin into the conventional mold. It is a figure which shows the structure of the type | mold used for manufacture of the lens plate which concerns on the lens array of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the type | mold used for manufacture of the lens plate which concerns on the lens array of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state with which softened resin is filled in the space where the upper mold | type and lower mold | type of the type | mold of this invention were combined. It is a mimetic diagram showing the state where the upper model of the model of the present invention was released from the lower model. It is a figure which shows the structure of the lens plate after the shaping | molding which concerns on the lens array of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the lens plate which concerns on the lens array of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the reader of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the read head provided in the reading apparatus of this invention. It is the schematic of the optical system of the read head of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens array 3, 3C, 3M, 3Y, 3K Exposure apparatus 5C, 5M, 5Y, 5K Developing device 7 Paper discharge part 9 Fixing apparatus 11 Lens plate 12 Micro lens 12a Outer curved surface 12b Inner curved surface 13 Light-shielding part 13a Comb member 13b Partition Plate 19 Lens plate 21 Lens plate 22 Micro lens 22-1 First micro lens 22-2 Second micro lens 22a First surface 22b Second surface 23 Light-shielding portion 23a Opening portion 30 LED array 32 Wire 33 Wiring substrate 34 Holding member 35 Light emitting element 36 Electrode 40, 40C, 40M, 40Y, 40K Image forming unit 41, 41C, 41M, 41Y, 41K Photosensitive drum 42C, 42M, 42Y, 42K Charging roller 43C, 43M, 43Y, 43K Cleaning blade 51C, 51M, 51Y, 51K Toner cartridge 60 Paper cassette 61 Paper feed roller 62, 63, 64 Transport roller 65 Discharge roller 70 LED array 80C, 80M, 80Y, 80K Transfer roller 81 Transfer belt 82 Cleaning blade 90a Object 90b Intermediate image 90c Imaging 100 Image forming device 101 Reading device 111 Light receiving element 112 Wiring board 113 Light source 114 Holding member 115 Document table 400 Reading head 401 Line sensor 402 Mirror 500 Reading device 501 Light source 502 Document table 503 Rail 503A Rail support tables 504, 504A, 504B Pulley 505 Driving belt 506 Motor 507 Transmission belt 600 Mold 601 Movable curved surface 603 Upper mold 604 Lower mold 606 Frame 607 Gate 700 Conventional mold 701 Movable curved surface 703 Upper mold 704 Lower mold 707 Gate 800 Resin 800a Flow front 800 b Weld line P Print medium Q Original

Claims (28)

A light emitting unit having a plurality of light emitting elements;
A lens array having a lens pair composed of a first lens and a second lens, and a blocking means for blocking light from the lens pair;
Among the plurality of light emitting elements, an interval between adjacent light emitting elements is EP,
When the deviation between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens is EC,
An exposure apparatus satisfying EC <EP / 2.   The lens array sandwiches the blocking means between a first lens group in which a plurality of first lenses are integrally formed and a second lens group in which a plurality of second lenses are integrally formed. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first lens and the second lens are formed by resin molding.   An image forming apparatus comprising the exposure apparatus according to claim 1. A light receiving section having a plurality of light receiving elements;
A lens array having a lens pair composed of a first lens and a second lens, and a blocking means for blocking light from the lens pair;
Among the plurality of light receiving elements, an interval between adjacent light emitting elements is RP,
When the deviation between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens is EC,
A reading device satisfying EC <RP / 2.   The lens array sandwiches the blocking means between a first lens group in which a plurality of first lenses are integrally formed and a second lens group in which a plurality of second lenses are integrally formed. The reading apparatus according to claim 5.   The reading apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first lens and the second lens are formed by resin molding. When the deviation between the central axis of the first lens and the central axis of the second lens is EC,
The exposure apparatus, image forming apparatus, or reading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein EC> 0 is satisfied. A lens assembly member in which a plurality of lenses are integrally formed;
The lenses are arranged in a substantially straight line in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and include a first surface and a second surface, and the first surface and the second surface in the lens arrangement direction. A lens array, wherein the positions coincide with each other, and the material of the first surface and the material of the second surface have different expansion rates or contraction rates. The plurality of lens assembly members are arranged so that the optical axes of each of the plurality of lenses included in each lens coincide with each other,
A light shielding member in which a plurality of apertures are arranged;
10. The lens array according to claim 9, wherein the light shielding member is disposed such that an optical axis of each of the plurality of lenses passes through each of the apertures to form an erecting equal-magnification image of an object. . A first curved surface for transferring the shape of the first surface;
A mold having a second curved surface for transferring the shape of the second surface,
The plurality of first curved surfaces and the plurality of second curved surfaces are arranged in a substantially straight line in a direction perpendicular to the respective curved surfaces, and the arrangement intervals of the first curved surfaces and the arrangement intervals of the second curved surfaces. The lens array according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the lens array is formed using the molds different from each other.   The mold is separated into a fixed side and a movable side, and in the manufacturing process of the lens assembly member, the lens assembly member is released from the fixed side after being released from the movable side, and the first curved surface is 10. The second curved surface formed on the movable side is formed on the fixed side, and is formed by a mold having an arrangement interval of the first curved surface larger than an arrangement interval of the second curved surface. The lens array according to any one of claims 11 to 11.   The lens array according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the lens assembly member is formed by injection molding.   An exposure apparatus comprising the lens array according to any one of claims 9 to 13.   An LED head comprising the lens array according to claim 9.   An image forming apparatus comprising the lens array according to claim 9.   A reading apparatus comprising the lens array according to claim 9. A first curved surface that transfers the shape of the first surface;
A mold having a second curved surface for transferring the shape of the second surface,
The plurality of first curved surfaces and the plurality of second curved surfaces are arranged in a substantially straight line in a direction perpendicular to the respective curved surfaces, and the arrangement intervals of the first curved surfaces and the arrangement intervals of the second curved surfaces. A method of manufacturing a lens array using the mold different from the above.   The mold is a mold for molding a lens assembly member in which a plurality of lenses are integrally formed. The mold is separated into a fixed side and a movable side, and in the manufacturing process of the lens assembly member, the lens assembly member Is released from the movable side and then released from the fixed side, the first curved surface is formed on the movable side, the second curved surface is formed on the fixed side, and the arrangement interval of the first curved surfaces The lens array manufacturing method according to claim 18, wherein is larger than an arrangement interval of the second curved surfaces. A lens assembly member in which a plurality of lenses are integrally formed;
The lens includes the lens assembly member that is arranged in a substantially straight line in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and the shape of the injection port of the material is transferred to either one end of the lens in the arrangement direction. A lens array characterized by that. The plurality of lens assembly members are arranged so that the optical axes of each of the plurality of lenses included in each lens coincide with each other,
A light shielding member in which a plurality of apertures are arranged;
21. The lens array according to claim 20, wherein the light shielding member is disposed such that an optical axis of each of the plurality of lenses passes through the diaphragm, and forms an erecting equal-magnification image of the object. . A mold having a curved surface for transferring the shape of the lens,
The mold in which a plurality of the curved surfaces are arranged in a substantially straight line in a direction perpendicular to the curved surfaces, and a material injection port is arranged at one end of both ends in the arrangement direction of the curved surfaces. The lens array according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the lens array is molded using the lens array.   The lens array according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein the lens assembly member is formed by injection molding.   An exposure apparatus comprising the lens array according to any one of claims 20 to 23.   24. An LED head comprising the lens array according to any one of claims 20 to 23.   An image forming apparatus comprising the lens array according to any one of claims 20 to 23.   A reading device comprising the lens array according to any one of claims 20 to 23.   A plurality of curved surfaces are arranged in a substantially straight line in a direction perpendicular to each curved surface, and a mold in which a material inlet is arranged at one end of either end in the arrangement direction of the curved surfaces is used. A method for manufacturing a lens array.