JP2016090666A - Optical device, optical scanner, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical scanner that can improve dust-proofness of a pair of case bodies.SOLUTION: An opening 222 formed in a lid part 22 is closed with an erected wall 212 provided on a housing 21, and a groove part 223 and a rib 216 engage with each other, so as to extend a path for passing dust between the periphery of the opening 222 and the erected wall 212, and thereby improving dust-proofness.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical device, an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as an image forming apparatus, an optical scanning device (optical device) and a photosensitive drum (photosensitive member) are provided, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum by a light beam irradiated by the optical scanning device. Things are known.

  As such an optical scanning device, a device in which a light source unit, a collimating lens, an aperture, a cylindrical lens, a deflecting member, a mirror, a scanning lens and the like are accommodated inside a housing and a cover (a pair of case bodies) has been proposed ( For example, Patent Document 1). In the optical scanning device described in Patent Document 1, a collimating lens and an aperture are provided in a housing, and a light shielding portion for covering a space between them from the outside is provided in the cover. Thereby, the position of the collimating lens can be easily adjusted in the housing before the cover is assembled.

  By the way, in the optical scanning device as described in Patent Document 1, it may be necessary to adjust the optical path after the cover is attached to the housing. In view of this, for example, an adjustment operation unit capable of adjusting the angle of the mirror (optical component) is provided, and the adjustment operation unit is exposed so as to be operated from the outside of the housing and the cover.

  However, in such a configuration, in order to protect the optical system accommodated in the housing and the cover from dust or the like, it is necessary to provide a seal member around the adjustment operation unit, and the number of parts increases and the seal member is not provided. Assembling man-hours increase because of installation.

  The objective of this invention is providing the optical apparatus which can improve the dustproof property in a pair of case body.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, an invention according to claim 1 is an optical device including an optical component that reflects or transmits light and a pair of case bodies that store the optical component. The case body includes a first case body provided with an adjustment operation part for adjusting the angle or position of the optical component, a second case body formed with an opening for exposing the adjustment operation part to the outside, The first case body is formed with a protrusion that protrudes around the adjustment operation portion, and the second case body is formed with a groove that can be fitted to the protrusion, and the protrusion By fitting the part with the groove part, the opening part is closed with the adjustment operation part exposed to the outside.

  According to the optical device of the present invention, the opening portion is closed by inserting the protruding portion into the groove portion, whereby the dustproof property of the pair of case bodies can be improved.

1 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an optical scanning device of the image forming apparatus. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the housing of the said optical scanning device. It is IV-IV sectional drawing of the said optical scanning device. It is VV sectional drawing of the said optical scanning device. It is VI-VI sectional drawing of the said optical scanning device. It is sectional drawing which shows the said optical scanning device with which the said housing and the cover part were assembled | attached. It is a perspective view which shows the principal part of the optical scanning device which concerns on a modification. It is a front view which shows the adjustment operation part of the said optical scanning device, and its periphery.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment includes an image forming unit 1, an optical scanning device 2 as an optical device, a fixing device 3, a paper feed tray 4, a paper discharge tray 5, Monochrome printer with

  The image forming unit 1 includes a photosensitive drum 11 as a photosensitive member, a charging device 12 provided around the photosensitive drum 11, a developing device 13, a transfer device 14, and a cleaning device 15. Each of these apparatuses is housed in a process cartridge, and the process cartridge is configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body 20 of the image forming apparatus 10.

  In such an image forming apparatus 10, the optical scanning device 2 irradiates the photosensitive drum 11 with a light beam to form an electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is supplied from the developing device 13. To form a toner image. This toner image is transferred onto the recording paper supplied from the paper feed tray 4 by the transfer device 14, and the fixing device 3 fixes the toner image on the recording paper with heat and pressure. It is supposed to be discharged.

  Hereinafter, details of the optical scanning device 2 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the optical scanning device 2 includes a housing 21 as a first case body, a lid portion 22 as a second case body, a light source section 23, a beam shaping section 24, and a polygon scanner 25. And an fθ lens 26 and two mirrors 27 as optical components. The housing 21 and the lid portion 22 constitute a pair of case bodies, and the polygon scanner 25 functions as a deflecting device.

  The light source unit 23 has a semiconductor laser, for example, and emits a beam. The beam irradiated from the light source unit 23 is shaped by a beam shaping unit 24 including a collimating lens, an aperture, and a cylindrical lens. This beam is deflected and scanned by the reflecting mirror on the side surface of the polygon scanner 25, and the fθ lens 26 changes the equiangular motion to the uniform linear motion.

  Such a beam has a desired optical path length by being reflected by the mirror 27, travels along a path indicated by a one-dot chain line, passes through a dust-proof glass provided on the lid portion 22, and passes through the photosensitive drum 11. Is irradiated.

  The housing 21 is formed in a box shape whose upper surface is opened by resin, for example, and is configured so that the light source unit 23 can be attached to the outer surface, and a beam shaping unit 24, a polygon scanner 25, an fθ lens 26, and two The mirror 27 can be placed. The housing 21 is assembled by setting the vertical direction in FIG. 2 as the facing direction to the lid portion 22 and relatively approaching the lid portion 22 in the facing direction.

  In addition, the housing 21 supports one mirror 27 by the support portions 211A and 211B at both ends, and changes the angle between the standing wall 212 standing from the top surface in the vicinity of the support portion 211A and the mirror 27. An adjustment operation unit 213 and a recess 214 are provided. A locking part 215 for locking the lid part 22 is formed on the outer surface of the housing 21.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the standing wall 212 is formed in a plate shape as a whole, and has a screw hole 212 </ b> A for attaching the adjusting operation part 213 at the center part, and a protrusion protruding on the outer periphery thereof. It has a rib 216 as a part. The standing wall 212 has a dimension capable of closing an opening 222 described later.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the ribs 216 include side ribs 216 </ b> A formed on both sides in the width direction (direction intersecting the facing direction), upper ribs 216 </ b> B formed on the upper side, side ribs 216 </ b> A and upper ribs. 216 </ b> C formed between the corner ribs 216 </ b> B. The corner ribs 216 </ b> C are provided at both end edges in the width direction, are formed in an arc shape, and function as inclined portions inclined with respect to the facing direction.

  The adjustment operation unit 213 is a screw member inserted through the screw hole 212A, and is configured to press the mirror 27 at the tip and change the angle of the mirror 27 when screwed. The adjustment operation unit 213 has an operation surface 213A in which a groove that can be rotated by a driver, for example, is formed.

  The recess 214 is formed by the upper surface of the housing having a concave shape in the vicinity of the standing wall 212 (that is, in the vicinity of an opening 222 to be described later). As shown in FIG. The corners in the width direction are formed in an arc shape along.

  The lid portion 22 covers the upper surface of the housing 21 to form an accommodation space S1 as shown in FIG. In the accommodation space S1, the beam shaping unit 24, the polygon scanner 25, the fθ lens 26, and the mirror 27 are accommodated. The lid 22 has a locked portion 221 that is locked to the locking portion 215 of the housing 21.

  The lid portion 22 is formed in the notch-shaped opening 222 that exposes the operation surface 213A of the adjustment operation portion 213 when assembled to the housing 21, the groove portion 223 that can be fitted to the rib 216, and the recess portion 214 of the housing 21. And a convex portion 224 provided correspondingly.

  When the housing 21 and the lid portion 22 are assembled, the opening 222 is entirely blocked by the standing wall 212 with the adjustment operation portion 213 exposed to the outside, so that the outside and the accommodation space S1 do not communicate with each other. It has become.

  The groove 223 includes a guide groove 223A that fits with the side rib 216A of the rib 216, and a concave groove 223B that fits the upper rib 216B of the rib 216. A portion of the groove 223 between the guide groove 223 </ b> A and the concave groove 223 </ b> B is formed in an arc shape along the corner rib 216 </ b> C of the rib 216.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the guide groove 223 </ b> A is formed between the pair of wall portions 225 which are formed in the lid portion 22 and opposed to the standing wall 212 in the plate thickness direction. That is, the side rib 216A is sandwiched between the wall 225 on the front side of the sheet of FIG. 5 and the wall on the back side, and the side rib 216A passes through the guide groove 223A. Further, the concave groove 223B has a depth capable of contacting the upper surface of the upper rib 216B.

  The convex portion 224 has a projecting dimension capable of entering the concave portion 214 and contacting the bottom surface of the concave portion 214 when the housing 21 and the lid portion 22 are assembled. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the convex portion 224 functions as an inclined portion in which corner portions 224A at both end edges in the width direction are formed in an arc shape, and these corner portions 224A are inclined with respect to the facing direction. In addition, the convex part 224 should just contact | abut at least one surface among the inner surfaces of the recessed part 214. FIG.

  Next, a method for assembling the lid portion 22 to the housing 21 will be described. When the housing 21 and the lid portion 22 are relatively approached in the facing direction, the side rib 216A of the rib 216 is guided by the guide groove 223A of the groove portion 223, and the convex portion 224 enters the concave portion 214.

  At this time, when a deviation in the width direction occurs between the housing 21 and the lid portion 22, the corner rib 216 </ b> C of the rib 216 abuts on the peripheral portion of the groove portion 223 in the lid portion 22 or the corner of the convex portion 224. The portion 224 </ b> A comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the recess 214 in the housing 21. Thereby, when the housing 21 and the cover part 22 relatively approach each other, the deviation in the width direction is corrected by the corner rib 216C and the corner part 224A.

  When the upper rib 216B is fitted into the concave groove 223B and the convex portion 224 enters the concave portion 214, the locked portion 221 is locked by the locking portion 215, and the lid portion 22 is attached to the housing 21 as shown in FIG. Assembled.

  At this time, the side rib 216A is sandwiched and abutted by the lid portion 22 on both side surfaces in the plate thickness direction, and the upper rib 216B is in contact with the concave groove 223B on both side surfaces and the upper surface in the plate thickness direction. Further, the lower surface of the convex portion 224 contacts the bottom surface of the concave portion 214.

  According to this embodiment, there are the following effects. That is, the opening 222 is closed by the standing wall 212, and the groove 223 and the rib 216 are fitted to each other, so that a path for dust or the like to pass between the periphery of the opening 222 and the standing wall 212 is obtained. It becomes long and dustproofness can be improved.

  Furthermore, in the vicinity of the opening 222, the bottom surface of the convex portion 224 abuts against the bottom surface of the concave portion 214, so that a path for dust and the like to pass through the abutting portion becomes long, and the dust resistance can be further improved. it can.

  Further, arc-shaped corner ribs 216 </ b> C are formed at both end edges in the width direction of the rib 216, and corner portions 224 </ b> A at both end edges in the width direction of the protrusion 224 are formed in an arc shape, so that the housing 21 and the lid portion The positional deviation in the width direction with respect to 22 can be corrected.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Including other structures etc. which can achieve the objective of this invention, the deformation | transformation etc. which are shown below are also contained in this invention.

  For example, in the embodiment, the lid 22 has the opening 222 that exposes the adjustment operation unit 213. However, the lid 22 further includes an adjacent surface portion 226 in the opening 222 as shown in FIG. You may do it. As shown in FIG. 9, the surface of the adjacent surface portion 226 extends along the operation surface 213A of the adjustment operation portion 213 at a position adjacent to the operation surface 213A.

  If such an adjacent surface portion 226 is provided, for example, by forming the marking M with the position shown in FIG. 9A as the initial position of the adjustment operation portion 213, the adjustment operation portion 213 as shown in FIG. 9B. When this is rotated, this position can be compared with the initial position. In addition, the adjacent surface part may be provided in the housing.

  In the above-described embodiment, the angle of the mirror 27 as an optical component is adjusted by the adjustment operation unit 213. However, the optical component may be a lens that transmits light, or the optical component may be transmitted by the adjustment operation unit. The structure by which a position is adjusted may be sufficient.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, arc-shaped corner ribs 216C are formed at both end edges in the width direction of the ribs 216, and corner portions 224A at both end edges in the width direction of the convex portions 224 are formed in arc shapes. However, the shape of the inclined portion is arbitrary. That is, the inclined portion only needs to be inclined in the opposing direction, and the end surface thereof may be planar.

  In addition, an inclined portion may be formed on one of the rib 216 and the convex portion 224, and when the housing 21 and the lid portion 22 are unlikely to be displaced, the inclined portion may be omitted. .

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the housing 21 had the recessed part 214 and the cover part 22 shall have the convex part 224, the housing 21 may have a convex part and the cover part 22 may have a recessed part. Moreover, when the dustproof property in the opening part 222 improves sufficiently by the rib 216 and the groove part 223, a recessed part and a convex part may be abbreviate | omitted.

  In the above-described embodiment, the optical scanning device 2 provided in the image forming apparatus 10 is exemplified as the optical device. However, the optical device is not limited to the optical scanning device, and any optical device such as a mirror or a lens can be accommodated. Good.

  In addition, the best configuration, method and the like for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the present invention has been illustrated and described primarily with respect to particular embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the technical idea and object of the present invention. The trader can add various modifications.

  Therefore, the description which limited the shape, the material, etc. disclosed above is exemplary for easy understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The description by the name of the member which remove | excluded the limitation of some or all of those shapes, materials, etc. is included in this invention.

10 Image forming apparatus 11 Photosensitive drum (photosensitive member)
2 Optical scanning device (optical device)
21 Housing (first case body)
22 Lid (second case)
23 Light source unit 24 Beam shaping unit 25 Polygon scanner (deflection device)
27 Mirror (optical component)
213 Adjustment operation part 213A Operation surface 214 Recess 216 Rib (protrusion part)
216C Corner rib (inclined part)
222 Opening part 223 Groove part 224 Convex part 224A Corner | angular part (inclination part)
226 Adjacent surface

JP 2014-71223 A

Claims (8)

An optical device comprising: an optical component that reflects or transmits light; and a pair of case bodies that accommodate the optical component,
The pair of case bodies includes a first case body provided with an adjustment operation section for adjusting the angle or position of the optical component, and a second case formed with an opening for exposing the adjustment operation section to the outside. The body, and
The first case body is formed with a protruding portion protruding around the adjustment operation portion,
The second case body is formed with a groove that can be fitted to the protrusion,
The optical device is characterized in that the opening is closed in a state where the adjustment operation portion is exposed to the outside by fitting the projection portion with the groove portion.   The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the optical component includes a mirror or a lens.   A concave portion is formed in the vicinity of the opening portion in one of the pair of case bodies, and a convex portion that can enter the concave portion and contact the inner surface of the concave portion is formed in the other. The optical device according to claim 1 or 2.   The optical device according to claim 3, wherein an inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the facing direction is formed at an edge of the convex portion in a direction intersecting the facing direction of the pair of case bodies. .   5. The inclined portion inclined with respect to the facing direction is formed at an end edge in a direction intersecting the facing direction of the pair of case bodies in the protrusion. The optical device according to item 1. The adjustment operation unit has an operation surface exposed to the outside,
The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of case bodies are provided with adjacent surface portions extending along the operation surface at positions adjacent to the operation surface. .   An optical scanning device comprising: a light source unit, a deflecting device, a beam shaping unit, and the optical device according to claim 1.   An image forming apparatus comprising: the optical scanning device according to claim 7; and a photoconductor.

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