JP5223692B2 - Optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical scanning device that scans a surface to be scanned with a light beam formed by polarizing and condensing a light beam from a light source, and in particular, an optical member can be easily held at an appropriate assembly angle, The present invention relates to an optical scanning device capable of stably maintaining the assembly angle even by temperature fluctuations in the scanning device, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

In image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimiles, an electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating the surface of a photoconductor uniformly charged by a charging device with a light beam corresponding to image information from an optical writing device. The toner is formed and supplied to the electrostatic latent image by a developing device to form a toner image. In this optical writing device, a light beam from a light source is polarized by a polygon mirror device, and the polarized light beam is condensed and reflected using a scanning imaging optical system such as an fθ lens and a reflecting mirror to be reflected on a photosensitive member or the like. 2. Description of the Related Art An optical scanning device that forms a light spot on a surface to be scanned by focusing light toward the scanning surface is used. In this case, the position of the optical member is adjusted to form a light spot at an appropriate position on the surface to be scanned. Various techniques have been developed for adjusting the position of the optical member.
For example, in Patent Document 1, the angle adjustment bolt is rotated while the tip of the angle adjustment bolt is in contact with the mirror, thereby adjusting the protrusion length of the angle adjustment bolt and adjusting the mirror assembly angle. In addition, an image forming apparatus is disclosed in which the angle of the mirror is maintained by the angle adjusting bolt.

However, in the prior art disclosed in Patent Document 1, a backlash similar to a backlash in a gear mechanism is caused between a male screw portion of a bolt and a female screw portion into which the bolt is inserted due to a dimensional variation within a tolerance range. Even if the assembly angle of the mirror is adjusted, it is difficult to maintain the adjusted assembly angle due to rattling that occurs between the male screw portion of the bolt and the female screw portion into which the bolt is inserted. Had.
Also, for example, in Patent Document 2, after adjusting the assembly angle of the optical member, a photo-curing adhesive is dropped on the frame, and light is applied to the photo-curing adhesive to form a spacer on the frame. An image forming apparatus including an optical scanning device that assembles an optical member whose assembly angle is maintained with respect to a frame with the spacer is disclosed.
However, in the prior art described in Patent Document 2, when both ends of the optical member are bonded to the frame by a photo-curing adhesive, the influence of heat generated from the polygon mirror device or heat from other units is affected. In general, the optical member and the frame having different linear expansion coefficients are thermally expanded or contracted, the optical member is bent, the optical characteristics of the optical member are fluctuated, and the performance of the optical scanning device is deteriorated. Cause problems. In order to remedy such problems, use a photo-curing resin with a low hardness cured photo-curing adhesive, and absorb the thermal expansion or contraction of the optical member and the frame due to temperature changes. The bending of the member can be reduced. However, the film thickness of the photo-curing resin itself changes due to a temperature change, and the position of the optical member is likely to fluctuate, causing a problem that the scanning line position becomes unstable.
Furthermore, when the optical member and the frame are firmly bonded with the photo-curing resin, the optical member is not easily peeled off from the photo-curing resin, the optical member or the frame is damaged, or the photo-curing resin is broken. The reassembly property (hereinafter referred to as “maintenance property”) which is the object of the invention described in Patent Document 2 may rather deteriorate.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and can easily hold the optical member in a state in which the assembly angle of the optical member is set to an appropriate angle while improving the maintainability. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical scanning device capable of stably maintaining the angle of an optical member even when temperature fluctuation occurs, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

In order to solve the above problems, the invention described in claim 1 is directed to a light source that emits beam-shaped light, a deflector that deflects and scans light emitted from the light source, and light emitted from the light source. An optical member that guides the scanning member, and an optical housing to which the optical member is assembled, and the optical member is held at a plurality of positions with respect to the optical housing by a photo-curing resin that cures when irradiated with light. In the optical scanning device assembled as described above, at least a portion of the surface of the optical member that is held by the photo-curing resin is covered with a film having releasability with respect to the photo-curing resin , and the optical member is The optical member is held by a pressing member that presses toward the optical housing .
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light source that emits beam-shaped light, a deflector that deflects and scans the light emitted from the light source, and an optical member that guides the light emitted from the light source to a scanned object side. And an optical housing in which the optical member is assembled, and the optical member is assembled to the optical housing by holding the optical member at a plurality of positions by a photo-curing resin that is cured when irradiated with light. In addition, at least a portion of the surface of the optical member that is held by the photocurable resin is coated with a film having releasability with respect to the photocurable resin, and the longitudinal direction of the optical member is y and the width direction is x. When the thickness direction is z, the outer peripheral surfaces of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the optical member are covered with the photo-curing resin, and the positive and negative six directions of the xyz coordinates are regulated .
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the optical scanning device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the coating of the photocuring resin on the outer peripheral surfaces of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the optical member is divided into a plurality of times to cure the photocuring resin. It is characterized by forming .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light source that emits beam-shaped light, a deflector that deflects and scans the light emitted from the light source, and an optical member that guides the light emitted from the light source to a scanned object side. And an optical housing in which the optical member is assembled, and the optical member is assembled to the optical housing by holding the optical member at a plurality of positions by a photo-curing resin that is cured when irradiated with light. In addition, at least a portion of the surface of the optical member that is held by the photocurable resin is coated with a film having releasability with respect to the photocurable resin, and the longitudinal direction of the optical member is y and the width direction is x. When the thickness direction is z, at least one direction is fixed by a pressing member that presses in the positive and negative six directions of the xyz coordinate of the optical member, and the remaining direction is the light by the photo-curing resin. Characterized in that it is restricted in position by the holding member.
The invention according to claim 5 is the optical scanning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the coating is a deposited film, and the deposited film is polycarbonate, polyimide, polysilazane, acrylate, polyurethane. And at least one polymer material of epoxy, polyetherimide, polysulfone, and a block copolymer / copolymer mixture .
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the optical scanning device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the light curable resin is bonded to a support portion that supports the optical member formed on the housing. It is a photo-curing type adhesive .

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, there is provided the optical scanning device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the optical member has a function that does not have a function of guiding the light emitted from the light source to the scanned body side. The light-curing resin is coated with a film that can transmit light and that is releasable with respect to the photo-curing resin .
Further, the invention of claim 8 is directed to a photosensitive member, a charging device for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive member, and an electrostatic latent image formed by irradiating the surface of the photosensitive member charged by the charging device with a light beam. an image forming apparatus comprising an optical writing device for forming the optical writing device, characterized in that an optical scanning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

  According to the present invention, at least a portion of the surface of the optical member that is held by the photo-curing resin is coated with a film having releasability with respect to the photo-curing resin, thereby improving the maintainability and the optical member. An optical scanning device that can easily hold the optical member in a state where the assembly angle of the optical member is set to an appropriate angle, and can stably maintain the angle of the optical member even if temperature fluctuations in the optical scanning device occur. Can be provided.

1 is a longitudinal side view schematically showing a color printer which is an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of the optical writing apparatus used with the color printer shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of the optical writing device shown in FIG. 2. 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a schematic configuration of an optical mirror in an optical scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. . It is a top view which shows the state which hold | gripped the optical mirror shown in FIG. 4 with the jig | tool. It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected on the BB line of FIG. It is a top view which shows the state attached to the support part of an optical housing in the state which hold | gripped the optical mirror with the jig | tool shown in FIG. It is a side view of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the process of attaching an optical mirror on the support part of an optical housing, (a) is a figure which shows the state which dripped the photocurable adhesive agent on the support part, (b) is photocurable. The figure which shows the state which mounted the optical mirror on the adhesive agent, (c) is the figure which shows the state which pressed the optical mirror on the photocurable adhesive agent, and performed the height adjustment, (d) is the optical mirror The figure which shows the state which inclined the predetermined angle and adjusted the angle, (e) is a figure which shows the state hardened by irradiating UV light to a photocurable adhesive agent, (f) is an optical mirror with a pressing member It is a figure which shows the state which pressed and fixed. It is a top view which shows the installation state of the optical mirror which concerns on 2nd Embodiment by this invention. It is a side view of FIG. It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected on CC line of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the intermediate stage of the installation method of the optical mirror which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the last step of the installation method of the optical mirror which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a top view which shows the installation state of the optical mirror which concerns on 3rd Embodiment by this invention. FIG. 16 is a side view of FIG. 15.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal side view schematically showing a color printer which is an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows an internal structure of an optical writing apparatus used in the color printer shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the optical writing device shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, four printer engines 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K, light beams are emitted to a substantially central portion inside a main body case 2 of a color printer 1 that is an image forming apparatus, and scanning lines are formed by the light beams. An optical writing device 4 for irradiating a photoconductor described later, an intermediate transfer belt 5 and the like are disposed. Each of the printer engines 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K is a portion that forms a toner image, and is formed in the same structure. In each of the printer engines 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K, toners of different colors are formed by using different colors of toner. In the description of this specification and drawings concerning these printer engines 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K and the components of the printer engines 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K, the subscripts Y, C, M, and K are each yellow. , Cyan, magenta, and black are shown, and these subscripts are omitted as necessary.
The mechanical structures of the four printer engines 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K are the same. And includes a charging device 7, a developing device 8, a cleaning device 9, and the like disposed around each of the photoreceptors 6 </ b> Y, 6 </ b> C, 6 </ b> M, and 6 </ b> K.
The photoreceptors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K are formed in a cylindrical shape and are rotationally driven by a drive motor (not shown), and a photosensitive layer is provided on the outer peripheral surface. The outer peripheral surfaces of the photoconductors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K are irradiated with the light beams LY, LC, LM, and LK emitted from the optical writing device 4 to the outer peripheral surfaces of the photoconductors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K. Is written with an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image data corresponding to each color.

The charging device 7 is a conductive roller member formed in a roller shape, and a charging bias voltage is supplied to the charging device 7 from a power supply device (not shown), whereby the photosensitive members 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K. Each outer peripheral surface is uniformly charged.
The developing device 8 supplies toner of each color to the photoreceptors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K. The supplied toner adheres to the electrostatic latent images written on the outer peripheral surfaces of the photoreceptors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K, whereby the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 6 is visualized as a toner image.
After the toner image formed on the photoconductors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5, the cleaning device 9 adheres to the outer peripheral surfaces of the photoconductors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K. Clean the toner.
The intermediate transfer belt 5 is a loop belt formed using a resin film or rubber as a base, and a toner image formed on the photoreceptor 6 is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5. This intermediate transfer belt 5 is supported by rollers 10, 11, 12 and is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow. Four transfer rollers 13 for transferring the toner images on the photoreceptors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K onto the intermediate transfer belt 5 are disposed on the inner peripheral surface side (inside the loop) of the intermediate transfer belt 5. Yes. The toner images formed on the photoreceptors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K are sequentially transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5 so that a color toner image is carried on the intermediate transfer belt 5. On the outer peripheral surface side (outside the loop) of the intermediate transfer belt 5, a cleaning unit 14 that cleans residual toner, paper dust, and the like attached to the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 5 is disposed.

Below the four printer engines 3Y, 3C, 3M, and 3K and the optical writing device 4 in the main body case 2, a paper feed cassette 15 in which the recording medium P is stacked and held is disposed. The recording media P stacked and held in the paper feed cassette 15 are separately fed by the paper feed roller 16 in order from the highest one. In the main body case 2, a transport path 17 is formed through which the recording medium P separated and fed from the paper feed cassette 15 is transported. On the conveyance path 17, a registration roller 18, a transfer roller 19, a fixing unit 20, a paper discharge roller 21, and the like are arranged.
The registration roller 18 is a roller that is rotationally driven intermittently at a predetermined timing. By intermittently driving the registration roller 18, the recording medium P that has been transported to the position of the registration roller 18 and stopped is sent to a transfer position sandwiched between the intermediate transfer belt 5 and the transfer roller 19. The toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 5 is transferred to the recording medium P in the process in which the recording medium P passes this transfer position.
The fixing unit 20 is a part that applies heat and pressure to the recording medium P to which the toner image has been transferred to melt the toner and fix the toner image on the recording medium P. The recording medium P on which the toner image is fixed by passing through the fixing unit 20 is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 22 formed on the upper surface of the main body case 2 by a paper discharge roller 21.

Next, the optical writing device 4 will be described. The optical writing device 4 has an optical housing 23 in which an upper cover 23b is fixed to a lower case 23a, and light corresponding to image data of different colors (Y, C, M, K) is contained in the optical housing 23. Light source units 24Y, 24C, 24M, and 24K, which are light sources that emit beams (laser light) LY, LC, LM, and LK, and various types for irradiating the photoconductors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K with scanning lines by the light beams The optical member is accommodated.
The optical member accommodated in the optical housing 23 includes an aperture 25 for tilt correction, a cylinder lens 26, a mirror 27, a polygon mirror 28, an imaging lens 29, and reflecting mirrors 30 and 31 (30Y, 31Y, 30C, 31C, 30M, 31M, 30K, 31K), a synchronization detecting mirror 32, an imaging lens 33, a photoelectric element 35 mounted on the circuit board 34, and the like.
The light source unit 24 includes a semiconductor laser that emits divergent light, a collimator lens that substantially collimates the divergent light emitted from the semiconductor laser, a semiconductor laser driving circuit board, and the like. The polygon mirror 28 is connected to a polygon motor 36 and rotates at high speed. The number of rotations of the polygon mirror 28 varies, but for example, there are those exceeding 30000 rpm.

In this color printer 1, image data input from a document reading device (scanner) or an image data output device (a personal computer, a word processor, a facsimile receiving unit, etc.) (not shown) is color-separated, and the color-separated image data of each color is obtained. Is converted into a signal for driving each light source unit 24, and light beams LY, LC, LM, LK are emitted from each light source unit 24 according to the signal. The light beams LY, LC, LM, and LK emitted from the respective light source units 24 are the surface tilt correction aperture 25, the cylinder lens 26, and the mirror 27 (however, only for the light beams emitted from the light source units 24Y and 24K). Then, the polygon mirrors 28a and 28b are reached, and the polygon mirrors 28a and 28b are deflected and scanned in two symmetrical directions by two light beams.
The light beams deflected and scanned in two symmetrical directions by the polygon mirrors 28a and 28b pass through the imaging lens 29 and are turned back by the two reflecting mirrors 30 and 31, respectively. Each printer engine 3Y, 3C, 3M, 3K The process proceeds toward the photoconductors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K. The light beams LY, LC, LM, and LK that have traveled toward the photoreceptors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K are irradiated to the outer peripheral surfaces of the photoreceptors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K as scanning lines, thereby causing the photoreceptors to be exposed. The electrostatic latent images are written on the outer peripheral surfaces of 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K.

The upper cover 23b of the optical housing 23 is positioned at a position facing the photoconductor 6 of each printer engine 3 and has an opening that is elongated in the center line direction of the photoconductors 6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6K. 37 is formed. A light-transmitting dustproof member 38 that allows the light beams LY, LC, LM, and LK to pass therethrough and prevents dust from entering the optical housing 23 is attached to these openings 37, and the photoreceptors 6Y, 6C are attached. , 6M, 6K, light beams LY, LC, LM, LK travel through the translucent dustproof member 38. As the translucent dustproof member 38, for example, flat glass is used.
Of the light beam that has passed through the imaging lens 29, the light beam that has passed through both ends of the imaging lens 29 is folded back by the synchronization detection mirror 32, passes through the imaging lens 33, and is received by the photoelectric element 35. When the photoelectric element 35 receives light, a scanning start synchronization signal is output from the photoelectric element 35. Here, since the original meaning of the synchronization detection is to take a scanning timing, it is sufficient that the photoelectric element 35 is installed at a position where the light beam is received prior to the scanning. In order to detect a change in (or time), a photoelectric element 35 may be provided on the rear end side of the scan. In the present embodiment, a configuration is shown in which the synchronization detection mirror 32 and the photoelectric element 35 are arranged on both ends of the imaging lens 29 to synchronize before and after scanning.

Next, means for stably maintaining the mounting angle of the optical mirrors such as the reflecting mirrors 30 and 31 as the optical members, which is a characteristic part of the present invention, will be described.
4A and 4B are diagrams showing a schematic configuration of an optical mirror in an optical scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a perspective view, and FIG. 4B is cut along the line AA in FIG. It is sectional drawing. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the optical mirror shown in FIG. 4 is gripped by a jig, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state where the optical mirror is gripped by the jig shown in FIG. 5 and attached to the support portion of the optical housing. FIG. 8 is a side view of FIG. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a process of attaching the optical mirror on the support portion of the optical housing, (a) is a diagram illustrating a state in which a photocurable adhesive is dropped on the support portion, and (b) is a diagram illustrating The figure which shows the state which mounted the optical mirror on the photocurable adhesive, (c) is the figure which shows the state which pressed the optical mirror on the photocurable adhesive, and performed the height adjustment, (d) is The figure which shows the state which inclined the optical mirror by the predetermined angle, and the state which adjusted the angle, (e) is a figure which shows the state hardened by irradiating UV light to a photocurable adhesive agent, (f) is a pressing member It is a figure which shows the state which pressed and fixed the optical mirror.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the optical mirror 100 is formed of a planar member that is rectangular and long in the main scanning direction, and includes a reflecting portion 101 that reflects light in the longitudinal direction on the upper surface side, and light that will be described later. Both ends have light transmitting portions 102 for curing the cured resin. This photo-curing resin is, for example, a UV curable adhesive, and the light to be cured is UV light. The reflection portion 101 of the optical mirror 100 is formed by depositing a metal such as aluminum on a transparent base material 100a such as transparent glass or transparent plastic material, as shown in FIG. 4B. A reflection film 101a reflects the scanning light beam in a predetermined direction. Further, the light transmission part 102 is released from the photo-curing resin that is bonded and fixed to a support part formed in an optical housing described later on the entire periphery of both end parts where the reflective film 101a of the base material 100a is not formed. A film 102a having a property is formed. Therefore, even if the photocurable adhesive which forms photocurable resin contacts the back end part of the base material 100a and performs the curing process, the back end part of the base material 100a having releasability is formed by the coating film 102a. The base material 100a can be easily peeled off from the photo-curing resin. In this embodiment, the coating film 102a is formed only on the rear end portion of the base material 100a. However, the coating film 102a is not limited to the surface of the reflective film 101a as long as it does not particularly adversely affect the light reflection characteristics with respect to the reflective film 101a. You may form in the whole surface of the base material 100a.

  The coating 102a of at least the UV light transmitting portion 102 of the optical mirror 100 is a coating having releasability with respect to the photocurable resin, for example, a coating having a high hydrophobicity with a contact angle with water of 100 ° to 180 °. It is formed with. Examples of such a releasable material include at least one polymer material such as polycarbonate, polyimide, polysilazane, acrylate, polyurethane, epoxy, polyetherimide, polysulfone, and a block copolymer / copolymer mixture. It can be configured by including. Such a coating 102a can be easily formed by applying a solution obtained by dissolving the above polymer material in a solvent to the entire circumference of both ends of the substrate 100a. In addition, when the reflective film 101a is formed on the surface of the base material 100a by means of vacuum deposition such as sputtering or CVD, the gas of the polymer material is supplied to both ends of the base material 100a using the same vacuum deposition apparatus. It is also possible to form it by depositing it on. In this case, the reflective film 101a and the coating film 102a can be deposited on the base material 100a in the same vacuum deposition apparatus, and can be formed quickly and easily.

Next, a method according to the first embodiment in which the optical mirror having the above configuration is installed in the optical scanning device will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the optical mirror 100 according to the above-described embodiment is sandwiched by the jig 103 at the light transmitting portion 102. The jig 103 can move the optical mirror 100 in six directions of x, y, and z coordinates when the longitudinal direction of the optical mirror 100 is y, the width direction is y, and the thickness direction is z. The optical mirror 100 can be rotated at a rotation angle θ about the central axis o of the optical mirror 100.
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7, a jelly-like material that is cured by being irradiated with ultraviolet rays (UV rays) such as an epoxy resin on the support portion 104 that supports the optical mirror 100 formed on the optical housing 23. A highly viscous liquid UV curable adhesive 105 is dropped. Then, the optical mirror 100 gripped by the jig 103 is placed on the dropped ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 so that the x direction, the y direction, the z direction, and the rotation angle θ become predetermined values. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the optical mirror 100 is lowered substantially parallel to the upper surface of the support portion 104 and placed on the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 while being held by the jig 103. Then, as shown in FIG. 9C, the optical mirror 100 is pressed into the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 and buried in the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 so as to reach a predetermined height from the support portion 104.
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9D, the jig 103 is rotated so that the optical beam is irradiated to a predetermined position of the photosensitive member 6 while the optical beam is scanned by operating the optical scanning device. The rotation angle of the mirror 100 is adjusted. In this case, since the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 is a high-viscosity liquid material, it can be freely deformed by following the fluctuation sufficiently as the optical mirror 100 rotates and moves in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions.

  Thus, when the rotation angle θ, the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis are adjusted, as shown in FIG. 9E, the ultraviolet curable adhesive is passed from the ultraviolet irradiation device 108 through the light transmitting portion 102 of the optical mirror 100. The agent 105 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays UV to cure the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105. The UV curable resin 105a cured in this way is bonded and fixed on the support portion 104, and holds the optical mirror 100 in a state where the optical mirror 100 is appropriately regulated. In this case, since the coating 102a having releasability with the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 is formed in both end regions of the optical mirror 100 in contact with the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105, the optical mirror 100 is not bonded by the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105, The optical mirror 100 can be easily separated by lifting upward. Accordingly, since the optical mirror 100 is not sufficiently positioned upward, as shown in FIG. 9 (f), a leaf spring or rubber attached with screws 106a on a rib 106 protruding on the optical housing 23, as shown in FIG. The both ends of the optical mirror 100 are pressed toward the support portion 104 by a pressing member 107 made of an elastic member such as a material, and the position is regulated and attached.

As described above, in the optical scanning device according to the present embodiment, the optical mirror 100 is pressed and placed on the liquid ultraviolet curing adhesive 105, the position of the rotation angle θ is adjusted while scanning the scanning light beam, and then the ultraviolet curing is performed. Since the adhesive 105 is held by the photo-curing resin 105a that has been cured by irradiating ultraviolet rays, the optical mirror 100 can be easily and surely assembled on the optical housing 23 with the position adjusted appropriately. In addition, since the light transmitting portion 102 held by the light curable resin 105a of the optical mirror 100 is formed with a film 102a having releasability from the light curable resin 105a, the pressing member 107 is removed from the optical mirror 100. By lifting upward, the optical mirror 100 can be easily detached from the photo-curing resin 105a, and damage to the optical mirror 100 during removal can be prevented.
Further, when the optical mirror 100 is removed and cleaned and then reassembled, the optical mirror 100 is incorporated into the trace recesses 105b at both ends of the optical mirror 100 of the photo-curing resin 105a and pressed by the pressing member 107 from above. By doing so, the optical mirror 100 can be assembled on the support portion 104 with good reproducibility without adjusting the mounting position of the optical mirror 100 again, and good maintainability is exhibited.
Further, even if the thermal fluctuation in the optical scanning device causes a difference in thermal expansion or contraction due to a difference in linear expansion coefficient between the optical mirror 100 and the photo-curing resin 105a, the optical mirror 100 and the photo-curing resin 105a are bonded. Since they are movable with respect to each other, deformation of the optical mirror or the like can be appropriately suppressed.

Next, as a second embodiment according to the present invention, another method for installing an optical mirror in an optical scanning device will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an installation state of the optical mirror according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an intermediate stage of the optical mirror installation method according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the final stage of the optical mirror installation method according to the second embodiment.
In the above-described first embodiment, the upward (z-direction) positioning is performed by the pressing member 107, but in the second embodiment, only the photo-curing resin 105a is used without using the pressing member 107. Positioning in the rotation angle θ, x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions is performed. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the photo-curing resin 105 a covers the entire outer periphery of the light transmission part 102 at both ends of the optical mirror 100, and the rotation angle θ, x-axis, y-axis, The position adjustment of the z axis is adjusted as shown in FIG. 9 of the first embodiment, and the positioning is adjusted by curing the ultraviolet curing adhesive 105. In this way, positioning in the rotation angle θ, x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions is performed only with the photo-curing resin 105a, so that a pressing member or the like is not required, and the number of components is reduced and an optical scanning device is manufactured at low cost can do.

  Incidentally, in the structure according to the second embodiment, when the optical mirror 100 is removed, the outer peripheral portion of the optical mirror 100 can be easily extracted from the photo-curing resin 105a by curving the central portion of the optical mirror. It becomes. Further, in order to mount the optical mirror 100 in the trace recess 105b in the photo-curing resin 105a, one end of the optical mirror 100 is inserted into the trace recess 105b in one of the photo-curing resins 105a, and the central portion is bent to form the optical mirror. If the other end of 100 is inserted into the trace recess 105b of the other photo-curing resin 105a, it is possible to attach the optical mirror 100 with the attachment position adjusted.

  Such covering of the entire outer periphery of the light transmitting portion 102 at both ends of the optical mirror 100 with the light curable resin 105a is applied to the inside of the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 dropped on the supporting portion 104 shown in FIG. However, when the optical mirror 100 is rotated at the time of adjusting the position of the optical mirror 100, a gap is formed in the trace recess 105b. In some cases, proper positioning may not be possible. Therefore, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the supply of the ultraviolet curable adhesive 105 is performed in two steps. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, after the first UV curable adhesive 105A is supplied, the rotation angle θ, the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis direction are positioned, and then the second UV curable adhesive 105B is attached to the optical mirror. The optical mirror 100 is positioned above the optical mirror 100 by being supplied to the upper surface portion of the substrate 100 and cured. In this way, the supply of the UV curable adhesive 105 is performed in two steps, so that the formation of a gap in the trace recess 105b due to the rotation of the optical mirror 100 during position adjustment is suppressed. The optical mirror 100 can be held with high accuracy by the photo-curing resin 105a.

Next, as a third embodiment according to the present invention, another method for installing an optical mirror in the optical scanning device will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 15 is a plan view showing an installation state of the optical mirror according to the third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a side view of FIG.
In the second embodiment described above, positioning in the rotation angle θ, x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions is performed only by the photo-curing resin 105a. In the third embodiment, positioning in the y-axis direction is performed. The optical mirror 100 is movable in the direction D as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the photo-curing resin 105 a covers the region surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the light transmitting portion 102 at both ends of the optical mirror 100, and the rotation angle θ, x-axis, The z-axis position adjustment is adjusted as shown in FIG. 9 of the first embodiment described above, the ultraviolet curing adhesive 105 is cured and the positioning adjustment is performed, and the optical mirror 100 is not positioned in the y-axis direction. It is movable in the y-axis direction. As described above, when the optical mirror 100 can be moved in the y-axis direction, the optical mirror 100 is bent and deformed when the photocurable resin 105a is inserted into and removed from the trace recess 105b as in the second embodiment described above. Therefore, it is possible to easily insert and remove, and it is possible to suppress breakage of the optical mirror accompanying the curved deformation of the optical mirror. In this case, in order to perform positioning in the y-axis direction, the end surface 100b of the optical member may be pressed by the pressing member 107 described above.
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the optical mirror was demonstrated as an optical member, it can apply effectively also to lens members, such as an f (theta) lens.
The embodiments according to the present invention have been specifically described above, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and the embodiments of the present invention depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. And can be changed or modified.

1 color printer, 2 main body case, 3Y, 3C, 3M, 3K printer engine, 4 optical writing device, 5 intermediate transfer belt, 6Y, 6C, 6M, 6K photoconductor, 7 charging device, 8 developing device, 9 cleaning device, 13 Transfer roller, 18 Registration roller, 19 Transfer roller, 20 Fixing section, 23 Optical housing, 24Y, 24C, 24M, 24K Light source unit, 28a, 28b Polygon mirror, 29 Imaging lens, 30, 31 Reflection mirror, 100 Optical mirror , 100a base material, 100b end face, 101 reflecting portion, 101a reflecting film, 102 light transmitting portion, 102a coating, 102b trace recess, 103 jig, 104 support portion, 105 UV curable adhesive, 15a light curable resin, 106 rib, 107 Pressure member

JP 2001-215434 A JP 2007-298684 A

Claims (8)

A light source that emits beam-shaped light;
A deflector that deflects and scans the light emitted from the light source;
An optical member for guiding the light emitted from the light source to the scanned body side;
An optical housing to which the optical member is assembled,
In the optical scanning device in which the optical member is assembled to the optical housing by being held at a plurality of positions by a photo-curing resin that is cured when irradiated with light,
A pressing member that covers at least a portion of the surface of the optical member that is held by the photo-curing resin with a film having releasability with respect to the photo-curing resin and that presses the optical member toward the optical housing. An optical scanning device characterized by holding the optical member .   A light source that emits beam-shaped light;
  A deflector that deflects and scans the light emitted from the light source;
  An optical member for guiding the light emitted from the light source to the scanned body side;
  An optical housing to which the optical member is assembled,
  In the optical scanning device in which the optical member is assembled to the optical housing by being held at a plurality of positions by a photo-curing resin that is cured when irradiated with light,
  At least a portion of the surface of the optical member that is held by the photocurable resin is coated with a film having releasability with respect to the photocurable resin, the longitudinal direction of the optical member is y, and the width direction is x. An optical scanning device characterized in that when the thickness direction is z, the outer peripheral surfaces of both end portions in the longitudinal direction of the optical member are covered with the photo-curing resin and the positive and negative six directions of the xyz coordinates are regulated.   The optical scanning device according to claim 2,
  An optical scanning device characterized in that the coating of the photocuring resin on the outer peripheral surface of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the optical member is formed by curing the photocuring resin in a plurality of times.   A light source that emits beam-shaped light;
  A deflector that deflects and scans the light emitted from the light source;
  An optical member for guiding the light emitted from the light source to the scanned body side;
  An optical housing to which the optical member is assembled,
  In the optical scanning device in which the optical member is assembled to the optical housing by being held at a plurality of positions by a photo-curing resin that is cured when irradiated with light,
  At least a portion of the surface of the optical member that is held by the photocurable resin is coated with a film having releasability with respect to the photocurable resin, the longitudinal direction of the optical member is y, and the width direction is x. Assuming that the thickness direction is z, at least one direction is fixed by a pressing member that presses in the positive and negative six directions of the xyz coordinate of the optical member, and the remaining direction is restricted by holding the optical member by the photo-curing resin. An optical scanning device characterized by that.   In the optical scanning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
  The coating is a vapor deposition film, and the vapor deposition film is made of at least one polymer material of polycarbonate, polyimide, polysilazane, acrylate, polyurethane, epoxy, polyetherimide, polysulfone, and a block copolymer / copolymer mixture. An optical scanning device comprising:   In the optical scanning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
  The optical scanning device, wherein the photocurable resin is a photocurable adhesive that adheres to a support portion that supports the optical member formed on the housing.   In the optical scanning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
  Light that cures the photocurable resin can be transmitted to a portion of the optical member that does not have a function of guiding the light emitted from the light source to the scanned body side, and has a releasability with respect to the photocurable resin. An optical scanning device characterized by being coated with a coating having the same.   A photoconductor, a charging device that uniformly charges the surface of the photoconductor, and an optical writing device that forms an electrostatic latent image by irradiating a light beam onto the surface of the photoconductor charged by the charging device. In the image forming apparatus,
  The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical writing device is an optical scanning device according to claim 1.

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