JP5272566B2 - Scanning line tilt adjusting mechanism, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a mechanism for adjusting the inclination of a scanning line, an optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus.

  Image forming apparatuses such as laser beam printers, digital copiers, and laser fax machines connect polygon mirrors that are formed into polygons that deflect and scan light beams from a light source, and light beams scanned by the polygon mirrors on the surface of the photoreceptor. An optical element (scanning lens) for imaging is provided, and a light detector is provided on the scanning start side outside the effective exposure region in order to determine the writing start position.

  In such a color image forming apparatus, there is a problem that the laser scanning line is curved or tilted due to the field curvature characteristic of the optical element, the twist of the optical housing, the twist when the photoconductor is attached, and the like.

  Various methods for solving this problem have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a method of adjusting the scanning line inclination by moving the reflection mirror in a direction along the optical axis direction with one side of the reflection mirror as a fulcrum.

  However, there is no disclosure about limiting the amount of movement of the movable side spring of the reflecting mirror, and the adjustment of the reflecting mirror can be performed when an impact or the like that reaches the plastic deformation region of the movable side spring is applied. There is a possibility of disappearing.

In Patent Document 2, a movable spring on both ends is provided with the center of the second scanning lens having power in the sub-scanning direction as a fulcrum, and one side is moved at right angles to the optical axis direction. There has been proposed a method for adjusting the angle, and it has been proposed to add a regulating member for regulating movement before reaching the plastic deformation region of the movable springs on both sides.
JP 2003-287700 A JP 2007-121635 A

  However, the simplest and cheapest optical system having only the first scanning lens having power in the main and sub-scanning directions does not include the second scanning lens. I can't.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and a scanning line inclination adjusting mechanism that prevents the movable spring from moving to a plastic deformation region due to the influence of an impact or the like, and an optical scanning apparatus and an image forming apparatus provided with the scanning line inclination adjusting mechanism. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, as a first aspect, a reflective optical element that is supported using one end as a fulcrum and deflects the scanning beam, and the reflective optical element to the other end of the reflective optical element. A contact member for rotating the reflective optical element by contacting the reflective surface in a direction perpendicular to the reflective surface and adjusting the scanning line inclination, and a leaf spring shape for pressing the reflective optical element from the opposite direction of the contact member A regulating member that restricts the amount of movement of the reflective optical element by tilt adjustment, and the pressing member are integrally formed, and the regulating member is orthogonal to the reflecting surface of the reflective optical element. It has a short-side direction end surface to the surface on which is positioned overlapping the reflective surface of the is formed so as to extend from the plane in a direction parallel to the reflecting surface, in the longitudinal direction of the reflective optical element, the pressing member than the position for pressing the reflecting surface There is provided a scanning line tilt adjusting mechanism being disposed only on the part side.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, as a second aspect, an optical scanning apparatus including the scanning line inclination adjusting mechanism according to the first aspect of the present invention, comprising: a light beam emitting unit; A main scanning line deflecting unit that deflects the light beam emitted from the light beam emitting unit in the main scanning direction; and a scanning lens that condenses the scanning beam in the main scanning line direction and the sub scanning line direction. An optical scanning device that irradiates a light irradiation object with a scanning beam deflected by the means is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, as a third aspect, a latent image carrier by irradiating the surface of the latent image carrier with a light beam corresponding to the image information while scanning the latent image carrier. Optical writing means for writing a latent image on the surface of the body, and developing means for developing the visible latent image formed on the surface of the latent image carrier by the optical writing means to make a visible image. The present invention provides an image forming apparatus using the optical scanning device according to the second aspect of the present invention.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the scanning line inclination adjustment mechanism which prevented the movement to the plastic deformation area | region of the movable side spring by the influence of an impact etc., an optical scanning apparatus provided with this, and an image forming apparatus can be provided.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic internal configuration of a digital color writing processing system according to the present embodiment. As shown, this system includes polygon mirrors 1a and 1b, soundproof glasses 2a and 2b, lenses 3a and 3b, first mirrors 4a to 4d, second mirrors 6a to 6d, third mirrors 7a to 7d, It has dustproof glasses 8a-8d, photoconductors 9a-9d, a lid 10, an upper lid 11, a lower lid 12, and optical housings 13a, 13b.

  The polygon mirrors 1a and 1b have reflection mirrors on polygonal side surfaces, and deflect and scan laser light emitted from a light source (not shown) by high-speed rotation. The soundproof glasses 2a and 2b have a soundproof effect of a polygon motor. The lenses 3a and 3b convert the equiangular motion of the beam scanning into a uniform linear motion by the polygon mirrors 1a and 1b, and correct the surface tilt of the polygon mirrors 1a and 1b. The first mirrors 4a to 4d, the second mirrors 6a to 6d, and the third mirrors 7a to 7d guide laser beams to the photoconductors 9a to 9d. The dustproof glasses 8a to 8d prevent dust and the like from falling into the optical housing. The photoreceptors 9a to 9d form images. The optical elements are arranged on the optical housings 13a (wall surfaces) and 13b (optical element arrangement surfaces). The lid 10, the upper lid 11, and the lower lid 12 seal the optical housings 13a and 13b.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic configuration of a digital color copying machine including the digital color writing processing system according to the present embodiment.
This is an apparatus for forming images on the photoconductors 9 a to 9 d with writing laser beams 14 a to 14 d emitted from the optical housing 13 and transferring the images to the intermediate transfer belt 18. In the drawing, an arrow A indicates the driving direction of the intermediate transfer belt 18.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a scanning line inclination adjusting mechanism applied to the digital color writing processing system according to the present embodiment.
The mirror 4 for guiding the laser beam to the photosensitive member 9, the fulcrum side leaf spring 22 for fixing the mirror 4, the pulse motor 26 on the movable portion side of the mirror end for holding the mirror 4 and automatically adjusting the scanning line inclination, the pulse motor holder 27, an adjuster 28, a movable side leaf spring 29, and a receiving portion 30 of the optical housing.

  As shown in FIG. 4, a scanning line inclination adjusting stepping motor 26 is provided so that the end of the reflective optical element (mirror 4) is pushed by an adjuster 28, and by rotating the stepping motor, The adjuster 28 moves in the vertical direction in FIG. 5 according to the rotation direction. In conjunction with the movement of the stepping motor 26 and the adjuster 28, the mirror 4 tilts (moves) in the direction perpendicular to the reflecting surface, and the scanning line tilt can be adjusted as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the tilt of the scanning line is adjusted by tilting the mirror 4 in the direction perpendicular to the reflecting surface, the mirror 4 is adjusted in order to improve the followability of the mirror 4 with respect to the pull-in direction of the adjuster 28. A movable leaf spring 29 is provided on the opposite side of the adjuster 28.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, the fulcrum side of the mirror 4 is supported by the receiving portion 30 of the optical housing, and a fulcrum leaf spring 22 is provided on the opposite side. That is, the fulcrum side of the mirror 4 is pressed against the receiving portion 30 of the optical housing by the elastic force of the fulcrum side spring 22. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to tilt the fulcrum in the direction perpendicular to the reflecting surface without supporting one end of the mirror 4 with a bearing.

In the conventional configuration as shown in FIG. 10, when an impact (such as when the main body is transported) exceeding the elastic deformation region is applied to the movable side leaf spring 29 in the tilt direction of the mirror 4, the movable side leaf spring 29 is plastically deformed. In some cases, the scanning line inclination adjustment cannot be performed.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a part of the movable side leaf spring 29 is bent to provide a restriction shape portion, and the movable amount is restricted, so that it is simple and saves without adding another part. A movable amount can be regulated in the space to prevent plastic deformation of the movable side leaf spring 29.

  As described above, according to this embodiment, the scanning lens (the lens having the main power in the main and sub-scanning directions) has a simple configuration of one color, and has at least one folding mirror for each color. In the optical scanning device that adjusts the scanning line inclination with one side of the mirror as a fulcrum, the movable spring can be prevented from moving to the plastic deformation region due to the influence of an impact or the like.

  In addition, the said embodiment is an example of suitable implementation of this invention, and various deformation | transformation are possible for this invention, without being limited to this.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic internal configuration of a digital color writing processing system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a digital color copying machine according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of a scanning line inclination adjustment mechanism. It is a figure which shows the structure of the movable end part of the mirror of a scanning line inclination adjustment mechanism. It is a figure which shows an example of the mechanism which converts the rotational motion of a stepping motor into a linear motion. It is a figure which shows the state which inclines a mirror in the direction perpendicular | vertical to a reflective surface, and adjusts a scanning line inclination. It is a figure which shows the structure of the scanning-line inclination adjustment mechanism which concerns on suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the scanning-line inclination adjustment mechanism which concerns on suitable embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the support end part of the mirror of a scanning line inclination adjustment mechanism. It is a figure which shows the structure of the movable end part of the mirror of the conventional scanning line inclination adjustment mechanism provided with the control member.

Explanation of symbols

1a, 1b Polygon mirror 2a, 2b Soundproof mirror 3a, 3b Lens 4 Mirror 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d First mirror 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d Second mirror 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d Third mirror 8a 8b, 8c, 8d Dust-proof glass 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d Photoconductor 10 Lid 11 Upper lid 12 Lower lid 13a Optical housing (wall surface)
13b Optical housing (optical element placement surface)
14a, 14b, 14c, 14d Optical path 15 Optical housing 18 Intermediate transfer belt 20 Digital color machine 22 Supporting side leaf spring 26 Pulse motor 27 Pulse motor holder 28 Adjuster 29 Movable side leaf spring 30 Receiving part of optical housing

Claims (6)

A reflection optical element that is supported with one end as a fulcrum and deflects the scanning beam, and the other end of the reflection optical element abuts on the reflection surface of the reflection optical element from a direction perpendicular to the reflection optical element. A reflection member that rotates the optical element and adjusts the scan line inclination; and a leaf spring-shaped pressing member that presses the reflection optical element from a direction opposite to the contact member, and the reflection by adjusting the inclination. A restricting member that limits the amount of movement of the optical element and the pressing member are integrally formed,
The restricting member has a surface arranged so as to overlap an end surface in a short direction of the reflecting surface of the reflecting optical element orthogonal to the reflecting surface of the reflecting optical element, and from this surface in a direction parallel to the reflecting surface. A scanning line inclination adjusting mechanism, wherein the scanning line inclination adjusting mechanism is formed so as to extend, and is disposed only on an end side of a position where the pressing member presses the reflecting surface in the longitudinal direction of the reflecting optical element. The pressing member is formed so as to extend in the longitudinal direction from a first surface arranged so as to overlap with an end surface in a longitudinal direction of a reflecting surface in the reflective optical element,
The said regulating member is formed so that it may extend in the said transversal direction from the 2nd surface arrange | positioned overlapping with the end surface of the transversal direction of the reflective surface in the said reflective optical element. The scanning line tilt adjustment mechanism.   The said abutting member is an adjuster installed in the rotating shaft of a stepping motor, The rotation amount of the said reflective optical element changes according to the rotation amount of the said stepping motor, The Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned. Scan line tilt adjustment mechanism.   The one end of the reflective optical element is pressed against and supported by a predetermined member in the same direction as the pressing direction of the pressing member. The scanning line tilt adjustment mechanism. An optical scanning device comprising the scanning line inclination adjusting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A light beam emitting means; a main scanning line deflecting means for deflecting the light beam emitted from the light beam emitting means in the main scanning direction; and a scanning lens for condensing the scanning beam in the main scanning line direction and the sub scanning line direction. An optical scanning device for irradiating the light irradiation object with the scanning beam deflected by the main scanning line deflecting means. A latent image carrier, an optical writing unit for writing a latent image on the surface of the latent image carrier by irradiating the surface of the latent image carrier with a light beam according to image information, and the optical writing unit And developing means for developing the latent image formed on the surface of the latent image carrier to visualize it,
An image forming apparatus using the optical scanning device according to claim 5 as the optical writing unit.

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