JP5375225B2 - Light source device, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a light source device, an optical scanning device having the light source device, and an image forming apparatus equipped with the optical scanning device.

  An image forming method for forming a latent image by optical scanning on an image carrier (for example, a photoconductive photosensitive member) is a variety of image forming apparatuses such as a digital copying apparatus, a laser printer, a laser facsimile, or a complex machine thereof. Has been widely implemented. A “multi-beam scanning method” is known as an optical scanning method capable of realizing high-speed image formation by optical scanning, and as a laser light source suitable for this scanning method, a surface emitting laser (hereinafter referred to as “VCSEL”) has recently been used. Usage is increasing.

  What is known as a conventional multi-beam scanning laser light source, “end-emitting semiconductor laser array”, and what uses a plurality of end-emitting semiconductor lasers (hereinafter referred to as “EEL”) to “combine with a combining prism” Then, the number of laser emission points obtained at the same time is about several at most.

  In contrast, VCSELs can arrange “several tens to hundreds of laser emission points” in the same plane from which laser light is emitted, and can be independently modulated. Drawing can be performed, and the high speed of image formation, which is an advantage of multi-beam scanning, can be fully utilized.

  Further, in the conventional EEL, for example, even if the light amount of the light beam emitted from the EEL increases or decreases due to deterioration with time or the like, as shown in an example in FIG. The information is acquired by a monitoring mechanism (photodiode (PD) or the like) and an appropriate value of the injection current is determined (such a mechanism is called Auto Power Control, abbreviated as APC). Therefore, the amount of light directed toward the surface to be scanned is always stable, and it is possible to suppress deterioration in image quality.

However, in the case of a VCSEL, the backlight cannot be monitored due to structural features. Therefore, it has been proposed to implement APC with various devices.
For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-332142) previously proposed by the present applicant, the light output amount of the light emitting element is intermittently fed back in accordance with the change in the light output of the light emitting element. A light-emitting element control device that automatically changes the amount of drive current, a plurality of light-emitting elements that can be individually controlled from the outside, and a light-receiving element that receives light output from the plurality of light-emitting elements and outputs a light intensity information signal to the outside And a light emitting element that individually and intermittently and sequentially emits each light emitting element in the optical device and individually controls the drive current amount of each light emitting element by feeding back the light intensity information signal A light emitting element that is not the light emitting element that is closest to the light emitting element for which feedback control has been completed immediately before. As a light emitting element for Dobakku control, the light emitting element control device, characterized in that it comprises means for controlling the execution order of the feedback control of each light-emitting element is described.
Specifically, each light emitting element of the LD unit emits light intermittently and individually, and the light receiving element receives the output light of the light emitting element to obtain light intensity information. Then, the light intensity information is fed back, and the drive current amount is automatically changed according to the change in the light output of the light emitting element. A light emitting element that is not the nearest light emitting element of the light emitting element for which feedback control has been completed immediately before is always selected, and then feedback control is performed. In this way, by performing feedback control on the light output amount of the light emitting element, the light output amount can be stabilized in a short time.

Further, Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-213246) discloses that in a light source driving circuit that drives a plurality of light emitters, the light emission level current exceeds the light emission level current defined according to the amount of light emitted by each of the plurality of light emitters. A light source driving circuit characterized by adding a shoot current is described.
Specifically, the light source driving circuit includes a light source driver that applies a driving voltage Vd to the base of the transistor TR added to each light emitting unit based on the modulation data from the writing control circuit, a resistor R1, and a resistor R2. , A capacitor C, and an overshoot current generating circuit including an RC circuit by a combination of the variable capacitance diode Cv, and the overshoot current is added to the light emission level current defined according to the light emission quantity. This makes it possible to make the rising characteristics of the light emitting units equal to each other.

As described above, it has been proposed to implement APC with various devices. FIG. 2 shows one specific example of the light source device by the present inventors.
FIG. 2 shows the layout of the optical elements arranged in the light source unit of the light source device. Reference numeral 1 denotes a VCSEL, 2 denotes a coupling lens, 3 denotes a separation element, 4 denotes a reflection mirror, and 5 denotes a collection mirror. An optical lens 6 is a monitor photodiode (hereinafter referred to as monitor PD). The light beam emitted from the VCSEL 1 is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by the coupling lens 2 and guided to the separation element 3. The separation element 3 has a reflecting surface on the side on which the light beam is incident, and has a punched opening at the center. Therefore, a part of the light beam passes through the opening by the separation element 3, and a part of the light beam is guided to another optical path by the reflecting surface. The light beam that has passed through the opening is guided to a scanning surface (not shown) (for example, an image carrier made of a photoconductive photosensitive member), and forms a latent image on the scanning surface based on image information. Used. On the other hand, the light beam guided to another optical path by the reflecting surface is reflected by the reflecting mirror 4, passes through the condenser lens 5, is condensed by the action of the condenser lens 5, and is a suitable beam spot on the monitor PD 6. Form. This beam spot is converted into electrical energy by the monitor PD 6, and the amount of current to be injected into the VCSEL 1 is determined by a system (not shown) based on the information. As a result, the light beam that has passed through the opening of the separation element 3 is determined. The amount of light is controlled so as to be always constant.

What is very important in this method is that the degree of fluctuation of the light amount of the light beam guided to the monitor PD 6 on the reflecting surface is proportional to the degree of fluctuation of the light beam passing through the opening of the separation element 3. For this purpose, the light source unit must be configured so that the light beam guided to the monitor PD 6 does not cause flare or the like for some reason along the optical path.
In particular, since the opening of the separation element 3 is formed by punching, burrs are inevitably generated, and undesirable flares and the like may occur due to the influence of the burrs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a configuration of a light source device that can constantly supply a light beam with a stable light amount to a surface to be scanned in response to the above-mentioned problems unique to VCSELs. And providing an optical scanning device capable of always obtaining a stable image by using the light source device, and further, an image capable of performing stable image formation using the optical scanning device. A forming apparatus is provided.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides: “A light beam emitted from a surface emitting laser is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by at least one lens, and the converted light beam is applied to a surface to be scanned by a separation element. The light beam to be guided and the other light beam are separated, the separated light beam should be guided to a light receiving element for measuring the amount of light, and injected into the surface emitting laser based on the measurement result a light source apparatus "constituted by the light source unit equipped with a system for determining the current amount," the separation element, the opening made from the reflective surface other than the opening, punching direction of the burr generated in the opening The separation element is installed in the light source unit so that the incident direction of the light beam coincides with the incident direction of the light beam.
Further, the present invention is directed to “a light beam emitted from a surface emitting laser is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by at least one lens, and the converted light beam is guided to a scanned surface by a separation element. A system that splits a beam into a light beam and other light beams, guides the separated light beam to a light receiving element for measuring the amount of light, and determines the amount of current to be injected into the surface emitting laser based on the measurement result In the light source device including the light source unit, the separation element includes an opening and a reflective surface other than the opening, and the punching burr generated in the opening is only on the exit side of the opening. Exists ”(claim 2).
Furthermore, in the light source device of the present invention, “the separation element has a square shape, and one of the four side surfaces or two that do not face each other is supported by the light source unit, and is pressed from the opposite side of the reflecting surface. It is fixed by means "(Claim 3).
Further, in the light source device of the present invention, “the separation element is installed at a certain angle with respect to the light beam, and the angle is set to be inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the opening. (Claim 4).
In the light source device of the present invention, “the separation element has a point-symmetric shape” (Claim 5).

The optical scanning device of the present invention includes: a light source device having the above configuration, a deflecting unit that deflects a light beam from the light source device, and a scanning optical system that guides the light beam from the deflecting unit to the surface to be scanned. (Claim 6).
Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention includes the optical scanning device having the above-described structure as a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image by exposing a light beam to an image carrier. ).

In the light source device of the present invention, the separation element is installed in the light source unit so that the punching direction of the burr generated at the opening of the separation element and the incident direction of the light beam coincide with each other. Can be prevented in advance, and the amount of light beam traveling toward the surface to be scanned can be constantly stabilized. Note that if the punching direction of the opening of the separation element and the incident direction of the light beam are the same direction, the punching formation burr generated at the opening of the separation element exists only on the exit side of the opening, and therefore the incident of the opening No flare light is generated on the side.
In the light source device of the present invention, the separation element has a rectangular shape, and one of the four side surfaces or two that do not face each other is supported by the light source unit, and is fixed by the pressing means from the opposite side of the reflecting surface. Therefore, it is possible to prevent generation of unnecessary power due to deformation of the separation element accompanying temperature change.
Furthermore, in the light source device of the present invention, the separation element is installed at a certain angle with respect to the light beam, and the angle is set so as to be inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the opening. Even if flare light generated by the burr reaches the surface to be scanned, the flare light is caused by a portion having a small light energy, so that the influence can be prevented.
Furthermore, in the light source device of the present invention, it is possible to ensure that the deformation accompanying the temperature change is isotropic by making the separating element a point-symmetric shape.

In the optical scanning device of the present invention, a stable image can be always obtained by using the light source device having the above-described configuration and effects and capable of supplying a light beam having a stable light amount to the surface to be scanned. Can do.
In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, stable image formation can be performed by using the optical scanning device.

It is a figure which shows one Example of this invention, Comprising: It is a schematic block diagram of the light source unit which comprises a light source device. It is a figure which shows an example of the layout of the optical element in the light source unit of the light source device which concerns on this invention. It is a figure which shows the monitor light quantity ratio measured with respect to the magnitude | size of the electric current injected into VCSEL, (a) is a figure which shows the monitor light quantity ratio when there is no influence of flare light, (b) is the figure which shows the influence of flare light. It is a figure which shows the monitor light quantity ratio when there exists. It is a figure which shows the example of the shape of a separation element, an example of the burr | flash which generate | occur | produces in an opening part, and the incident direction of a light beam. It is explanatory drawing of the burr | flash which generate | occur | produces in the opening part of a separation element, and the flare light (scattered light) by a burr | flash. It is a principal part enlarged view of the light source unit shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the inclination direction of a separation element with respect to a light beam, (a) is energy distribution of a light beam, (b) is a light beam which passes the longitudinal direction of a separation element, (c) is the transversal direction of a separation element. It is a figure which shows the light beam which passes. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an essential part of an optical scanning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus (laser printer) showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the monitoring mechanism of the back light built in the semiconductor laser of edge emission.

  Hereinafter, specific configurations, operations, and effects for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiments.

[Example 1]
As a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a light source unit constituting a light source device. Further, in the light source unit 10, the layout of the optical elements in the unit is the same as that shown in FIG.
1 and 2, reference numeral 1 is a VCSEL, 2 is a coupling lens, 3 is a separation element, 4 is a reflecting mirror, 5 is a condenser lens, 6 is a photodiode for monitoring (hereinafter referred to as a monitor PD), 8 is a support member for the optical element, and 9 is a substrate on which the VCSEL and the monitor PD are mounted. The light beam emitted from the VCSEL 1 is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by the coupling lens 2 and guided to the separation element 3. The separation element 3 has a reflection surface on the side where the light beam is incident, and has an opening 3a by punching in the center. Therefore, a part of the light beam passes through the opening 3a by the separation element 3, and a part of the light beam is guided to another optical path by the reflecting surface. The light beam that has passed through the opening 3a is guided to a scanning surface (not shown) (for example, an image carrier made of a photoconductive photosensitive member), and forms a latent image on the scanning surface based on image information. Used for On the other hand, the light beam guided to another optical path by the reflecting surface is reflected by the reflecting mirror 4, passes through the condenser lens 5, is condensed by the action of the condenser lens 5, and is a suitable beam spot on the monitor PD 6. Form. This beam spot is converted into electrical energy by the monitor PD 6, and the amount of current to be injected into the VCSEL 1 is determined by a system (not shown) based on the information. As a result, the light beam that has passed through the opening 3 a of the separation element 3. The amount of light is controlled so as to be always constant.

In general, considering mass productivity, the opening 3a of the separation element 3 is formed by punching a metal plate. At this time, burr is a problem. FIG. 4 shows an example of a burr generated at the opening 3 a of the separation element 3.
When the separation element 3 is formed of a metal plate and the opening 3a is formed by punching a metal plate, as shown in the photomicrograph shown in FIG. 4, a lot of “local warping” occurs in the punching direction, A burr shaped like a jagged warp occurs on the punched side.
The burr scatters the light beam, which has various effects on the optical properties as flare light.
Here, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of burrs generated in the opening 3a of the separation element 3 and flare light (scattered light) by the burrs. 5A is a perspective view of the separation element 3 having the same shape as that in FIG. 4, and FIG. 5B is a cutaway view schematically showing an enlarged portion A surrounded by a one-dot chain line in FIG. . As shown in FIG. 5, when the opening 3a of the separation element 3 is formed by punching, the punching side (the side into which the punching jig enters) is a smooth surface. Flare light (scattered light) is not generated. However, a burr that warps in the punching direction is generated at the opening end of the punched side (the side from which the punching jig comes off), and the tip of this burr has a fracture surface that warps in a jagged manner. Therefore, when a light beam in the direction opposite to the punching direction is incident on the opening 3a of the separation element 3, flare light (scattered light) is generated due to the burr of the burr and the fracture surface. In the case of the optical system arranged as shown in FIG. 2, if the burr of the opening 3a of the separation element 3 is present on the incident side of the light beam, flare light is generated by the burr, and the flare light is transmitted to the monitor PD6. When incident, accurate light quantity detection cannot be performed.

Even in the conventional light source unit, the influence of flare light should be a problem, but since the distance from the opening to the scanned surface is very long, only a small amount of flare light reaches the scanned surface, The flare light hardly manifested as image quality degradation.
However, in the case of the light source unit 10 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, since the distance between the separation element 3 having the opening 3a and the monitor PD 6 is relatively short, the influence of flare light is caused when the light amount of the monitor PD 6 is monitored. It has a big effect.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, assuming that the light quantity of the light beam passing through the opening 3a of the separation element 3 is P ₂ and the light quantity of the light beam reaching the monitor PD 6 is P ₃ , the monitor light quantity ratio P ₃ / P ₂ is When measured with respect to the magnitude I of the current injected into the VCSEL 1, the monitor light quantity ratio P ₃ / P ₂ ideally exhibits characteristics parallel to the horizontal axis, as shown in FIG. However, when the flare light reaches the monitor PD6, P ₃ is the amount of light of that amount is plus, monitor the light quantity ratio P _{3 /} P ₂ indicates the characteristics of a soaring as in FIG. 3 (b). In this case, appropriate light quantity correction cannot be performed, and the light quantity of the light beam that reaches the surface to be scanned is not stable.

Of course, if a process for removing burrs generated in the opening 3a of the separation element 3 is added, the problem of flare light can be improved. However, this increases the cost and deteriorates the reflecting surface during the removal process. There is a risk of inviting. Therefore, in the present invention, when the separation element 3 is attached to the light source unit 10 by utilizing the feature that the direction of the burr generated by the punching is basically determined by the punching direction, FIG. 4 and FIG. As described above, the direction of burrs generated in the opening 3a of the separation element 3 is made to coincide with the incident direction of the light beam. Further, in the case of burrs generated by punching as described above, the direction in which the burrs are generated is the punching direction. Therefore, the separation element 3 is installed in the light source unit 10 so that the punching direction matches the incident direction of the light beam. That is, the burr generated in the opening 3a of the separation element 3 is made to exist only on the emission side of the opening 3a.
In this manner, since the reflecting surface of the separation element 3 is not burr, the light beam separated by at least a reflective surface of the separation element 3 without being affected by the burr, the quantity of monitoring light P ₃ is the flare light The amount of light is ignored.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A, the separation element 3 has a rectangular shape and therefore has four side surfaces. When the separation element 3 is fixed to the light source unit 10, as shown in the enlarged view of the main part in FIG. 6, one of the four side surfaces of the separation element 3 is supported, and the pressing means is provided from the opposite side of the reflection surface. It is preferably fixed to the support member 8 by an elastic member (plate spring, spring, rubber or the like) 7. The reason is as follows.

  For example, when the environmental temperature of the light source unit 10 changes, the separation element 3 also linearly expands due to the influence, and changes its shape. However, if two opposing side surfaces of the separation element 3 are supported and fixed, stress is applied to the shape change, and the separation element 3 may be deformed to have a curvature. In that case, the light beam separated by the influence is subjected to a converging action or a diverging action, and the light beam transmitted through the condenser lens 5 does not form a beam spot suitable for the monitor PD 6. Therefore, in order to prevent this, it is necessary to avoid two opposing surfaces when at least the separation element 3 is supported by the light source unit 10. In order to make this deformation isotropic, the shape of the separation element 3 is preferably point-symmetric.

  In FIG. 6, the separation element 3 is installed with an inclination of about 45 ° with respect to the light beam. This inclination direction is made to coincide with the longitudinal direction of the opening 3 a of the separation element 3. In the present invention, this angle is not necessarily 45 °, but having the angle is necessary for separating the light beam guided to the monitor PD 6, and because of this angle, the opening of the separation element 3 is used. A part of the light beam passing through 3a may be greatly affected by burrs that are not inclined. Previously, it was mentioned that this effect is rarely manifested as image quality degradation because the distance to the surface to be scanned is long. But that being said, this case is not completely absent. Therefore, in order to keep the image quality suitable, it is preferable to remove the influence of such burrs as much as possible.

  Therefore, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, with respect to the light beam having the energy distribution of (a), the separation element 3 is installed with an angle as shown in (b). Is set to be inclined by approximately 45 ° with respect to the longitudinal direction of the opening 3a. In this way, since the energy of the light beam affected by burrs is a very small portion, it is possible to minimize degradation of image quality. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3C, the short direction of the opening of the separation element 3 passes a portion with high energy, so it is not preferable to tilt the short direction side.

[Example 2]
As a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 shows only a main part of a configuration example of the optical scanning device of the present invention.
The light beam emitted from the light source unit 10 is incident on a cylindrical lens 11 which is a “line image imaging optical system”. The cylindrical lens 11 has a powerless direction in the main scanning direction, a positive power in the sub-scanning direction, and focuses an incident light beam in the sub-scanning direction. The light is condensed in the vicinity of the twelve deflection reflecting surfaces.

The light beam reflected by the deflecting reflecting surface of the polygon mirror 12 passes through the soundproof glass 13 and is deflected at a constant angular velocity as the polygon mirror 12 rotates at a constant speed, and forms two “scanning optical systems”. 14 and 15, passes through the dust-proof glass 16, and is condensed as a light spot on the image carrier (photoconductive photosensitive member) 111 forming the substance of the “scanned surface”. Light scan.
Prior to the optical scanning, the light beam enters the mirror 17 and is collected by the condenser lens 18 on the light receiving element 19 for synchronous detection. Based on the output of the light receiving element 110, the writing start timing of the optical scanning is determined.

  The “scanning optical system” configured as shown in FIG. 8 is an optical system that focuses the light beam deflected by the polygon mirror 12 on the surface to be scanned 111 as a light spot. In this example, the number of lenses in the scanning optical system is two, but it goes without saying that it may be composed of any number of lenses. In addition, the polygon mirror 12 is exemplified as the deflecting unit, but an optical deflector such as a pyramid mirror or a vibrating mirror can also be used as the deflecting unit.

[Example 3]
As a third embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 9 shows a configuration example of an image forming apparatus. This image forming apparatus is an example of a laser printer.
The laser printer 100 has a “cylindrical photoconductive photosensitive member” as the image carrier 111. Around the image carrier 111, a charging roller 112 as a charging unit, a developing device 113, a transfer roller 114, and a cleaning device 115 are provided. A “corona charger” can also be used as the charging means.

  Further, the laser printer 100 is provided with an optical scanning device 117 that performs optical scanning with the laser beam LB, and performs “exposure by optical writing” between the charging roller 112 and the developing device 113. As the optical scanning device 117, the optical scanning device having the structure shown in FIG. 8 described in the second embodiment is used.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 116 denotes a fixing device, reference numeral 118 denotes a paper feeding cassette, reference numeral 119 denotes a paper feeding roller, reference numeral 120 denotes a registration roller pair, reference numeral 121 denotes a conveyance path, reference numeral 122 denotes a discharge roller pair, and reference numeral 123 denotes a paper discharge. A tray and a symbol P indicate transfer paper as a recording medium.
When image formation is performed, the image carrier 111, which is a photoconductive photosensitive member, is rotated at a constant speed in the clockwise direction, and the surface thereof is uniformly charged by the charging roller 112. An electrostatic latent image is formed upon exposure by optical writing of the laser beam LB. The formed electrostatic latent image is a so-called “negative latent image”, and the image portion is exposed.
This electrostatic latent image is reversely developed by the developing device 113, and a toner image is formed on the image carrier 111.

The paper feed cassette 118 storing the transfer paper P is detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus 100. When the transfer paper P is mounted as shown in the drawing, the uppermost sheet of the stored transfer paper P is fed by the paper supply roller 119. The fed transfer paper P is fed to the registration roller pair 120 at the leading end. The registration roller pair 120 feeds the transfer paper P to the transfer unit in time with the toner image on the image carrier 111 moving to the transfer position. The transferred transfer paper P is superimposed on the toner image at the transfer portion, and the toner image is electrostatically transferred by the action of the transfer roller 114. The transfer paper P to which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing device 116, where the toner image is fixed by the fixing device 116, passes through the conveyance path 121, and is discharged onto the paper discharge tray 123 by the paper discharge roller pair 122.
In addition, the surface of the image carrier 111 after the toner image is transferred is cleaned by the cleaning device 115 to remove residual toner, paper dust, and the like.

  In the laser printer 100 having such a configuration and operation, by using the “optical scanning device as shown in FIG. 7” described in the second embodiment as the optical scanning device 1171, extremely good and stable image formation is performed. Can do.

1: Surface emitting laser (VCSEL)
2: Coupling lens 3: Separation element 3a: Aperture 4: Reflection mirror 5: Condensing lens 6: Monitor photodiode (monitor PD)
7: Pressing means 8: Support member 9: Substrate 10: Light source unit 11: Cylindrical lens 12: Polygon mirror (deflecting means)
13: Soundproof glass 14, 15: Scanning lens 16: Dustproof glass 17: Mirror 18: Condensing lens 19: Light receiving element for synchronous detection 111: Image carrier (photoconductive photosensitive member) (scanned surface)
112: Charging roller (charging means)
113: Developing device 114: Transfer roller 115: Cleaning device 116: Fixing device 118: Paper feed cassette 119: Paper feed roller 120: Registration roller pair 121: Transport path 122: Paper discharge roller pair 123: Paper discharge tray P: Transfer paper (recoding media)

JP 2006-332142 A JP 2008-213246 A

Claims (7)

The light beam emitted from the surface emitting laser is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by at least one lens, and the converted light beam is guided to the surface to be scanned by the separation element and other light beams. The light source unit is equipped with a system that guides the separated light beam to a light receiving element for measuring the amount of light and determines the amount of current to be injected into the surface emitting laser based on the measurement result in the light source device is, the separation element, the opening made from the reflective surface other than the opening, the separation to match the the punching direction of the burr generated in the opening and the direction of incidence of the light beam An element is installed in the light source unit. The light beam emitted from the surface emitting laser is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by at least one lens, and the converted light beam is guided to the surface to be scanned by the separation element and other light beams. The light source unit is equipped with a system that guides the separated light beam to a light receiving element for measuring the amount of light and determines the amount of current to be injected into the surface emitting laser based on the measurement result In the light source device, the separation element includes an opening and a reflective surface other than the opening, and a punching burr generated in the opening exists only on the exit side of the opening. Light source device.   3. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein the separation element has a rectangular shape, and one of four side surfaces, or two that do not face each other, is supported by the light source unit, and from the opposite side of the reflection surface. A light source device characterized by being fixed by a pressing means.   4. The light source device according to claim 1, wherein the separation element is installed at an angle with respect to the light beam, and the angle is a length of the opening. A light source device that is set to be inclined with respect to a direction. The light source device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The light source device, wherein the separation element has a point-symmetric shape.   6. A light source device according to claim 1, a deflecting unit that deflects a light beam from the light source device, and a scanning optical system that guides the light beam from the deflecting unit to the surface to be scanned. An optical scanning device comprising: An image forming apparatus comprising: the optical scanning device according to claim 6 as latent image forming means for forming a latent image by exposing a light beam to an image carrier.

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