JP6983538B2 - Optical deflector, optical scanning device, and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an optical deflector that deflects and scans a light flux from a light source, an optical scanning apparatus including the optical deflector, and an image forming apparatus.

An optical scanning device used in an image forming apparatus such as a conventional printer or a copying machine photomodulates a laser light flux emitted from a light source in response to an image signal, and the light-modulated laser light beam is converted into light provided with a rotating multifaceted mirror. Deflection scanning is performed with a deflector. A dynamic fluid bearing composed of a shaft and a sleeve is used for the bearing portion that supports the rotating polymorphic mirror that rotates at high speed. The optical deflector is known to have a configuration in which a rotary polymorphic mirror rotates integrally with a shaft (axis rotation type) and a configuration in which a rotary multifaceted mirror rotates integrally with a sleeve (sleeve rotation type).

The optical deflector mainly consists of a rotating portion that rotates integrally with the rotating multi-sided mirror and a stator portion that rotates the rotating portion by electromagnetic force. It is known that when the rotary polymorphic mirror rotates at high speed, the stator portion vibrates, so that high-frequency sound is generated. Further, in recent years, there is a demand for high-speed optical deflectors, which increases the risk of high-frequency sound.

As a measure to prevent the vibration of the stator portion, a technique for increasing the rigidity of the stator portion is known. For example, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a ring-shaped member is added to the gap between the sleeve and the stator portion to increase the rigidity. Further, it is known that the sleeve and the stator portion are fixed to each other.

Patent No. 4636711

However, the above-mentioned conventional example has the following problems.

Any of the above configurations is a technique that can be applied only to a shaft-rotating optical deflector in which the sleeve does not move, and cannot be applied to a sleeve-rotating optical deflector. That is, in the sleeve rotation type optical deflector, the vibration of the stator portion cannot be suppressed. Further, providing additional members and adding a step of fixing increases the number of parts and assembly man-hours, which causes an increase in cost.

An object of the present invention is to improve the resistance to high-frequency sound due to vibration of the stator portion even in a sleeve-rotating optical deflector without adding a member or increasing man-hours.

A typical configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is a rotating polymorphic mirror that deflects and scans a light beam from a light source, a rotating member that rotates integrally with the rotating polymorphic mirror, and a rotating member facing the rotating member. A stator portion that generates a force for rotationally driving the rotating member, a substrate portion that rotatably holds the rotating member, and a base plate that rotatably holds the rotating member, and the rotating member are rotationally driven. It has a circuit board on which a circuit board for mounting the circuit board is mounted, and a board portion composed of the circuit board portion. The stator portion integrally includes an insulating member, and the insulating member is adhesively fixed to the substrate portion. The insulating member and the substrate portion are adhesively fixed by an adhesive for adhesively fixing the base plate and the circuit board .

According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress the vibration of the stator portion even in the optical deflector having the structure in which the rotating polymorphic mirror rotates integrally with the rotating member. This makes it possible to improve the resistance to high-frequency sound due to the vibration of the stator portion. Moreover, it can be realized without increasing the cost.

Partial cross-sectional view of the optical deflector Explanatory drawing of the stator part Schematic diagram illustrating the assembled state of the stator portion and the substrate portion Schematic cross-sectional view of the stator part and the substrate part Schematic cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus Perspective view showing an optical scanning device

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be exemplified in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in the following embodiments should be appropriately changed depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various conditions. Therefore, unless otherwise specified, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to them.

[Example 1]
The optical scanning apparatus and the image forming apparatus provided with the optical deflector according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, first, an image forming apparatus provided with the optical scanning apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described as an example, and then the optical scanning apparatus in the image forming apparatus will be described. Next, an optical deflector to be assembled in the optical scanning device will be described.

[Image forming device]
FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 110 includes an optical scanning apparatus 101, an image carrier (scanned object) such as a photoconductor drum is scanned by the optical scanning apparatus 101, and a recording material such as a recording paper is scanned based on the scanned image. It is an image forming apparatus provided with an image forming means for forming an image. Here, a printer will be illustrated as an image forming apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 5, the image forming apparatus 110 emits a laser light flux based on the obtained image information by an optical scanning apparatus 101 as an exposure means, and an image carrier (scanned) built in the process cartridge 102. The photoconductor drum 103 as a body) is irradiated. Then, a latent image is formed on the photoconductor drum 103, and the latent image is visualized (visualized) as a toner image by the toner as a developer by the process cartridge 102. The process cartridge 102 integrally includes the photoconductor drum 103 and the charging means 111, the developing means 112, and the like as process means acting on the photoconductor drum 103. The process cartridge 102 is removable from the image forming apparatus 110.

On the other hand, the recording material P loaded on the recording material loading plate 104 is fed while being separated one by one by the feeding roller 105, and then further conveyed to the downstream side by the intermediate roller 106. The toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 103 is transferred by the transfer roller 107 onto the conveyed recording material P. The recording material P on which the unfixed toner image is formed is further conveyed to the downstream side, and the toner image is fixed to the recording material P by the fixing device 108 having a heating body inside. After that, the recording material P is discharged to the outside of the machine by the discharge roller 109.

Here, it is determined that the charging means and the developing means as the process means acting on the photoconductor drum 103 are integrally provided in the process cartridge 102 with the photoconductor drum 103, but the present invention is not limited thereto. .. Each process means may be configured separately from the photoconductor drum 103.

[Optical scanning device]
Next, the optical scanning apparatus in the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the optical scanning device.

In the optical scanning apparatus 101 shown in FIG. 6, a cylindrical lens 22, an optical diaphragm 23, and an optical deflector 1 are sequentially arranged in front of the semiconductor laser unit 21 (light source). The optical deflector 1 rotationally drives the rotary multifaceted mirror 2. The fθ lens (scanning lens) 27 and the photoconductor drum 103 are sequentially arranged in the reflection direction of the rotary multifaceted mirror 2.

The optical box 28 is an optical box as a housing for accommodating these optical members (semiconductor laser unit 21, cylindrical lens 22, optical aperture 23, optical deflector 1, rotary polymorphic mirror 2, fθ lens 27). The optical member is housed in a space sealed by an optical box 28, a lid 29, and the like.

The laser luminous flux L emitted from the semiconductor laser unit 21 forms a line image on the reflecting surface on the rotating polymorphic mirror 2 by the cylindrical lens 22. Then, the laser luminous flux L is deflected by rotating the rotary multifaceted mirror 2 by the optical deflector 1, and is irradiated by image scanning on the photoconductor drum 103 by the fθ lens 27.

The laser luminous flux L is deflected and scanned by the rotation of the rotary multifaceted mirror 2, the main scanning is performed by the laser luminous flux L in the photoconductor drum 103, and the subscanning is performed by rotationally driving the photoconductor drum 103 around the axis of the cylinder. Is done. In this way, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor drum 103.

[Light deflector]
Next, the optical deflector 1 in the optical scanning apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of the optical deflector 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the optical deflector 1 includes a rotary multifaceted mirror 2 that deflects and scans a laser beam from a light source, a sleeve (rotating member) 3 that integrally rotates the rotary multifaceted mirror 2, and the sleeve 3. It has a bearing portion provided with a shaft 4 that rotatably holds (supports) the light source. Further, the optical deflector 1 is composed of a metal base plate 6 for holding the shaft 4 and a circuit board 7 on which an electric circuit (circuit unit) for rotationally driving the sleeve 3 is mounted. It has a substrate portion 5. The base plate 6 and the circuit board 7 are fixed (adhesively fixed) with an adhesive 18 (see FIG. 4). The shaft 4 is integrally fixed to the base plate 6. Further, the optical deflector 1 has a stator portion 17 facing the sleeve 3 and generating a force for rotationally driving the sleeve 3.

The rotary multifaceted mirror 2 is placed on the sleeve 3, fixed integrally with the sleeve 3 by a fixture (not shown), and rotates integrally with the sleeve 3. The thrust cover 8 is fixed to the sleeve 3 by caulking or the like, and holds the thrust plate 9 that supports the sleeve 3 in the axial direction by the upper end of the shaft 4. The upper end of the shaft 4 has a spherical shape, and together with the thrust plate 9, constitutes a pivot bearing. The rotor frame 10 is integrally formed on the sleeve 3 by caulking or the like, and the rotor frame 10 holds the rotor magnet 11.

A stator core 12 and a stator coil 13 are installed on the opposite side of the rotor magnet 11. The stator core 12 includes insulators 14 and 15 and a connection pin 16, and constitutes a stator portion 17. The detailed configuration of the stator portion 17 will be described later.

When a current is supplied to the stator coil 13, an electromagnetic force is generated between the rotor magnet 11 and the rotor magnet 11, and the rotor magnet 11, the rotor frame 10 integrally formed with the rotor magnet 11, the rotary multifaceted mirror 2, and the like rotate around the shaft 4. do.

Subsequently, the detailed configuration of the stator portion 17 and the substrate portion 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the stator portion 17. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an assembled state of the stator portion 17 and the substrate portion 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, the stator portion 17 integrally includes insulators 14 and 15 as insulating members. Specifically, the insulator 14 is arranged on the top surface of the stator portion 17, and the insulator 15 is arranged on the bottom surface. The insulator 15 has a stepped portion 15a, a protruding portion 15b, and a through hole 15c. The insulator 15 has at least one protrusion 15b, and here has three protrusions 15b. Further, the insulator 15 has at least one through hole 15c, and here has five through holes 15c. A connection pin 16 is provided in each through hole 15c. The connection pin 16 is bent in the radial direction on the bottom surface side of the stator portion 17.

As shown in FIG. 3, the base plate 6 is provided with a through hole 6a. The circuit board 7 is provided with a through hole 7a and a conduction portion 7b. The through hole 6a and the through hole 7a are provided coaxially, and in a state where the base plate 6 and the circuit board 7 are fixed to each other, a through hole 5a through which each protrusion 15b of the substrate portion 5 penetrates is formed. In the stator portion 17, the protrusion 15b of the insulator 15 is inserted into the through hole 5a of the substrate portion 5, and the relative position with respect to the substrate portion 5 is determined. The connection pin 16 is fixed to the conductive portion 7b of the circuit board 7 by solder or the like, and is responsible for mechanically fixing the stator portion 17 and electrically connecting the stator coil 13 and the circuit board 7.

Subsequently, a method of fixing the stator portion 17 and the substrate portion 5 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the stator portion 17 and the substrate portion 5. As shown in FIG. 4, on the bottom surface of the stator portion 17, between the stepped portion 15a of the insulator 15 and the circuit board 7, between the protrusion 15b of the insulator 15 and the through hole 5a of the substrate portion 5, the base plate 6 and the circuit board. An adhesive 18 such as an ultraviolet curable resin is provided between the seven. It should be noted that the respective portions where the adhesive 18 is provided are actually in close contact with each other and have no gaps, but in FIG. 4, gaps are schematically provided for the sake of clarity of explanation.

Next, a method of applying the adhesive will be described. Adhesive fixing of the insulator 15 of the stator portion 17 and the substrate portion 5 is performed by an adhesive 18 for adhesively fixing between the base plate 6 and the circuit board 7.

First, the adhesive 18 is applied onto the base plate 6. At this time, the adhesive 18 is applied at least in the vicinity of the through hole 6a of the base plate 6. The circuit board 7 is superposed on the base plate 6 coated with the adhesive 18 in this way. When the circuit board 7 is superposed on the base plate 6, the adhesive 18 wraps around the inner surface of the through hole 5a of the substrate portion 5 composed of the through hole 6a provided coaxially and the through hole 7a. The stator portion 17 is provided by inserting the protrusion 15b of the insulator 15 into the through hole 5a of the substrate portion 5. At that time, the adhesive 18 wraps around between the protrusion 15b and the through hole 5a, and the adhesive 18 wraps around between the stepped portion 15a of the insulator 15 and the circuit board 7 via the adhesive 18. The wraparound of the adhesive 18 in the above-mentioned gap is naturally caused by the capillary phenomenon.

Here, when the adhesive 18 is difficult to wrap around due to high viscosity or the like, the diameter of the through hole 7a of the circuit board 7 is made larger than that of the through hole 6a of the base plate 6 so that the adhesive 18 can wrap around positively. Just do it.

The adhesive 18 applied as described above is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays. The adhesive 18 inside the substrate portion 5 is not directly irradiated with ultraviolet rays, but the curing reaction proceeds from the irradiated portion, and the adhesive 18 is completely cured over time. By the above steps, the stator portion 17 and the substrate portion 5 are fixed (adhesively fixed) by the adhesive 18.

Here, the effect of this embodiment will be described with reference to a comparative example. Also in the optical deflector of the comparative example, the adhesive 18 is used for fixing the base plate and the circuit board. However, in the optical deflector of the comparative example, the stator portion 17 is not fixed to the substrate portion by the adhesive 18, but is fixed only by the conductive portion between the connection pin 16 and the circuit board 7. Since the connection pin 16 is elastically deformable, the stator portion 17 may vibrate in the axial direction.

In contrast to the above comparative example, in the optical deflector 1 of the present embodiment, the adhesive 18 is also used for fixing the stator portion 17 and the substrate portion 5, so that the stator portion 17 can be suppressed from vibrating in the axial direction. can. Further, since the fixing is realized by using the adhesive 18 for fixing the base plate 6 and the circuit board 7, no additional member is required and the man-hours do not increase. Therefore, the cost does not increase.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vibration of the stator portion 17 can be suppressed even in the sleeve rotation type optical deflector 1. This makes it possible to improve the resistance to high-frequency sound caused by the vibration of the stator portion 17. Further, it can be realized without adding members or increasing man-hours, that is, without increasing the cost.

[Other Examples]
In the above-described embodiment, the optical deflector 1 having a configuration (sleeve rotation type) in which the rotary multifaceted mirror rotates integrally with the sleeve (rotating member) has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, by applying the present invention to an optical deflector having a configuration in which a rotating polymorphic mirror rotates integrally with a shaft (axis rotation type), the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

Further, the number and positions of the through hole 5a of the substrate portion 5, the protrusion 15b of the insulator 15, the through hole 15c, and the connection pin 16 are not limited to the above-described configuration, and may be appropriately provided as needed. ..

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the optical scanning device that exposes from the upper side of the photoconductor (image carrier) is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the optical scanning device that exposes from the lower side of the photoconductor is not limited to this. However, the same effect can be obtained by applying the present invention.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration of one optical scanning device capable of irradiating one image carrier with light has been described, but the number of image carriers and optical scanning devices used is limited to this. It is not a thing, and it may be set appropriately as needed.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the printer is exemplified as an image forming apparatus provided with an optical scanning apparatus, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, it may be another image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile apparatus, or another image forming apparatus such as a multifunction device combining these functions. Similar effects can be obtained by applying the present invention to the optical scanning apparatus included in these image forming apparatus.

1 ... Optical deflector 2 ... Rotating multi-sided mirror 3 ... Sleeve 4 ... Shaft 5 ... Board part 5a, 6a, 7a, 15c ... Through hole 6 ... Base plate 7 ... Circuit board 7b ... Conduction part 8 ... Thrust cover 9 ... Thrust plate 10 ... Rotor frame 11 ... Rotor magnet 12 ... Stator core 13 ... Stator coils 14, 15 ... Insulators 15a ... Steps 15b ... Protrusions 16 ... Connection pins 17 ... Stator 18 ... Adhesive

Claims (5)

A rotating multi-sided mirror that deflects and scans the luminous flux from the light source,
A rotating member that rotates integrally with the rotating multi-sided mirror,
A stator portion that faces the rotating member and generates a force that drives the rotating member to rotate,
It is a substrate portion that rotatably holds the rotating member, and is composed of a base plate that rotatably holds the rotating member and a circuit board on which a circuit portion for driving the rotating member is mounted. With the board part
Have,
The stator portion is integrally provided with an insulating member, the insulating member is adhesively fixed to the substrate portion, and the insulating member and the substrate portion are adhesively fixed between the base plate and the circuit board. A light deflector characterized by being made with an adhesive for fixing. The insulating member of the stator portion has at least one protrusion, the substrate portion has a through hole into which the protrusion is inserted, and the protrusion and the through hole are adhesively fixed. The optical deflector according to claim 1. The optical deflector according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the substrate portion holds a shaft that rotatably supports the rotating member, which is integrally provided with a bearing. An optical scanning apparatus using the optical deflector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
An optical scanning apparatus characterized in that a light beam from a light source is deflected by the optical deflector to scan the object to be scanned. An image forming apparatus using the optical scanning apparatus according to claim 4.
An image forming apparatus, characterized in that an image carrier is scanned by the optical scanning apparatus to form a latent image, and the latent image is visualized to form an image.

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