JPH10319338A - Laser light generating device and light source adjustment method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily adjust an interval between laser light each other outgoing from a laser light source. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a semiconductor laser light source 14 having plural light emitting parts and a lens barrel 11 holding this laser light source 14 and having a through hole 21 passing the laser light L1, L2 outgoing from the laser light source 14 through. A boss part 23 positioning the upper/lower left/right directions for an optical scan system and a flange part 24 positioning the front/rear direction are provided on the lens barrel 11, and reference surfaces 25, 26 becoming a reference when the tilt of the light emitting part of the laser light source 14 is adjusted and a positioning pin 27 positioning the peripheral direction of the lens barrel 11 are provided on the flange part 24. The lens barrel 11 is positioned by the boss part 23 and the positioning pin 27, and the laser light source 14 is turned, and the tilt of the light emitting part of the laser light source 14 for the reference surfaces 25 or 26 of the lens barrel 11 is adjusted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser light generator and a light source adjusting method used in a scanning optical system of an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer, a digital copying machine, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional scanning optical system, laser light from a laser generator is deflected by a rotating polygon mirror of a polarizer, and a spot image is formed on a photoreceptor through an image forming means. The carried information is recorded on the photoconductor. In recent years, as the recording speed has been improved and the demand has increased, the rotation speed of the rotary polygon mirror has been increased. It is designed to rotate.

[0003] However, supporting the rotating shaft of the rotary polygon mirror with an air bearing or the like causes a rise in the cost of the deflector. In addition, rotating the rotating polygon mirror near the critical speed not only causes vibration and temperature rise in the deflector but also causes dust to be entrained and deteriorates the shape of the spot image formed on the photoconductor. Become.

[0004] In order to cope with such a problem, it has been proposed to use an array light source having a plurality of light emitting points in a line in a laser generator. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, on a laser chip 1 of this type of light source, for example, two light emitting points 1a and 1b are arranged at an interval d.
The laser chip 1 is supported by a stem 2, and the periphery of the laser chip 1 is sealed by a cap 3. Laser light L from the light emitting points 1a and 1b is provided on the front surface of the cap 3.
a, a window (not shown) for passing Lb is formed, and the stem 2
A plurality of leads 4 from the laser chip 1 are led out from the back of the device, and the leads 4 are connected to a laser drive circuit (not shown).

[0005] Such a light source is attached to a holding member (not shown) to form a laser light generator. In a scanning optical system equipped with a laser light generator of this type, the laser beams La and Lb from the light emitting points 1a and 1b simultaneously enter a rotating polygon mirror of a deflector (not shown), are deflected by the rotating polygon mirror, and form an image. It is scanned simultaneously on the photoreceptor via the means. At this time, since the two laser beams La and Lb are emitted at the same time, high-speed scanning can be performed without increasing the rotation speed of the rotary polygon mirror. In addition, since there is no need to increase the rotation speed of the rotating polygon mirror of the deflector, inexpensive bearings can be used, vibration and temperature rise of the deflector can be prevented, and dust is not trapped by the deflector. Also becomes possible.

[0006]

However, since the two light-emitting points 1a and 1b are arranged at a distance d in the laser chip 1, the distance between the laser beams La and Lb simultaneously forming an image on the photosensitive member is determined. Must be set to a predetermined value.
For this reason, the inclination of the laser chip 1 must be adjusted so that the laser beams La and Lb are incident on the rotary polygon mirror at a predetermined interval, and there is a problem that the adjustment operation is not easy.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a laser light generating apparatus and a light source adjusting method capable of easily adjusting the interval between laser lights emitted from a semiconductor laser light source.

[0008]

A laser light generator according to the present invention for achieving the above object has a semiconductor laser light source having a plurality of light-emitting portions, and a laser light source which holds the laser light source and emits light from the laser light source. And a holding member having a through hole through which the laser light passes.In the laser light generating apparatus, a positioning portion is provided on the holding member, and the inclination of the light emitting portion of the laser light source is adjusted with respect to the positioning portion. The laser light source is fixed to the holding member.

Further, the method of adjusting the light source of the laser light generator according to the present invention is characterized in that the semiconductor laser light source having a plurality of light emitting portions is attached to a holding member having a through hole through which the laser light emitted from the laser light source passes. Wherein the laser light source is positioned in the through hole, the light emitting unit emits light, and the laser light source is rotated with respect to the holding member so as to obtain a predetermined inclination of the light emitting unit.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment. A circuit in which a holder 13 holding a collimator lens 12 is fixed to a front surface 11a of a lens barrel 11, and a semiconductor laser light source 14 is attached to a rear surface 11b of the lens barrel 11. The substrate 15 is fixed. At this time, the holder 13 is fixed by adjusting the optical axis direction and the focal point in a three-dimensional direction with the laser light source 14 emitting light, and filling the gap between the lens barrel 11 and the holder 13 with an adhesive. The circuit board 15 is fixed by screws 16 in a state where the attitude of the laser light source 14 is set to a predetermined value.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2, a through-hole 2 penetrating between the front surface 11a and the rear surface 11b is provided inside the lens barrel 11.
1 is formed. A holder 13 is provided on the outer periphery of the lens barrel 11.
And a boss 23 that fits into a positioning hole of an optical box or the like of a scanning optical system (not shown) and positions the lens barrel 11 in the vertical and horizontal directions. Flange portion 2 for positioning front and rear direction of contact lens barrel 11
4 are sequentially formed from the front surface 11a side. On the outer circumference of the flange portion 24, upper and lower reference surfaces 25 serving as a reference when adjusting the inclination of a light emitting portion of the laser light source 14, which will be described later,
A positioning pin 27 that fits into a reference hole of the optical box and that positions the lens barrel 11 in the circumferential direction is provided on the front surface of the flange portion 24.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the semiconductor laser light source 14. A semiconductor laser chip 32 having, for example, two light emitting points is fixed on the upper surface of the gantry 31, and the rear part of the gantry 31 is fixed to the stem 33. I have. The outer diameter of the stem 33 is set to a size that can be press-fitted into the through hole 21 of the lens barrel 11. Laser chip 3 on the front of stem 33
Monitor the laser light emitted from 2 to the stem 33 side,
Photodiode 34 used to adjust the amount of light
Is arranged. The gantry 3 is provided on the front of the stem 33.
1. A cap 35 for sealing the laser chip 32 and the photodiode 34 is fixed.

A window 3 through which laser beams L1 and L2 from a light emitting point of the laser chip 32 pass is provided on the top of the cap 35.
The window 36 is sealed with glass 37, and the inside of the cap 35 is filled with an inert gas such as helium. A plurality of lead wires 38 connected to a drive circuit (not shown) are led out from the back surface of the stem 33, and these lead wires 38 are connected to the laser chip 32 and the photodiode 34 via bonding wires 39. .

When assembling the laser light source 14 to the lens barrel 11, when the lens barrel 11 is attached to an adjustment jig (not shown), the boss portion 23 of the lens barrel 11 fits into the boss hole, and the positioning pin 27 is moved. By fitting into the pin hole, the lens barrel 11
Can be positioned. The adjustment jig is configured in the same manner as the portion for attaching the laser light source 14 of the optical box of the scanning optical system,
A boss hole for fitting the boss portion 23 of the lens barrel 11 and a pin hole for fitting the positioning pin 27 are provided. Next, the stem 33 of the laser light source 14 is pressed into the through-hole 21 of the lens barrel 11, and the laser chip 32 is disposed in the through-hole 21.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4, a jig lens 41 and a CCD camera 42 are sequentially arranged on the front surface 11a side of the lens barrel 11, and the CCD camera 42 is connected to a processing unit (not shown). When the drive circuit is driven to emit the laser beams L1 and L2 from the laser light source 14, the jig lens 41 forms an image of the laser beams L1 and L2 on the surface 42a of the CCD camera 42, and the CCD camera 42 Imaged laser light
L1 and L2 are detected, and the arithmetic processing unit operates on the reference surface 25 of the lens barrel 11.
Alternatively, the inclination D and the interval D of the laser beams L1 and L2 with respect to 26 are calculated. Further, the laser light source 14 is rotated to set the interval D to a predetermined value. At this time, the light emitting points 32a and 32b of the laser chip 32 rotate as shown in FIG.
The intervals between the X direction and the Y direction of 2a and 32b change.

The laser light generator assembled in this manner is mounted on an optical box of a scanning optical system having the same reference position as the adjustment jig. At this time, the laser generator is positioned by fitting the boss portion 23 of the lens barrel 11 into the boss hole of the optical box and the positioning pin 27 into the pin hole.

The scanning optical system includes a deflector (not shown) for deflecting the laser beams L1 and L2 from the laser beam generator, and an imaging device (not shown) for forming the laser beams L1 and L2 from the deflector on the photosensitive member. And a lens. Then, the laser beams L1, L2 simultaneously emitted from the laser beam generator
Are deflected by a deflector, condensed by an imaging lens, and scanned at the same time on a photosensitive member with an interval D.

In the first embodiment, since the positioning pin 27 is provided on the lens barrel 11, the circumferential direction of the lens barrel 11 can be accurately positioned on the adjusting jig or the scanning optical system. When attaching the laser light source 14 to the lens barrel 11, the inclination of the light emitting point of the laser light source 14 is adjusted while the plurality of light emitting points of the laser light source 14 emit light.
The laser light source 14 is fixed to the lens barrel 11 while maintaining this adjustment state.
It is possible to easily adjust the interval D between the laser beams L1 and L2 emitted from.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the second embodiment, in which the internal thread portion 2 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 21 on the rear surface 11b side of the lens barrel 11.
1 a is formed, and a male screw portion 33 a is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the stem 33 of the laser light source 14. In the second embodiment, the male screw 3 of the stem 33 of the laser light source 14 is formed.
After the screw 3a is screwed into the female screw portion 21a of the through hole 21 of the lens barrel 11, the inclination and the interval D of the laser beams L1 and L2 are adjusted in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Is filled with an adhesive.

In the second embodiment, the same effects as those in the first embodiment can be obtained. Also, the screw portions 21a, 33a
Is set to a pitch of about 0.3 mm, the amount of focus movement when adjusting the interval D can be reduced, the workability of assembling the lens barrel 11 and the laser light source 14 can be improved, and further after the assembly is completed. Can respond favorably to changes in the environment. At this time, when the adjustment angle of the laser light source 14 is shifted by about 0.5 °, the focus shift is 0.3 × 1.
Since 0 ³ /360×2=0.42 μm, practically, there is no problem due to this angle shift.

[0021]

As described above, in the laser beam generating apparatus according to the present invention, the positioning portion is provided on the holding member.
The inclination of the light emitting portion of the laser light source can be adjusted with respect to the positioning portion of the holding member, and the interval between laser beams emitted from the laser light source can be easily adjusted.

Further, in the light source adjusting method for a laser light generating device according to the present invention, the laser light source is positioned in the through hole, the light emitting portion is made to emit light, and the laser light source is attached to the holding member so as to obtain a predetermined inclination of the light emitting portion. Since it rotates with respect to the laser beam, the interval between laser beams emitted from the laser light source can be easily adjusted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lens barrel.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of a laser light source.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an adjustment method.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an inclined state of a light emitting point.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Lens tube 14 Laser light source 21 Through-hole 21a Female screw part 23 Boss part 24 Flange part 25, 26 Reference surface 27 Positioning pin 33a Male screw part

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kenichi Tomita 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A laser light generating device comprising: a semiconductor laser light source having a plurality of light emitting portions; and a holding member having a through hole for holding the laser light source and passing a laser light emitted from the laser light source, A laser light generator, wherein a positioning portion is provided on the holding member, and the inclination of the light emitting portion of the laser light source is adjusted with respect to the positioning portion to fix the laser light source to the holding member. 2. The laser light generator according to claim 1, wherein the positioning portion is a portion for positioning the holding member in a circumferential direction and a portion serving as a reference for the inclination of the light emitting portion. 3. The laser light generator according to claim 1, wherein said laser light source is press-fitted into said through hole of said holding member. 4. The laser light generator according to claim 1, wherein said laser light source is screwed into said through hole of said holding member. 5. The laser light generator according to claim 4, wherein an adhesive is applied to the screwed portion. 6. The laser light generator according to claim 4, wherein a pitch of the screw of the screw portion is equal to or less than a half of a standard pitch. 7. When attaching a semiconductor laser light source having a plurality of light emitting parts to a holding member having a through hole through which laser light emitted from the laser light source passes, positioning the laser light source in the through hole, A light source adjusting method for a laser light generating device, comprising: causing a light emitting unit to emit light; and rotating the laser light source with respect to the holding member so as to obtain a predetermined inclination of the light emitting unit.