Lens mirror array and image forming apparatus using the lens mirror array
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorTakashi Shiraishi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to at least one embodiment, a lens mirror array includes a plurality of optical elements. An optical element of the plurality of optical elements includes an incident surface on which light is incident, an emitting surface configured to emit the light incident through the incident surface, at least one reflecting surface reflecting the light incident through the incident surface toward the emitting surface, and a light shielding portion configured to block the light. The incident surface includes an effective surface configured to pass effective light emitted from the emitting surface and a directional surface configured to direct unnecessary light to the light shielding portion.
Claims16
A lens mirror array comprising a plurality of optical elements, an optical element of the plurality of optical elements comprising:
- an incident surface on which light is incident;
- an emitting surface configured to emit the light incident through the incident surface;
- at least one reflecting surface reflecting the light incident through the incident surface toward the emitting surface;
- a light shielding portion configured to block the light;
- and
- wherein the incident surface comprises:
- an effective surface configured to pass effective light emitted from the emitting surface, the effective light being light out of the light incident on the incident surface;
- and
- a directional surface configured to direct unnecessary light to the light shielding portion, the unnecessary light being stray light out of the light incident on the incident surface;
- and
- wherein the directional surface is a free curved surface adjacent to the effective surface and projecting to an outside of the optical element so as to condense light incident on the directional surface toward the light shielding portion, wherein the free curved surface has a shape different from that of the effective surface.
An image forming apparatus comprising:
- a lens mirror array having a plurality of optical elements, an optical element of the plurality of optical elements comprising:
- an incident surface on which light is incident;
- an emitting surface configured to emit the light incident through the incident surface;
- at least one reflecting surface reflecting the light incident through the incident surface toward the emitting surface;
- a light shielding portion configured to block the light;
- wherein the incident surface comprises:
- an effective surface configured to pass effective light emitted from the emitting surface, the effective light being light out of the light incident on the incident surface;
- and
- a directional surface configured to direct unnecessary light to the light shielding portion, the unnecessary light being stray light out of the light incident on the incident surface;
- wherein the directional surface of the lens mirror array is a free curved surface adjacent to the effective surface and projecting to an outside of the optical element so as to condense light incident on the directional surface toward the light shielding portion, wherein the free curved surface has a shape different from that of the effective surface;
- and
- wherein the lens mirror array is configured to guide reflected light from a document surface;
- an image sensor configured to receive the reflected light from the document surface guided through the lens mirror array and output an image signal;
- and
- an image forming device configured to form an image based on the image signal output from the image sensor.
A lens mirror array comprising a plurality of optical elements, an optical element of the plurality of optical elements comprising:
- an incident surface on which light is incident;
- an emitting surface configured to emit the light incident through the incident surface;
- at least one reflecting surface reflecting the light incident through the incident surface toward the emitting surface;
- a light shielding portion configured to block the light;
- and
- wherein the incident surface comprises:
- an effective surface configured to pass effective light emitted from the emitting surface, the effective light being light out of the light incident on the incident surface;
- and
- a directional surface configured to direct unnecessary light to the light shielding portion, the unnecessary light being stray light out of the light incident on the incident surface;
- wherein the directional surface comprises:
- a cylindrical first pillar surface adjacent to a first side of the effective surface in a direction intersecting a main scanning direction, and
- a cylindrical second pillar surface arranged adjacent to a second side of the effective surface in the intersecting direction,
- wherein the first pillar surface curves along a plane orthogonal to the main scanning direction, wherein the curve is concentric with a point on the second pillar surface side of an optical axis of light incident on the effective surface, and
- wherein the second pillar surface curves along the plane orthogonal to the main scanning direction, wherein the curve is concentric with a point on the first pillar surface side from the optical axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.