Image forming apparatus, optical writing device, and housing molding method providing simple structure

An optical writing device for forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier, comprising:

• at least one light source to generate a light beam;
• at least one aperture to adjust the light beam generated by the at least one light source into a reference shape;
• at least one light shield to shield an optical path formed between the at least one light source and the at least one aperture by the light beam generated by the at least one light source;
• a light deflector to deflect the light beam generated by the at least one light source to scan in a main scanning direction;
• an image forming lens to focus the light beam deflected by the light deflector to scan on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the electrostatic latent image carrier;
• and
• a housing to contain the at least one light source, the light deflector, and the image forming lens, the housing being integrally molded with the at least one aperture and the at least one light shield.

A housing molding method for molding a housing integrally molded with an aperture and a light shield, the method comprising:

• preparing two housing molds for molding the housing and including an aperture mold for molding the aperture;
• preparing an insert including an aperture opening forming protrusion at a foremost head of the insert;
• clamping the two housing molds to form an insertion space;
• inserting the insert into the insertion space in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the housing molds are opened, until the aperture opening forming protrusion of the insert touches the aperture mold, so as to form a cavity between the housing molds and the insert;
• filling the cavity with a melted resin;
• removing the insert when the melted resin is solidified;
• and
• opening the housing molds.