Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus including the same

An optical scanning device that irradiates an image carrier with laser light so as to form an electrostatic latent image thereon, the optical scanning device comprising:

• a casing having a plurality of emission ports for emitting the laser light formed therein to extend in a main scanning direction of the laser light so as to each correspond to the image carrier:
• a transmissive member that is transmissive to the laser light, extends in the main scanning direction of the laser light, and seals each of the plurality of emission ports for emitting the laser light;
• a linear member that is stretched circularly on the casing;
• a drive portion that drives the linear member to travel in a first direction and in a second direction;
• guide rails that are provided side by side with the plurality of emission ports and extend in an extending direction of the transmissive member;
• a pair of cleaning holders that is secured to the linear member and, when the linear member is driven to travel circularly by the drive portion, moves on the transmissive members adjacent to each other along the guide rails in mutually opposite directions;
• a cleaning member that is secured to each of the pair of cleaning holders and, as the pair of cleaning holders moves, slides against the transmissive member, thus cleaning the transmissive member;
• a detecting portion that is arranged at one side in the extending direction of the transmissive member and detects that the pair of cleaning holders have reached one ends of movement paths of the pair of cleaning holders;
• and
• a control section that controls driving of the drive portion,
• wherein
• the control section is capable of executing a cleaning mode including:
• an outward operation in which the linear member is driven to travel in the first direction so that the pair of cleaning holders moves along the extending direction of the transmissive member;
• and
• a homeward operation in which, after execution of the outward operation, the linear member is driven to travel in the second direction so that the pair of cleaning holders moves in directions reverse to those in the outward operation, and
• during execution of the cleaning mode, upon detection by the detecting portion that one of the pair of cleaning holders has reached the one end of the movement path of the one of the pair of cleaning holders, the outward operation is started, and upon detection by the detecting portion that another of the pair of cleaning holders has reached the one end of the movement path of the other of the pair of cleaning holders, the homeward operation is started.