Optical deflector and optical scanner

Abstract

Discloses an optical deflector that enables a rotary polygon mirror to rotate at high speed with high reliability and a low noise level, and can prevent the rotary polygon mirror from disengaging from a stationary axis with a compact and simple construction, and an optical scanner including the optical deflector. A disengagement prevention member is mounted at the tip of a stationary axis. Since a gap is formed between the stationary axis and a rotary axis and prevents friction by rotation, a rotary polygon mirror can be rotated at higher speed. There is no or less noise and vibration due to the rotation of the rotary polygon mirror, so that durability and reliability are improved. Even if a rotor moves in the axial direction, the rotor is prevented from disengaging by the disengagement prevention member, so that it never disengages accidentally from the stationary axis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.