Optical scanner
AssigneeMinolta Co., Ltd.
InventorsKyu Takada, Takuji Hatano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical scanner having a simple structure in which the light quantities of a plurality of light beams are not varied by differences in polarization direction among the light beams. The optical scanner scans a surface by means of a plurality of light beams in which the polarization direction of at least one of the light beams is different from the polarization directions of the other light beams. An optical element having a surface with a reflectance for s-polarized light and a reflectance for p-polarized light that are substantially the same at a given incident angle is provided in the optical paths of the light beams.
Claims27
An optical scanner for deflecting a plurality of light beams at a given wavelength λ from a light source towards a surface to be scanned, said scanner including at least one optical element having a surface which reflects said light beams, said surface comprising a thin film in which the reflectance of s-polarized light at said given wavelength and p-polarized light at said given wavelength differ by no more than 3.0% over any incidence angle in the range of 0-60°.
An optical scanner for deflecting a plurality of light beams at a given wavelength λ from a light source towards a surface to be scanned, said scanner including at least one optical element having a surface through which said light beams are transmitted, said surface comprising a thin film in which the reflectance of s-polarized light at said given wavelength and p-polarized light at said given wavelength differ by no more than 3.0% over any incidence angle in the range of 0-60°.
An optical scanner comprising:
- a light source for emitting a plurality of light beams in which a polarization direction of at least one of the light beams is different from polarization directions of the other light beams;
- a deflector for deflecting the plurality of the light beams emitted from the light source to scan the light beams over a surface to be scanned;
- and
- an optical surface provided between the light source and said surface to be scanned in the optical paths of the light beams, the optical surface having a reflectance for s-polarized light and a reflectance for p-polarized light that are substantially the same at a predetermined incident angle to the optical surface.
An optical scanner for deflecting a plurality of light beams at a given wavelength λ from a light source towards a surface to be scanned, said scanner including at least one optical element having a surface which receives said light beams, said surface comprising a thin film in which the reflectance of s-polarized light at said given wavelength and p-polarized light at said given wavelength differ by no more than 3.0% over any incidence angle in the range of 0-60°.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.