Optical scanning device for scanning plural surfaces and image forming apparatus using the optical scanning device

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of photoconductors;
• and
• an optical scanning device configured to scan the plurality of photoconductors to form a latent image in a color thereupon, the optical scanning device including a plurality of laser light units each configured to emit a laser beam, a deflecting device configured to deflect the laser beam from each of the plurality of laser light units to sweep a predetermined plane, and a scanning image forming optical unit configured to project the laser beams deflected by the deflecting device on the plurality of photoconductors, respectively, to scan the plurality of photoconductors with the laser beams, the scanning image forming optical unit including a plurality of optical detecting devices configured to detect the laser beams and a first plurality of reflecting devices positioned to reflect at least two laser beams of the laser beams toward one of the plurality of optical detecting devices,
• wherein the first plurality of reflecting devices are each positioned on a plane substantially parallel to a respective one of the predetermined planes in the vicinity of one end of optical scanning of a respective one of the laser beams scanning a respective one of the plurality of photoconductors.

An optical scanning device for scanning plural photosensitive surfaces, comprising:

• laser beam emitting means for emitting a plurality of laser beams;
• deflecting means for deflecting the plurality of laser beams from the laser beam emitting means such that each of the plurality of laser beams sweeps a predetermined plane;
• and
• projecting means for projecting the laser beams deflected by the deflecting means on the plural photosensitive surfaces, respectively, to scan the plural photosensitive surfaces with the laser beams, the projecting means including a plurality of optical detecting devices configured to detect the laser beams and reflecting means for reflecting at least two laser beams of the laser beams toward one of the plurality of optical detecting devices,
• wherein the reflecting means are positioned on a plane substantially parallel to a respective one of the predetermined planes in the vicinity of one end of optical scanning of a respective one of the laser beams scanning a respective one of the plural photosensitive surfaces.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• image bearing means for bearing a plurality of images;
• and
• optical scanning means for scanning the image bearing means to form a latent image in a color thereupon, the optical scanning means including laser beam emitting means for emitting a plurality of laser beams, deflecting means for deflecting the laser beams from the laser beam emitting means such that each of the plurality of laser beams sweeps a predetermined plane, projecting means for projecting the laser beams deflected by the deflecting means on the image bearing means to scan the image bearing means with the laser beams, the projecting means including a plurality of optical detecting devices configured to detect the laser beams and reflecting means for reflecting at least two laser beams of the plurality of laser beams toward one of the plurality of optical detecting devices,
• wherein the reflecting means are positioned on a plane substantially parallel to a respective one of the predetermined planes in the vicinity of one end of optical scanning of a respective one of the laser beams scanning a respective one of the image bearing means.