Erecting equal-magnification lens array plate

An erecting equal-magnification lens array plate including a stack of a plurality lens array plates built such that pairs of corresponding lenses form a coaxial lens system, where each lens array plate is formed with a plurality of lenses on one or both surfaces of the plate, the plate receiving light from a substantially straight light source facing one side of the plate, and the plate forming an erect equal-magnification image of the substantially straight light source on an image plane facing the other side of the plate, wherein

• the main lens arrangement direction differs from the longitudinal direction of the erecting equal-magnification lens array plate,
• the erecting equal-magnification lens array plate comprising:
• a first light shielding member operative to shield light not contributing to imaging and formed in the neighborhood of a position in the intermediate plane in the erecting equal-magnification lens array plate where an inverted image of the substantially straight light source is formed, and
• a second light shielding member operative to reduce the amount of light incident on at least some of the lenses at the periphery in the sub-scanning direction and provided on a lens surface of the erecting equal-magnification lens array plate facing a light source or a lens surface facing an image plane.