Optical scanner and image forming apparatus
AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorAtsushi Ueda
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical scanner includes a third f-theta lens, an eccentric cam, an attaching portion, a first supporting member, a second supporting member and a spring. A distance between a face opposed to the first side-face of the third f-theta lens in the first supporting member and a face opposed to the second side-face of the third f-theta lens in the second supporting member is set to be longer than a distance of the third f-theta lens in its lateral direction. The spring is disposed opposed to the first side-face or the second side-face, and presses the third f-theta lens so that the third f-theta lens is in contact with the eccentric cam and either of the first supporting member and the second supporting member.
Claims5
An optical scanner comprising:
- an optical element disposed in an optical path extending from a light source to a photo conductor for adjusting a light emitted from the light source so as to irradiate a predetermined position on the photo conductor, the optical element having a first side-face that is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the optical element and a second side-face that is opposed to the first side-face;
- an eccentric cam disposed so as to be mountable selectively opposed to either the first side-face or the second side-face for pressing the first side-face or the second side-face;
- an attaching portion that is disposed opposed to each of the first side-face and the second side-face for mounting the eccentric cam thereon;
- a first supporting member disposed opposed to the first side-face;
- a second supporting member disposed opposed to the second side-face;
- and
- an elastic member that is disposed opposed to either the first side-face or the second side-face and presses the optical element so that the optical element is in contact with any one of the eccentric cam, the first supporting member, and the second supporting member;
- wherein
- the first supporting member restrains the optical element from being caused to move in a lateral direction of the optical element by a pressing force from the eccentric cam when the eccentric cam is disposed opposed to the second side-face;
- the second supporting member restrains the optical element from being caused to move in a lateral direction of the optical element by a pressing force from the eccentric cam when the eccentric cam is disposed opposed to the first side-face;
- and wherein
- a distance between a face opposed to the first side-face in the first supporting member and a face opposed to the second side-face in the second supporting member is set to be longer than a distance of the optical element in the lateral direction thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.