MEMS mirror, mirror scanner, optical scanning unit and image forming apparatus including the optical scanning unit

A mirror scanner, comprising:

• a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror including:
• a movable unit including a mirror portion and a magnet frame portion, the mirror portion comprising a plurality of unit mirrors, each of which having at least two non-co-planar face surfaces each face surface including thereon one or more mirror surfaces, the magnet frame portion being coupled to the mirror portion, the magnet frame, portion supporting therein a permanent magnet;
• a first fixing end and a second fixing end spaced apart from each other and from the movable unit;
• and
• a first elastic member and a second elastic member, the first elastic member elastically supporting the movable unit to the first fixing end, the second elastic member elastically supporting the movable unit to the second fixing end;
• and
• an electromagnet portion including a yoke and a coil surrounding the yoke, the yoke having end portions spaced apart from, and facing, each other, the end portions being arranged adjacent the permanent magnet to thereby provide an electromagnetic driving force to the MEMS mirror,
• wherein the magnet frame portion comprises a face surface substantially parallel to at least one face surface of at least one unit mirror, and
• wherein at least one unit mirror is disposed at a first end of the face surface of the magnet frame portion and at least one unit mirror is disposed at a second end of the face surface of the magnet frame portion, and
• wherein the magnet frame portion includes a grip structure extending into the opening for supporting the magnet in place such that the magnet may be inserted into and removed from the magnet frame portion, and
• wherein the magnet frame portion includes a grip structure extending into the opening for supporting the magnet in place such that the magnet may be inserted into the magnet frame portion at an insertion depth at which a rotational axis of the movable unit coincides with rotating center axes of the first and second elastic members.

An optical scanning unit, comprising:

• a plurality of light sources;
• and
• a mirror scanner configured to receive a plurality of light beams from the plurality of light sources, and to deflect the received plurality of light beams toward one or more surfaces to be scanned, wherein the mirror scanner includes:
• a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror that comprises:
• a movable unit including a mirror portion and a magnet frame portion, the mirror portion comprising a plurality of unit mirrors, each of which having at least two non-co-planar face surfaces each face surface including thereon one or more mirror surfaces, a magnet frame portion being coupled to the mirror portion, the magnet frame portion supporting therein a permanent magnet;
• a first fixing end and a second fixing end spaced apart from each other and from the movable unit;
• and
• a first elastic member and a second elastic member, the first elastic member elastically supporting the movable unit to the first fixing end, the second elastic member elastically supporting the movable unit to the second fixing end;
• and
• an electromagnet portion including a yoke and a coil surrounding the yoke, the yoke having end portions spaced apart from, and facing, each other, the end portions being arranged adjacent the permanent magnet to thereby provide an electromagnetic driving force to the MEMS mirror,
• wherein the magnet frame portion comprises a face surface substantially parallel to at least one face surface of at least one unit mirror, and
• wherein at least one unit mirror is disposed at a first end of the face surface of the magnet frame portion and at least one unit mirror is disposed at a second end of the face surface of the magnet frame portion, and
• wherein the magnet frame portion includes a grip structure extending into the opening for supporting the magnet in place such that the magnet may be inserted into and removed from the magnet frame portion, and
• wherein the magnet frame portion includes a grip structure extending into the opening for supporting the magnet in place such that the magnet may be inserted into the magnet frame portion at an insertion depth at which a rotational axis of the movable unit coincides with rotating center axes of the first and second elastic members.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of photosensitive media;
• an optical scanning unit including a plurality of light sources and a mirror scanner, the mirror scanner receiving a plurality of light beams from the plurality of light sources, and deflecting each of the received plurality of light beams toward the corresponding respective one of plurality of photosensitive media to thereby form electrostatic latent images on the plurality of photosensitive media:
• and
• a developing unit configured to supply toner to develop the electrostatic latent images formed on the photosensitive media,
• wherein the mirror scanner comprises:
• a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror that comprises:
• a movable unit including a mirror portion and a magnet frame portion, the mirror portion comprising a plurality of unit mirrors, each of which having at least two non-co-planar face surfaces each face surface including thereon one or more mirror surfaces, a magnet frame portion being coupled to the mirror portion, the magnet frame portion supporting therein a permanent magnet;
• a first fixing end and a second fixing end spaced apart from each other and from the movable unit;
• and
• a first elastic member and a second elastic member, the first elastic member elastically supporting the movable unit to the first fixing end, the second elastic member elastically supporting the movable unit to the second fixing end;
• and
• an electromagnet portion including a yoke and a coil surrounding the yoke, the yoke having end portions spaced apart from, and facing, each other, the end portions being arranged adjacent the permanent magnet to thereby provide an electromagnetic driving force to the MEMS mirror,
• wherein the magnet frame portion comprises a face surface substantially parallel to at least one face surface of at least one unit mirror, and
• wherein at least one unit mirror is disposed at a first end of the face surface of the magnet frame portion and at least one unit mirror is disposed at a second end of the face surface of the magnet frame portion, and
• wherein the magnet frame portion includes a grip structure extending into the opening for supporting the magnet in place such that the magnet may be inserted into and removed from the magnet frame portion, and
• wherein the magnet frame portion includes a grip structure extending into the opening for supporting the magnet in place such that the magnet may be inserted into the magnet frame portion at an insertion depth at which a rotational axis of the movable unit coincides with rotating center axes of the first and second elastic members.