Optical writer and image forming apparatus including same
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsKeiichi Serizawa, Hiroshi Johno, Kazunori Watanabe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical writer includes a light source, an optical part, a housing, and an elastically deformable retainer. The light source projects light against a target. The optical part is disposed on a light path between the light source and the target. The housing houses the light source and the optical part. The elastically deformable retainer is detachably fixed to the housing and includes a plurality of contact portions on an inner surface of the retainer to hold the optical part. The retainer elastically deforms to separate at least one of the contact portions from other contact portions to hold the optical part by the plurality of contact portions.
Claims16
An optical writer, comprising:
- a light source to project light against a target;
- an optical part disposed on a light path between the light source and the target;
- a housing to house the light source and the optical part;
- and
- an elastically deformable retainer to hold the optical part, the retainer detachably fixed to the housing and including a plurality of contact portions on an inner surface of the retainer,
- the retainer being configured to elastically deform to separate at least one of the contact portions from other contact portions to hold the optical part by the plurality of contact portions, wherein the retainer includes an incision in a direction of an optical axis with a space between opposed ends of the incision and holds the optical part along an outer circumferential surface of the retainer, and wherein the plurality of contact portions includes projections that contact the surface of the optical part extending parallel to the direction of the optical axis.
An optical writer, comprising:
- a light source to project light against a target;
- an optical part disposed on a light path between the light source and the target;
- a housing to house the light source and the optical part;
- and
- an elastically deformable retainer to hold the optical part, the retainer detachably fixed to the housing and including a plurality of contact portions on an inner surface of the retainer, the retainer being configured to elastically deform to separate at least one of the contact portions from other contact portions to hold the optical part by the plurality of contact portions, wherein the plurality of contact portions includes projections that contact the surface of the optical part extending parallel to the direction of the optical axis, and wherein the retainer has a substantially triangular shape with two slant surfaces elastically deformable upon installation of the optical part on an inner surface of the retainer.
An optical writer, comprising:
- a light source to project light against a target;
- an optical part disposed on a light path between the light source and the target;
- a housing to house the light source and the optical part;
- and
- an elastically deformable retainer to hold the optical part, the retainer detachably fixed to the housing and including a plurality of contact portions on an inner surface of the retainer, the retainer being configured to elastically deform to separate at least one of the contact portions from other contact portions to hold the optical part by the plurality of contact portions, wherein the retainer includes a positioning member that contacts a surface of the optical part perpendicular to the direction of optical axis to position the optical part in place in the direction of optical axis, and wherein the retainer includes a pressing member that presses a surface of the optical part against the positioning member, and the surface pressed by the pressing member is opposite the surface that the positioning member contacts, and wherein the plurality of contact portions includes projections that contact the surface of the optical part extending parallel to the direction of the optical axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.