Patent ID: 8194300
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: G02B,G03G

Abstract:
1. An optical scanner for forming on a photosensitive body an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image to be formed on a record medium, the scanner comprising: an inductor; an electric supply unit, electrically connected to the inductor, for applying a supply voltage to the inductor alternately in opposite applying directions so that the inductor generates a magnetic field based on the supply voltage; an emitter for emitting a laser beam; a mirror, provided in a vicinity of the inductor, for reflecting the laser beam to scan the photosensitive body in opposite scanning directions within a scanning range while the mirror is turned by the magnetic field; a first receiving element positioned at one end of the scanning range; a second receiving element positioned at the other end of the scanning range; and a measuring unit, connected to the first receiving element and the second receiving element, for measuring the scanning time taken for the laser beam to be detected by the second receiving element after the laser beam is detected by the first receiving element when the mirror scans the photosensitive body in one of the scanning directions and the scanning time taken for the laser beam to be detected by the first receiving element after the laser beam is detected by the second receiving element when the mirror scans the photosensitive body in the other scanning direction; wherein, when the mirror scans the photosensitive body along a first primary scanning line in a first direction after the mirror scans the photosensitive body along a second primary scanning line in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the electric supply unit varies the supply voltage according to the scanning time measured for the second primary scanning line, and wherein the electric supply unit regulates the supply voltage before the scanner forms the electrostatic latent image, and wherein the supply unit applies the regulated voltage to the inductor and inhibits the voltage regulation when the scanner forms the latent image.