Patent ID: 6061079
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: B41J,G02B

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus comprising:a semiconductor laser array having a plurality of laser elements for emitting respective laser beams;a single scanning means for deflecting the laser beams to effect scanning;a first optical system disposed between the semiconductor laser array and the deflecting means, and having a predetermined image forming magnification;a second optical system disposed between the semiconductor laser array and the deflecting means, for converging each of the laser beams onto the deflecting means;means having a plurality of reflecting faces of a number corresponding to the number of the laser beams, for separating the deflected laser beams to respective predetermined directions;a third optical system disposed between the deflecting means and the separating means;an F-.theta. lens disposed between the third optical system and the separating means;a plurality of photoreceptors arranged so as to optically face the respective reflecting faces, wherein each of the photoreceptors is irradiated by a plurality of directed, separated laser beams; anda transfer medium transport path disposed so as to face each of the plurality of photoreceptors;wherein a length, in a first direction perpendicular to a scanning direction, of each of the reflecting faces is set larger than or equal to a diameter, in the first direction, of a corresponding one of the laser beams on the reflecting face.