Patent ID: 6636340
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
A multi-beam scanning device, comprising:a light source that emits a plurality of light beams; a polygonal mirror that deflects the light beams emitted by said light source to scan; and an optical system that converges the deflected light beams on a plurality of objects to be scanned, said optical system including a plurality of f&thgr; lenses and an optical path turning system that turns optical paths of the deflected light beams, respectively, said plurality of f&thgr; lenses including at least a first f&thgr; lens, a second f&thgr; lens and a plurality of third f&thgr; lenses, all the light beams deflected by said polygonal mirror passing through said first and second f&thgr; lenses, each of the plurality of light beams passing through said first and second f&thgr; lenses passing through a respective one of said plurality of third f&thgr; lenses; said optical path turning system being configured such that optical path lengths of the optical paths of the deflected light beams are the same, said plurality of objects being arranged on one side of said polygonal mirror, said plurality of objects located at different distances from said polygonal mirror, respectively, one of said plurality of optical paths directed to an object located closest to said polygonal mirror includes a portion passing between said polygonal mirror and said first f&thgr; lens.