Patent ID: 6469818
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A multi-beam scanning optical apparatus comprising:a light source having a plurality of light emission points which emit a plurality of beams capable of being independently optically modulated and which are placed with a spacing in a main-scanning direction; a deflecting element for reflectively deflecting the plurality of beams emitted from said light source; a scanning optical element for focusing each of the plurality of beams deflected by said deflecting element in a spot shape on a surface to be scanned, the plurality of beams scanning an area on the surface to be scanned; and a synchronism detector for controlling timing of a scan start position on the surface to be scanned for each of the plurality of beams based on a signal from a synchronism detecting element, wherein part of the plurality of beams are converged in a spot shape at a synchronism detection position and thereafter guided onto a surface of the synchronism detecting element, and wherein a first spot spacing in the main-scanning direction between adjacent beams at the synchronism detection position is smaller than a second spot spacing in the main-scanning direction between adjacent beams on the surface to be scanned.