Patent ID: 8803937
Filing Date: 2014-08-12
Classification: G02B,G03G

Abstract:
1. An optical scanning apparatus, comprising: a light source including a plurality of light emitting points; a deflector configured to deflect beams from the plurality of light emitting points in a main scanning direction; an incident optical system configured to cause the beams from the plurality of light emitting points to enter the deflector; and an imaging optical system configured to condense the beams deflected by the deflector onto a surface to be scanned, wherein: the plurality of light emitting points are arranged in a sub-scanning direction parallel to a rotation axis of the deflector; the imaging optical system comprises a plastic lens; in a sub-scanning section that is perpendicular to the main scanning direction, and that includes the sub-scanning direction, principal rays of the beams from the plurality of light emitting points entering one of a central region or an end region in the main scanning direction of the plastic lens intersect each other on an incident surface of the plastic lens or, at a position between the deflector and the plastic lens, on an optical axis of the imaging optical system; and the principal rays entering another of the central region or the end region of the plastic lens intersect each other on an exit surface of the plastic lens or, at a position between the surface to be scanned and the plastic lens, on the optical axis.