Patent ID: 6775041
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
A multibeam scan apparatus comprising:a light source having a unitary structure including semiconductor laser diodes and coupling lenses arranged in a main scan direction, the semiconductor laser diodes being positioned so that light beams emitted by the semiconductor laser diodes form images on a same area of a scanned surface area and substantially cross each other at a point; a light beam restricting unit shaping the light beams from the laser diodes through the coupling lenses so that the light beams have a given spot size, the light beam restricting unit being positioned close to the point; a deflection unit; and a scan lens causing the light beams reflected by the deflection unit to form images on a scanned surface; wherein: the light beam restricting unit is incorporated into each of reflection surfaces of the deflection unit; and the spot size of the light beams incident to the deflection unit is larger than a size of each of the reflection surfaces in at least the main scan direction.