Patent ID: 7133177
Filing Date: 2006-11-07
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical scanner comprising: a scanning unit having a reflecting surface that reflects a laser beam on the reflecting surface and scans the laser beam in a primary scanning direction; a laser beam radiation unit that radiates a plurality of laser beams to the reflecting surface from directions at predetermined angles to a reference plane respectively, the reference plane being orthogonal to the reflecting surface and extending along the primary scanning direction; and optical members respectively provided on optical paths of the plurality of laser beams after reflections on the reflecting surface, wherein the laser beam radiation unit radiates the plurality of laser beams to the reflecting surface, in such a manner that, among the optical paths of the plurality of laser beams after the reflections on the reflecting surface, an angle on a plane orthogonal to the reference plane between a first optical path and a second optical path is larger than an angle on the plane orthogonal to the reference plane between the first optical path and a third optical path, the second optical path being adjacent to one side of the first optical path, and the third optical path being adjacent to an other side of the first optical path, and the optical member on the second optical path is disposed in a position nearer the reflecting surface than the optical member on the third optical path.