Abstract:
An optical scanning apparatus includes two light sources, two beam shaping mechanisms, a light deflector, and two scanning beam focusing mechanisms. The light source emits a light beam. The beam shaping mechanism shapes the light beam. The light deflector deflects each light beam in a continuously changing direction thereby converting each light beam into a scanning light beam. The scanning beam focusing mechanism brings the scanning light beam to a focus on a photoconductive surface, and satisfies an equation of ΔL cos α&gt;R/2 at a junction of the scanning light beam with the other scanning light beam on the photoconductive surface, wherein ΔL represents an inherent light pass length variation, α represents an incident angle, and R represents an inherent marginal distance.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
           [0002]    This patent specification relates to a method and apparatus for image forming, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for image forming that uses dual optical scanning systems.  
           [0003]    2. DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND  
           [0004]    An image forming apparatus, including a copying machine, a laser printer, etc., increasingly use digital processing. This tendency also has occurred with a wide format image forming apparatus capable of handling an A1 sheet, an A0 sheet, etc. Consequently, demand for a high image quality in the wide format image forming apparatus is increasing. Currently, an optical writing apparatus using a light-emitting diode (LED) is used in digital copying machines capable of handling a wide format such as A1, A0, etc. In comparison to an optical writing apparatus using a laser beam scanning method, an optical writing apparatus using an LED is generally high in cost and is rather inferior in quality.  
           [0005]    However, with laser scanning over an A0 width, various factors such as light lengths, sizes of lenses, reflection mirrors having long lengths, etc. result in problems such as an upsizing of units and an increasing cost. In attempting to solve these problems, various techniques have been developed in which two optical scanning systems are adjoined in a main scanning direction to obtain a wide scanning capability.  
           [0006]    For example, optical writing apparatuses for a wide format using two optical scanning systems and including two polygon mirrors are described in Japanese unexamined patent publications, No. 61-11720, No. 62-169575, and No. 6-208066. No. 61-11720 and 62-16952 use a method of adjoining two scanning lines that scan in the same direction and require a synchronization between the rotations of the two polygon mirrors to justify positions of the scanning lines in the sub-scanning direction. No. 6-208066 controls two scanning lines which begin from the center of the scanning width and move towards different ends in the main scanning direction by rotating the two polygon mirrors in different directions from each other. One mirror rotates in a forward direction and the other mirror rotates in a reversed direction.  
           [0007]    Another method is described in Japanese unexamined patent publication, No. 8-72308, in which two polygon mirrors are rotated with a single driving source. An optical scanning method is used in which two beams are directed to different surfaces of a single polygon mirror. The two scanning beams are adjoined in the main scanning direction with a common optical focusing system.  
           [0008]    Further, Japanese unexamined patent publications, No.95655 and No. 9-127440, describe other optical scanning apparatuses which use two or more polygon mirrors and two or more optical focusing systems.  
           [0009]    Further, Japanese unexamined patent publication, No. 2000-187171, describes an optical scanning apparatus in which two light beams are deflected with a common polygon mirror.  
           [0010]    However, the above-mentioned optical scanning apparatus cause a problem in which two scanning lines are not precisely matched in a sub-scanning direction at the starting positions.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    According to one aspect of the present invention, a novel optical scanning apparatus includes at least two light sources, at least two beam shaping mechanisms, a light deflector, and at least two scanning beam focusing mechanisms. Each of the two light sources is arranged and configured to emit a light beam. Each of the two beam shaping mechanisms is arranged and configured to shape the light beam. The light deflector is arranged and configured to deflect each light beam in a continuously changing direction thereby converting each light beam into a scanning light beam. Each of the two scanning beam focusing mechanisms is arranged and configured to bring the scanning light beam to a focus on a photoconductive surface. Each of the two scanning beam focusing mechanisms each of which produce a beam which satisfies an equation of ΔL cos α&gt;R/2 at a junction of the first scanning light beam with the second scanning light beam on the photoconductive surface, wherein ΔL represents an inherent light pass length variation, α represents an incident angle, and R represents an inherent marginal distance.  
           [0012]    According to another aspect of this invention, a method of optical scanning includes the steps of emitting at least two light beams, shaping the at least two light beams, deflecting each of the at least two light beams in a continuously changing direction thereby converting each of the at least two light beams into a scanning light beam, and bringing the scanning light beam to a focus on a photoconductive surface with at least two scanning beam focusing mechanisms each of which produce a beam. Each beam satisfies an equation of ΔL cos α&gt;R/2 at a junction of the at least two scanning light beams with each other on the photoconductive surface, wherein ΔL represents an inherent light pass length variation, α represents an incident angle, and R represents an inherent marginal distance.  
           [0013]    According to another aspect of the invention, an image forming apparatus includes a photoconductive member and an optical scanning apparatus. The optical scanning apparatus includes at least two light sources, at least two beam shaping mechanisms, a light deflector, and at least two scanning beam focusing mechanisms. Each of the two light sources is arranged and configured to emit a light beam. Each of the two beam shaping mechanisms is arranged and configured to shape the light beam. The light deflector is arranged and configured to deflect each light beam in a continuously changing direction thereby converting each light beam into a scanning light beam. Each of the two scanning beam focusing mechanisms is arranged and configured to bring the scanning light beam to a focus on a surface of the photoconductive member and satisfies an equation of ΔL cos α&gt;R/2 at a junction of the at least two scanning light beams with each other on the surface of the photoconductive member, wherein ΔL represents an inherent light pass length variation,α represents an incident angle, and R represents an inherent marginal distance.  
           [0014]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of image forming includes the steps of charging a surface of a photoconductive member, emitting at least two light beams, shaping the at least two light beams, deflecting each of the at least two light beams in a continuously changing direction so as to convert each of the at least two light beams into a scanning light beam, and bringing the at least two scanning light beams to a focus on the surface of the photoconductive member with at least two scanning beam focusing mechanisms. Each of the at least two scanning beam focusing mechanism which produce a beam which satisfies an equation of ΔL cos α&gt;R/2 at a junction of the at least two scanning light beams with each other on the photoconductive surface, wherein ΔL represents an inherent light pass length variation, α represents an incident angle, and R represents an inherent marginal distance.  
           [0015]    According to another aspect of the present invention, each of the two scanning beam focusing mechanisms may include a telecentric fθ lens system or a telecentric fθ mirror system. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical scanning apparatus according to a preferred embodiment;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an optical lens systems using a telecentric fθ lens;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an optical lens system using a wide-angle lens;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an optical scanning apparatus according to an alternate embodiment; and  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus that may use the optical scanning system of FIG. 1 or FIG. 4.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0022]    In describing preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is used for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this patent specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner. Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a description is provided for an optical scanning apparatus of the present invention and an image forming apparatus arranged with the above-mentioned optical scanning apparatus.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 illustrates an optical scanning apparatus  100  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The optical scanning apparatus  100  includes two optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2 . As illustrated in FIG. 1, the optical scanning system S 1  includes a light source  1 - 1 , a collimate lens  2 - 1 , a cylindrical lens  3 - 1 , a first fθ lens  5 - 1 , a second fθ lens  6 - 1 , a first mirror  7 - 1 , and a second mirror  8 - 1 , a third mirror  9 - 1 , and a synchronous beam detector  10 - 1 . Likewise, the optical scanning system S 2  includes a light source  1 - 2 , a collimate lens  2 - 2 , a cylindrical lens  3 - 2 , a first fθ lens  5 - 2 , a second fθ lens  6 - 2 , a first mirror  7 - 2 , and a second mirror  8 - 2 , a third mirror  9 - 2 , and a synchronous beam detector  10 - 2 . In describing the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2 , the reference numeral before a hyphen indicates a component and the reference numeral  1  or  2  after hyphen indicates whether the component belongs to the optical scanning system S 1  or S 2 , respectively. For example, the light sources  1 - 1  and  1 - 2  are identical as components but the light source  1 - 1  belongs to the system S 1 , and the light source  1 - 2  belongs to the optical scanning system S 2 . The optical scanning apparatus  100  further includes a polygon mirror  4  which is used by both the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2 . In FIG. 1, reference numeral  11  denotes a photoconductive member.  
         [0024]    The light sources  1 - 1  and  1 - 2  emit light beams. The light sources  1 - 1  and  1 - 2  may be a laser diode for emitting a laser beam, a laser diode array for emitting a plurality of laser beams, a device of a laser diode combined with an optical device for emitting a plurality of laser beams, or any other appropriate light source. The collimate lenses  2 - 1  and  2 - 2  collimate a light beam and are arranged at positions to pass the light beams emitted by the light sources  1 - 1  and  1 - 2 , respectively. The cylindrical lenses  3 - 1  and  3 - 2  gather diverging rays in one direction into an intensive light beam and are arranged at positions so that the light beams passing through the collimate lenses  2 - 1  and  2 - 2 , respectively, impinge on the polygon mirror  4 . The polygon mirror  4  is a light deflecting mechanism and includes a plurality of deflecting surfaces for deflecting light beams. The polygon mirror  4  is rotated by a driving mechanism such as a motor (not shown) at a predetermined speed so that the deflecting surfaces continuously change angles relative to the incident light beams. Thus, the light beams become scanning light beams.  
         [0025]    The first fθ lenses  5 - 1  and  5 - 2  have a predetermined width to receive the scanning light beams deflected by the polygon mirror  4 , and the second fθ lenses  6 - 1  and  6 - 2  have a predetermined width to receive the scanning light beams passing through the first fθ lenses  5 - 1  and  5 - 2 . The first fθ lens  5 - 1  and the second fθ lens  6 - 1  form a scanning beam focusing mechanism for the optical scanning system S 1 . The first fθ lens  5 - 2  and the second fθ lens  6 - 2  form a scanning beam focusing mechanism for the optical scanning system S 2 .  
         [0026]    In the optical scanning system S 1 , the first, second, and third mirrors  7 - 1 ,  8 - 1 , and  9 - 1  are arranged at positions to reflect in turn the scanning light beam transmitted from the second fθ lens  6 - 1  to a surface of the photoconductive member  11 . In the optical scanning system S 2 , the first, second, and third mirrors  7 - 2 ,  8 - 2  and  9 - 2  are arranged at positions to reflect in turn the scanning light beam transmitted from the second fθ lens  6 - 2  to a surface of the photoconductive member  11 .  
         [0027]    In the optical scanning system S 1 , the light source  1 - 1  is driven by a driving control mechanism (not shown) to emit a light beam that is modulated in accordance with an image signal. The light beam is collimated and sharpened with the collimate lens  2 - 1  and the cylindrical lens  3 - 1 , and is converted by the rotating surfaces of the polygon mirror  4  into a scanning light beam. The scanning light beam, which is a light beam running at a constant angular speed, is converted into a scanning light beam that runs at a constant speed with the first and second fθ lenses  5 - 1  and  6 - 1 . The travel direction of the scanning light beam running at the constant speed is changed with the first and second mirrors  7 - 1  and  8 - 1 , and is finally directed to the surface of the photoconductive member  11  with the third mirror  9 - 1 . Consequently, the scanning light beam starts scanning from a predetermined central position towards one end portion of the surface of the photoconductive member  11 .  
         [0028]    The optical scanning system S 2  includes a structure similar to that of the optical scanning system S 1  and is situated at a position rotated about the polygon mirror  4  by 180 degrees from a position of the optical scanning system S 1 . In this optical scanning system S 2 , the light source  1 - 2  is driven by a light source driving controller (not shown) to emit a light beam that is modulated in accordance with an image signal. The light beam is collimated and sharpened with the collimate lens  2 - 2  and the cylindrical lens  3 - 2 , and is converted, with the rotating surfaces of the polygon mirror  4 , into a scanning light beam. The scanning light beam, which is a light beam running at a constant angular speed, is converted into a scanning light beam that runs at a constant speed with the first and second fθ lenses  5 - 2  and  6 - 2 . The travel direction of the scanning light beam running at constant speed is changed with the first and second mirrors  7 - 2  and  8 - 2 , and is finally directed to the surface of the photoconductive member  11  with the third mirror  9 - 2 . Consequently, the scanning light beam starts scanning from a predetermined central position towards the other end portion of the surface of the photoconductive member  11 .  
         [0029]    The synchronous beam detectors  10 - 1  and  10 - 2  are arranged outside areas of passage for the light beams covered by the respective deflecting mechanisms so as to detect the beginning of each light beam. Based on this detection, an image writing controller (not shown) determines a scanning start position each time of scanning begins and controls a time to start image writing on the surface of the photoconductive member  11 .  
         [0030]    The optical scanning apparatus  100  of FIG. 1 controls the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2  in a manner such that the light beams modulated in accordance with image information scan from the predetermined central positions towards the respective ends of the surface of the photoconductive member  11 .  
         [0031]    In this example, the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2  employs a telecentric optical system to attain an incident angles A 1  and A 2  of approximately 90 degrees which are respectively formed between the light beams and the surface of the photoconductive member  4  in the scanning direction in an effective writing area.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2 illustrates one example of a telecentric fθ lens system L 1  that may be used by the scanning beam focusing mechanism of the optical scanning apparatus  100  of FIG. 1. In the telecentric fθ lens system of FIG. 2, light rays of a light beam are directed to a photoconductive surface P in a direction normal to the photoconductive surface P. Therefore, an image focused on the photoconductive surface P remains the same when a passage length of the light rays is changed, for example, by a movement of the photoconductive surface P by a distance V 1 , as illustrated in FIG. 2.  
         [0033]    Referring to FIG. 3, a wide-angle fθ lens system L 2  focuses an image on the photoconductive surface P with a light ray having an incident angle θ which is continuously reduced from 90 degrees as the light ray goes outside the center in the main scanning direction. Therefore, an image focused on the photoconductive surface P is changed when a passage length of the light ray is changed, for example, by a movement of the photoconductive surface P by a distance V 2 , as illustrated in FIG. 3. This causes a change of a space between pixels in the sub-scanning direction. The change is continuously increased as the light ray goes outside the center in the main scanning direction or as the photoconductive surface P is moved away from the wide-angle lens system L 2 .  
         [0034]    Therefore, a scanning beam focusing mechanism using the telecentric fθ lens system, as illustrated in FIG. 2, is affected less by movement of a photoconductive surface than the one using the wide-angle fθ lens system.  
         [0035]    In addition, the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2  may cause variations of the scanning position at a junction where scanning by the light beams of the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2  are adjoined. Incident angles of the light beams passing through the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2  have opposite phases to each other. Consequently, the variations of the scanning position cause additional variations of the scanning positions produced by the optical scanning systems S 1  and S 2 . Therefore, the amount of variations of the scanning position at the junction is desirably within half of a marginal distance R which is a minimum distance allowable between two adjacent pixels and is inherent to each optical scanning system.  
         [0036]    An optical scanning system includes the inherent marginal distance R and a light pass length variation ΔL which is also inherent to the optical scanning system. Accordingly, an optical scanning apparatus using the optical scanning system has an inherent marginal distance R and an inherent light pass length variation ΔL. To satisfy a required performance, an optical scanning apparatus include a mechanism for reducing the variations of the light pass length or correcting the displacement at the junction in accordance with the variations of the light pass length, or satisfying an equation ΔL cos α&gt;R/2, wherein the light pass length variation ΔL, the incident angle = 60  at the junction, and the marginal distance R.  
         [0037]    Referring to FIG. 4, an alternate optical scanning apparatus  200  is described. The optical scanning apparatus  200  uses a telecentric fθ lens system and includes the light source  1 , the collimate lens  2 , the cylindrical lens  3 , and the polygon mirror  4 , which are identical to those components described above in reference to the optical scanning apparatus  100 . The optical scanning apparatus  200  further includes an eccentric toric lens  16 , a telecentric fθ mirror  17 , a mirror  18 , a synchronous beam detector  19 , a light gathering lens  20 , and a silicon on sapphire type (SOS-type) sensor  21 .  
         [0038]    In the optical scanning apparatus  200 , the telecentric fθ mirror  17  directs rays of a scanning light beam to the surface of the photoconductive member  11  and in a direction normal to the surface of the photoconductive member  11 . Therefore, effects on the optical scanning apparatus  200  from movement of an object surface is minimized, as compared to the scanning beam focusing mechanism using the telecentric fθ lens system. Thus, an optical lens system using the telecentric fθ mirror  17  can be used in the optical scanning apparatus  100  as an alternative to the telecentric fθ lens system.  
         [0039]    In general, a telecentric fθ lens is composed of a glass lens and has advantages of a small thermal sensitivity and a consequent high-precision capability. The telecentric fθ mirror advantageously has a space-saving capability if combined with an aspheric lens.  
         [0040]    While the discussion for the two optical scanning systems implemented in the optical scanning apparatus is discussed with reference to FIG. 1, it should be clear that the disclosure applies to other structures that has been developed for adjoining two scanning light beams.  
         [0041]    Referring to FIG. 5, an exemplary structure of an image forming apparatus  300  includes the optical scanning apparatus  100 . The image forming apparatus  300  also includes the photoconductive member  11 , a charge member  22 , a development unit  24 , a recording sheet cassette  25 , a sheet feed roller  26 , a registration roller  27 , a transfer roller  28 , a fixing unit  29 , a cleaning unit  30 , and a discharger  31 .  
         [0042]    The charge member  22  evenly charges the surface of the photoconductive member  11  on which an electrostatic latent image is drawn by the scanning light beams generated by the optical scanning apparatus  100 . The development unit  24  develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductive member  11  with toner into a visual toner image. The recording sheet cassette  25  contains a plurality of recording sheets. The sheet feed roller  26  picks up and transfers a recording sheet from the recording sheet cassette  26 . The registration roller  27  stops and transfers the recording sheet transferred by the sheet feed roller  26  in synchronism with a rotation of the photoconductive member  11  carrying the toner image. The transfer unit  28  transfers the toner image carried on the photoconductive member  11  onto the recording sheet, and then transfers the recording sheet carrying the toner image. The fixing unit  29  fixes the toner image with heat and/or pressure onto the recording sheet. The cleaning unit  30  removes the residual toner from the surface of the photoconductive member  11 , after the transfer unit  28  transfers the toner image to the recording sheet. The discharger  31  discharges residual charges on the surface of the photoconductive member  11 , after the cleaning unit  30  removes the residual toner from the surface of the photoconductive member  11 .  
         [0043]    In image forming apparatus  300 , the scanning light beams emitted by the optical scanning apparatus  100  on the evenly charged surface of the photoconductive member  11  form an electrostatic latent image. In synchronism with a rotation of the photoconductive member  11 , a recording sheet is transferred to the transfer roller  28  by the registration roller  27  after being picked up and fed from the recording sheet cassette  25  by the sheet feed roller  26 . Then, the toner image is transferred from the photoconductive member  11  to the recording sheet which is then forwarded to the fixing unit  29 . The toner image is fixed onto the recording sheet with heat and/or pressure and is ejected outside the image forming apparatus  300 .  
         [0044]    Accordingly, the image forming apparatus  300  may produce an image of relatively high quality with the optical scanning apparatus  100  that eliminates the above-mentioned problem of displacement at the junction point caused by variations of the light passage length and that is produced in a relatively low cost and a compact design.  
         [0045]    As an alternative to the optical scanning apparatus  100 , the image forming apparatus  300  may include the optical scanning apparatus  200 .  
         [0046]    Numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure of this patent specification may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.  
         [0047]    This patent specification is based on Japanese patent application, No. JPAP2001-076163 filed on Mar. 16, 2001, in the Japanese Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.