Patent ID: 7636102

Claim:
An optical scanning apparatus comprising: a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser including a plurality of light-emitting portions that are spaced from each other in at least a sub-scanning direction, wherein the plurality of light-emitting portions emits a plurality of light beams; a first optical system including a light-condensing element that converts the plurality of light beams into a combined light beam in another state; a deflecting unit that reflects the combined light beam from the first optical system; a diaphragm disposed in a optical path between the laser and the deflecting unit; and a second optical system that focuses the reflected combined light beam on a surface to be scanned, wherein a principal ray of a light beam emitted from one of the plurality of light-emitting portions that is farthest from an optical axis in the sub-scanning cross section passes through a plurality of optical elements included in the first and second optical systems, the principal ray being farthest from the optical axis in the sub-scanning cross section when the principal ray passes through the optical surface of optical element adjacent to the diaphragm, and wherein the optical surface of optical element adjacent to the diaphragm has a non-arc shape in a sub-scanning cross section.