Patent ID: 8786927

Claim:
An optical scanning apparatus comprising: a light source that emits a laser light; a lens through which the laser light emitted from the light source is passed; a support member directly supporting the lens; and a deflect device that deflects the laser light and scans an image bearing member with the laser light, wherein the support member includes a protruding portion projecting to the downstream side in a laser light emitting direction with respect to a laser light emitting surface of the lens, wherein as viewed in the laser light emitting direction, the protruding portion surrounds a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the protruding portion includes an opened portion that exposes a side surface of the lens, wherein a plurality of plane surface portions are provided on outer surfaces of the protruding portion, and wherein with respect to an area surrounded by a plurality of planes each of which includes at least one plane surface portion among the plurality of the plane surface portions, the area as viewed in the laser light emitting direction is a quadrilateral, and the area includes a whole of the lens therein.