Patent ID: 7411712

Claim:
An optical scanner comprising: a plurality of light source units spaced from each other along a first direction, each having an optical axis along which a light beam from the light source unit is emitted; a deflection unit that deflects the light beams together in a single plane at an angle with respect to the light beams and scans the light beams along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality of imaging units that form an image with each of the light beams on a corresponding surface to be scanned; a housing unit that holds the light source units, the deflection units, and the imaging units, the housing unit including a beam merging unit located on the axes between the light source units and the deflection unit, configured to direct the light beams to the deflection unit such that distances between the light beams along the second direction are decreased in a sequence in which the light beams are arranged, wherein the beam merging unit includes a plurality of separate mirrors each located on one of the optical axes between the light source units and the deflection unit, each of the plurality of separate mirrors is disposed on a separate bracket that is staggered with respect to other brackets, and a beam turning unit that turns the light beams scanned by the deflection unit in a sequence corresponding to the sequence, wherein the plurality of imaging units include a plurality of toroidal lenses having an optical face tangle error correction function of the deflection unit, and each of the plural toroidal lenses images respective light beams deflected by the deflection unit in a spot on the corresponding surface to be scanned.