Patent ID: 6847473

Claim:
A laser scanning apparatus comprising: a laser light source; a deflector for deflecting laser light from the laser light source in a predetermined direction; and a scanning optical system for directing the laser light from the deflector to a predetermined scanned region so as to make the laser light converge on the scanned region, wherein the scanning optical system includes a first nonflat surface that transmits the laser light from the deflector and a second nonflat surface that reflects the laser light transmitted through the first surface toward the first surface, the second surface has no symmetry plane, and when the deflector deflects the laser light at least at such an angle of deflection that the laser light is incident at a center of the scanned region, the laser light transmitted through the first surface is incident on the second surface obliquely with respect to a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the deflector deflects the laser light.