Patent ID: 7236280

Claim:
A multi-beam scanning device, comprising: a multi-beam light source, including plural laser diode arrays each of which is configured to emit plural laser beams, and at least one coupling lens configured to couple the plural laser beams, wherein the at least one coupling lens and the plural laser diode arrays are adjusted so as to be in predetermined positions relative to the other; a deflector configured to deflect the plural laser beams emitted by the plural laser diode arrays; an optical system configured to guide the deflected plural laser beams to an image forming surface such that the plural laser beams emitted from the plural laser diode arrays scan the surface in a main scanning direction, wherein the scanning of the plural laser beams is performed in parallel with each other at beam pitches in the sub-scanning direction; a body configured to contain the multi-beam light source, the deflector and the scanning optical system, wherein the multi-beam light source, the deflector and the scanning optical system are adjusted so as to be in predetermined positions relative to the others; and an adjustment member located between the body and the multi-beam light source and configured to adjust the beam pitches in the sub-scanning direction so as to be a predetermined beam pitch, wherein the adjustment member comprises one or more members selected from sheet materials having different thickness.