Patent ID: 7623280

Claim:
An optical scanning device, comprising: a light source configured to emit a plurality of light beams; a deflector configured to deflect the plurality of light beams emitted from the light source; a first optical assembly configured to be positioned upon a light path of the plurality of light beams that travel from the light source to the deflector, and configured to cause the plurality of light beams emitted from the light source to form an image in a sub scanning direction, in an immediate vicinity of the deflector; and a second optical assembly configured to cause the plurality of light beams deflected by the deflector to form the image upon a surface to be scanned; wherein the first optical assembly is configured to set the plurality of light beams such that a principal ray of two of the plurality of the light beams, which are located at each respective terminus with regard to the sub scanning direction, mutually converge with one another and do not intersect between an optical element with regard to the second optical assembly, and wherein a positive power in the sub scanning direction is at a maximum and the first optical assembly.