Patent ID: 8023205

Claim:
A lens array comprising: a lens assembly member including a plurality of lens elements arranged in a row extending in a first direction substantially perpendicular to optical axes thereof; and a light blocking member including a plurality of apertures arranged in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axes so that the optical axes pass through the apertures, each of said apertures being formed in a shape defined with at least two straight parallel lines, wherein said lens assembly member and said light blocking member are arranged so that the following relationship is satisfied: RAY/RLY<RAX/RLX where RLY is a radius of the lens elements in a third direction parallel to the first direction, RLX is a radius of the lens elements in a fourth direction perpendicular to the first direction, RAX is a radius of the aperture in a fifth direction perpendicular to the first direction, and RAY is a distance from a center of a circle with the radius RAX to one of the two straight parallel lines in a sixth direction in parallel to the first direction.