Multibeam scanning device
View Patent ↗A multibeam scanning device, comprising: a plurality of first optical systems, each of the plurality of optical systems including a light source unit configured to emit a non-collimated light beam, and an optical element having a predetermined power and having an optical effect on the laser beam; a second optical system arranged on a downstream side of the plurality of first optical systems, including a first deflector on which light beams emitted by the plurality of first optical systems are incident, the first deflector being to deflect the laser beams, and a common optical system configured to change degree of divergence of each of the plurality of light beams; and an optical path shifting system configured to translate an incident optical path of the light beam which is emitted by the light source and incident on the optical element is provided.
1. A multibeam scanning device, comprising:
a plurality of light source units configured to emit laser beams which are non-collimated light beams;
a plurality of collimating lenses arranged to collimate the plurality of laser beams, respectively, optical axes of the plurality of collimating lenses intersecting with each other at a predetermined position spaced from each of the plurality of collimating lenses by a distance equal to a focal length of each of the plurality of collimating lenses;
a first deflector which deflects the plurality of collimated laser beams so that the plurality of laser beams scan on a surface to be scanned in an auxiliary scanning direction;
a relaying lens system arranged on a downstream side of the first deflector, an entrance pupil of the relaying lens system coinciding with the predetermined position at which the optical axes of the plurality of collimating lenses intersect;
a second deflector which deflects the plurality of laser beams incident via the relaying lens system from the first deflector so that the plurality of laser beams scan on the surface to be scanned in a main scanning direction; and
a beam position adjusting system configured to change an optical path of a laser beam emitted by at least one of the plurality of light source units in a manner that a beam spot formed by the laser beam is translated in the auxiliary scanning direction on the surface to be scanned.
2. The multibeam scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined position is on a deflection surface of the first deflector.
3. The multibeam scanning device according to claim 2 , wherein the beam position adjusting system includes a translating mechanism configured to translate the at least one of the plurality of light source units in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the at least one of the plurality of light source units.