Optical scanning apparatus and image forming apparatus equipped therewith

Abstract

To provide an optical scanning device that can reduce discomfort during adjustment work. [Solution] An optical scanning device comprising a light source, an optical component, a housing, and a component mounting section for mounting the optical component within the housing, wherein the component mounting section comprises an end-holding section that movably holds one end of the optical component in the longitudinal direction, and an end-holding section that movably holds the other end of the optical component in the longitudinal direction, the end-holding section has a biasing member that biases one end of the optical component in the irradiation direction, the end-holding section has a mounting member attached to the other end of the optical component, a support member fixed to the housing that supports the mounting member so as to be movable in the irradiation direction and in the direction opposite to the irradiation direction, and an adjustment member provided on the housing, the mounting member has an inclined surface, the adjustment member is movable in the direction toward and toward the inclined surface, and as the adjustment member slides against the inclined surface while moving toward or toward the inclined surface, the other end of the optical component moves in the opposite direction or in the irradiation direction with one end as the pivot point.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical scanning device and an image forming apparatus including the same.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional optical scanning device provided in an image forming apparatus, for example, there is an optical scanning device (light source device) described in Patent Document 1. The optical scanning device of Patent Document 1 irradiates a photoreceptor, which is an irradiation target, with light from a light source (hereinafter sometimes referred to as scanning light) to form a latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor. In an image forming apparatus that supports multi-color (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a color image forming apparatus), there are provided a plurality of drum-shaped photoreceptors corresponding to a plurality of colors (for example, four colors of black, cyan, magenta, and yellow), and an optical scanning device including a plurality of optical scanning systems individually corresponding to the plurality of photoreceptors. In such a color image forming apparatus, even if the optical path lengths from the light source to the photoreceptor in each color optical scanning system are different, it is designed such that a desired latent image is formed on each photoreceptor with high accuracy. However, in the inspection process of an image forming apparatus assembled in a manufacturing factory, the direction of the main scanning light irradiated on the photoreceptor may not coincide with the ideal main scanning direction (the axial direction of the photoreceptor) and may be slightly deviated (tilted). Such misalignment of the optical axes of each color optical scanning system is considered to be caused by mounting errors and tolerances of various optical components assembled in the housing of the optical scanning device. Therefore, during the inspection process, position adjustment of the misalignment of the optical axes in each color optical scanning system is performed.

[0003] Specifically, in the case of Patent Document 1, each optical scanning system is equipped with an adjustment mechanism on a mirror that reflects scanning light from the light source toward the photoreceptor. This adjustment mechanism adjusts the position of the mirror so that the main scanning direction of the scanning light irradiated from the mirror toward the photoreceptor matches the ideal main scanning direction. In this process, a line worker adjusts the adjustment screw of the adjustment mechanism for each optical scanning system by rotating it with a tool. In the inspection process, for example, the required adjustment amount (for example, the required amount of rotation of the adjustment screw) for each optical scanning system is displayed on the operation screen of the image forming apparatus or on the display screen of an inspection PC electrically connected to the image forming apparatus, and the line worker can perform the adjustment work based on this information. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5544204 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The adjustment mechanism provided in the optical scanning system of Patent Document 1 comprises a base substrate, an adjustment lever mounted on the base substrate, interference pins (interference members), header pins (guide members), a worm gear (transmission member), and an operating part. One end of the mirror is held via a leaf spring, and the other end of the mirror is held to bias the adjustment lever of the adjustment mechanism. When adjusting the position of the mirror, the operating part is rotated using a tool (e.g., a hex wrench), and this rotational force is transmitted to the adjustment lever via the worm gear and interference pins, etc., and the other end of the mirror is pushed by the adjustment lever, thereby adjusting the position of the mirror. Such an adjustment mechanism of Patent Document 1 has a complex structure, and furthermore, a holding member that movably holds both ends of the mirror in the longitudinal direction is required separately from the adjustment mechanism, resulting in a large number of parts and increased costs.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide an optical scanning apparatus and an image forming apparatus equipped therewith, which have been made in consideration of the above circumstances. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention comprises a light source, an optical component to which light is irradiated from the light source, a housing for housing the optical component, and a component mounting section for mounting the optical component within the housing, wherein the optical component is formed in a shape that extends in a longitudinal direction intersecting the direction of light irradiation, the component mounting section comprises an end-holding section that movably holds one end of the optical component in the longitudinal direction, and an end-holding section that movably holds the other end of the optical component in the longitudinal direction, the end-holding section has a biasing member that biases one end of the optical component in the irradiation direction, the end-holding section has a mounting member attached to the other end of the optical component, a support member fixed to the housing that supports the mounting member so as to be movable in the irradiation direction and in the direction opposite to the irradiation direction, and an adjustment member provided on the housing, the mounting member has an inclined surface portion that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction, the adjustment member is movable in a direction approaching or moving away from the inclined surface portion, and as the adjustment member slides against the inclined surface portion while moving in the direction approaching or moving away from the inclined surface portion, the other end of the optical component moves in the opposite direction or in the irradiation direction with one end as the pivot point.

[0008] The present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising an optical scanning device, a photoreceptor on which a latent image is formed when light from the optical scanning device is irradiated, and a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the photoreceptor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical scanning device that simplifies the structure of the component mounting section that holds and adjusts the position of optical components, reduces the number of components, and lowers costs. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-sectional view from the front showing an image forming apparatus equipped with an optical scanning device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]Figure 1 is a schematic plan view from above, illustrating a part of the optical system of the optical scanning device shown. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a schematic side view, seen from the front, showing the positional relationship between the output optical system and the photoreceptor of the optical scanning device. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view from the upper right of the front side, showing the internal structure of the optical scanning device. [Figure 5] This figure schematically illustrates the position adjustment of a folding mirror as an optical component in the optical scanning device of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state of an optical component mounted on the first component mounting section of the optical scanning device of the first embodiment before position adjustment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state of the optical component mounted on the second component mounting section of the optical scanning device of the first embodiment before position adjustment. [Figure 8] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state after the optical component attached to the first component mounting section has been adjusted in position. [Figure 9] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the optical component mounted on the second component mounting section after position adjustment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state after the position adjustment of the optical component attached to the second component mounting section in the optical scanning device of the second embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state after the position adjustment of the optical component attached to the second component mounting section in the optical scanning device of the third embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a plan view showing the optical scanning device of the fifth embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Figure 12. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. Their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions thereof will not be repeated. Note that the following description is illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0012] (First Embodiment) [Overall Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view seen from the front showing an image forming apparatus 1 including an optical scanning device 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment is a color image forming apparatus. This image forming apparatus 1 forms a multicolor image on a sheet P such as a recording paper based on image data read by an image reading device 18 or image data transmitted from the outside. Note that the image forming apparatus 1 may be a color image forming apparatus of other forms.

[0013] The image forming apparatus 1 includes a document feeder 2 and an image forming apparatus main body 3, and the image forming apparatus main body 3 is provided with an image forming unit 4 and a sheet conveyance system 5.

[0014] The image forming unit 4 includes an optical scanning device 6, a plurality of developing devices 7, a plurality of drum-shaped photoreceptors 8 acting as image carriers, a plurality of cleaning devices 9, a plurality of charging devices 10, an intermediate transfer belt device 11, a plurality of toner storage devices 12, and a fixing device 13. The sheet conveyance system 5 includes a paper feed tray 14, a manual paper feed tray 15, and a discharge tray 16.

[0015] On the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 3, there is provided a document placement table 17 made of a transparent glass on which a document (not shown) is placed. Below the document placement table 17, there is provided an image reading device 18 for reading an image of the document. Also, above the document placement table 17, there is provided a document feeder 2. The image of the document read by the image reading device 18 is sent as image data to the image forming apparatus main body 3, and the image formed based on the image data in the image forming apparatus main body 3 is recorded on the sheet P.

[0016] The image data handled in the image forming apparatus 1 corresponds to a color image using a plurality of colors (in this example, four colors of black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y)). Therefore, the developing device 7, the photosensitive member 8, the cleaning device 9, the charging device 10, and the toner container 12 are provided with a plurality of sets (in this example, four sets) according to each color. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of sets corresponding to black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) are arranged in order from right to left in the left - right direction.

[0017] In the image forming apparatus 1, when forming an image, the sheet P is supplied from the paper feed tray 14 or the manual paper feed tray 15, and is conveyed to the registration roller 20 by the first conveying roller 19a provided along the sheet conveyance path S. Next, the sheet P is conveyed by the registration roller 20 at a timing that matches the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 21 that circulates in the circumferential direction V in the intermediate transfer belt device 11, and the toner image is transferred onto the sheet P by the transfer roller 22. After that, the sheet P passes through the fixing roller 23 and the pressure roller 24 in the fixing device 13. At this time, the unfixed toner on the sheet P is melted and fixed by heat. Then, the sheet P on which the toner image is formed is discharged onto the discharge tray 16 through the second conveying roller 19b and the discharge roller 25.

[0018] [Optical Scanning Device] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view seen from above schematically showing a part of the optical system of the optical scanning device 6 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic side view seen from the front showing the positional relationship between a part of the optical system of the optical scanning device 6 shown in FIG. 1 and the photosensitive member 8. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view seen from the front - side upper right obliquely showing the internal structure of the optical scanning device 6 shown in FIG. 1. The optical scanning device 6 includes a light source unit 26, an incident optical system 27, a deflector 28, an exit optical system 29, and a detection unit 30.

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the light source unit 26 has multiple light sources 26a (multi-beam light sources in this example). Each light source 26a emits a beam group BG (specifically, a group of laser beams). The incident optical system 27 is positioned between the light source unit 26 and the deflector 28 in the optical path of the beam group. The incident optical system 27 causes the beam group BG emitted from the light source unit 26 to be incident on the deflector 28. The deflector 28 deflects and scans the beam group BG incident from the light source unit 26 via the incident optical system 27 in the main scanning direction X. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the exit optical system 29 is positioned between the deflector 28 and the scanned surface F (the surface of multiple photoreceptors 8 in this example) in the optical path of the beam group BG. The exit optical system 29 irradiates the scanned surface F with the beam group BG from the deflector 28. As shown in Figure 2, the detection unit 30 detects the beam group BG from the deflector 28. The light source unit 26, the incident optical system 27, the deflector 28, the exit optical system 29, and the detection unit 30 are housed within the housing 6a.

[0020] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in the optical scanning device 6, the beam group BG emitted from the light source unit 26 is incident on the deflector 28 via the incident optical system 27, deflected and scanned in the main scanning direction X by the deflector 28, and detected by the detection unit 30, forming a latent image as image information on the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 via the exit optical system 29. The beam group BG periodically scans the scanned surface F in the main scanning direction X, but since the photoreceptor 8 rotates in the rotation direction B (see Figure 3), it can also scan in the sub-scanning direction (a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction X) on the photoreceptor 8.

[0021] (Light source part) As shown in Figure 2, the light source unit 26 is equipped with multiple (four in this example) light sources 26a corresponding to each color. Each of the multiple light sources 26a is equipped with one or more light-emitting elements such as laser diodes (semiconductor laser elements in this example) and emits a beam group BG modulated according to the image data. The number of light sources 26a can be 2, 4, 8, or 16, but is not limited to these.

[0022] (Incidence optical system) The incident optical system 27 (see Figures 2 and 4) irradiates the beam group BG emitted from the light source unit 26 onto the reflection point R (reflection position) on the mirror surface 36a (reflection surface) of the deflector 28. The incident optical system 27 includes a plurality (four in this example) of collimator lenses 31, a plurality (four in this example) of apertures 32, a plurality (four in this example) of first reflection mirrors 33, a cylindrical lens 34, and a second reflection mirror 35.

[0023] The collimator lens 31 is an optical component that shapes the beam group BG emitted from the light source 26a into a parallel shape. The aperture 32 is a plate-shaped member with a long slit-shaped opening (not shown) formed in the main scanning direction X, and is an optical component that shapes the beam cross-section into a rectangular shape as the beam group BG passes through it. In this example, the incident optical system 27 is configured to allow the beam group BG from one of the multiple apertures 32 to pass through the first reflection mirror 33 and be incident on the cylindrical lens 34. The first reflection mirror 33 is an optical component that reflects the beam group BG that has passed through the remaining apertures 32 and guides it to the cylindrical lens 34, and can also transmit the beam group BG. The cylindrical lens 34 is an optical component that focuses the beam group BG that has passed through one first reflection mirror 33 and the beam group BG reflected from the other first reflection mirrors 33 toward the mirror surface 36a of the deflector 28 via the second reflection mirror 35. The second reflective mirror 35 is an optical component that reflects the beam group BG emitted from the cylindrical lens 34 and guides it to the reflection point R on the mirror surface 36a of the deflector 28.

[0024] (deflector) In this example, the deflector 28 (see Figure 2) comprises a polygon mirror 36 (a rotating polyhedron mirror, an example of a deflection mirror) and a drive motor 37 that rotates the polygon mirror 36. The polygon mirror 36 is fixed to the rotation axis 37a of the drive motor 37. The polygon mirror 36 has multiple mirror surfaces 36a around its circumference along the rotation axis 37a. The drive motor 37 rotates at a constant rotational speed in a constant rotational direction E. As a result, the polygon mirror 36 can deflect and scan the beam group BG incident on the reflection point R on the mirror surface 36a in the main scanning direction X.

[0025] (reflective optical system) The output optical system 29 (see Figures 2 to 4) reflects and refracts the beam group BG, which is repeatedly scanned in the main scanning direction X, and illuminates the scanned surface F. The output optical system 29 comprises a first fθ lens 38, a plurality of folding mirrors 39 (see Figure 3), and a plurality of second fθ lenses 40. These optical components are formed in the shape of long rods in the main scanning direction X (the longitudinal direction C intersecting the irradiation direction A of the light source 26a) (see Figure 2), and both ends are attached to the housing 6a by component mounting parts (not shown). The component mounting parts will be described in detail later.

[0026] The first fθ lens 38 is an optical element that corrects the beam group BG, which is reflected from the mirror surface 36a of the deflector 28 and moves at a constant angular velocity, so that it moves at a constant velocity on the scanned surface F. The folding mirror 39 is an optical element that reflects the beam group BG that has passed through the first fθ lens 38 and guides it to the second fθ lens 40, causing the beam group BG to converge on the scanned surface F.

[0027] (Detection unit) The detection unit 30 (see Figures 2 and 4) comprises a detection reflective mirror 41, a focusing lens 42, and a semiconductor photosensor 43. The detection reflective mirror 41 is an optical element that reflects the beam group BG reflected from the mirror surface 36a of the deflector 28 and guides it to the focusing lens 42. The focusing lens 42 is an optical element that focuses the beam group BG reflected from the detection reflective mirror 41 onto the semiconductor photosensor 43. The semiconductor photosensor 43 (specifically a photodiode) converts the beam group BG focused by the focusing lens 42 into photoelectric energy. In this example, the detection unit 30 is a beam detection (BD) sensor for controlling the scanning timing of the beam group BG (specifically, the timing of writing the image to the scanned surface F).

[0028] <Regarding the position adjustment of the folding mirror> Figure 5 schematically shows the position adjustment of the folding mirror 39 as an optical component in the optical scanning apparatus 6 of the first embodiment. Note that in Figure 5, the second fθ lens 40, which is positioned between the folding mirror 39 and the photoreceptor 8, is omitted from the illustration. As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5, in the optical scanning apparatus 6 of the first embodiment, the optical path lengths of the optical scanning systems for each color from the four light sources 26a (or the reflection point R of the mirror surface 36a of the deflector 28) to the four photoreceptors 8 corresponding to each light source 26a are different, but each photoreceptor 8 is designed to form a desired latent image with high precision. However, in the initial stage (before adjustment) of the inspection process of the image forming apparatus 1 (see Figure 1) assembled at the manufacturing plant, the direction 51 of the main scanning light irradiated onto each photoreceptor 8 may not exactly coincide with the ideal main scanning direction 50 (i.e., the direction of the axis Q of the photoreceptor 8), but may be slightly shifted (tilted) (see Figure 5). It is believed that these optical axis misalignments related to the tilt of each color's optical scanning system are caused by mounting errors and tolerances of various optical components assembled within the housing 6a of the optical scanning device 6, as well as mounting errors and tolerances of the optical scanning device 6 relative to the image forming apparatus body 3.

[0029] In the example shown in Figure 5, the ideal main scanning direction 50 is the direction from one end 8a to the other end 8b of the photoreceptor 8, which coincides with the axis Q of the photoreceptor 8. With respect to this ideal main scanning direction 50, the direction 51 of the main scanning light in the inspection process may be an optical axis misalignment tilted to the opposite side (back side) of the reflective surface 39r of the folding mirror 39 on the other end 8b side of the photoreceptor 8, or an optical axis misalignment tilted towards the reflective surface 39r of the folding mirror 39. Here, the case where the optical axis misalignment is tilted to the opposite side (back side) of the reflective surface 39r of the folding mirror 39 is illustrated (see Figure 5). Therefore, in the inspection process, the position of the folding mirror 39 closest to each photoreceptor 8 corresponding to each photoreceptor 8 is adjusted, thereby making the direction 51 of the main scanning light in the inspection process coincide with the ideal main scanning direction 50. In the inspection process, for example, the required adjustment amount (for example, the required amount of rotation of the adjustment screw) for each optical scanning system is displayed on the operation screen of the image forming apparatus 1 or on the display screen of the inspection PC electrically connected to the image forming apparatus 1, and the operator (line worker) can perform the adjustment work based on this information. At this time, the image forming apparatus 1 is operated to irradiate the scanned surface F of each photoreceptor 8 with the main scanning light in each optical scanning system and detect the direction 51 of the main scanning light. The degree to which the direction 51 of the main scanning light is tilted relative to the ideal main scanning direction 50 (how much the optical axis is misaligned) is determined, and the amount of adjustment to make the direction 51 of the main scanning light match the ideal main scanning direction 50 is calculated.

[0030] Incidentally, in a color image forming apparatus, there is a high need to superimpose colored (3-color) toner images with high precision on the intermediate transfer belt 21. Therefore, the folding mirror 39 closest to the photoreceptor 8 in the cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) light scanning systems is adjusted. Hereinafter, the folding mirror 39 closest to the photoreceptor 8 corresponding to cyan (C) may be called "folding mirror 39c", the folding mirror 39 closest to the photoreceptor 8 corresponding to magenta (M) may be called "folding mirror 39m", and the folding mirror 39 closest to the photoreceptor 8 corresponding to yellow (Y) may be called "folding mirror 39y". On the other hand, there is little need to superimpose the black (K) toner image with the colored toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 21. Therefore, in this embodiment, the position adjustment regarding the tilt of the folding mirror 39 in the black (K) light scanning system is omitted, however, position adjustment regarding the tilt may be performed. The following describes the positional adjustment of the tilt of the folding mirrors 39c, 39m, and 39y closest to the photoreceptor 8 in the cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) optical scanning systems.

[0031] In the case of the optical scanning device 6 shown in Figure 3, comparing the optical path lengths of the three output optical systems 29 from the reflection point R of the polygon mirror 36 of the deflector 28 to the three photoreceptors 8 corresponding to the three colors, the optical path length of the yellow (Y) output optical system 29 is the longest, followed by the cyan (C) output optical system 29, and the optical path length of the magenta (M) output optical system 29 is the shortest. Furthermore, the difference between the optical path lengths of the yellow (Y) output optical system 29 and the cyan (C) output optical system 29 is smaller than the difference between the optical path lengths of the cyan (C) output optical system 29 and the magenta (M) output optical system 29. In such an optical scanning device 6, the amount of optical axis misalignment tends to increase in proportion to the length of the optical path length of the output optical system 29.

[0032] Therefore, the amount of positional adjustment required for the folding mirrors 39y and 39c of the yellow (Y) and cyan (C) output optical systems 29 becomes greater than the amount of positional adjustment required for the folding mirror 39m of the magenta (M) output optical system 29. This adjustment process (the process of adjusting by rotating the adjustment screws) becomes an unfamiliar task for line workers in the inspection process. In other words, line workers usually tend to assume that the amount of positional adjustment required for the folding mirrors 39y, 39c, and 39m of the three color output optical systems 29 (for example, the amount of rotation of the adjustment screws required) will be roughly the same. Therefore, if the amount of positional adjustment differs by a certain degree depending on the color during the actual adjustment process, the amount of rotation of the adjustment screws required can differ significantly depending on the color, which can easily cause discomfort. This is also true for service technicians who perform maintenance on image forming machines delivered to users. Therefore, the optical scanning device 6 of this embodiment is equipped with a component mounting section for optical components that allows for adjustment work that reduces such discomfort.

[0033] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state of an optical component mounted on the first component mounting section 60 in the optical scanning device 6 of the first embodiment before position adjustment. In Figure 6, the folding mirror 39m mounted on the first component mounting section 60 is viewed from above. In this embodiment, the first component mounting section 60 holds one end 39a and the other end 39b of the folding mirror 39m of the magenta (M) output optical system 29, which requires relatively little position adjustment, and mounts this folding mirror 39m inside the housing 6a. Hereinafter, the folding mirror 39m of the magenta (M) output optical system 29 may be referred to as the "first optical component 39m".

[0034] The first component mounting section 60 includes an end-holding section 61 that movably holds one end 39a of the first optical component 39m in the longitudinal direction C, and an end-holding section 62 that movably holds the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m in the longitudinal direction C. The end-holding section 61 includes a mounting member 63 attached to one end 39a of the first optical component 39m, and a support member 64 that supports the mounting member 63 within the housing 6a. The mounting member 63 has an L-shaped fixing member 66 fixed to the support member 64 via screws 65a, and a biasing member 67 that clamps one end 39a of the first optical component 39m together with a bent part 66a of the fixing member 66. One end 66a of the fixing member 66 is in pressure contact with the back surface 39f of the first optical component 39m opposite to the reflective surface 39r via an elastically deformable cushioning member 68a (for example, a rubber member). The biasing member 67 is made of resin, for example, and has an L-shaped connecting portion 67a connected to the fixing member 66, and a contact piece 67b that protrudes diagonally from the portion of the connecting portion 67a facing the reflective surface 39r toward one end 39a and contacts the reflective surface 39r. In this way, the contact piece 67b of the biasing member 67 biases the reflective surface 39r of one end 39a of the first optical component 39m toward the irradiation direction A (back surface 39f side) of the beam group BG. In addition, a small gap is provided between the end face of one end 39a of the first optical component 39m and the fixing member 66 or the biasing member 67. In this one-end holding portion 61, in addition to the elastic deformation of the biasing member 67 and the cushioning member 68a, there is a gap between the end face of one end 39a of the first optical component 39m and the fixing member 66 or the biasing member 67, so that one end 39a of the first optical component 39m is slightly movable toward the reflective surface 39r side or the back surface 39f side relative to the one-end holding portion 61. Furthermore, to prevent the first optical component 39m from falling from the first component mounting portion 60 (in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 6), for example, one end 39a and the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m are placed on a stepped portion provided on the bottom surface inside the housing 6a.

[0035] The other end holding portion 62 of the first component mounting portion 60 includes a mounting member 71 attached to the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m, a support member 72 fixed to the housing 6a and supporting the mounting member 71 so that it can move in the irradiation direction A (back surface 39f side) and the direction opposite to the irradiation direction A (reflecting surface 39r side), and an adjustment member 73 provided on the housing 6a. The mounting member 71 has a substantially L-shaped sliding member 74 that is slidably supported by the support member 72 via a screw 65b, and a biasing member 75 that clamps the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m together with the bent end 74a of the sliding member 74. The sliding member 74 extends in the direction opposite to the irradiation direction A, and an elongated hole 74d is provided near the middle of its longitudinal direction. By inserting the screw 65b through this elongated hole 74d, the sliding member 74 becomes slidable in the direction opposite to the irradiation direction A G, and also slidable in the irradiation direction A. One end 74a of the slide member 74 is pressed against the back surface 39f of the first optical component 39m, opposite to the reflective surface 39r, via an elastically deformable buffer member 68b (for example, a rubber member). The biasing member 75 is made of resin, for example, and has an L-shaped connecting portion 75a connected to the slide member 74, and a contact piece 75b that protrudes diagonally from the portion of the connecting portion 75a facing the reflective surface 39r toward the other end 39b and contacts the reflective surface 39r. In this way, the contact piece 75b of the biasing member 75 biases the reflective surface 39r of the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m toward the irradiation direction A (back surface 39f side) of the beam group BG. In addition, a small gap is provided between the end face of the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m and the slide member 74 or the biasing member 75. In this other end holding portion 62, in addition to the elastic deformation of the biasing member 75 and the cushioning member 68b, there is a gap between the end face of the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m and the slide member 74 or the biasing member 75, so that the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m is slightly movable relative to the other end holding portion 62 toward the reflective surface 39r side or the back surface 39f side.

[0036] Furthermore, in the other end holding portion 62, the other end 74b of the slide member 74 on the reflective surface 39r side is provided with an inclined surface portion 74c that is inclined at a first inclination angle α1 with respect to the irradiation direction A when viewed from the vertical direction (above). The inclined surface portion 74c is inclined toward the surrounding wall 6x of the housing 6a as it approaches the other end 74b. In this example, the first inclination angle α1 is approximately 45°. The adjustment member 73 is movable in a straight line direction toward or toward this inclined surface portion 74c. The adjustment member 73 is a first adjustment screw having a first pitch P1 that is screwed into a first screw hole 76 provided in the housing 6a (hereinafter, the adjustment member 73 may be referred to as the first adjustment screw 73). The first screw hole 76 is provided perpendicular to the surrounding wall 6x of the housing 6a. The inclined surface portion 74c is inclined toward the surrounding wall 6x as it approaches the other end 74b. Furthermore, an elongated hole 74d is provided between the inclined surface portion 74c of the slide member 74 and the biasing member 75, and a screw 65b is inserted through this elongated hole 74d. With this structure, the slide member 74 can slide in the direction G opposite to the irradiation direction A, and can also slide in the irradiation direction A.

[0037] Figure 7 is a schematic top-view cross-sectional view showing the state of an optical component mounted on the second component mounting section 80 of the optical scanning device 6 of the first embodiment before position adjustment. In Figure 7, the folding mirror 39y mounted on the second component mounting section 80 is viewed from above. The second component mounting section 80 is configured in a manner similar to the first component mounting section 60 (see Figures 6 and 8), and the second inclination angle α2 of the inclined surface 74c of the second component mounting section 80 is equivalent to the first inclination angle α1 of the inclined surface 74c of the first component mounting section 60, and the second pitch P2 of the second adjustment screw 83 of the second component mounting section 80 is equivalent to the first pitch P1 of the first adjustment screw 73 of the first component mounting section 60, however, the mounting angle of the adjustment member 83 of the second component mounting section 80 is different from the mounting angle of the adjustment member 73 of the first component mounting section 60. In this embodiment, the second component mounting section 80 holds one end 39a and the other end 39b of the folding mirror 39y of the yellow (Y) output optical system 29, which has a relatively large position adjustment range, and mounts this folding mirror 39y inside the housing 6a. Hereinafter, the folding mirror 39y of the yellow (Y) output optical system 29 may be referred to as the "second optical component 39y". Note that the mounting structure of the folding mirror 39c of the cyan (C) output optical system 29 is also held by the second component mounting section 80, so a description is omitted.

[0038] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state after the position adjustment of the optical component attached to the first component mounting section 60 shown in Figure 6. When the first adjustment screw 73, which is screwed into the first screw hole 76 in the first component mounting section 60, is rotated using a tool, the first adjustment screw 73 moves in a straight line with respect to the inclined surface 74c at a first entry angle θ1 (approximately 45° in this example) when viewed from the vertical direction (above). As the first adjustment screw 73 moves in a straight line, a force is applied to the inclined surface 74c, which is pressed by the tip 73a of the first adjustment screw 73, causing it to move in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A. As a result, the inclined surface portion 74c of the sliding member 74 slides in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A while sliding against the tip 73a of the first adjustment screw 73. Consequently, a sliding force is applied to the other end holding portion 62 and the first optical component 39m in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A, causing the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m to move in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A, with one end 39a acting as a pivot point (see Figure 5). At this time, the first adjustment screw 73 moves in a straight line with an adjustment amount (amount of rotation of the screw) 81, and the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m moves in the opposite direction G with a movement amount of 82. In Figure 8, the dashed line indicates the position of the first optical component 39m before the movement.

[0039] As shown in Figures 6 and 8, when the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m moves in the reverse direction G, the biasing force of the biasing member 67 of the one-end holding part 61 on the first optical component 39m increases, and a force acts on the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m to return to the irradiation direction A. Therefore, when the first adjustment screw 73 is reversed from the state shown in Figure 8 to the state shown in Figure 6 and retracted from the inclined surface part 74c, the other end 74b of the first optical component 39m moves in the irradiation direction A with one end 39a as the pivot point. By adjusting the position of the first optical component 39m in this way, in the inspection process of the image forming apparatus 1 (see Figure 1), the optical scanning direction 51 of the first optical component 39m can be made to match the ideal main scanning direction 50, as explained in Figure 5. Note that the initial position of the first optical component 39m may be a position where the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m has moved slightly in the reverse direction G from the ideal main scanning direction 50 by the first adjustment screw 73. In this case, it is possible to adjust the position when the direction 51 of the main scanning light, as explained in Figure 5, is misaligned in the optical axis in the opposite direction G to the ideal main scanning direction 50. That is, the first optical component 39m can be moved back by the first adjustment screw 73 to make the direction 51 of the main scanning light coincide with the ideal main scanning direction 50.

[0040] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state after the position adjustment of the optical component attached to the second component mounting section 80 shown in Figure 7. Elements in Figures 7 and 9 that are the same as those in Figures 6 and 8 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted. In the case of the second component mounting section 80, the second screw hole 84 into which the adjustment member 83 of the housing 6a (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the second adjustment screw 83) is screwed is formed obliquely to the surrounding wall 6x of the housing 6a. More specifically, when the second adjustment screw 83, which is screwed into the second screw hole 84, is rotated to move in line with the inclined surface portion 74c of the slide member 74, the second adjustment screw 83 slides against the inclined surface portion 74c at a second approach angle θ2 (approximately 65° in this example) that is larger than the first approach angle θ1 (see Figures 6 and 8) of the first adjustment screw 73, which is screwed into the first screw hole 76, with respect to the inclined surface portion 74c. This is because the second screw hole 84 is formed obliquely in the peripheral wall 6x of the housing 6a. In Figure 9, the dashed line indicates the position of the second optical component 39y before movement.

[0041] When the second adjustment screw 83, which is screwed into the second screw hole 84 in the second component mounting portion 80, is rotated using a tool, the second adjustment screw 83 moves in a straight line with respect to the inclined surface portion 74c at a second entry angle θ2. As the second adjustment screw 83 moves in a straight line, a force is applied to the inclined surface portion 74c, which is pressed by the tip 83a of the second adjustment screw 83, causing it to move in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A. As a result, the inclined surface portion 74c of the slide member 74 slides in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A while sliding against the tip 83a of the second adjustment screw 83, and consequently a sliding force is applied to the other end holding portion 62x and the second optical component 39y in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A, causing the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y to move in the opposite direction G to the irradiation direction A, with one end 39a acting as a pivot point (see Figure 7). In this case, even if the adjustment amount 85 (rotation amount) of the second adjustment screw 83 is approximately the same as the adjustment amount 81 of the first adjustment screw 73 (see Figure 8), the amount of movement 86 of the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y in the reverse direction G will be greater than the amount of movement 82 of the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m in the reverse direction G (for example, about 2 to 3 times greater). Thus, even if the adjustment amounts 81 and 85 (rotation amounts) of the first and second adjustment screws 73 and 83 are about the same, the amount of movement 86 of the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y can be significantly increased compared to the amount of movement 82 of the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m.

[0042] As shown in Figures 7 and 9, when the second optical component 39y moves in the reverse direction G, the biasing force of the biasing member 67 of the one-end holding portion 61 on the second optical component 39y increases, and a force acts on the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y to return to the irradiation direction A. Therefore, when the second adjustment screw 83 is reversed from the state shown in Figure 9 to the state shown in Figure 7, and retracted from the inclined surface portion 74c, the other end 74b of the second optical component 39y moves in the irradiation direction A, with one end 39a acting as a fulcrum. By adjusting the position of the second optical component 39y in this way, in the inspection process of the image forming apparatus 1 (see Figure 1), the optical scanning direction 51 of the second optical component 39y can be made to match the ideal main scanning direction 50, as explained in Figure 5. As described above, the amount of deviation Z of the optical scanning direction 51 of the second optical component 39y relative to the ideal main scanning direction 50 tends to be larger than the amount of deviation Z of the optical scanning direction 51 of the first optical component 39m relative to the ideal main scanning direction 50. The first and second component mounting parts 60 and 80 of this embodiment correspond to this difference in the amount of deviation Z. In other words, the amount of deviation Z of the optical scanning direction 51 of the first optical component 39m relative to the ideal main scanning direction 50 is brought closer to 0 by the adjustment work with the first adjustment screw 73, and the amount of deviation Z of the optical scanning direction 51 of the second optical component 39y relative to the ideal main scanning direction 50 is brought closer to 0 by the adjustment work with the second adjustment screw 83. In this case, even if the adjustment amount 85 (rotation amount) of the second adjustment screw 83 is almost the same as the adjustment amount 81 (see Figure 8) of the first adjustment screw 73, the amount of movement 86 of the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y in the reverse direction G will be greater than the amount of movement 82 of the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m in the reverse direction G. Therefore, it is possible to make the adjustment amount of the first adjustment screw 73 and the adjustment amount of the second adjustment screw 83 approximately the same. As a result, the sense of discomfort (the feeling of being confused by the difference in adjustment amounts due to the difference in color) that line workers or service technicians have felt when performing adjustment work on conventional models can be reduced. Note that the initial position of the second optical component 39y may be a position where the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y has moved slightly in the reverse direction G from the ideal main scanning direction 50 by the second adjustment screw 83. In this case, it is possible to adjust the position when the direction 51 of the main scanning light, as explained in Figure 5, is optically misaligned in the reverse direction G from the ideal main scanning direction 50.In other words, the second adjustment screw 83 can be used to retract the second optical component 39y, thereby aligning the direction 51 of the main scanning light with the ideal main scanning direction 50.

[0043] Furthermore, according to the optical scanning device 6 of this embodiment, the structure of the first component mounting section 60, which allows the position of the first optical component 39m to be adjusted with a relatively small amount of movement 82, and the structure of the second component mounting section 80, which allows the position of the second optical component 39y to be adjusted with a larger amount of movement 86 than the amount of movement 82 of the first optical component 39m, can be made to be substantially the same. Moreover, the first component mounting section 60 and the second component mounting section 80 combine a position adjustment mechanism and a holding mechanism for the first optical component 39m and the second optical component 39y. Therefore, according to the optical scanning device 6 of this embodiment, a position adjustment mechanism and a holding mechanism for the first and second optical components 39m and 39y can be obtained with a simple structure, a small number of parts, and cost reduction. Note that such a position adjustment mechanism and a holding mechanism for optical components are not limited to mirrors, but may also be applied to lenses (for example, the first fθ lens 38).

[0044] By the way, even if the adjustment amount 85 (rotation amount) of the second adjustment screw 83 is almost the same as the adjustment amount 81 of the first adjustment screw 73, the amount of movement 86 of the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y in the reverse direction G is greater than the amount of movement 82 of the other end 39b of the first optical component 39m in the reverse direction G. As an example of such a configuration, we have explained the case where the second entry angle θ2 of the second adjustment screw 83, which is the second adjustment element (second parameter), is different (larger) from the first entry angle θ1 of the first adjustment screw 73, which is the first adjustment element (first parameter). However, the configuration is not limited to this example.

[0045] In other words, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, for the first adjustment elements in the first component mounting section 60, which include the first entry angle θ1 of the first adjustment screw 73 relative to the inclined surface 74c as viewed from the vertical, the first inclination angle α1 of the inclined surface 74c relative to the irradiation direction A as viewed from the vertical, and the first pitch P1 of the first adjustment screw 73, one or more of the second adjustment elements in the second component mounting section 80, which include the second entry angle θ2 of the second adjustment screw 83 relative to the inclined surface 74c as viewed from the vertical, the second inclination angle α2 of the inclined surface 74c relative to the irradiation direction A as viewed from the vertical, and the second pitch P2 of the second adjustment screw 83, can be selectively made different.

[0046] At this time, the difference between the second adjustment element and the first adjustment element is determined in accordance with the difference between the first optical path length from the light source to the first optical component and the second optical path length from the light source to the second optical component. Furthermore, when the first and second optical components are adjusted, the difference between the second adjustment element and the first adjustment element is determined so that the amount of rotation of the first adjustment screw 73 and the amount of rotation of the second adjustment screw 83 are approximately the same, or so that the amount of movement of the first adjustment screw 73 in the forward and backward directions and the amount of movement of the second adjustment screw 83 in the forward and backward directions are approximately the same. Various patterns for differentiating the second adjustment element from the first adjustment element will be described below in the second to fourth embodiments.

[0047] (Second Embodiment) Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state after position adjustment of the optical component attached to the second component mounting section 90 in the optical scanning device of the second embodiment. In Figure 10, elements similar to those in Figures 7 and 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the second embodiment, the second inclination angle α2 of the inclined surface section 74c, which is the second adjustment element, is made smaller than the first inclination angle α1 of the inclined surface section 74c, which is the first adjustment element, while the first entry angle θ1 and first pitch P1 of the first adjustment screw 73, which is another first adjustment element, and the second entry angle θ2 and second pitch P2 of the second adjustment screw 83, which is another second adjustment element, are set to be the same.

[0048] More specifically, the optical scanning device of the second embodiment includes a first component mounting section (not shown) configured similarly to the first component mounting section 60 of the first embodiment (see Figures 6 and 8). Furthermore, the optical scanning device of the second embodiment includes a second component mounting section 90 with a holding section 91 at the other end, as shown in Figure 10. A holding section at one end of this second component mounting section 90 (not shown) is configured similarly to the holding section 61 at the one end of the first embodiment (see Figure 7). Hereinafter, the holding section 91 at the other end of the second component mounting section 90 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10, and the holding section 62 at the other end of the first component mounting section 60 in the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 8.

[0049] In the second embodiment, the second inclination angle α2 of the inclined surface portion 74c of the slide member 93 at the other end holding portion 91 of the second component mounting portion 90 is smaller than the first inclination angle α1 of the inclined surface portion 74c of the slide member 74 at the other end holding portion 62 of the first component mounting portion 60. In this example, the first inclination angle α1 is approximately 45°, and the second inclination angle α2 is approximately 35°. Also, in the second embodiment, the second adjustment screw 94 of the second component mounting portion 90 is provided perpendicular to the surrounding wall 6x of the housing 6a. Therefore, the second entry angle θ2 of the second adjustment screw 94 with respect to the inclined surface portion 74c in the second component mounting portion 90 is equivalent to the first entry angle θ1 of the first adjustment screw 73 with respect to the inclined surface portion 74c in the first component mounting portion 60. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the second pitch of the second adjustment screw 94 of the second component mounting portion 90 is equivalent to the first pitch P1 of the first adjustment screw 73 in the first component mounting portion 60.

[0050] In this configuration, if the amount of rotation of the first adjustment screw 73 and the amount of rotation of the second adjustment screw 94 are the same, then the amount of movement 81 of the first adjustment screw 73 and the amount of movement 95 of the second adjustment screw 94 will be the same. However, because the second inclination angle α2 of the inclined surface portion 74c to which the tip 94a of the second adjustment screw 94 slides is smaller than the first inclination angle α1 of the inclined surface portion 74c to which the tip 73a of the first adjustment screw 73 slides, even if the amount of movement 81 of the first adjustment screw 73 and the amount of movement 95 of the second adjustment screw 94 are the same, the amount of movement 96 of the second component mounting portion 90 and the second optical component 39y will be larger than the amount of movement 82 of the first component mounting portion 60 and the first optical component 39m. Therefore, in the second embodiment as in the first embodiment, the sense of discomfort (the feeling of being confused by the difference in adjustment amounts due to the difference in color) that line workers or service personnel felt when performing adjustment work on conventional models can be reduced. Furthermore, since the second adjustment screw 94 is provided perpendicular to the surrounding wall 6x of the housing 6a, similar to the first adjustment screw 73, the second adjustment screw 94 can be rotated with the same feel as the first adjustment screw 73, further reducing any sense of unnaturalness. In the case of the second embodiment as well, the initial position of the second optical component 39y may be such that the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y is moved slightly in the opposite direction G from the ideal main scanning direction 50 by the second adjustment screw 94. In this case, it is possible to adjust the position when the direction of the main scanning light 51, as explained in Figure 5, is optically misaligned in the opposite direction G from the ideal main scanning direction 50. That is, the second optical component 39y can be moved back by the second adjustment screw 94 to make the direction of the main scanning light 51 coincide with the ideal main scanning direction 50.

[0051] (Third embodiment) Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view from above showing the state of an optical component mounted on the second component mounting section of the optical scanning device of the third embodiment after position adjustment. In Figure 11, elements similar to those in Figures 7 and 9 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the third embodiment, the second pitch P2 of the second adjustment screw 112, which is the second adjustment element, is made larger than the first pitch P1 of the first adjustment screw 73, which is the first adjustment element. The first entry angle θ1 and the first inclination angle α1 of the inclined surface portion 74c of the other first adjustment element, the first adjustment screw 73, and the second entry angle θ2 and the second inclination angle α2 of the inclined surface portion 74c of the other second adjustment element, the second adjustment screw 83, are set to be the same.

[0052] More specifically, the optical scanning device of the third embodiment includes a first component mounting section (not shown) configured similarly to the first component mounting section 60 of the first embodiment (see Figures 6 and 8). Furthermore, the optical scanning device of the third embodiment includes a second component mounting section 110 with an end-holding section 111, as shown in Figure 11. An end-holding section (not shown) of this second component mounting section 110 is configured similarly to the end-holding section 61 of the first embodiment (see Figure 7). Hereinafter, the end-holding section 111 of the second component mounting section 110 in the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 11, and the end-holding section 62 of the first component mounting section 60 in the third embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 8.

[0053] In the third embodiment, the second adjustment screw 112 of the second component mounting portion 110 is provided perpendicular to the surrounding wall 6x of the housing 6a. That is, the second entry angle θ2 of the second adjustment screw 112 with respect to the inclined surface portion 74c in the second component mounting portion 110 is equivalent to the first entry angle θ1 of the first adjustment screw 73 with respect to the inclined surface portion 74c in the first component mounting portion 60. Furthermore, the second pitch P2 of the second adjustment screw 112, which is the second adjustment element, is made larger than the first pitch P1 of the first adjustment screw 73.

[0054] With this configuration, if the amount of rotation of the first adjustment screw 73 and the amount of rotation of the second adjustment screw 112 are the same, the amount of movement 113 of the second adjustment screw 112 will be greater than the amount of movement 81 of the first adjustment screw 73, and the amount of movement 114 of the second component mounting part 110 and the second optical component 39y will be greater than the amount of movement 82 of the first component mounting part 60 and the first optical component 39m. Therefore, in the second embodiment as in the first embodiment, the sense of discomfort (the feeling of being confused by the difference in adjustment amount due to the difference in color) that line workers or service personnel felt when performing adjustment work on conventional models can be reduced. Moreover, since the second adjustment screw 112 is provided perpendicular to the surrounding wall 6x of the housing 6a, just like the first adjustment screw 73, the second adjustment screw 112 can be rotated with the same feel as the first adjustment screw 73, further suppressing the sense of discomfort. In the third embodiment as well, the initial position of the second optical component 39y may be such that the other end 39b of the second optical component 39y is moved slightly in the opposite direction G from the ideal main scanning direction 50 by the second adjustment screw 112. In this case, it is possible to adjust the position when the direction of the main scanning light 51, as explained in Figure 5, is misaligned in the opposite direction G from the ideal main scanning direction 50. That is, the second optical component 39y can be moved back by the second adjustment screw 112 to make the direction of the main scanning light 51 coincide with the ideal main scanning direction 50.

[0055] (Fourth Embodiment) The patterns in which the second adjustment element differs from the first adjustment element can be combined as follows: (1) to (4). (1) The second entry angle is greater than the first entry angle, and the second inclination angle is smaller than the first inclination angle. This is a combination of the first and second embodiments. (2) The second entry angle is greater than the first entry angle, and the second pitch is greater than the first pitch. This is a combination of the first and third embodiments. (3) The second inclination angle is smaller than the first inclination angle, and the second pitch is larger than the first pitch. This is a combination of the second and third embodiments. (4) The second entry angle is greater than the first entry angle, the second inclination angle is smaller than the first inclination angle, and the second pitch is greater than the first pitch. This is a combination of the first, second, and third embodiments. In cases (1) to (4) above, the difference between the second adjustment element and the first adjustment element is determined such that the amount of rotation of the first adjustment screw and the amount of rotation of the second adjustment screw are approximately the same when the first and second optical components are adjusted.

[0056] (Fifth embodiment) Figure 12 is a plan view showing the optical scanning device 100 of the fifth embodiment. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Figure 12. The optical scanning device 100 of the second embodiment is equipped with black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) optical scanning systems, similar to those of the optical scanning device 6 of the first embodiment (see Figure 3), but the arrangement of each optical scanning system differs from that of the first embodiment. The following will mainly describe the differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment. Note that in Figures 10 and 11, elements similar to those in Figures 3 and 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0057] In the first embodiment of the optical scanning device 6, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the deflector 28 having a polygon mirror 36 is located on the left side (towards the yellow (Y) photoreceptor 8) in the left-right direction where multiple photoreceptors 8 are arranged in the housing 6a. However, in the second embodiment of the optical scanning device 100, the polygon mirror 101 of the deflector 102 is located in the middle position in the left-right direction. More specifically, the second fθ lenses 40k, 40c, 40m, and 40y of the black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) optical scanning systems are arranged in order from right to left within the housing 100a, and the photoreceptors 8 corresponding to each color are arranged above each of the second fθ lenses 40k, 40c, 40m, and 40y.

[0058] In the second embodiment, light from the light sources 26a corresponding to black (K) and cyan (C) is reflected to the right by the polygon mirror 101, and light from the light sources 26a corresponding to magenta (M) and yellow (Y) is reflected to the left by the polygon mirror 101. Light from the light source 26a corresponding to black (K) is reflected by one folding mirror 39 and passes through the second fθ lens 40k to illuminate the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 corresponding to black (K). Light from the light source 26a corresponding to cyan (C) is reflected by three folding mirrors 39 and passes through the second fθ lens 40c to illuminate the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 corresponding to cyan (C). Light from the light source 26a corresponding to magenta (M) is reflected by three folding mirrors 39 and passes through the second fθ lens 40m to illuminate the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 corresponding to magenta (M). Light from the light source 26a corresponding to yellow (Y) is reflected by a folding mirror 39 and passes through the second fθ lens 40y to illuminate the scanning surface F of the photoreceptor 8 corresponding to yellow (Y).

[0059] In the case of such an optical scanning device 100, the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to cyan (C) and magenta (M) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 is longer than the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to yellow (Y) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8. Also, the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to cyan (C) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 is approximately equal to the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to magenta (M) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8. Therefore, both ends of the folded mirror 39y corresponding to yellow (Y) are attached inside the housing 100a at the first component mounting section 60 (see Figures 6 and 8), and both ends of the folded mirrors 39c and 39m corresponding to cyan (C) and magenta (M) are attached inside the housing 100a at the second component mounting section 80 (see Figures 6 and 8) (see Figures 7 and 9). In this case, the folded mirrors 39c and 39m, corresponding to cyan (C) and magenta (M), will be oriented in opposite directions.

[0060] (Sixth Embodiment) In the fifth embodiment (see Figures 12 and 13), an example was given in which the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to cyan (C) and magenta (M) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 is longer than the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to yellow (Y) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8. However, the following configuration is also possible. For example, considering the ease of assembly and assembly accuracy of multiple optical components into the housing 100a, the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to cyan (C) and yellow (Y) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8 may be made longer than the optical path length from the reflection point of the polygon mirror 101 corresponding to magenta (M) to the scanned surface F of the photoreceptor 8, so that the respective optical path lengths corresponding to cyan (C) and yellow (Y) are approximately the same. In this case, both ends of the folding mirror 39m corresponding to magenta (M) are attached inside the housing 100a at the first component mounting section 60 (see Figures 6 and 8), and both ends of the folding mirrors 39c and 39y corresponding to cyan (C) and yellow (Y) are attached inside the housing 100a at the second component mounting section 80 (see Figures 6 and 8) (see Figures 7 and 9).

[0061] (Seventh Embodiment) In the first to sixth embodiments, an optical scanning device equipped with multiple optical systems that irradiate multiple photoreceptors corresponding to multiple colors with light was illustrated. However, an optical scanning device equipped with only one optical system that irradiates only one photoreceptor with light may also be used. In this case, the optical scanning device may be equipped with the first optical component and first component mounting section described in the first to fourth embodiments, or the second optical component and second component mounting section described in the first to fourth embodiments.

[0062] Preferred embodiments of the present invention include combinations of any of the embodiments described above. In addition to the embodiments described above, various modifications of the present invention are possible. These modifications should not be considered outside the scope of the present invention. The present invention should encompass all variations within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0063] 1: Image forming apparatus, 2: Document feeder, 3: Image forming apparatus main body, 4: Image forming section, 5: Sheet transport system, 6, 100: Optical scanning device, 6a, 100a: Housing, 6x: Surrounding wall, 7: Developing device, 8: Photoreceptor, 8a: One end, 8b: Other end, 9: Cleaning device, 10: Charging device, 11: Intermediate transfer belt device, 12: Toner storage device, 13: Fixing device, 14: Paper feed tray, 15: Manual feed tray, 16: Output tray, 17: Document placement table, 18: Image reading device, 19a: First transport roller, 19b: Second transport roller, 20: Register roller, 21: Intermediate transfer belt, 22: Transfer roller, 23: Fixing roller, 24: Pressure roller, 25: Output roller, 26: Light source section 26a: Light source, 27: Incident optical system, 28,102: Deflector, 29: Exit optical system, 30: Detection unit, 31: Collimator lens, 32: Aperture, 33: First reflective mirror, 34: Cylindrical lens, 35: Second reflective mirror, 36,101: Polygon mirror, 36a: Mirror surface, 37: Drive motor, 37a: Rotation axis, 38: First fθ lens, 39,39c,39m,39y: Folding mirror, 39a: One end, 39b: Other end, 39f: Back surface, 39r: Reflecting surface, 39m: First optical component, 39y: Second optical component, 40,40c,40k,40m,40y: Second fθ lens, 41: Detection reflective mirror, 42: Focusing lens, 43: Semiconductor optical sensor, 50: Ideal main scanning direction, 51: Direction of main scanning light, 60: First component mounting part, 61: One end holding part, 62, 62x, 91, 111: Other end holding part, 63, 71, 92: Mounting member, 64, 72: Support member, 65a screw, 65b screw, 66: Fixing member, 66a, 74a: One end, 67, 75: Biasing member, 67a, 75a: Connecting part, 67b, 75b: Contact piece part, 68a, 68b: Cushioning member, 73: Adjustment member, first adjustment screw, 73a, 83a, 94a: Tip, 74, 93: Sliding member, 74b: Other end, 74c: Inclined surface part, 74d: Slotted hole, 76: First screw hole, 80, 90, 110: Second component mounting part, 81, 85, 95, 113: Adjustment amount, screw rotation amount, movement amount, linear movement amount, 82, 86, 96, 114: Movement amount, 83, 94, 112: Adjustment member,Second adjustment screw, 84: Second screw hole, A: Irradiation direction, B: Rotation direction, BG: Beam group, C: Longitudinal direction, E: Rotation direction, F: Scanned surface, G: Reverse direction, P: Sheet, P1: First pitch, P2: Second pitch, Q: Axis, R: Reflection point, S: Sheet transport path, V: Circumferential direction, X: Main scanning direction, Z: Amount of displacement, θ1: First entry angle, θ2: Second entry angle,

Claims

1. The device comprises a light source, an optical component to which light is irradiated from the light source, a housing for housing the optical component, and a component mounting section for mounting the optical component within the housing. The optical component is formed in a shape that extends in a longitudinal direction intersecting the direction of light irradiation, The component mounting portion comprises an end-holding portion that movably holds one end of the optical component in the longitudinal direction, and an end-holding portion that movably holds the other end of the optical component in the longitudinal direction. The one-end holding portion has a biasing member that biases the one end of the optical component in the irradiation direction, The other end holding portion comprises a mounting member attached to the other end of the optical component, a support member fixed to the housing and supporting the mounting member so as to be movable in the irradiation direction and in the direction opposite to the irradiation direction, and an adjustment member provided on the housing. The mounting member has an inclined surface portion that is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction, The adjustment member is movable in the direction approaching or moving away from the inclined surface. An optical scanning device in which the adjusting member slides against the inclined surface while moving in the approaching direction or the separating direction, causing the other end of the optical component to move in the opposite direction or the irradiation direction with one end as a pivot point.

2. The optical component includes a first optical component and a second optical component. The component mounting portion includes a first component mounting portion for mounting the first optical component within the housing, and a second component mounting portion for mounting the second optical component within the housing. Each of the first component mounting portion and the second component mounting portion is provided with the one-end holding portion and the other-end holding portion, The adjustment member of the first component mounting portion is a first adjustment screw screwed into a first screw hole provided in the housing. The adjustment member of the second component mounting portion is a second adjustment screw screwed into a second screw hole provided in the housing. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, with respect to a plurality of first adjustment elements in the first component mounting portion, which include a first entry angle of the first adjustment screw with respect to the inclined surface portion as viewed from the vertical, a first inclination angle of the inclined surface portion with respect to the irradiation direction as viewed from the vertical, and a first pitch of the first adjustment screw, one or more of a plurality of second adjustment elements in the second component mounting portion, which include a second entry angle of the second adjustment screw with respect to the inclined surface portion as viewed from the vertical, a second inclination angle of the inclined surface portion with respect to the irradiation direction as viewed from the vertical, and a second pitch of the second adjustment screw, one or more of these second adjustment elements are selectively made different.

3. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the difference of the second adjustment element with respect to the first adjustment element is determined in accordance with the difference between the first optical path length from the light source to the first optical component and the second optical path length from the light source to the second optical component.

4. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the difference between the second adjustment element and the first adjustment element is determined such that, when the first optical component and the second optical component are adjusted, the amount of rotation of the first adjustment screw and the amount of rotation of the second adjustment screw are substantially the same.

5. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the difference between the second adjustment element and the first adjustment element is determined such that the amount of movement of the first adjustment screw and the amount of movement of the second adjustment screw are substantially the same when the first optical component and the second optical component are adjusted.

6. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second entry angle is greater than the first entry angle.

7. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second tilt angle is smaller than the first tilt angle.

8. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second pitch is larger than the first pitch.

9. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second entry angle is greater than the first entry angle and the second inclination angle is smaller than the first inclination angle.

10. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second entry angle is greater than the first entry angle and the second pitch is greater than the first pitch.

11. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second tilt angle is smaller than the first tilt angle and the second pitch is larger than the first pitch.

12. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second entry angle is greater than the first entry angle, the second inclination angle is smaller than the first inclination angle, and the second pitch is greater than the first pitch.

13. The optical scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical component is a mirror.

14. An image forming apparatus comprising: an optical scanning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13; a photoreceptor on which a latent image is formed when light from the optical scanning apparatus is irradiated; and a developing apparatus for developing the latent image formed on the photoreceptor.

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