Optical Scanning Device Thermal Deformation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing optical scanning devices face increased height dimensions due to the need for temperature sensors above the image forming lens, leading to complex correction control for thermal deformation differences on both sides of the rotating polygon mirror, resulting in longer operation times and higher costs.
Innovation Solution
The optical scanning device incorporates a pair of image forming lenses with temperature sensors placed in recesses on the housing, ensuring identical thermal deformation characteristics on both sides, allowing for unified correction control without increasing space or complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is provided at the upper side of the image forming lens, then the temperature of the image forming lens can be detected, but the height dimension of the optical scanning device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor is moved from the vertical upper side of the image forming lens to the horizontal inner wall surface of the housing. This dimensional relocation allows temperature detection functionality to be maintained while eliminating the need for additional vertical space, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement capability and compact height dimension.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature sensor is nested within a recess formed on the inner wall surface of the housing, allowing the sensor to be integrated into the existing housing structure without protruding outward. This nesting approach enables temperature detection while maintaining a compact overall device height.
2Measurement precision
If the recess is formed on different positions of the housing for opposed scanning type arrangement, then temperature detection is possible, but thermal deformation characteristics differ between sides requiring complex correction control
Solution Approach 1:
The recess for the temperature sensor is positioned at a specific location on the housing inner wall where thermal deformation characteristics are uniform across both sides of the rotating polygon mirror. This selective positioning ensures that temperature detection reflects identical thermal conditions on both sides, enabling simplified unified correction control while maintaining accurate temperature measurement.
3Manufacturing precision
If separate correction control is implemented for both sides of the rotating polygon mirror, then accurate positional shift correction is achieved, but operation time increases and circuit board cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The correction control for both sides of the rotating polygon mirror is merged into a single unified control process. By positioning the temperature sensor at a location where thermal deformation characteristics are identical on both sides, the system can use one correction value to correct positional shifts on both sides simultaneously, thereby reducing operation time and simplifying circuit board requirements while maintaining correction accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables efficient and cost-effective correction control of the writing start timing, simplifying the circuit board design and reducing operation time while maintaining high space efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor provided to at least one of the pair of image forming lenses to measure a temperature of the image forming lens
Implementation Method 2
a rotating polygon mirror that deflects light beam emitted from the light source unit and allows the deflected light beam to be scanned in a main scanning direction
Implementation Method 3
an image forming lens that forms an image of the light beam deflected and scanned by the rotating polygon mirror on a surface to be scanned
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A first receiving recess (44d) and a second receiving recess (44e) are formed on a surface of the housing, on which a pair of image forming lenses (47) are placed, to receive a first temperature sensor (101a) and a second temperature sensor (101b), and are formed in positions, in which thermal deformation characteristics of the housing are approximately identical at one side and the other side of a first straight line K1, while interposing the first straight line K1 therebetween.