Optical Scanning Device Light Shielding Units Asymmetric Angles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical scanning devices experience noise and windage loss due to light shielding members near deflectors, which are necessary to prevent flare light from reaching the photoconductor, and these issues are exacerbated by the complex configuration of multiple optical systems.
Innovation Solution
The optical scanning device employs a deflector with a polygon mirror that separates light beams into symmetrical directions and uses strategically positioned light shielding units outside the deflection scanning area, arranged to avoid specific angular conditions that minimize noise by shifting the timing of maximum noise occurrence between units, thereby reducing overall noise and windage loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a light shielding member is arranged near the deflector to shield flare light, then flare light is effectively blocked, but noise and windage loss increase due to air flow disturbance
Solution Approach 1:
The light shielding member is divided into multiple light shielding units arranged at different heights. Each unit shields flare light from a specific optical system, allowing selective shielding without requiring a single large shielding structure that would cause excessive air flow disturbance. The segmentation enables precise positioning of each unit to block only necessary flare paths.
Solution Approach 2:
Each light shielding unit is positioned at a specific height corresponding to its associated optical system, creating localized shielding zones. The units are arranged with different angular positions relative to the deflector rotation axis, optimizing flare light blocking for each local area while minimizing overall air flow disturbance. This local quality approach allows tailored shielding for each optical path.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical systems are arranged in a single housing to achieve plurality of photoconductors, then image forming capability is enhanced, but device complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple optical systems are arranged in the vertical dimension (height direction) rather than spreading them horizontally. The light shielding units are positioned at different heights to correspond with light sources at different vertical positions. This vertical stacking approach consolidates multiple optical systems into a compact housing, reducing horizontal space requirements and simplifying overall device layout while maintaining the capability to form images on multiple photoconductors.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If light shielding units are positioned to optimally block flare light, then shielding effectiveness is improved, but noise occurs due to interaction with the rotating polygon mirror
Solution Approach 1:
The light shielding units are arranged with asymmetric angular positions relative to the deflector rotation axis. Each unit is positioned at a specific angle that optimizes flare light blocking for its associated optical system while avoiding symmetric positions that would cause periodic noise during rotation. The asymmetric arrangement ensures that no two units interfere with the polygon mirror at the same rotational phase, reducing noise generation.
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 effectively shields flare light while minimizing noise and windage loss, enhancing the operational efficiency and reducing disturbance to air flow, thus improving the scanning process.
Implementation Method 1
a deflector that includes a polygon mirror, reflects light beams from the light sources on the polygon mirror while rotating
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of light shielding units that are located outside a deflection scanning area of the deflected light beams and near the deflector, and shield flare light from an opposite optical system
Data Source
AI summary
An optical scanning device includes a plurality of light sources, a deflector, optical systems, and a plurality of light shielding units to shield flare light from an opposite optical system. Two light shielding units are arranged not to satisfy θ=n(360/x) degrees, where θ is an angle formed by a line from a portion of one light shielding unit nearest the deflector to a rotation axis of the deflector and a line from a portion of the other light shielding unit nearest the deflector to the rotation axis of the deflector with the rotation axis of the deflector being an apex angle, x is the number of mirror faces of the deflector, and n is an integer not more than x.