Optical Scanning Device Single Polygon Mirror Beam Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing optical scanning devices with multiple stages of rotating polygon mirrors require increased space and costs, and existing solutions that use one stage to separate four light beams often result in image degradation due to differences in wavelengths and optical diameters of light beams, leading to potential image failure, especially with the yellow color being less conspicuous.
Innovation Solution
An optical scanning device configuration using a single stage rotating polygon mirror with specific optical elements and scanning lenses to separate and correct the optical diameters of light beams for cyan, magenta, and black, while omitting correction for yellow to minimize noticeable image degradation and maintain cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single stage rotating polygon mirror is used to separate four light beams, then space requirements and costs are reduced, but image quality deteriorates due to wavelength differences causing different optical diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces scanning lenses that adjust the optical diameter parameter of light beams. By changing the optical diameter parameter through lens intervention, the system compensates for the wavelength-induced variations, ensuring all four color light beams (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) have matching optical diameters despite their different wavelengths, thus maintaining image quality while using a single-stage polygon mirror
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning lens acts as an intermediary element between the single-stage rotating polygon mirror and the image carrying member. This intermediary component corrects the optical path by adjusting the optical diameter of light beams with different wavelengths, mediating the mismatch caused by the simplified single-stage mirror configuration and preventing image degradation
2Manufacturing precision
If scanning lenses are added to correct optical diameters of all four light beams, then image quality is maintained, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies scanning lenses selectively to specific color light beams based on their wavelength characteristics. Rather than uniformly adding lenses for all four colors, the system identifies which beams require correction and applies lenses only where necessary, optimizing the balance between image quality and device complexity by making the optical correction localized rather than universal
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
The solution effectively reduces the space and cost requirements of the optical scanning device while maintaining image quality by ensuring the optical diameters of cyan, magenta, and black light beams are equal, suppressing image degradation to a level where it is not noticeable, even without additional optical path corrections for the yellow beam.
Implementation Method 1
The first optical element is provided at the one side of the rotating polygon mirror, reflects the first light beam deflected and scanned by the rotating polygon mirror toward a first surface to be scanned, and allows the second light beam to pass therethrough
Implementation Method 2
The second optical element is provided radially outside the first optical element and reflects the second light beam having passed through the first optical element toward a second surface to be scanned
Implementation Method 3
The third optical element is provided at the other side of the rotating polygon mirror, reflects the third light beam deflected and scanned by the rotating polygon mirror toward a third surface to be scanned, and allows the fourth light beam to pass therethrough
Implementation Method 4
The fourth optical element is provided radially outside the third optical element and reflects the fourth light beam having passed through the third optical element toward a fourth surface to be scanned
Data Source
AI summary
An optical scanning device includes a rotating polygon mirror, a light source that irradiates first and second light beams at one side of the rotating polygon mirror and irradiates third and fourth light beams at the other side thereof, a first optical element that reflects the first light beam and allows the second light beam to pass therethrough, a second optical element that reflects the second light beam, a third optical element that allows the third and fourth light beams to pass therethrough, and a fourth optical element that reflects the fourth light beam. The second light beam is a light beam corresponding to yellow, the first, the third, and the fourth light beams are light beams corresponding to three colors other than the yellow. Between the third and fourth optical elements, a scanning lens is arranged. Between the first and second optical elements, a scanning lens is not arranged.