Rotational Polygon Mirror Geometry for High-Speed Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image forming apparatuses face challenges in achieving high-speed and high-quality optical scanning without increasing size and cost, as they struggle to efficiently scan surfaces with existing optical scanning technologies.
Innovation Solution
The optical scanning apparatus employs a rotational polygon mirror with N reflecting surfaces, where the width of the incident light flux is smaller than the reflecting surface width, and the radius of the circumscribing circle is optimized to ensure efficient light reflection and scanning, allowing for high-speed operation without size or cost increments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the width of the incident light flux is made smaller than the reflecting surface width, then the light flux can be entirely reflected by the deflecting and reflecting surface, but the scanning speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the rotational polygon mirror, specifically setting the width of the reflecting surface to be equal to or greater than the width of the incident light flux, and optimizing the radius of the circumscribing circle to satisfy the mathematical relationship involving the incident angle and scanning angle. This parameter optimization allows the system to achieve both complete light reflection and high scanning speed simultaneously.
2Speed
If the area of the deflecting and reflecting surface is reduced, then the scanning speed increases, but the light reflection completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the parameters of the rotational polygon mirror by setting the reflecting surface width to be equal to or greater than the incident light flux width, and the circumscribing circle radius to satisfy the mathematical relationship. This allows the system to maintain complete light reflection while achieving high scanning speed through efficient parameter selection.
3Volume of moving object
If the rotational polygon mirror size is reduced, then the apparatus size decreases, but the scanning accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the apparatus size by optimizing the rotational polygon mirror parameters, specifically setting the circumscribing circle radius to satisfy the mathematical relationship involving the incident angle and scanning angle. This parameter optimization enables high-speed scanning with reduced apparatus size while maintaining scanning accuracy through precise geometric design.
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 high-speed image formation and high-density pixels while reducing the size of the rotational polygon mirror, allowing for faster rotations and more efficient light usage, thus achieving high-speed and high-quality scanning without increasing the apparatus's size or cost.
Implementation Method 1
a rotational polygon mirror having N reflecting surfaces, the rotational polygon mirror being configured to reflect a light flux emitted from the light source so that a scanning surface is scanned along a main-scanning direction with reflected from the rotational polygon mirror
Data Source
AI summary
An optical scanning apparatus includes a light source; and a rotational polygon mirror having N reflecting surfaces, the rotational polygon mirror being configured to reflect a light flux emitted from the light source so that a scanning surface is scanned along a main-scanning direction with reflected from the rotational polygon mirror. A width of the light flux incident on the rotational polygon mirror in a direction corresponding to the main-scanning direction is smaller than a width of each reflecting surface of the rotational polygon mirror in the direction corresponding to the main-scanning direction.