Polygon Mirror Mounting Layout for Shared Scanning Optics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scanning optical devices face challenges in accommodating rotatable polygon mirrors with varying numbers of surfaces, leading to increased costs due to the need for new facilities and molds, making it difficult to achieve different printing speeds without significant capital investment.
Innovation Solution
A scanning optical device design that allows for the assembly of rotatable polygon mirrors with different numbers of surfaces using a common optical system by positioning the rotational axes and fitting portions in specific regions relative to the laser luminous flux paths, enabling the use of common components and reducing capital investment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the number of surfaces of the rotatable polygon mirror is increased to hasten the printing speed, then the productivity is improved, but the device complexity increases and requires new optical systems and facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The optical box is designed with a universal fitting structure that can accommodate rotatable polygon mirrors with different numbers of surfaces. The fitting portion includes a fitting hole and positioning structures that work with common fitting portions on the deflectors, allowing the same optical box to support multiple deflector configurations without requiring new facilities or molds.
2Productivity
If the number of surfaces of the rotatable polygon mirror is increased to hasten the printing speed, then the productivity is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to new facilities and molds
Solution Approach 1:
The optical box employs a universal fitting structure with a fitting hole and positioning structures that can accommodate deflectors with different numbers of surfaces. This design allows the same optical box and associated facilities to be used across multiple deflector configurations, eliminating the need for new manufacturing facilities and molds when upgrading to higher-speed mirrors, thereby significantly reducing manufacturing costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If different deflectors are assembled to correspond to different printing speeds, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple optical systems
Solution Approach 1:
The optical box is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate deflectors with different numbers of surfaces through its fitting structure. The fitting hole, along with positioning structures such as ribs and grooves, creates a standardized interface that works with multiple deflector types. This allows a single optical system to support multiple printing speeds and configurations without requiring separate optical systems for each deflector type.
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
Enables the realization of scanning optical devices that can accommodate various printing speeds at a lower cost by allowing the assembly of rotatable polygon mirrors with different surface counts using a shared optical system, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a deflector configured to deflect a laser luminous flux emitted from the light source, the deflector including a rotatable polygon mirror configured to reflect the laser luminous flux
Implementation Method 2
a scanning lens configured to focus the laser luminous flux deflected by the rotatable polygon mirror to a scanned surface
Data Source
AI summary
A scanning optical device includes an optical box accommodating a light source, a deflector and a scanning lens. The deflector includes a coaxial portion coaxially positioned with a rotational center of a polygon mirror. The optical box includes a plurality of fitting portions fitted to a coaxial portion in a different positions. Of the fitting portions, with reference to one of the fitting portions, another is disposed in a region surrounded from a bisector between an incident laser emitted toward the polygon mirror from the light source and a laser, which is reflected by the polygon mirror and reaches a starting position of writing of the scanned surface, before being incident on the scanning lens to a bisector between the incident laser and a laser, which is reflected by the polygon mirror and reaches an ending position of writing, before being incident on the scanning lens in a rotational direction.