Optical scanning device, image projection device, and mobile object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895739-B2
Application number	US-201916376659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2019
Priority date	Apr 6, 2018
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

An optical scanning device includes: a light source; a scanning unit configured to deflect light from the light source in a main scanning direction to scan a scanned area with light; an optical member configured to guide light from the light source to the scanning unit; a casing holding the light source and the optical member; and an attaching part disposed between the optical member and the casing to attach a part of the optical member to the casing, wherein a direction in which the attaching part is interposed aligns with a direction corresponding to the main scanning direction of the scanning unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical scanning device, comprising:
a light source;
a scanning unit configured to deflect light from the light source in a main scanning direction to scan a scanned area with the light;
an optical member configured to guide the light from the light source to the scanning unit;
a casing holding the light source and the optical member; and
an attaching part disposed between the optical member and the casing to attach a part of the optical member to the casing, wherein
a direction in which the attaching part is disposed is aligned with the main scanning direction of the scanning unit,
the attaching part includes an adhesive layer that bonds the optical member to the casing, and
the adhesive layer is asymmetrically disposed with respect to an optical axis of the optical member on both sides of the optical axis in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction.

2. The optical scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein
a thickness direction of the adhesive layer is aligned with the direction corresponding to the main scanning direction.

3. The optical scanning device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a light receiver configured to receive light scanned by the scanning unit within a predetermined range of the scanned area; and
a light source controller configured to control a write timing when light from the light source for forming an image starts to be irradiated onto an image forming surface in the scanned area based on a light receiving signal that detects receiving of light by the light receiver.

4. The optical scanning device according to claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of the light sources, wherein
the light source controller controls the write timing of each of the light sources so as to overlap images formed by light irradiated from the light sources on the image forming surface, and
the light receiver sets the write timing among the light sources based on a light receiving signal indicating that the light receiver receives light irradiated from one of the light sources.

5. The optical scanning device according to claim 3 , further comprising another light receiver, wherein the light receivers are disposed on both sides of the image forming surface in the main scanning direction to be outside the image forming surface and inside the scanned area.

6. The optical scanning device according to claim 3 , wherein the light receiver detects a first tuning of light scanning in a first direction and a second timing of light scanning in a second direction.

7. An image projection device comprising:
an optical scanning unit configured to scan a scanned area with light modulated based on image information;
a projection optical system configured to project light emitted from the optical scanning unit onto a projection surface; and
the optical scanning device, as the optical scanning unit, according to claim 1 .

8. A mobile object comprising:
a mobile unit;
an image projection unit configured to project an image onto the projection surface; and
the image projection device, as the image projection unit, according to claim 7 .

9. The optical scanning device according to claim 4 , further comprising another light receiver, wherein the light receivers are disposed on both sides of the image forming surface in the main scanning direction to be outside the image forming surface and inside the scanned area.

10. The optical scanning device according to claim 4 , wherein the light receiver detects a first timing of light scanning in a first direction and a second timing of light scanning in a second direction.

11. The optical scanning device according to claim 5 , wherein the light receiver detects a first timing of light scanning in a first direction and a second timing of light scanning in a second direction.

12. The optical scanning device according to claim 9 , wherein the light receiver detects a first timing of light scanning in a first direction and a second timing of light scanning in a second direction.

13. An optical scanning device, comprising:
a light source;
a scanning unit configured to deflect light from the light source in a main scanning direction to scan a scanned area with the light;
an optical member configured to guide the light from the light source to the scanning unit;
a casing holding the light source and the optical member; and
an attaching part disposed between the optical member and the casing to attach a part of the optical member to the casing, wherein
a direction in which the attaching part is disposed is aligned with the main scanning direction of the scanning unit,
the attaching part includes an intermediate holding member bonded to and in contact with the optical member in a direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction, and the intermediate holding member including an intermediate holding member fixing unit that extends to fix the optical member to the casing, and
the intermediate holding member fixing unit is asymmetrically disposed with respect an optical axis of the optical member.

14. The optical scanning device according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a light receiver configured to receive light scanned by the scanning unit within a predetermined range of the scanned area, and
a light source controller configured to control a write timing when light from the light source for forming an image starts to be irradiated onto an image forming surface in the scanned area based on a light receiving signal that detects receiving of light by the light receiver.

15. The optical scanning device of claim 13 , wherein an extending direction in which the intermediate holding member extends from the intermediate holding member fixing unit to a contact part that contacts the optical member is aligned with the direction corresponding to the main scanning direction.

Assignees

• Yoshimura Kenichi
• Nakajima Tomohiro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshimura Kenichi
• Nakajima Tomohiro

Classifications

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/231

  characterised by their arrangement or structure for integration into vehicles · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title