Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus mounted with it

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12443124-B2
Application number	US-202418596336-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2024
Priority date	Mar 7, 2023
Publication date	Oct 14, 2025
Grant date	Oct 14, 2025

Abstract

An optical scanning device includes a casing including a bottom portion on which the deflector is disposed and a side wall stood from the bottom portion, a circuit board, a cover closing an opening, formed by the side wall, of the casing. The side wall includes first and second side walls, and the second side wall includes a through hole, and first and second side surfaces of the through hole. The cover includes a protective portion for protecting the circuit board and a restricted portion disposed in a position corresponding to the through hole and including first and second end portions. The restricted portion includes first and second insertion portions to be inserted into the through hole. A distance between the second end portion and the second side surface is smaller than a distance between the protective portion and the closest electric element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical scanning device comprising:
a light source;
a deflection unit configured to deflect a light beam emitted from the light source;
a casing including a bottom portion on which the deflection unit is disposed and a side wall stood from the bottom portion;
a circuit board provided on the side wall in a state of being exposed to an outside of the casing and mounted with a plurality of electric elements for driving the light source; and
a cover member configured to close an opening, formed by the side wall, of the casing,
wherein the side wall includes a first side wall provided with the circuit board and a second side wall parallel to a direction perpendicular to a plane of the circuit board,
wherein the second side wall includes a through hole elongated in the direction perpendicular to the plane, a first side surface of the through hole forming a side close to the circuit board, and a second side surface of the through hole forming a side far from the circuit board,
wherein the cover member includes a protective portion for protecting the circuit board in a state in which the cover member closes the opening, and a restricted portion disposed in a position corresponding to the through hole in the state in which the cover member closes the opening, the restricted portion including a first end portion closed to the first side surface and a second end portion closed to the second side surface,
wherein the restricted portion includes a first insertion portion provided adjacent to the first end portion and inserted into the through hole when the cover member is assembled to the casing, and a second insertion portion provided adjacent to the second end portion and inserted into the through hole when the cover member is assembled to the casing, and
wherein a distance between the second end portion and the second side surface in the direction perpendicular to the plane is smaller than a distance between the protective portion and a closest electric element of the plurality of electric elements to the protective portion in a state in which the first insertion portion and the second insertion portion are inserted into the through hole.

2. An optical scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein the direction perpendicular to the plane is a main scanning direction of the light beam deflected by the deflection unit.

3. An optical scanning device according to claim 1 , wherein the casing includes a third side wall opposing to the second side wall,
wherein the third side wall includes a projecting portion, and
wherein the cover member incudes a locking portion locked to the projection portion in the state in which the first insertion portion and the second insertion portion are inserted into the through hole.

4. An optical scanning device according to claim 3 , wherein the casing includes a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion adjacent to the third side wall and aligned in a direction parallel to a direction perpendicular to the plane, and
wherein the locking portion is provided to be positioned in an intermediate position between the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion in the direction perpendicular to the plane.

5. An optical scanning device according to claim 4 , wherein the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion become nodes of vibration when the optical scanning device is vibrated, and
wherein the locking portion is provided in a position to be an antinode of the vibration.

6. An optical scanning device according to claim 3 , wherein the deflection unit is provided in a position closer to the third side wall than to the second side wall.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an optical scanning device according to claim 1 ;
an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the light beam, emitted from the optical scanning device, being scanned;
a developing means configured to form a developer image by developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developer; and
a transfer means configured to transfer the developer image to a recording material.

8. An optical scanning device comprising:
a light source;
a deflection unit configured to deflect a light beam emitted from the light source;
a casing including a bottom portion on which the deflection unit is disposed and a side wall stood from the bottom portion;
a circuit board provided on the side wall in a state of being exposed to an outside of the casing and mounted with a plurality of electric elements for driving the light source; and
a cover member configured to close an opening, formed by the side wall, of the casing,
wherein the side wall includes a first side wall provided with the circuit board and a second side wall parallel to a direction perpendicular to a plane of the circuit board,
wherein the second side wall includes a through hole elongated in the direction perpendicular to the plane, a first side surface of the through hole forming a side close to the circuit board, and a second side surface of the through hole forming a side far from the circuit board,
wherein the cover member includes a protective portion for protecting the circuit board in a state in which the cover member closes the opening, and a restricted portion disposed in a position corresponding to the through hole in the state in which the cover member closes the opening, the restricted portion including a first end portion closed to the first side surface and a second end portion closed to the second side surface,
wherein the restricted portion includes a insertion portion inserted into the through hole, and
wherein a distance between the second end portion and the second side surface in the direction perpendicular to the plane is smaller than a distance between the protective portion and a closest electric element of the plurality of electric elements to the protective portion in a state in which the insertion portion is inserted into the through hole.

9. An optical scanning device according to claim 8 , wherein the direction perpendicular to the plane is a main scanning direction of the light beam deflected by the deflection unit.

10. An optical scanning device according to claim 8 , wherein the casing includes a third side wall opposing to the second side wall,
wherein the third side wall includes a projecting portion, and
wherein the cover member incudes a locking portion locked to the projection portion in the state in which the insertion portion is inserted into the through hole.

11. An optical scanning device according to claim 10 , wherein the casing includes a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion adjacent to the third side wall and aligned in a direction parallel to a direction perpendicular to the plane, and
wherein the locking portion is provided to be positioned in an intermediate position between the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion in the direction perpendicular to the plane.

12. An optical scanning device according to claim 10 , wherein the deflection unit is provided in a position closer to the third side wall than to the second side wall.

13. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an optical scanning device according to claim 8 ;
an image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the light beam, emitted from the optical scanning device, being scanned;
a developing means configured to form a developer image by developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developer; and
a transfer means configured to transfer the d

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Nagatoshi Jun

Classifications

• G02B26/12 Primary

  using multifaceted mirrors · CPC title

• G03G15/0409

  Details of projection optics (for projection printing apparatus G03B27/522) · CPC title

• G03G21/1666

  for the exposure unit · CPC title

• G03G15/0435 Primary

  by introducing an optical element in the optical path, e.g. a filter · CPC title