Laser scanning device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016223810-A1
Application number	US-201414917403-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 9, 2013
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A laser scanning device includes: a plurality of laser light sources, each of the plurality of laser light sources emitting a laser light having a light intensity distribution having an elliptical shape; an aperture through which the laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser light sources pass; and a scanning mirror for reflecting the laser lights from the aperture to a scan position. A position of the aperture is adjustable in a first adjustment direction. The plurality of laser light sources are oriented so that long axis directions of the light intensity distributions of the laser lights emitted by the plurality of laser light sources are parallel to the first adjustment direction at positions at which the laser lights emitted by the plurality of laser light sources enter the aperture.

First claim

1 . A laser scanning device comprising:
a plurality of laser light sources, each of the plurality of laser light sources emitting a laser light having a light intensity distribution having an elliptical shape; an aperture through which the laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser light sources pass; and a scanning mirror for reflecting the laser lights from the aperture to a scan position, wherein a position of the aperture is adjustable in a first adjustment direction, and wherein the plurality of laser light sources are oriented so that long axis directions of the light intensity distributions of the laser lights emitted by the plurality of laser light sources are parallel to the first adjustment direction at positions at which the laser lights emitted by the plurality of laser light sources enter the aperture.

2 . The laser scanning device of claim 1 , further comprising a reflecting mirror for reflecting the laser lights from the aperture to the scanning mirror, wherein:
a position of the reflecting mirror is adjustable in a second adjustment direction; the second adjustment direction is parallel to a convergence optical axis direction in which the laser lights are incident on the reflecting mirror; and the first adjustment direction is perpendicular to the second adjustment direction.

3 . The laser scanning device of claim 1 , wherein
the reflecting mirror is movable only in one direction that is the second adjustment direction.

4 . The laser scanning device of claim 2 , further comprising a beam splitter reflecting having a reflecting surface, the beam splitter receiving the laser lights from the plurality of laser light sources and directing the received laser lights in the convergence optical axis direction, wherein:
the plurality of laser light sources are adjusted and positioned so that the laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser light sources are directed in the convergence optical axis direction through the beam splitter; and the beam splitter is adjusted and positioned so that each of the laser lights directed in the convergence optical axis direction enters the aperture through the beam splitter, and the aperture blocks undesired light of the entering laser lights and transmits necessary light of the entering laser lights.

5 . The laser scanning device of claim 3 , further comprising a beam splitter having a reflecting surface, the beam splitter receiving the laser lights from the plurality of laser light sources and directing the received laser lights in the convergence optical axis direction, wherein:
the plurality of laser light sources are adjusted and positioned so that the laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser light sources are directed in the convergence optical axis direction through the beam splitter; and the beam splitter is adjusted and positioned so that each of the laser lights directed in the convergence optical axis direction enters the aperture through the beam splitter, and the aperture blocks undesired light of the entering laser lights and transmits necessary light of the entering laser lights.

6 . The laser scanning device of claim 2 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

7 . The laser scanning device of claim 3 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

8 . The laser scanning device of claim 4 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

9 . The laser scanning device of claim 5 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

10 . The laser scanning device of claim 1 , wherein the aperture is movable only in one direction that is the first adjustment direction.

11 . The laser scanning device of claim 2 , wherein the aperture is movable only in one direction that is the first adjustment direction.

12 . The laser scanning device of claim 11 , further comprising a beam splitter having a reflecting surface, the beam splitter receiving the laser lights from the plurality of laser light sources and directing the received laser lights in the convergence optical axis direction, wherein:
the plurality of laser light sources are adjusted and positioned so that the laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser light sources are directed in the convergence optical axis direction through the beam splitter; and the beam splitter is adjusted and positioned so that each of the laser lights directed in the convergence optical axis direction enters the aperture through the beam splitter, and the aperture blocks undesired light of the entering laser lights and transmits necessary light of the entering laser lights.

13 . The laser scanning device of claim 11 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

14 . The laser scanning device of claim 12 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

15 . The laser scanning device of claim 3 , wherein the aperture is movable only in one direction that is the first adjustment direction.

16 . The laser scanning device of claim 15 , further comprising a beam splitter having a reflecting surface, the beam splitter receiving the laser lights from the plurality of laser light sources and directing the received laser lights in the convergence optical axis direction, wherein:
the plurality of laser light sources are adjusted and positioned so that the laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser light sources are directed in the convergence optical axis direction through the beam splitter; and the beam splitter is adjusted and positioned so that each of the laser lights directed in the convergence optical axis direction enters the aperture through the beam splitter, and the aperture blocks undesired light of the entering laser lights and transmits necessary light of the entering laser lights.

17 . The laser scanning device of claim 15 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

18 . The laser scanning device of claim 16 , further comprising an aperture adjustment holder for holding the aperture at a position eccentric to a rotational axis parallel to the convergence optical axis direction, and rotating about the rotational axis to adjust the position of the aperture.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Electric Corp

Inventors

• Matozaki Toshiya
• Nakahara Hironori
• Kishigami Tomo
• Takeshita Nobuo

Classifications

• G02B27/141

  using dichroic mirrors · CPC title

• G02B26/101

  with both horizontal and vertical deflecting means, e.g. raster or XY scanners (colour television using laser beams scanning a display screen H04N9/3129) · CPC title

• G02B26/105 Primary

  with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors (G02B26/101 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B26/0833

  the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B) · CPC title

• G02B27/0927

  Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat · CPC title