Actuator device, optical deflector, an image projection apparatus, and image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9910271-B2
Application number	US-201615372825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2016
Priority date	Dec 21, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

An actuator device includes a frame, a movable member to rotate about a rotation axis, a reflection member formed on the movable member to reflect a light flux that enters the reflection member, a first deformable member disposed on the frame to support and move the movable member, at least one first driver to deform the first deformable member, a detection-use line formed on the first deformable member and on the movable member to allow an electric current, and a light shield unit disposed at least one of a light incident side and a light exit side of the reflection member. The light shield unit blocks at least one of an entry of the light flux to the reflection member and an exit of the light flux from the reflection member when the detection-use line is damaged.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator device comprising:
a frame;
a movable member to rotate about a rotation axis;
a reflection member formed on the movable member to reflect a light flux that enters the reflection member;
a first deformable member disposed on the frame to support and move the movable member;
at least one first driver to deform the first deformable member;
a detection-use line formed on the first deformable member and on the movable member to allow an electric current; and
a light shield unit disposed at least one of a light incident side of the reflection member and a light exit side of the reflection member,
wherein the light shield unit blocks at least one of an entry of the light flux to the reflection member and an exit of the light flux from the reflection member when the detection-use line is damaged.

2. The actuator device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second deformable member disposed on the frame to support and move the movable member, and
at least one second driver to deform the second deformable member,
wherein the movable member is supported by the first deformable member at a first side of the movable member and by the second deformable member at a second side of the movable member,
wherein the detection-use line extends from one end of the first deformable member, along the movable member, and to one end of the second deformable member.

3. The actuator device of claim 2 wherein the detection-use line is formed on an outer face of the first deformable member and the second deformable member.

4. The actuator device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power source to supply a first current to the detection-use line; and
a current amplifier to supply a second current to the light shield unit to operate the light shield unit, the second current proportional to the first current,
wherein when the detection-use line is damaged and the first current is stopped, the current amplifier supplies the second current to the light shield unit to move the light shield unit to block at least one of the entry of the light flux to the reflection member and the exit of the light flux from the reflection member.

5. The actuator device of claim 1 , wherein when the light shield unit is moved to block at least one of the entry of the light flux to the reflection member and the exit of the light flux from the reflection member when the detection-use line is damaged, the light shield unit is at a position of maximum intensity of the light flux.

6. The actuator device of claim 1 , wherein the light shield unit includes a shield member settable on a first position that is on a light path of the light flux and a second position that is out of the light path of the light flux, and a light shield driver to move the shield member from the second position to the first position when the detection-use line is damaged.

7. The actuator device of claim 1 , wherein the light shield unit uses a light-transmissive element that changes light transmittance by controlling electrical factors including voltage, current, or both of the voltage and the current to block at least one of the entry of the light flux to the reflection member and the exit of the light flux from the reflection member when the detection-use line is damaged.

8. The actuator device of claim 2 , wherein the reflection member is made of an electrically conductive material, and the detection-use line formed on the first deformable member and on the second deformable member are connected to the reflection member made of the electrically conductive material.

9. An optical deflector comprising:
the actuator device of claim 1 ; and
a light source unit to emit light flux to the actuator device;
wherein the actuator device reflects the light flux that enters the actuator device using the reflection member to perform an optical scanning operation using the light flux.

10. An image projection apparatus comprising:
the actuator device of claim 1 ; and
a light source unit to emit light flux to the actuator device;
wherein the actuator device reflects the light flux that enters the actuator device using the reflection member, and the light flux reflected by the reflection member is directed to a projection surface to generate an image on the projection surface.

11. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a photoconductor;
the actuator device of claim 1 ; and
a light source unit to emit light flux to the actuator device,
wherein the actuator device reflects the light flux that enters the actuator device using the reflection member to scan a surface of the photoconductor using the light flux to form a latent image on the photoconductor.

Assignees

• Kitazawa Tomofumi
• Tsukamoto Kazuhiko
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kitazawa Tomofumi
• Tsukamoto Kazuhiko

Classifications

• H04N1/0283

  in combination with a light deflecting element, e.g. a rotating mirror · CPC title

• H04N1/29

  involving production of an electrostatic intermediate picture · CPC title

• G02B26/105 Primary

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

• H04N1/06

  using cylindrical picture-bearing surfaces {, i.e. scanning a main-scanning line substantially perpendicular to the axis and lying in a curved cylindrical surface} · CPC title

• H04N1/02409

  Focusing, i.e. adjusting the focus of the scanning head · CPC title