JP2016082078A - Optical device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress deformation of a housing due to variation of temperature or the like and prevent positional displacement between a light source and an optical member in an optical device in which a light source is secured to the wall surface of the housing and the housing contains the optical member to which light emitted from a light source is led.SOLUTION: In a housing 110 of an optical device 100, a corner portion of a second face 112 to which an optical member 102 is secured is chamfered, a first face 111 provided with a light source 101 is erected from the chamfered corner portion of the second face 112, a third face 113 and a fourth face 114 are erected from both the sides of the corner portion of the second face 112, and the third face 113 and the fourth face 114 are joined to the first face 111 at an obtuse angle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical apparatus in which a housing is provided with a light source and an optical member for guiding light from the light source, and an image forming apparatus including a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, and a composite machine including such an optical apparatus. It is. In particular, in an optical apparatus in which a light source is attached to a wall surface of the housing and an optical member such as a collimator lens to which light emitted from the light source is guided in the housing, the housing is caused by a factor that releases residual stress such as a temperature change. This is characterized in that the deformation of the light source is suppressed and the positional relationship between the light source and the optical member is prevented from deviating.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus including a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, and a composite machine of these is equipped with an optical device, and this optical device performs exposure according to image information on the photoconductor, and electrostatically applies to the photoconductor. A latent image is formed.

  As such an optical device, conventionally, a light source block on which a light source and an optical member to which light from the light source is guided is attached in a housing has been used.

  However, when the light source block having the light source and the optical member that guides light from the light source is used as described above, there is a problem that the number of parts increases and the cost increases.

  Therefore, in recent years, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a light source is provided on the wall surface of the housing raised from the bottom of the housing, and the light source is emitted from the light source to the bottom of the housing so as to face the light source. An optical member, such as a collimator lens, through which the light is guided has been proposed.

  Here, when light is emitted from the light source provided on the wall surface of the housing as described above, the wall surface of the housing provided with the light source is heated and deformed due to heat generation of the light source, and the light source and the optical There is a problem that the positional relationship with the member is shifted, the light from the light source is not properly guided to the optical member, and the electrostatic latent image cannot be properly formed on the photosensitive member, which adversely affects the image quality. there were.

  For this reason, in the thing of the said patent document 1, the fitting part holding a light source is provided so that it may protrude from a wall surface, an air path is formed in the vicinity of the fitting part which protruded in this way, It has been proposed to guide the wind and dissipate heat from the fitting portion that holds the light source to prevent deformation of the wall surface of the housing provided with the light source.

  Further, when a resin housing molded in a heated state by injection molding or the like is used as the housing, the corner portion of the housing where the wall surface raised from the bottom of the housing is orthogonal is molded. In this case, the heat was not sufficiently released, and the resin was molded in a state where heat remained in the orthogonal corner portions, and residual stress remained.

  In such a resin housing, when a light source is provided on the wall surface of the corner portion, as shown in Patent Document 1, heat from the light source may be radiated. When the temperature of the corner portion changes due to a temperature rise in the image forming apparatus during transportation or the like, the residual stress in the corner portion is released thereby, and the wall surface of the corner portion where the light source is provided is deformed. The positional relationship between the optical member and the optical member is shifted, the light from the light source is not properly guided to the optical member, and the electrostatic latent image cannot be properly formed on the photosensitive member. There was a problem of affecting.

JP 2006-308754 A

  The present invention provides a light source attached to a wall surface of a housing, and an optical device provided with an optical member such as a collimator lens that guides light emitted from the light source in the housing. It is an object of the present invention to prevent the housing from being deformed and to appropriately prevent the positional relationship between the light source and the optical member such as the collimator lens from shifting.

  In the first optical device according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-described problem, the first surface on which the light source is provided stands on the second surface on which the optical member to which light from the light source is guided is attached. In the optical device including a housing that is raised and has a third surface and a fourth surface raised on the second surface on both sides of the first surface, the third surface is the third surface with respect to the first surface. The surface and the fourth surface were joined at an obtuse angle.

  In the second optical device according to the present invention, the first surface provided with the light source is raised to the second surface to which the optical member for guiding the light from the light source is attached. In an optical device having a housing in which a third surface and a fourth surface are raised on the second surface on both sides of one surface, the first surface is formed in an arc shape that is convex outward. The third surface and the fourth surface are joined to both sides of the arc-shaped first surface.

  Here, like the first optical device, the third surface and the fourth surface are joined to the first surface at an obtuse angle, and like the second optical device. The first surface is formed in an arc shape protruding outward, and the third surface and the fourth surface are joined to both sides of the arc-shaped first surface. Chamfers the second surface of the corner portion of the housing into a straight line or an arc shape, raises the first surface at the corner portion of the chamfered second surface, and the second surface. The third surface and the fourth surface can be raised on both sides of the corner portion, and the third surface and the fourth surface can be joined to both sides of the first surface.

  Then, when the first surface to which the light source is attached and the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides thereof are provided so as to rise to the second surface to which the optical member is attached, as in the first optical device. The first surface and the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides of the first surface are joined at an obtuse angle, or as in the second optical device, the first surface is formed in an arc shape protruding outward. When the third surface and the fourth surface are joined to both sides of the surface, the first surface raised on the second surface and its surface compared to the case where the wall surface raised on the second surface is orthogonal The joint portions of the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides are released, and heat is easily radiated in the peripheral portions of these joint portions. For this reason, when the housing is molded while being heated by injection molding or the like as described above, the first surface raised on the second surface and the joint portions of the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides thereof Heat is appropriately dissipated at the periphery, and residual stress is prevented from remaining around these joints.

  Further, in the optical device, the joining portion between the first surface and the second surface is rounded so that the joining portion between the first surface and the second surface becomes an inclined surface or an arc surface. Then, when the housing is molded in a state where heat is more appropriately dissipated around the joint portion between the first surface and the second surface and is heated by injection molding or the like as described above, the first surface and the second surface It is further prevented that residual stress remains around the joint portion.

  In the optical device, the number of light sources provided on the first surface is not limited, and a plurality of light sources may be provided.

  In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the optical device as described above is used to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member by exposing the photosensitive member according to the image information by the optical device. .

  As in the first and second optical devices of the present invention, the first surface to which the light source is attached and the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides thereof are set up so as to rise to the second surface to which the optical member is attached. The first surface and the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides thereof are joined at an obtuse angle, or the third surface is formed on both sides of the first surface formed in an outwardly convex arc shape. When the surface and the fourth surface are joined, when the housing is molded in a state of being heated by injection molding as described above, the first surface raised on the second surface and the first surface on both sides thereof Heat is appropriately dissipated around the joint portions of the third and fourth surfaces, and residual stress is prevented from remaining around these joint portions.

  As a result, in the first and second optical devices according to the present invention, the light source attached to the first surface generates heat and is raised to the second surface during transportation or due to a temperature rise in the image forming apparatus. Even if there is a factor that releases residual stress, such as a rise in temperature, in the vicinity of the first surface and the joint portions of the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides, there is no residual stress around these joint portions. The residual stress is not released and these joint portions are not deformed, and it is possible to prevent the positional relationship between the light source attached to the first surface and the optical member attached to the second surface from being shifted. Is appropriately guided to the optical member.

  In the first and second optical devices according to the present invention, the first surface to which the light source is attached is bonded to the third surface and the fourth surface on both sides, and the first surface is the third surface and the fourth surface. The surface is regulated by the surface, and the first surface to which the light source is attached is further prevented from being deformed.

  In an image forming apparatus using such an optical device, light from the light source is emitted when the optical device performs exposure according to image information on the photoconductor to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor. As a result, the electrostatic latent image is appropriately formed on the photosensitive member, and a good image can be stably obtained.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus using an optical device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the optical apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, it is the partial schematic top view which showed the state using the housing which rounded off one corner part of the 2nd surface where an optical member is attached linearly. FIG. 6 is a partial schematic perspective view showing a state in which a housing in which one corner portion of a second surface to which an optical member is attached is linearly chamfered is used in the optical device according to the embodiment. The optical apparatus which concerns on the said embodiment WHEREIN: The partial schematic which showed the state using the housing of the example of a change which rounded off the one corner part of the 2nd surface where an optical member is attached to the circular arc shape which protruded outward. It is a perspective view. In the optical device according to the above-described embodiment, an inclined surface is provided between the second surface and the first surface by inclining a joint portion between the second surface to which the optical member is attached and the first surface to which the light source is attached. It is sectional explanatory drawing which showed the state. In the optical device according to the above-described embodiment, a joint portion between the second surface to which the optical member is attached and the first surface to which the light source is attached is formed in an arc shape, and an arc surface is provided between the second surface and the first surface. It is sectional explanatory drawing which showed the state provided.

  Next, an optical apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and an image forming apparatus using the optical apparatus will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The optical apparatus and the image forming apparatus according to the present invention are not limited to those shown in the following embodiments, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within a range that does not change the gist thereof.

  First, an example of an image forming apparatus using an optical device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  Here, in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1, four photoconductors 11 are provided in the apparatus main body 1, and a charging device 12 for charging the surface of the photoconductor 11 around each photoconductor 11, respectively. A developing device 13 that contains a developer and forms a toner image on the photoconductor 11, and a toner image formed on the photoconductor 11 is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt 17 described later, and then remains on the surface of the photoconductor 11. A first cleaning device 14 for collecting toner is provided.

  The developing devices 13 provided corresponding to the four photoconductors 11 accommodate toners of black, yellow, magenta, and cyan, respectively, with different colors of toner in the developer.

  In this image forming apparatus, when full-color image formation is performed, the respective photoconductors 11 are rotated, and the surface of each photoconductor 11 is charged by the charging device 12, respectively. The surface of the photoconductor 11 is exposed according to each image forming information from an optical device 100 described later, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of each photoconductor 11.

  Next, for each photoconductor 11 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed in this way, a toner of a predetermined color is supplied from the corresponding developing device 13 to the electrostatic latent image portion of each photoconductor 11 and developed. Thus, a toner image of each color is formed on the surface of each photoconductor 11.

  Then, the toner images of the respective colors formed on the respective photoconductors 11 as described above are spanned between the rotary rollers 16 provided at a predetermined interval, and the endless intermediate transfer belt 17 is driven to rotate. A toner image in which the toner images of the respective colors are synthesized on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 17 is sequentially transferred onto the surface by the respective primary transfer rollers 18 provided facing the respective photoreceptors 11. Try to form. Further, the toner remaining on the surface of each photoconductor 11 without being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 17 is removed from the surface of each photoconductor 11 by the first cleaning device 14 provided corresponding thereto. It tries to collect.

  Then, the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 17 as described above is guided to a position facing the secondary transfer roller 19 by the intermediate transfer belt 17, and the sheet S accommodated in the lower part of the apparatus main body 1. Is fed by the paper feed roller 21 and sent to the timing roller 22, and the timing roller 22 guides the paper S between the intermediate transfer belt 17 and the secondary transfer roller 19 at an appropriate timing. The toner image formed above is transferred onto the paper S by the secondary transfer roller 19. Further, the toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 17 without being transferred onto the paper S is collected from the intermediate transfer belt 17 by the second cleaning device 20.

  Then, the sheet S on which the toner image is transferred as described above is guided to the fixing device 23, and the toner image transferred onto the sheet S is heated and fixed on the sheet S by the fixing device 23. The paper S on which the image is fixed is discharged by a paper discharge roller 24.

  Next, the optical device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  Here, in the optical device 100 of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one corner portion of the second surface 112 that corresponds to the substrate portion to which the optical member 102 made of a collimator lens is attached as a housing 110 is straight. The angle between the corner part and the part on both sides thereof is an obtuse angle, for example, 130 ° to 140 °.

  Then, the first surface 111 for mounting the light source 101 made of a semiconductor laser or the like is raised from the corner portion of the second surface 112 that is chamfered as described above, and the third surface 113 is formed on both sides of the corner portion that is chamfered. The fourth surface 114 is raised, and the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 are joined to the first surface 111 at an obtuse angle. In other words, the corner portions of the substrate portion and the wall portions formed on both sides thereof form the first surface 111, the third surface 113, and the fourth surface 114. In addition, when one corner portion of the second surface 112 is rounded as described above, and the first surface 111, the third surface 113, and the fourth surface 114 are raised from the second surface 112, The volume of the housing 110 is reduced, and the material cost required for the housing 110 is reduced.

  Further, in the optical device 100 of this embodiment, the four light sources 101 are obliquely arranged on the first surface 111 with a necessary interval, and the four optical members 102 are disposed on the second surface 112. The four light sources 101 are arranged so as to face each other, the light sources 101 are attached to the first surface 111 by the light source holder 103, and the optical members 102 are attached to the second surface by the holder member 104. 112 is mounted on top. In this embodiment, the light source 101 is attached to the first surface 111 by the light source holder 103 and the optical member 102 is attached to the second surface 112 by the holder member 104. However, the light source 101 is attached to the first surface 111. In addition to being directly attached, the optical member 102 may be directly attached to the second surface 112.

  In the optical device 100 of this embodiment, each light source 101 provided on the first surface 111 emits light toward each optical member 102 provided on the second surface 112, and light from each light source 101 is output to each optical member. 102, the light processed in this way is deflected by a deflecting member (not shown) such as a reflecting mirror and guided to a scanning optical element (not shown) such as a polygon mirror, From the scanning optical element, each photoconductor 11 provided in the image forming apparatus is exposed according to image information.

  Here, when the first surface 111 and the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 on both sides thereof are joined at an obtuse angle as in this embodiment, the first surface 111 raised to the second surface 112 is used. In addition, the corners between the two surfaces of the joint portion of the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 on both sides thereof are released compared to the case where they are joined at an acute angle or a right angle, and the peripheral portions thereof It becomes easy to dissipate heat.

  For this reason, even when the housing 110 is molded while being heated by injection molding or the like, the first surface 111 where the heat during molding rises from the second surface 112 and the third surface 113 and the second surface on both sides thereof. Heat is appropriately radiated around the joint portion of the four surfaces 114, and residual stress is prevented from remaining around the joint portions of the first surface 111 and the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 on both sides thereof.

  Since no residual stress remains in the vicinity of the first surface 111 raised from the second surface 112 in this way and the joint portion of the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 on both sides thereof, the first surface 111 The first surface 111 raised from the second surface 112 due to heat generated by each of the attached light sources 101, transportation, changes in environmental conditions, and the like, and joint portions of the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 on both sides thereof Even if the temperature around the surface of the light source changes, the residual stress is not released as in the conventional case, and these joint portions are not deformed, and the light source 101 and the second surface 112 attached to the first surface 111 are not deformed. The positional relationship with the attached optical member 102 is prevented from shifting, and the light from the light source 101 is appropriately guided to the optical member 102.

  For this reason, when such an optical device 100 is used in the image forming apparatus, the light from each light source 101 is appropriately guided to each photoconductor 11, and good image formation can be performed.

  Further, the first surface 111 is raised from the corner portion of the second surface 112 chamfered as described above, and the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 are formed on both sides so as to be joined to the first surface 111. Therefore, the length of the joint portion between the first surface 111 to which the light source 101 is attached and the second surface 112 to which the optical member 102 is attached is shortened, and the first surface 111 and the second surface 112 are reduced. The first surface 111 is held and regulated by the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 on both sides thereof, and the first surface to which the light source 101 is attached is increased. 111 is further prevented from being deformed with respect to the second surface 112 to which the optical member 102 is attached.

  In the optical device 100 of this embodiment, one corner portion of the second surface 112 is linearly chamfered, the first surface 111 raised from the corner portion of the second surface 112, and both sides thereof Although the housing 110 in which the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 that are raised at the above are joined at an obtuse angle is used, the housing 110 to be used is not limited to this.

  For example, as in the optical device 100 shown in FIG. 4, one corner portion of the second surface 112 to which the optical member 102 is attached is rounded in an arc shape that is convex outward, and light is emitted from the rounded corner portion. The first surface 111 to which 101 is attached is raised, and the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 are raised from both sides of the corner portion of the second surface 112 that is rounded in an arc shape, and are convex outward. It is also possible to use the housing 110 in which the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 are joined to both sides of the first surface 111 raised in an arc shape.

  Even in this case, the first surface 111 raised from the second surface 112 and the joint portions of the third surface 113 and the fourth surface 114 on both sides thereof are released as in the above embodiment. Thus, heat is easily radiated in the peripheral portion, and the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

  Further, when the first surface 111 is raised from the corner portion of the second surface 112 as described above, the joint portion between the second surface 112 and the first surface 111 is rounded, and as shown in FIG. The joint portion between the surface 112 and the first surface 111 is inclined to provide an inclined surface 115 between the second surface 112 and the first surface 111, or as shown in FIG. A joint portion with the first surface 111 may be formed in an arc shape, and the arc surface 116 may be provided between the second surface 112 and the first surface 111.

  Then, if the joint portion between the second surface 112 and the first surface 111 is rounded in this way and the inclined surface 115 or the arc surface 116 is provided between the second surface 112 and the first surface 111, the second Heat at the joint portion between the surface 112 and the first surface 111 is easily radiated from the inclined surface 115 and the arc surface 116, and residual stress remains around the joint portion between the second surface 112 and the first surface 111. The first surface 111 to which the light source 101 is attached is further prevented from being deformed with respect to the second surface 112 to which the optical member 102 is attached.

1: Device main body 11: Photoconductor 12: Charging device 13: Developing device 14: First cleaning device 16: Rotating roller 17: Intermediate transfer belt 18: Primary transfer roller 19: Secondary transfer roller 20: Second cleaning device 21: Paper feed roller 22: Timing roller 23: Fixing device 24: Paper discharge roller 100: Optical device 101: Light source 102: Optical member 103: Light source holder 104: Holder member 110: Housing 111: First surface 112: Second surface 113: Third surface 114: Fourth surface 115: Inclined surface 116: Arc surface S: Paper

Claims (6)

  The first surface provided with the light source is raised to the second surface to which the optical member to which the light from the light source is guided is attached, and the third surface and the fourth surface are formed on both sides of the first surface. An optical device comprising a housing raised on the second surface, wherein the third surface and the fourth surface are joined to the first surface at an obtuse angle. .   The first surface provided with the light source is raised to the second surface to which the optical member to which the light from the light source is guided is attached, and the third surface and the fourth surface are formed on both sides of the first surface. In the optical device including the housing raised on the second surface, the first surface is formed in an arc shape protruding outward, and the both sides of the arc-shaped first surface are formed on the both sides of the first surface. An optical device, wherein the third surface and the fourth surface are joined.   3. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein the second surface of the corner portion of the housing is chamfered, and the first surface is raised at a corner portion of the chamfered second surface. And an optical device characterized in that a third surface and a fourth surface are raised on the second surface on both sides of the first surface.   4. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein a joint portion between the first surface and the second surface is rounded, and a joint portion between the first surface and the second surface. Is an inclined surface or an arc surface.   5. The optical device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of light sources are provided on the first surface. 6.   6. An image forming apparatus for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive member by exposing the photosensitive member according to image information with an optical device, and using the optical device according to any one of claims 1 to 5. An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising:

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