LIGHT SCANNING DEVICE

Abstract

A light scanning device includes a light source that emits a laser beam, a deflector that deflects the laser beam emitted from the light source, a motor that drives the deflector so as to scan the deflected laser beam, an optical system that converges the deflected laser beam on an object surface, a housing configured such that the motor and the optical system are fixed thereto, the housing including one of a through hole penetrating from an inside thereof to an outside thereof and a thin portion whose wall thickness is thinner than any other portion of the housing, and a heat radiating member including an exposed portion that is exposed outside the housing, the heat radiating member being configured such that heat generated inside the housing is radiated outside the housing from the motor via one of the through hole and the thin portion, and the exposed portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows a configuration of a light scanning device according to one or more aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an optical box of the light scanning device along a II-II line shown in FIG. 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an optical box of a light scanning device, along a line corresponding to the II-II line shown in FIG. 1, according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an optical box of a light scanning device, along a line corresponding to the II-II line shown in FIG. 1, according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an optical box of a light scanning device, along a line corresponding to the II-II line shown in FIG. 1, according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the optical box 83 shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an optical box of a light scanning device, along a line corresponding to the II-II line shown in FIG. 1, according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an optical box of a light scanning device, along a line corresponding to the II-II line shown in FIG. 1, according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a configuration of a conventional light scanning device.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of an optical box of the conventional light scanning device along an X-X line shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 shows another example of a cross-sectional view of an optical box of the conventional light scanning device along an X-X line shown in FIG. 9.

Claims

1. A light scanning device, comprising: a light source configured to emit a laser beam;a deflector configured to deflect the laser beam emitted from the light source;a motor configured to drive the deflector so as to scan the laser beam deflected by the deflector;an optical system configured to converge the laser beam deflected by the deflector on an object surface;a housing configured such that the motor and the optical system are fixed thereto, the housing including one of a through hole penetrating from an inside thereof to an outside thereof and a thin portion whose wall thickness is thinner than any other portion of the housing; anda heat radiating member including an exposed portion that is exposed outside the housing, the heat radiating member being configured such that heat generated inside the housing is radiated outside the housing from the motor via one of the through hole and the thin portion, and the exposed portion included in the heat radiating member.

2. The light scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the heat radiating member has a thermal conductivity higher than that of the housing.

3. The light scanning device according to claim 1, wherein the heat radiating member includes at least one heat radiating fin exposed outside the housing.

4. The light scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the housing includes the through hole penetrating from the inside thereof to the outside thereof,wherein the motor is fixed to the housing inside the housing to cover the through hole,wherein the heat radiating member is fixed to the housing outside the housing to cover the through hole, andwherein the motor is in contact with the heat radiating member.

5. The light scanning device according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the motor is inserted into the through hole.

6. The light scanning device according to claim 4, wherein a portion of the heat radiating member is inserted into the through hole.

7. The light scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the housing includes the thin portion whose wall thickness is thinner than any other portion of the housing,wherein the motor is fixed to the housing inside the housing to cover the thin portion,wherein the heat radiating member is fixed to the housing outside the housing to cover the thin portion, andwherein the thin portion is in contact with the motor and the heat radiating member.

8. The light scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the housing includes the through hole penetrating from the inside thereof to the outside thereof,wherein the motor is arranged to pass through the through hole and fixed to the housing from the outside of the housing, andwherein the heat radiating member is arranged to cover the motor outside the housing without contacting the motor.

9. The light scanning device according to claim 8, wherein a thermal conducting member is provided between the motor and the heat radiating member.

10. The light scanning device according to claim 9, wherein the motor is in indirect contact with the heat radiating member via viscoelastic material with a thermal conductivity higher than the housing.

11. The light scanning device according to claim 2, wherein the housing includes the through hole penetrating from the inside thereof to the outside thereof, and a motor supporting portion configured to support the motor,wherein the motor supporting portion is protruded toward the inside of the housing to surround the through hole, andwherein the heat radiating member is arranged within the motor supporting portion without contacting the motor.

12. The light scanning device according to claim 11, wherein the heat radiating member includes at least one heat radiating fin formed inside the through hole, andwherein a distal end of the at least one heat radiating fin is located within an outer surface of the housing.

13. The light scanning device according to claim 11, wherein a thermal conducting member is provided between the motor and the heat radiating member.

14. The light scanning device according to claim 13, wherein the motor is in indirect contact with the heat radiating member via viscoelastic material with a thermal conductivity higher than the housing.

15. A light scanning device, comprising: a light source configured to emit a laser beam;a deflector configured to deflect the laser beam emitted from the light source;a motor configured to drive the deflector so as to scan the laser beam deflected by the deflector;an optical system configured to converge the laser beam deflected by the deflector on an object surface; anda housing configured such that the motor and the optical system are fixed thereto, the housing including: a through hole penetrating from an inside thereof to an outside thereof; andat least one protruded portion formed within the through hole to taper toward a distal end thereof in a depth direction of the through hole from an outside of the housing to an inside of the housing,wherein the motor is fixed to the housing inside the housing to cover the through hole.