JPH032843A - Laser printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a high-quality printing density by providing an optical system which receives the deflected light from an optical deflecting part and applies collimated beams of light to a photosensitive drum for transfer. CONSTITUTION:The exit light from a semiconductor laser 11 is introduced to an optical deflector 12 formed with an optical waveguide 13. An LiNbO3 crystal is used as the material for forming the optical waveguide 13. The two-dimensional optical waveguide 13 is formed by a metal diffusion method in this LiNbO3 crystal. Crossed finger-type electrodes are provided in the optical deflecting part 27 to deflect light. Optical paths are switched by the voltage from a matrix driving circuit 14, by which one-dimensional optical scanning is executed. The light beam from the optical deflector 12 is collimated to the collimated beams of light by a cylindrical lens 15. A latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 16 for transfer to make operation as a laser printer. The high-quality printing density is obtd. in this way.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 ［産業上の利用分野］ 本発明は半導体レーザを使用して文字１図形などを高速
で紙面に記録するレーザ・プリンタに関する。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a laser printer that uses a semiconductor laser to record characters, figures, etc. on paper at high speed.

［従来の技術］ 従来のレーザ争プリンタでは、レーザビームを偏向させ
るために、ポリゴンミラーを用いて機械的に高速偏向を
行っている。また最近では１発光ダイオード素子を一次
元的に配列したＬＥＤプリンタがある。[Prior Art] In conventional laser printers, a polygon mirror is used to mechanically perform high-speed deflection in order to deflect a laser beam. Recently, there are LED printers in which one light emitting diode element is arranged one-dimensionally.

［発明が解決しようとする課題］ 上述したポリゴンミラーを使用したレーザ・プリンタで
は１機械的駆動部があることから、空間占有領域が大き
いという欠点がある。また、ＬＥＤプリンタは配列する
各アレー素子の出力変動にばらつきがあり、高品質の印
字密度が得られないという欠点がある。[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Since the laser printer using the polygon mirror described above has one mechanical drive unit, it has the disadvantage that it occupies a large space. Furthermore, LED printers have a drawback in that output fluctuations of each array element vary, making it impossible to obtain high-quality printing density.

本発明の目的は、上述、した欠点を除去し、空間占有領
域が小さく、且つ高品質の印字密度が得られるレーザ・
プリンタを提供することにある。The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, to use a laser that occupies a small space and provides high-quality printing density.
The purpose is to provide printers.

［課題を解決するための手段］ 本発明によれば、レーザ光発生部と、該レーザ光発生部
からのレーザ光を導波する導波部と、レーザ光を記録情
報に応答して時間的、空間的に偏向する偏向部と、該光
偏向部からの偏向光を受けて平行な光ビームを形成する
光学系とを含むことを特徴とするレーザ・プリンタが得
られる。[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, there is provided a laser beam generation section, a waveguide section that guides the laser beam from the laser beam generation section, and a waveguide section for guiding the laser beam from the laser beam generation section. , there is obtained a laser printer characterized in that it includes a deflection section that deflects spatially, and an optical system that receives polarized light from the light deflection section and forms a parallel light beam.

［実施例］ 次に本発明について図面を参照して説明する。[Example] Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

第１図は本発明の一実施例の概略図である。半導体レー
ザ１１からの射出光を先導波路１３が形成された光偏向
器１２に導く。具体的には、先導路１３の形成のための
材料としては、ＬｉＮｂＯ３結晶が使用される。このＬ
ｉＮｂ０．結晶に金属拡散法により２次元光導波路１３
を形成する。FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. Light emitted from a semiconductor laser 11 is guided to an optical deflector 12 in which a leading waveguide 13 is formed. Specifically, as the material for forming the guide path 13, LiNbO3 crystal is used. This L
iNb0. Two-dimensional optical waveguide 13 created in crystal by metal diffusion method
form.

光偏向すべき光偏向部１７には交叉指状電極を設け、マ
トリックス駆動回路１４からの電圧により。The light deflection unit 17 to be deflected is provided with interdigital electrodes, and is driven by a voltage from the matrix drive circuit 14.

光路切換を行い、−次元光走査を行う。光偏向器１２か
らの光ビームはシリンドリカルレンズ１５により平行ビ
ームとなり、転写用感光ドラム１６上に潜像を形成し、
レーザ・プリンタとして動作する。Optical path switching is performed to perform -dimensional optical scanning. The light beam from the optical deflector 12 is turned into a parallel beam by the cylindrical lens 15, forming a latent image on the transfer photosensitive drum 16,
Works as a laser printer.

［発明の効果］ 以上説明したように本発明はレーザ光発生部と。[Effect of the invention] As explained above, the present invention includes a laser beam generating section.

該レーザ光発生部からのレーザ光を導波する導波部と、
レーザ光を記録情報に応答して時間的、空間的に偏向す
る偏向部と、該光偏向部からの偏向光を受けて平行な光
ビームを転写用感光ドラムに与える光学系とを含むこと
により小形化が可能で。a waveguide section that guides the laser light from the laser light generation section;
By including a deflection section that temporally and spatially deflects laser light in response to recorded information, and an optical system that receives the deflected light from the light deflection section and applies a parallel light beam to the transfer photosensitive drum. Can be made smaller.

高品質の印字密度が得られる。低価格化を計ったレーザ
・プリンタを提供できる効果がある。High quality printing density can be obtained. This has the effect of being able to provide a laser printer at a lower price.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図は本発明の一実施例の概略図である。 １１・・・半導体レーザ、１２・・・光偏向器、１３・
・・先導波路、１４・・・マトリクス駆動回路、１５・
・・シリンドリカルレンズ、１６・・・感光ドラム、１
７・・・光偏向部。FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. 11... Semiconductor laser, 12... Optical deflector, 13...
... Leading wave path, 14... Matrix drive circuit, 15.
...Cylindrical lens, 16...Photosensitive drum, 1
7... Light deflection section.

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] １、レーザ光発生部と、該レーザ光発生部からのレーザ
光を導波する導波部と、レーザ光を記録情報に応答して
時間的、空間的に偏向する偏向部と、該光偏向部からの
偏向光を受けて平行な光ビームを転写用感光ドラムに与
える光学系とを含むことを特徴とするレーザ・プリンタ
。1. A laser beam generation section, a waveguide section that guides the laser beam from the laser beam generation section, a deflection section that deflects the laser beam temporally and spatially in response to recorded information, and the optical deflection section. 1. An optical system that receives polarized light from a photosensitive drum and applies a parallel light beam to a transfer photosensitive drum.