Optical scanning device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

An optical scanning device that uses a light spot to scan an image surface with a light source, a deflector, and an imaging element includes a housing in which the light source, the deflector, and the imaging element are set. The housing includes at least two sidewalls opposed to each other, a bottom surface that extends substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls, and ribs that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface and formed to extend from the two sidewalls, respectively. Discontinuous sections (sections between ribs or notched sections of the ribs) for passing light beams are provided in the ribs. A reinforcing member separate from the ribs are bridged to the discontinuous sections.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . An optical scanning device comprising a light source and a deflector set in a housing to use a light spot to scan a surface of an image with the light source, the deflector, and an imaging element,
 wherein the housing includes at least two sidewalls opposed to each other, a bottom surface that extends substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls, and ribs that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface and connect the two sidewalls, and   wherein the ribs are formed integrally with openings through which light beams traveling from the light source to the deflector and light beams deflected by the deflector pass.   
     
     
         9 . The optical scanning device according to  claim 8 , wherein at least the sidewalls, the bottom surface, and the ribs in the housing are integrally formed by a resin material. 
     
     
         10 . The optical scanning device according to  claim 8 , wherein the optical scanning device has at least a plurality of light sources and a plurality of imaging elements to make a plurality of light beams incident on the deflector from different directions, deflect the light beams, respectively, to use light spots to scan surfaces of a plurality of images. 
     
     
         11 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An image forming apparatus that uses a light spot to scan an image bearing member to write an image on the image bearing member to form an image, wherein the image forming apparatus uses an optical scanning device, which includes a light source and a deflector set in a housing to use a light spot to scan a surface of an image with the light source, the deflector, and an imaging element,
 wherein the housing includes at least two sidewalls opposed to each other, a bottom surface that extends substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls, and ribs that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface and connect the two sidewalls,   and wherein the ribs are formed integrally with openings through which light beams traveling from the light source to the deflector and light beams deflected by the deflector pass.   
     
     
         14 . The color image forming apparatus according to  claim 13  that uses an optical scanning device, which includes at least a plurality of light sources and is capable of casing light spots to scan a plurality of image surfaces, uses light spots to scan a plurality of image bearing members to write latent images on the respective image bearing members, visualizes the latent images formed on the image bearing members, and superimposes the latent images one on top of another to form a color image. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled)