Reflective optical sensor, image forming apparatus, and surface information detecting method

摘要

A reflective optical sensor for detecting surface information on a moving element moving in a certain direction includes at least one light emitter, a light emitting lens provided between the light emitter and a surface of the moving element and formed to become conjugated with the light emitter in the moving direction of the moving element in a longer distance from the light emitter than in a vertical direction relative to the moving direction, at least one light receiver, and a light receiving lens provided between the light receiver and the surface of the moving element.

主权项

1. A reflective optical sensor for detecting surface information corresponding to a moving element moving in a moving direction, comprising:
a light emitting system including a plurality of light emitters; a light emitting lens provided between the plurality of light emitters and a surface of the moving element and formed to become conjugated with the plurality of light emitters, a length of the light emitting lens in a vertical direction relative to the moving direction being longer than a width of the light emitting lens in the moving direction; at least one light receiver; and a light receiving lens provided between the at least one light receiver and the surface of the moving element, wherein the light emitting system includes a plurality of light emitter groups, and a first light emitter group and a second light emitter group are disposed such that a space between a light emitter of the first light emitter group positioned closest to the second light emitter group and a light emitter of the second light emitter group positioned closest to the first light emitter group is greater than an alignment interval between light emitters in the first light emitter group.