| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus and a scanning unit that can be further miniaturized (particularly with reduced height and thin profile). SOLUTION: After reflected by a first return mirror 130, a light beam deflected by a polygon mirror 110 is caused to travel toward a second return mirror 131 disposed below a base section 220 of the polygon mirror 110 by way of an opening 223. The image forming apparatus and the scanning unit are configured so as to satisfy relations of a<b and c<b, where "a" is an optical path length from a reflection surface of the polygon mirror 110 to a reflection surface of the first return mirror 130, in the center in the main scanning direction of the laser beam; "b" is another optical path length from the reflection surface of the first return mirror 130 to a reflection surface of the second return mirror 131; and "c" is still another optical path length from the reflection surface of the second return mirror 131 to a photoreceptor drum 37. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
