Patent US4841311A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4841311A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser beam printer with compactly arranged photosensitive element, laser beam emitting element and reflective element
Assignee: Brother Industries Ltd
•
Filing: 1987-08-21
•
Granted: 1989-06-20
•
Expires: 2007-08-21
Abstract
Abstract A laser printer, wherein a laser beam emitting element is positioned close to a photosensitive element, employs a solid state deflective element for deflecting the laser beam. A laser beam optical path runs through a space between the laser beam emitting element and a reflective element, from which the optical path turns back to the photosensitive element beyond the laser beam emitting element. Thus, the laser beam can be efficiently deflected within a rather small capacity so that the printer can be small-sized. Additionally, since the printer has no mechanical moving parts, it is light-weight, efficient in operation, and free from mechanical adjustment requirements.
Inventors
- 👤 Makoto Suzuki
- 👤 Satoshi Urukawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:23
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/447; B41J2/45; G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/1204
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A laser printer comprising: a laser beam emitting element for emitting a laser beam; a deflective element, with a variable refractive index, fixed to the laser beam emitting element for deflecting the laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting element; a reflective element for reflecting the laser beam deflected by the deflective element; and a photosensitive element located adjacent the laser beam emitting element and spaced apart from the reflective element for being exposed by the laser beam reflected by the reflective element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A laser printer comprising: a laser beam emitting element for emitting a laser beam; a deflective element, with a variable refractive index, fixed to the laser beam emitting element for deflecting the laser beam emitted from the laser beam emitting element; a reflective element for reflecting the laser beam deflected by the deflective element; and a photosensitive element located adjacent the laser beam emitting element and spaced apart from the reflective element for being exposed by the laser beam reflected by the reflective element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
193 words
A laser printer according to claim 1, wherein the deflective element includes: a first Fresnel lens for collimating the laser beam of the laser beam emitting element; a first optical deflecting part for guiding and deflecting the laser beam collimated by the first Fresnel lens such that the refractive index is varied in response to a distribution of an electrical field; three-dimensional optical guides having entering and ejecting ends for receiving the laser beam passed through the first optical deflecting part into one of the entering ends in accordance with a deflected angle at the first optical deflecting part and guiding the laser beam to a corresponding ejecting end; a second Fresnel lens for refracting the laser beam passed through the three-dimensional optical guides in accordance with the distance between a center line and the position of the ejecting end at which the laser beam is ejected; and a second optical deflecting part including at least one resistor heating element for producing a continuously variable temperature gradient across a path of the laser beam which forms a refractive index gradient by which the laser beam passed through the second Fresnel lens is deflected.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A laser printer according to claim 2, wherein each ejecting end of the three-dimensional optical guides is positioned at a different predetermined distance from the center line at the ejecting end.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A laser printer according to claim 1, wherein the reflective element is a plane mirror.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A laser printer according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam emitting element is a semi-conductor laser element and the deflective element is a solid state deflective element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A laser printer according to claim 5, wherein the semi-conductor laser element and the solid state deflective element are integrally constructed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3893856A
Cited
US3795433A
Cited
US3870394A
Cited
US3884549A
Cited
US3891302A
Cited
DE2359797A1
Cited
US3841733A
Cited
JPS518949A
Cited
US4000937A
Cited
US4070092A
Cited
US4175827A
Cited
JPS54150153A
Cited
US4343890A
Cited
JPS5540452A
Cited
US4332879A
Cited
US4262996A
Cited
EP0021510A1
Cited
EP0021993A1
Cited
DE3102972A1
Cited
US4425023A
Cited
US4348079A
Cited
US4470661A
Cited
JPS56165122A
Cited
US4375312A
Cited
EP0048441A2
Cited
US4440468A
Cited
US4396246A
Cited
US4445759A
Cited
EP0050545A1
Cited
US4523803A
Cited
US4693548A
Cited
US4413270A
Cited
US4394060A
Cited
US4611883A
Cited
US4637681A
Cited
US4548464A
Cited
JPS58106503A
Cited
JPS58125025A
Cited
JPS58147718A
Cited
US4478483A
Cited
US4492970A
Cited
US4747090A
Cited
US4468084A
Cited
US4707059A
Cited
GB2133900A
Cited
US4685766A
Cited
US4686162A
Cited
JPS59204027A
Cited
DE3443863A1
Cited
US4705346A
Cited
US4554050A
Cited
US4649101A
Cited
US4614408A
Cited
US4547262A
Cited
EP0186166A1
Cited
US4755036A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-06-19 | 1992-12-19 | 1993-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-06-19 | 1996-12-19 | 1997-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-06-19 | 2000-12-19 | 2001-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |