The optical scanning device includes a swingable reflector; a blocking unit that is provided in the reflector to move in linkage with the reflector; and a sensor unit that includes at least a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit, wherein each of the first and second sensor units includes an output unit, which is a light generator or an electromagnetic wave generator configured to output a detection target and a detection unit, which is a light receiver or an electromagnetic wave receiver configured to detect the detection target. The output unit is at a position that faces the detection unit. When the reflector is in a predetermined swing angle range, the blocking plate blocks a path of the detection target between the output unit and the detection unit.

The optical scanning device includes a swingable reflector; a blocking unit that is provided in the reflector to move in linkage with the reflector; and a sensor unit that includes at least a first sensor unit and a second sensor unit, wherein each of the first and second sensor units includes an output unit, which is a light generator or an electromagnetic wave generator configured to output a detection target and a detection unit, which is a light receiver or an electromagnetic wave receiver configured to detect the detection target. The output unit is at a position that faces the detection unit. When the reflector is in a predetermined swing angle range, the blocking plate blocks a path of the detection target between the output unit and the detection unit.

An image recording apparatus includes: a laser emitting device configured to emit laser beams emitted from a plurality of laser light-emitting elements; an optical fiber array including a plurality of optical fibers provided corresponding to the laser light-emitting elements and configured to guide the laser beams emitted from the laser light-emitting elements to a recording object that relatively moves with respect to the laser emitting device, laser emitting portions of the respective optical fibers being arrayed in an array form in a predetermined direction; and an image recording unit configured to control the laser emitting device so as to irradiate the recording object which relatively moves with respect to the laser emitting device in a direction different from the predetermined direction, with laser beams via the optical fiber array, to heat the recording object and record an image.

A system and method for performing laser marking may include identifying an event performed by a laser marking system. A laser marking unit may be driven to mark the feature on the part. The part may be illuminated with a visible illumination signal to indicate an occurrence of the event in response to identifying the event.

An optical scanning device (30) includes a first elastic member (51) fixed to a bottom wall of a casing (31) and compressed by a lower surface of an image forming lens (36) and the bottom wall to close a gap between the lower surface of the image forming lens (36) and the bottom wall, and a second elastic member (52) fixed to a lid member (37) and compressed by an upper surface of the image forming lens (36) and the lid member (37) to close a gap between the upper surface of the image forming lens (36) and the lid member (37).

An image forming apparatus includes an oscillator configured to oscillate a laser beam, an irradiation portion configured to radiate the laser beam oscillated by the oscillator to an outside, a light absorption unit configured to absorb the laser beam and to convert the laser beam to heat, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control, in an irradiation state, the irradiation portion to press the irradiation portion against a workpiece with first pressing force via the light absorption unit and irradiate the workpiece with the laser beam. The control unit is configured to control, in a non-irradiation state, the radiation portion to press the irradiation portion against the workpiece with second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force via the light absorption unit, or to separate the irradiation portion from the light absorption unit so as to set the second pressing force to zero.

An image forming apparatus includes an oscillator configured to oscillate a laser beam, an irradiation portion configured to radiate the laser beam oscillated by the oscillator to an outside, a light absorption unit configured to absorb the laser beam and to convert the laser beam to heat, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control, in an irradiation state, the irradiation portion to press the irradiation portion against a workpiece with first pressing force via the light absorption unit and irradiate the workpiece with the laser beam. The control unit is configured to control, in a non-irradiation state, the radiation portion to press the irradiation portion against the workpiece with second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force via the light absorption unit, or to separate the irradiation portion from the light absorption unit so as to set the second pressing force to zero.

This invention is a novel method for tactile printing which comprises of a low power energy source to heat temperature sensitive elements within a medium such as microcapsule paper.

This invention is a novel method for tactile printing which comprises of a low power energy source to heat temperature sensitive elements within a medium such as microcapsule paper.

According to an embodiment, a laser processing apparatus, that perform laser processing on an object with laser light, includes a plurality of optical heads. The optical heads each includes a laser head unit that emits a plurality of laser light beams in an arranged manner in a predetermined direction, and an optical system that focuses the emitted plurality of laser light beams on the object conveyed relatively with respect to the laser head unit in a conveying direction intersecting the predetermined direction. The optical heads each includes a first optical head group and a second optical head group in which the optical heads are adjacent to each other in the predetermined direction. The first optical head group and the second optical head group are adjacent to each other in the conveying direction and arranged while being shifted from each other by a predetermined length in the predetermined direction.