An optical scanner is provided with a light source, a deflector, an optical element, an imaging lens, a fixing structure, and a housing. The optical element has a reflecting surface. The fixing structure has a first support wall, a second support wall and a biasing member. The first support wall has a support projection with a tip part protruding along a thickness direction toward a rear surface and abutting on the rear surface, and an inclined surface extending from a tip part to a side opposite to the second support wall. A first angle between a first straight line extending in the perpendicular direction orthogonal to a bottom surface of the housing and a surface of the optical element is smaller than a second angle between the first straight line and the inclined surface. The second angle is less than 90 degrees.

A reading device and an image forming apparatus. The reading device includes a reader disposed at a scanning position, the reader being configured to read an image formed on a surface of a sheet, a movement mechanism to move the reader between the scanning position and a separated position away from the scanning position, and a reference plate disposed at a first position facing a reading face of the reader, the reference plate being configured to obtain a reference value to be used when the reader reads the image. In the reading device, the reference plate rotates around an axis from a second position facing a side of the reader to the first position or from the first position to the second position in conjunction with movement of the reader from the scanning position to the separated position by the movement mechanism The image forming apparatus includes the reading device.

A reading device and an image forming apparatus. The reading device includes a reader disposed at a scanning position, the reader being configured to read an image formed on a surface of a sheet, a movement mechanism to move the reader between the scanning position and a separated position away from the scanning position, and a reference plate disposed at a first position facing a reading face of the reader, the reference plate being configured to obtain a reference value to be used when the reader reads the image. In the reading device, the reference plate rotates around an axis from a second position facing a side of the reader to the first position or from the first position to the second position in conjunction with movement of the reader from the scanning position to the separated position by the movement mechanism The image forming apparatus includes the reading device.

An image reading apparatus connected to a conveying apparatus to convey a recording medium to which a toner image is fixed includes a conveying unit and a reading unit having a transparent member, a reading sensor, a housing supporting, and a fan. The conveying unit receives the recording medium discharged from the conveying apparatus and conveys the recording medium. The reading unit is positioned downstream of the conveying unit in a conveying direction of the recording medium. The reading sensor read a housing supporting image information about an image on the recording medium through the transparent member. The housing supports the reading sensor and defines, together with the transparent member, an accommodation space configured to accommodate the reading sensor. The fan is positioned in the accommodation space and circulates air in the accommodation space.

An image reading apparatus connected to a conveying apparatus to convey a recording medium to which a toner image is fixed includes a conveying unit and a reading unit having a transparent member, a reading sensor, a housing supporting, and a fan. The conveying unit receives the recording medium discharged from the conveying apparatus and conveys the recording medium. The reading unit is positioned downstream of the conveying unit in a conveying direction of the recording medium. The reading sensor read a housing supporting image information about an image on the recording medium through the transparent member. The housing supports the reading sensor and defines, together with the transparent member, an accommodation space configured to accommodate the reading sensor. The fan is positioned in the accommodation space and circulates air in the accommodation space.

An optical scanning device includes a light source, a deflector, a random number generator, a selection part, a random number assignment part and an exposure control part. The light source includes a plurality of light emitting parts arranged in a predetermined direction at fixed intervals in a sub-scanning direction. The random number assignment part is configured to assign a random number sequence to each light emitting part constituting a set of target light emitting parts as an index for specifying a timing at which a light emitting time of the set of target light emitting parts is set to a correction value different from a reference value and to update the assignment of the random number sequence at a random number update period. The random number update period coincides with a scanning period of each light emitting part constituting the set of target light emitting parts.

An optical scanning device includes a light source, a deflector, a random number generator, a selection part, a random number assignment part and an exposure control part. The light source includes a plurality of light emitting parts arranged in a predetermined direction at fixed intervals in a sub-scanning direction. The random number assignment part is configured to assign a random number sequence to each light emitting part constituting a set of target light emitting parts as an index for specifying a timing at which a light emitting time of the set of target light emitting parts is set to a correction value different from a reference value and to update the assignment of the random number sequence at a random number update period. The random number update period coincides with a scanning period of each light emitting part constituting the set of target light emitting parts.

A method and device for the optical scanning of a chromatographic sample (3), where a sample plate (2) holding the sample (3) is illuminated with light from a first illumination device (13) and the light emitted by the sample plate (2) is detected by an optical detector device (15) which detects in cell form or area form, a second illumination device (14) is preferably firstly activated in a preparation step. The sample plate (2) is displaced in a first displacement direction relative to the detector device (15), illuminated by the first illumination device (13) and a first measurement image is recorded. The sample plate (2) is displaced in a second displacement direction relative to the detector device (15), illuminated by the second illumination device (14), and a second measurement image is recorded.

A lens array unit includes a lens array including a plurality of lenses, a first side plate, and a second side plate, the first side plate and the second side plate being configured to hold the plurality of lenses therebetween, and a frame made of resin and including a first supporting portion and a second supporting portion, the first supporting portion being in contact with an outside surface of the first side plate, the second supporting portion being in contact with an outside surface of the second side plate, the first supporting portion and the second supporting portion being configured to hold the lens array therebetween and support the lens array. The outside surface of the first side plate includes a plurality of first concave portions spaced from each other in an array direction of the lenses and configured to fit with the first supporting portion.

A rod lens array unit includes at least a rod lens array that includes a plurality of rod lenses arranged in a line, each of the rod lenses having an optical axis extending in an optical axis direction, and a pair of side plate parts stacked so as to sandwich the rod lens array. Wherein, end faces of the side plate parts in the optical axis direction of the rod lens array are positioned inside an end face of the rod lens array in the optical axis direction.