Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a housing; a cartridge including an image bearing member and capable of being attached/detached to/from the housing; a discharging exposure unit having a light source member and a light guide member, which forms a light guide path guiding light from the light source member so as to be emitted to the image bearing member, and exposing the image bearing member; and an opening/closing member capable of being opened/closed and provided on a surface on which an opening portion, through which the cartridge is inserted/removed in the housing, is provided so as to cover the opening portion, wherein the light source member is provided so as to be exposed to a surface of the housing opened/closed by the opening/closing member and be capable of being attached/detached to/from the light guide member.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus having a housing; a cartridge including an image bearing member and capable of being attached/detached to/from the housing; a discharging exposure unit having a light source member and a light guide member, which forms a light guide path guiding light from the light source member so as to be emitted to the image bearing member, and exposing the image bearing member; and an opening/closing member capable of being opened/closed and provided on a surface on which an opening portion, through which the cartridge is inserted/removed in the housing, is provided so as to cover the opening portion, wherein the light source member is provided so as to be exposed to a surface of the housing opened/closed by the opening/closing member and be capable of being attached/detached to/from the light guide member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a first developing unit, a second developing unit, a first pressing mechanism configured to press the first developing unit, and a second pressing mechanism configured to press the second developing unit. In addition, the image forming apparatus includes a first stay to which the first pressing mechanism is attached, and which is supported by the casing, and a second stay to which the second pressing mechanism is attached, and which is supported by the casing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a casing, a first photosensitive drum, a second photosensitive drum, a first developing unit, a second developing unit, a first pressing mechanism configured to press the first developing unit, a second pressing mechanism configured to press the second developing unit, a first stay to which the first pressing mechanism is attached, and which is supported by the casing, and a second stay to which the second pressing mechanism is attached, and which is supported by the casing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion that forms a toner image on a photosensitive member in accordance with image information, an intermediate transfer member that carries the toner image transferred from the photosensitive member, a transfer portion that transfers the toner image carried by the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium, a cleaning portion that collects toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member, and a toner collecting container into which the toner conveyed from the cleaning portion is collected. In the image forming apparatus, the toner collecting container is disposed in a region above the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: A developer transporting device includes a first transport passage through which a developer is transported in a first direction along a direction oriented downwardly in a direction of gravity, and a second transport passage which communicates with the first transport passage on a downstream side of the first transport passage and through which the developer is transported in a second direction along a direction oriented upwardly. The first transport passage is provided with a first transport force generating member which generates a transport force for transporting the developer in the first direction, and the second transport passage is provided with a second transport force generating member which generates a transport force for transporting the developer in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion that forms a toner image on a photosensitive member in accordance with image information, an intermediate transfer member that carries the toner image transferred from the photosensitive member, a transfer portion that transfers the toner image carried by the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium, a cleaning portion that collects toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member, and a toner collecting container into which the toner conveyed from the cleaning portion is collected. In the image forming apparatus, the toner collecting container is disposed in a region above the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: Provided is a developer transporting device including: a first transport passage through which a developer is transported in a first direction along a direction oriented downwardly in a direction of gravity; and a second transport passage which communicates with the first transport passage on a downstream side of the first transport passage and through which the developer is transported in a second direction along a direction oriented upwardly, wherein the first transport passage is provided with first transport force generating member which generates a transport force for transporting the developer in the first direction, and the second transport passage is provided with second transport force generating member which generates a transport force for transporting the developer in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding apparatus feeding a recording material and a protruding member that protrudes downward from an apparatus main body; wherein when the feeding apparatus is installed below the apparatus main body, the protruding member is provided in a bottom portion of the apparatus main body so that inside the feeding apparatus the protruding member does not come into contact with a movable unit which is provided in the feeding apparatus so as to be movable with respect to the feeding apparatus, and the protruding member is positioned on an outer side of a feeding path of the recording material in the feeding apparatus, and moreover the protruding member penetrates more inward than an external surface of the feeding apparatus from above the feeding apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: A driven gear is relatively movable to a first support position and to a second support position on a support member. When a first gear rotates in a first direction, the driven gear rotates at the first support position in conjunction with rotation of the first gear to permit the rotation of the driven gear. When the first gear rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the driven gear moves to the second support position under a force received from the gear in an area where the driven gear meshes with the first gear. Then, at the second support position, the driven gear is locked on a locking member and thus stopped, preventing the first gear from rotating in the second direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a feeding apparatus feeding a recording material and a protruding member that protrudes downward from an apparatus main body; wherein when the feeding apparatus is installed below the apparatus main body, the protruding member is provided in a bottom portion of the apparatus main body so that inside the feeding apparatus the protruding member does not come into contact with a movable unit which is provided in the feeding apparatus so as to be movable with respect to the feeding apparatus, and the protruding member is positioned on an outer side of a feeding path of the recording material in the feeding apparatus, and moreover the protruding member penetrates more inward than an external surface of the feeding apparatus from above the feeding apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes image forming stations including respective electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an image transfer belt contactable to the drums; image transfer rollers, contactable to the transfer belt to urge the belt to the drums for transferring the toner images from the drums onto the belt, the rollers being provided with respective rotational shafts about an axis of which the rollers are rotatable; and a slidable member slidable in a direction in which the stations are arranged to retract the rollers away from the corresponding drums, the slidable member being provided with inclined surfaces contactable to the shafts, the inclined surfaces being disposed at such positions that the rollers are retracted from respective drums sequentially with the movement of the slidable member in the direction.

Abstract: A driven gear is relatively movable to a first support position and to a second support position on a support member. When a first gear rotates in a first direction, the driven gear rotates at the first support position in conjunction with rotation of the first gear to permit the rotation of the driven gear. When the first rotates in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the driven gear moves to the second support position under a force received from the gear in an area where the driven gear meshes with the first gear. Then, at the second support position, the driven gear is locked on a locking member and thus stopped, preventing the first gear from rotating in the second direction.