Patent ID: 7693478
Filing Date: 2010-04-06
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image-forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; a latent image-forming unit that forms a latent image on a surface of the image carrier; a cleaning unit for the image carrier, the cleaning unit including a residue removal member that removes a residue deposited on the surface of the image carrier and a residue transport member that transports the residue removed by the residue removal member to an ejection port for ejecting the removed residue; a residue collecting unit having an receiving port adapted to be able to connect to and be away from the ejection port and to receive the residue ejected from the ejection port; a shield member capable of shifting between an ejection position where the residue is ejected from the ejection port to the receiving port and a shield position where the shield member shields the ejection port so that the residue is not ejected from the ejection port; and at least one approach and separation mechanism selected from a first approach and separation mechanism and a second approach and separation mechanism, wherein the first and second approach and separation mechanisms move the latent image-forming unit between an approach position where the latent image-forming unit approaches the image carrier and a separate position where the latent image-forming unit is separated from the image carrier, and the first approach and separation mechanism allows the latent image-forming unit to move to the separation position as the shield member shifts to the shield position, and the second approach and separation mechanism restricts a movement of the latent image-forming unit to the separation position in a state in which the shield member is placed at the ejection position.