Patent ID: 9098040
Filing Date: 2015-08-04
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers; an exposure portion that scans, in an axial direction, light which is emitted from a light source based on image data of a document sheet, and applies the light to a surface of each of the image carriers, to form an electrostatic latent image on each of the image carriers; a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image formed by the exposure portion into a toner image; an intermediate transfer medium which travels in a direction in which the plurality of image carriers are aligned, and on which the toner image obtained by development on each image carrier by the developing device is sequentially superimposed; a cleaning member that is disposed so as to contact with each image carrier and that removes residual toner on each image carrier to perform cleaning; a driving mechanism that causes each image carrier to shuttle in the axial direction with a predetermined amplitude while the image carrier is driven to rotate; a detecting member that detects positional information representing a position, in the axial direction, obtained when each image carrier shuttles; and a control portion that controls, based on a result of detection by the detecting member, a time when scanning on each of the image carriers by the exposure portion is to be started; wherein the driving mechanism includes: the first gear member includes a reflecting surface by which light is reflected, such that the reflecting surface is positioned at a predetermined position, in a circumferential direction, of a side surface portion; the second gear member includes a through hole opposing the reflecting surface; and the detecting member: