Patent ID: 7526232
Filing Date: 2009-04-28
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A drive unit of an image forming unit capable of driving a plurality of image forming units, the drive unit comprising: a motor generating a rotational drive force; a main gear rotatable in both forward and reverse directions in accordance with the rotational direction of the motor when the rotational drive force is transmitted thereto from the motor; a swinging gear arranged so as to mesh with the main gear and constructed to be swingable between a first position and a second position by the rotational drive force transmitted to the main gear in accordance with the rotational direction of the motor; a first gear train constructed so as to transmit the rotational drive force of the main gear to a first image forming unit by meshing with the swinging gear when the main gear rotating in a first direction and the swinging gear is swung to the first position by the rotation of the main gear in the first direction; and a second gear train constructed so as to transmit the rotational drive force of the main gear to a second image forming unit by meshing with the swinging gear when the main gear rotating in a second direction and the swinging gear is swung to the second position by the rotation of the main gear in the second direction.