Patent ID: 7463847
Filing Date: 2008-12-09
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image-forming apparatus, comprising: a main body; at least one photosensitive member, the photosensitive member having an axis; an exposing unit that forms electrostatic latent images on the surface of the photosensitive member; a plurality of developing units, each developing unit having a developer-accommodating section that accommodates developer and a developer-carrying member that develops a corresponding electrostatic latent image formed by the exposing unit on the photosensitive member into a visible image by supplying developer from the developer-accommodating section onto the surface of the photosensitive member; a transferring unit that transfers the visible images formed on the photosensitive member to a recording medium; and a first holding unit that holds the plurality of developing units that are arranged in a row along a first removal direction that is orthogonal to the axis of the photosensitive member and that is substantially horizontal, the first holding unit being accommodated at a first accommodating position in the main body and being configured to be moved, independently from the photosensitive member, to a first removal position that is separate from the first accommodating position in the first removal direction, wherein the first holding unit is configured to be moved from the first accommodating position to the first removal position through a standby position, the standby position being defined at a location between the first accommodating position and the first removal position and being separate from the first accommodating position in a vertical direction; and the first accommodating position and the standby position are located between the photosensitive member and the exposing unit.