Patent ID: 8311448
Filing Date: 2012-11-13
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body having an opening; a drawer which is provided to be loadable to and drawable from the apparatus main body through the opening; an image carrier which is held by the drawer and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing unit which is provided to be movable with respect to the drawer, and which is configured to supply toner to the image carrier to make the electrostatic latent image into a visible image; a contacting and spacing mechanism which is provided to at least one of the apparatus main body and the drawer, and which is configured to move the developing unit between a contacting position at which the developing unit contacts the image carrier and a spacing position at which the developing unit is spaced from the image carrier, in a state where the drawer is loaded in the apparatus main body; a driving unit which is provided in the apparatus main body, and which is configured to drive the contacting and spacing mechanism in a state where the driving unit is in a coupled state with the contacting and spacing mechanism; a cover which is configured to cover the opening, and which is opened when the drawer is drawn from the apparatus main body; and an interlocking mechanism which is configured to change in at least one of position, posture, and form thereof while interlocking with opening of the cover, wherein while the change of the interlocking mechanism interlocking with opening of the cover is caused, the interlocking mechanism performs a first operation of releasing the coupled state between the driving unit and the contacting and spacing mechanism, and a second operation of moving the developing unit to a drawn position while interlocking with the first operation, and wherein the drawn position is a position of the developing unit with respect to the image carrier for allowing the drawer to be loaded in and drawn from the apparatus main body and is one of the contacting position and the spacing position.