Patent ID: 7161612
Filing Date: 2007-01-09
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotatable endless belt; rotatable photoconductors of N in number (N≧2) arranged side by side along the endless belt; charging devices of N in number provided corresponding to the respective photoconductors of N in number that charge surfaces of the photoconductors; at least one exposure device that exposes the photoconductors charged by the charging devices to form electrostatic latent images on the photoconductors; developing devices of N in number provided corresponding to the respective photoconductors of N in number that respectively develop the electrostatic latent images on the photoconductors with developing agents in different colors to form developing agent images; and process cartridges provided in an attachable and detachable manner, the process cartridges including at least the developing devices, wherein the at least one exposure device includes: an exposure scanning unit that emits a laser light scanned in a same, plane and at a specified angle; and a direction changing device that changes the direction of the laser light emitted by the exposure scanning unit such that a center line of the laser light after a direction change is directed not to pass a plane including a center line of the laser light before the direction change and perpendicular to a plane in which the laser light before the direction change is scanned.