Patent ID: 7751749

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image carrier that carries a latent image; a latent image writing unit that writes the latent image on the latent image carrier; a holding body that can swing between an open position and a closed position with respect to an apparatus main body with a rotation axis provided on the apparatus main body as a center while holding the latent image writing unit, in which a reference position component is provided at a positioning reference position of the latent image writing unit, a positioning member is provided within the apparatus main body to position the latent image writing unit in relation to the latent image carrier when the holding body is in the closed position, and the reference position component is biased by a biasing member so as to come into contact with the positioning member; a mechanism that puts, when the holding body is in the closed position, the positioning member and the reference position component in any one of a contacting state in which the positioning member and the reference position component are in contact and a non-contacting state in which the positioning member and the reference position component are not in contact; and a switching member configured to switch between the contacting state and the non-contacting state.