Patent ID: 7526226

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a main casing; a photosensitive member; a process cartridge that can be installed or removed with respect to the main casing along a removal path, the process cartridge including a developer accommodating portion that can accommodate a developer; a scanner unit located above the process cartridge when the process cartridge is installed in the main casing, the scanner unit being capable of irradiating a surface of the photosensitive member with a laser beam; a sheet accommodating portion located at a bottom portion of the main casing, the sheet accommodating portion being capable of accommodating a sheet; a pick-up roller located above the sheet accommodating portion, the pick-up roller being capable of drawing the sheet from the sheet accommodating portion; and a feed path along which the sheet can be conveyed from the sheet accommodating portion to a discharge port; wherein: at least a part of the feed path is substantially parallel to the removal path and located between the sheet accommodating portion and the process cartridge when the process cartridge is installed in the main casing; the scanner unit includes a frame including a first portion having a first height and a second portion having a second height that is less than the first height, the second portion being located closer to the pick-up roller than the first portion; and an image forming position where an image is transferred from the photosensitive member to the sheet is located along the feed path at a position lower than an upper surface of the pick-up roller in a vertical direction.