Patent ID: 7856194

Claim:
An intermediate transfer unit mounting and dismounting mechanism for use in an image forming apparatus, the image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming portion having a photoreceptor drum on which a toner image is formed; an intermediate transfer element to which the toner image formed on the photoreceptor drum is temporarily transferred; a transfer device for transferring the toner image from the intermediate transfer element to a recording medium; a cleaning portion for removing the toner that has not been transferred from the intermediate transfer element to the recording medium by the transfer device and remains on the intermediate transfer element; and an intermediate transfer unit, at least including the intermediate transfer element and a driver for driving the intermediate transfer element as an integrated configuration separated from the apparatus body, and being constructed to be mountable to and dismountable from the apparatus body, the intermediate transfer unit mounting and dismounting mechanism including: a coupling/decoupling manipulator disposed at the coupling portion between the intermediate transfer unit and the apparatus body for coupling/decoupling the intermediate transfer unit and the apparatus body, the coupling/decoupling manipulator including: a threaded portion for coupling the intermediate transfer unit and the apparatus body by screw fastening and a gear element for transferring driving force for conveying the intermediate transfer element, and providing the function of screw-fastening the intermediate transfer unit and the apparatus body by rotating the threaded portion in a predetermined direction and the function of disengaging the fastened condition between the intermediate transfer unit and the apparatus body by rotating the threaded portion in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction and conveying the intermediate transfer element as the gear element rotates in linkage with the rotation of the threaded portion.