Patent ID: 8010014

Claim:
A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, wherein a plurality of cartridges are detachably mountable to a main assembly of said image forming apparatus, said image forming apparatus comprising: a cartridge supporting member for supporting said cartridges, said cartridge supporting member being movable between an inside position inside said apparatus main assembly and an outside position outside said apparatus main assembly; an outer wall; an opening provided in said outer wall, wherein said cartridge supporting member passes through said opening when said cartridge supporting member moves between the inside position and the outside position; a guiding member for supporting said cartridge supporting member movably so that said cartridge supporting member moves linearly between the inside position and the outside position, wherein when said cartridge supporting member is in the outside position, said guiding member supports said cartridge supporting member, so that a downstream side of said cartridge supporting member with respect to a movement direction from the inside position to the outside position is pivotable downwardly about an upstream side thereof; an opening and closing member, rotatably provided in said apparatus main assembly, for openably closing said opening; and a force applying member, provided between said apparatus main assembly and said opening and closing member, for applying a force in a direction of returning said opening and closing member to close said opening, wherein when the downstream side of said cartridge supporting member is pivoted downwardly about the upstream side of said cartridge supporting member with respect to the movement direction, said cartridges are mountable to said cartridge supporting member from above said cartridge supporting member, and said cartridges supported on said cartridge supporting member are dismountable upwardly of said cartridge supporting member, and wherein when said cartridge supporting member is in the outside position, and when the downstream side of said cartridge supporting member is supported by said opening and closing member which receives the force from said force applying member, the downstream side of said cartridge supporting member inclines downwardly about the upstream side of said cartridge supporting member with respect to the movement direction.