Patent ID: 8427718

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image reader, which has an original document table for placing an original image thereon; and an image reading part that has a light source part for irradiating the original image with illumination light, a light-receiving part that receives reflected light reflected off the original image when the illumination light is emitted from the light source part, and accordingly generates image data of the original image, a reflection part that reflects the reflected light from the original image toward the light-receiving part, and a carriage that supports the light source part and the reflection part; a replacement cover that covers a replacement member provided in the image forming apparatus and is opened/closed integrally with the image reader; a main body part that accommodates an operation part for performing operations based on the image data generated by the image reader; an opening/closing axis that connects the image reader and the main body part to each other and turnably supports the image reader and the replacement cover in an approaching/separating direction with respect to the main body part; an open/close detector that detects an open state in which the image reader and the replacement cover are separated from the main body part, and a closed state in which the image reader and the replacement cover are in abutment with the main body part; and a movement controller that moves the carriage in a sub-scanning direction in relation to a main scanning direction of the image reader, wherein when the open/close detector detects that the image reader and the replacement cover are in the open state, the movement controller moves the carriage to a retreat position that is located away from a position where the carriage faces the original document table, and is provided within a certain range previously determined with respect to the opening/closing axis.