Patent ID: 7860416

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a light emitting unit adapted to irradiate an object to be irradiated with light; a light receiving unit adapted to receive reflected light from the irradiated object; a photocatalytic layer disposed so as to cover at least one of said light emitting unit or said light receiving unit, the photocatalytic layer containing a photocatalytic material; and a reflecting unit adapted to reflect light from said light emitting unit and guide the reflected light to said light receiving unit, wherein said light emitting unit is adapted to emit light of a wavelength range adapted to a bandgap width of said photocatalytic layer, and said light receiving unit is adapted to have sensitivity in a wavelength range of light emitted from said light emitting unit, wherein said light emitting unit is adapted to irradiate said reflecting unit with light if no object is detected, and wherein said reflecting unit is movably arranged between said light emitting unit and the irradiated object, and is adapted to move to a position not irradiated with light from said light emitting unit if the object to be irradiated is detected, and move to a position to be irradiated with light from said light emitting unit if no object is detected.