Patent ID: 8107136

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image reading device comprising: an image reading section configured to obtain image data by reading an image of a document; a frame supporting the image reading section; and an operating unit having an operating section including a plurality of input keys adapted to receive an input operation for controlling the image reading section, and an operating unit body supporting the operating section for displacement between a drawn-out position in which the input keys are exposed to outside and a housed position in which the input keys are housed inside, the operating unit being supported by the frame, and an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording medium based on the image data obtained by the image reading section, wherein the frame includes a left frame and a right frame that are formed of a metal; the left frame and the right frame include: a plate-shaped portion positioned vertically and extended in a displace direction of the operating section; and a seat portion horizontally projecting from the plate-shaped portion and supporting the image reading section, and the left frame and the right frame are fixed on top of body frames of the image forming unit; and the operating unit further comprising: a tubular member having a predetermined length and jacketing an electric cord connected to an upstream end portion of the operating section in a draw-out direction in which the operating section is capable of being drawn out, the tubular member having such a rigidity as not bend when the operating section is displaced; and a rotary member supported on the operating unit body rotatably in a horizontal plane at a location upstream of the upstream end portion of the operating section in the housed position in the draw-out direction, which location fails to coincide with a connection point between the electric cord and the operating section in the draw-out direction, the rotary member defining a bore there through which allows the tubular member to extend there through slidably.