Patent ID: 7506866

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a recording medium conveying device including, a conveyor configured to convey a recording medium; a feeding roller configured to feed the recording medium toward the conveyor; a first guide member configured to guide the recording medium fed by the feeding roller onto the conveyor, the first guide member being disposed between the conveyor and the feeding roller and having a concave guide portion over which the recording medium slides; a photosensitive drum configured to carry an electrostatic latent image thereon, the photosensitive drum opposing the conveyor; a developer configured to form a visible image by applying a developing agent to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum, the developer opposing the photosensitive drum; a transfer device configured to transfer the visible image onto the recording medium conveyed on the conveyor; a main casing; and a cartridge including a cartridge case and at least the photosensitive drum and the developer, the cartridge being removably installed in the main casing opposite to a conveying surface of the conveyor, and wherein each of the first guide member and a portion of the cartridge case form a portion of a concavely curved surface, and wherein the image forming apparatus is configured to guide the recording medium to contact the first guide member, the portion of the cartridge case forming the portion of the concavely curved surface, and the conveyor before the visible image is transferred onto the recording medium.