Patent ID: 7317887

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising; a feeding path which guides a sheet: a transfer member and an image bearing member which are in pressure contact with each other and transfer the toner image onto the sheet passed through the feeding path; an openable and closable member which opens and closes the feeding path, wherein the transfer member is mounted on the openable and closable member and the image bearing member is mounted on an apparatus main body, and the transfer member and the image bearing member are in pressure contact with each other when the openable and closable member is closed, and: a supporting member which supports the openable and closable member, the supporting member mounted rotatably by a rotation axis provided on a back side of the apparatus main body, wherein, when the supporting member is rotated, the openable and closable member is first moved so that the transfer member is separated from the image bearing member by substantial parallel movement and thereafter the transfer member is rotated with the supporting member.