Patent ID: 7082274

Claim:
An image carrier unit comprising: an image carrier around which a developing device, a cleaning device and a charging device are arranged as components of an image forming apparatus; a holder including at least three projections extending from one end of the image carrier such that at least two of the projections touch a surface on which the image carrier is disposed when the image carrier is removed from the image carrier unit; a handle disposed on the image carrier; and means for inputting power for driving the image carrier, wherein part of the components is removable from the image forming apparatus by being moved upward in a preselected direction in a preselected order, any one of the components is unable to be dismounted from the image forming apparatus until another component having priority with respect to the preselected order has been dismounted from the image forming apparatus, and the component unremovable from the image forming apparatus and arranged at a position above the components removable in the preselected direction is retractable from the position.