Patent ID: 7444100

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a housing; a plurality of photoconductors on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a plurality of developing devices, each including a developing agent carrier for holding a developing agent thereon; a belt unit including a belt frame, a belt support roller that is coupled to the belt frame, and a belt that is supported by the belt support roller; a holder for supporting the plurality of photoconductors and the plurality of developing devices, the holder being removable from the housing; an image reader, provided at a top portion of the housing, configured to read an image on a document, wherein the belt unit is configured to be removed from the housing without the holder being removed from the housing, a sheet container configured to accommodate a stack of sheets, the sheet container being removable from the housing; wherein the housing further includes: a front cover provided at a front surface of the housing, the front cover being movable between an open position and a closed position; a first area, provided inside the housing, configured to receive the holder when the front cover is in the open position; a second area, provided inside the housing, configured to receive the sheet container; a first sheet path that substantially extends in a horizontal direction below the holder when the holder is received in the first area, the first sheet path configured to guide a sheet to the plurality of photoconductors; and a sheet discharging portion that is coupled to the first sheet path and extends above the holder when the holder is received in the first area, the sheet discharging portion being configured to transport the sheet from the plurality of photoconductors and to discharge the sheet toward the front surface in a first direction.