Patent ID: 8630561

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier which is irradiated with a laser beam to form an electrostatic latent image; a charging device including a shield plate having a U-shaped cross-section and extending parallel to the image carrier, a pair of insulation terminals each disposed in opposite end portions of the shield plate, and an electrode disposed between the pair of insulation terminals that provides an electric charge to the image carrier; a cleaning device including a container having a first cleaning member abutting an end portion of a discharge side of the electrode and a second cleaning member disposed on a surface of the container facing one of the insulation terminals, the container movable between the insulation terminals along a longitudinal direction of the electrode causing foreign matter attached to the electrode to be removed by the first cleaning member, wherein the foreign matter removed by the first cleaning member is accommodated in the container, and foreign matter in the shield plate attaches to the second cleaning member when the container is pressed against one of the insulation terminals; a developing device that supplies the image carrier with a developer; a transfer device that transfers a toner image formed on the image carrier by the developing device onto a recording medium.