Patent ID: 7769319

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 support roller, 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; 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 extends between the holder and the belt unit 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; and wherein the holder further comprises a feed roller configured to face the belt support roller with the belt contacting the feed roller when the holder is received in the first area, the feed roller and the belt being cooperatively configured to receive the sheet from the sheet container and guide the sheet into the first sheet path, wherein the front cover comprises an opening configured to receive a sheet for passage to the first sheet path, wherein the feed roller and the belt support roller are cooperatively configured to receive the sheet from the opening and guide the sheet into the first sheet path, and wherein the holder is configured to be moved in an upward direction causing the feed roller to be separated from the belt to allow the holder to be removed from the housing.