Patent ID: 8811866

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member that bears a visible image on a surface of the image bearing member; a detecting unit that is disposed so as to face the image bearing member and that detects a density of a developer on the surface of the image bearing member; a support member that removably supports the detecting unit and that is supported by a body of the image forming apparatus; a separating member that is disposed with a space from the detecting unit; a first connected unit that is disposed on the support member between the separating member and the detecting unit; a second connected unit that is disposed on the support member on an opposite side of the detecting unit from the first connected unit; a fixing member that includes a first connecting unit that passes through the space formed between the separating member and the detecting unit and is supported by the first connected unit and a second connecting unit that is supported by the second connected unit, the fixing member fixing the detecting unit to the support member; and a disengagement restricting unit that is disposed on an opposite side of the detecting unit from the separating member so as to be adjacent to the second connecting unit supported by the second connected unit; wherein if an external force is exerted on the fixing member, the disengagement restricting unit interferes with movement of the second connecting unit and restricts deformation of the fixing member, wherein the disengagement restricting unit has a fixing surface which faces the space formed between the separating member and the detecting unit and the second connecting unit has a contacting surface which faces the fixing surface, and wherein the fixing surface and the contacting surface contact each other.