JP2002297000A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which improves the relative positioning accuracy between an image forming unit and an exposure unit and facilitates maintenance such as replenishment of a developer. SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a plurality of image forming units 5a to 5d which develop electrostatic latent images formed on electrostatic latent image carriers 6a to 6d by the developer to form a picture and are arranged in parallel, an exposure unit 7 which forms electrostatic latent images on electrostatic latent image carriers 6a to 6d, and an intermediate transfer belt 2 which is carried to the image forming units 5a to 5d in a prescribed order and to which images formed on respective electrostatic latent image carriers are successively transferred one over the other, and the image forming units 5a to 5d are fixed to the exposure unit 7 by a plurality of first fixing members 14a to 14d. A mobile unit including the exposure unit 7 to which image forming units 5a to 5d are fixed is held by a second fixing member 20 so that is can be pushed down from the mount state and be pulled out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a color electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a plurality of image forming units are arranged in parallel.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of conventional image forming apparatus, image forming units are arranged in parallel in order to speed up printing.
A so-called tandem system in which toner images are sequentially superimposed and a color image is formed in one pass is adopted. Further, as shown in FIG. 15, in order to reduce the installation area of the image forming apparatus main body, a vertically arranged tandem type image forming apparatus in which image forming units are vertically arranged in parallel is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-11-15227. Is disclosed. With this configuration, the installation area can be reduced although the height of the apparatus is relatively increased.

[0003]

However, in this configuration, since the image forming unit is disposed between the paper transport belt and the exposure unit, the image forming unit is replaced when the image forming unit is replaced and the developer is supplied. Need to be pulled out from between the exposure unit and the paper transport belt, which causes a problem that maintenance is not good.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of improving the relative positional accuracy between an image forming unit and an exposing unit and reducing an image displacement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which can facilitate maintenance such as replenishment of a developer.

[0006]

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention holds an electrostatic latent image carrier and develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier with a developer to form an image. A plurality of image forming units arranged in parallel, an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image carrier, and each of the plurality of image forming units conveyed to the plurality of image forming units in a predetermined order. An image forming apparatus comprising: an intermediate transfer unit configured to sequentially transfer images formed on an electrostatic latent image carrier in a superimposed manner; and an apparatus main body that holds the intermediate transfer unit, wherein the plurality of image forming units are Each of the exposure units is fixed to the exposure unit by a plurality of first fixing members.

[0007] With this configuration, it is possible to improve the relative positional accuracy between the image forming unit and the exposure unit, and to reduce the positional deviation of the image.

Further, in addition to the above configuration, the image forming unit fixed to the exposure unit by the first fixing member and a movable unit including the exposure unit are held so as to be pulled down from a state of being mounted on the apparatus main body. A second fixing member.

With this configuration, maintenance such as replenishment of the developer can be facilitated.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, an intermediate transfer belt 2 of an image forming apparatus 1 has two rollers 3, 4 provided above and below.
And an endless belt that is rotated and conveyed in one direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG. Electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d held in image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, respectively
Is a surface 2 conveyed from above to below the intermediate transfer belt 2
a, the exposure unit 7
Scans and irradiates the laser beam while turning on the laser beam at the position where the image forming portion is scanned on the electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d uniformly charged by a charger (not shown). Thus, an electrostatic latent image is formed. Developing devices 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d held in the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d respectively supply the developer onto the respective electrostatic latent image carriers, and supply the developer onto the respective electrostatic latent image carriers. The electrostatic latent image is developed to form an image.

The toner images formed on the electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d are sequentially superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 2 and primary-transferred to form toner images of a plurality of colors.
The transfer roller 9 is arranged to face the upper roller 3 that supports the intermediate transfer belt 2, and transfers the intermediate transfer to a recording medium 11 that has been transported from a paper cassette 10 provided below and reached the transfer roller 9. A plurality of color toner images on the belt 2 are transferred. The fixing device 12 fixes the toner image transferred to the recording medium 11. The opening / closing unit 13 is used to remove the recording medium 11 jammed when the recording medium 11 is jammed or to supply a developer, for example, to the image forming units 5 a, 5 b, and 5.
It is opened and closed to take out 5c and 5d from the main body of the image forming apparatus 1.

Image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
Are fixing members 14a, 14 provided in the exposure unit 7.
b, 14c and 14d fix the exposure unit 7 respectively. Further, the fixing members 14a, 14b, 14c, 1
4d is formed integrally with the exposure unit 7.

FIG. 2 shows the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an engagement portion between c and 5d and an exposure unit 7;

As shown in FIG. 2, each image forming unit,
For example, each image forming unit 5a is provided with a plurality of positioning pins 15a oriented in one direction.
Are provided with holes (not shown) for receiving the plurality of positioning pins, and the positioning position of each image forming unit to the exposure unit 7 is determined by engaging the positioning pins 15a with the holes for receiving the positioning pins. Each image forming unit, for example, the image forming unit 5a is integrally provided with a fixing pin 19a for fixing to the exposure unit 7, and the exposure unit 7 is provided with a positioning pin 15a of the image forming unit 5a. The guide pin 17a guides the fixing pin 19a so as to be easily engaged with the hole for receiving the positioning pin, and is pushed up by a spring (not shown) to be movable up and down.
And a lock portion 18a for locking at a position engaged with the hole for receiving the positioning pin.

The lower surface of the guide portion 17a has a positioning pin 15
The lock portion 18a is substantially parallel to the hole for receiving the guide portion 17a, and the upper surface of the lock portion 18a is sloped so that the distance from the guide portion 17a becomes gradually smaller than the entrance portion. Further, the positioning pin 15a is completely inserted into the exposure unit 7. Fixed pin 1
At the position 9a, the distance between the guide portion 17a and the guide portion 17a suddenly widens downward, and the position becomes the fixed position. The fixing pins 19a on both sides of the image forming unit 5a are fixed to the fixing members 1 on both sides of the exposure unit 7.
When the lock 4a is inserted into the gap between the guide 17a and the lock 18a and pressed, the slope of the upper surface of the lock 18a hits the lower slope of the fixing pin 19a on the exposure unit 7 side, and the lock 18a is pushed down. When the fixing pin 19a fits into the fixed position of the gap between the guide part 17a and the lock part 18a, the lock part 18a is pushed up again by the spring, and the fixing pin 19a is pressed against the contact part 17b of the guide part 17a, and the image is displayed. The forming unit 5a is fixed to the exposure unit 7. The lock section 17a can be pressed down by the user to remove the image forming unit 5a from the exposure unit 7.

As described above, since the image forming unit is connected to and fixed to the exposure unit, the relative positional accuracy between the image forming unit and the exposure unit is improved, and color misregistration can be prevented.

In FIG. 2, it has been described that the positioning pins 15a are provided in each image forming unit and the holes for receiving the plurality of positioning pins are provided in the exposure unit 7, but the exposure unit 7 is provided with the positioning pins 15a. ,
Of course, each image forming unit may be provided with a hole for receiving a plurality of positioning pins. Further, it has been described that the fixing pins 19a are integrally provided in each image forming unit, and the exposure unit 7 is provided with the first fixing member 14a including the guide portion 17a and the lock portion 18a. Of course, the fixing pin 19a may be integrally provided on the image forming unit 7, and the first fixing member 14a including the guide portion 17a and the lock portion 18a may be provided on each image forming unit. In this case, since there is no movable structure on the side of the exposure unit 7, the reliability on the side of the exposure unit 7 can be improved.

The fixing members 14a, 14b, 14c,
14d, the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
The exposure unit 7 (hereinafter, referred to as a movable unit) to which is fixed is held by the fixing member 20 which is an extensible rail-shaped fixing member so that the exposure unit 7 can be pushed down while being pulled out of the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus 1 from the mounted state. Have been. Further, once the movable unit is pulled out, the movable unit is rotated about a fulcrum so that the electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6
b, 6c, and 6d are prevented from being scratched by being rubbed against the intermediate transfer belt 2.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views showing an example of the detailed structure of the fixing member 20. FIG.

The fixing member 20 is provided integrally with the exposure unit 7 by engaging with the rail portion 20a fixed to the apparatus main body, the rail portion 20b slidably held by the rail portion 20a, and the rail portion 20b. When the rotating shaft 20c and the rail portions 20a and 20b are substantially overlapped, that is, when the movable unit is not pulled out by a predetermined distance from the state where the movable unit is mounted on the apparatus main body, the rotating unit 20 engages with the rotating shaft 20c to rotate the rotating shaft 20c. To prevent rotation.

The anti-rotation portion 20d is a lever which is disposed substantially parallel to the rail portion 20a and is rotatably held by the rail member 20b such that one end thereof is in contact with the rotation shaft 20c or is separated in the direction of the rotation shaft 20c. The end opposite to the end in contact with the rotating shaft 20c is pressed against the rail 20a by a spring 20e.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rail portions 20a, 20
In a state where b is almost overlapped, that is, in a state where the movable unit is not pulled out from the state where the movable unit is attached to the apparatus main body by a predetermined distance, the width of the rail portion 20a in the direction of the rotation axis 20c is
The lever is wide at the portion where the end contacts, so that the end opposite to the end contacting the rail portion 20a is engaged with the rotating shaft 20c, and the rotation of the rotating shaft 20c is prevented.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the rail unit 20b is displaced toward the opening / closing unit 13 by a predetermined distance or more and the movable unit is pulled out from the state of being mounted on the apparatus main body by a predetermined distance or more, The width of the rail portion 20a at the portion in contact with the end portion of the lever is narrow, and therefore, the end portion of the lever opposite to the side contacting the rail portion 20a is separated from the rotating shaft 20c,
The rotation shaft 20c becomes rotatable.

In a state where the movable unit is pulled out by a predetermined distance or more from a state where the movable unit is mounted on the apparatus main body, the movable unit is temporarily locked at the rotation angle when the rotation angle is set to the mounted state. In the temporary lock state, if the user rotates the movable unit by applying a little force, the movable unit is rotated again.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views for explaining a state in which the image forming unit of FIG. 1 is pulled out of the apparatus main body and replaced.

At the time of printing, the fixing member 20 is in a contracted state, and the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d
The electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d are opposed to the intermediate transfer belt 2 (in a mounted state). However, when the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d are replaced or the developer is supplied,
As shown in FIG. 5, the opening / closing section 13 of the image forming apparatus 1 is opened, the fixing member 20 is stretched, and the integrated image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d and the exposure unit 7 can be pulled out. The image forming units 5a, 5b, 5
The shutters c and 5d move and cover the electrostatic latent image carrier when the electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d are pulled out of the mounted state facing the intermediate transfer belt 2. are doing.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the integrated image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d and the exposing unit 7 can be pulled down, and the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d are exposed. It is in the form of being arranged on the unit 7. Therefore, the user can easily replace the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d. The direction of the plurality of positioning pins 15a in FIG.
In order to allow the user to easily replace the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d, it is desirable that the exposure unit 7 be located substantially above the exposure unit 7 that is pulled down in FIG.

Further, when the movable unit is pulled down, the movable unit is fixed to the image forming apparatus 1.
The rail portion 20b is allowed to be shifted to the opposite side to the opening / closing portion 13 from a state where the rail portion 20b overlaps with the rail portion 20a within a range where the rail portion 20b does not collide with the member inside. With this configuration, the space required for maintenance can be made smaller than when the movable unit is simply rotated and pulled out of the apparatus main body.

Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of image forming units are vertically arranged in parallel, the image forming unit is sandwiched between an intermediate transfer belt and an exposure unit, and is used when replacing the image forming unit and replenishing the developer. However, it is necessary to pull out the image forming unit horizontally along the belt surface, which is troublesome for the user. In addition, since there are many driving components on the paper transport path side, such as a roller for transporting the paper and driving the intermediate transfer belt, in an apparatus that opens the paper transport path side,
When replacing an image forming unit or the like, many parts must be moved and avoided, so that the mechanism is complicated and the user may touch the intermediate transfer belt, which is not preferable.

According to the configuration of the present invention described above, the image forming unit is fixed to the exposure unit, the two units are pulled out, rotated, and taken out of the main body of the image forming apparatus. In addition, when replenishing the developer, maintainability is improved. Further, since the exposure unit is pushed down together with the image forming unit and pulled out, it is easy to remove dirt attached to the laser emission window provided on the image forming unit side of the exposure unit.

It should be noted that the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d and the exposure unit 7
Is fixed, the opening / closing section 13 is attached to the main body with the fixing member 20, and the integrated image forming unit and the exposure unit are pulled out by pulling out the opening / closing section using the rail, and the opening / closing section 13 and the opening / closing section 13 are rotated about the rotation axis 20c. It is good also as a structure to make it.

Next, a modification of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a modification of the present invention.

In the present modified example, the electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b, 6c,
This is an image forming apparatus of a type that directly transfers an image from 6d.

In this modification, the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is configured such that the intermediate transfer belt 2 is conveyed to a plurality of image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d in a predetermined order and each of the electrostatic latent image carriers 6
a, 6b, 6c and 6d are sequentially transferred while being superimposed on each other, while the recording medium 11 is
1, a plurality of image forming units 5a,
5b, 5c, and 5d, the transfer rollers 22a,
22b, 22c and 22d are different in that the images formed on the respective electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d are sequentially superimposed and transferred onto the recording medium 11.

In this type, the recording medium 11 is conveyed while being sandwiched between the sheet conveying belt and the image forming unit. Therefore, conventionally, when the recording medium 11 is jammed, the recording medium 1 remaining between the image forming unit and the paper transport belt
1 to remove the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5
It is necessary to remove c and 5d one by one horizontally along the belt surface to remove the jammed recording medium 11.

In this modification, all the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d can be simultaneously separated from the sheet conveying belt 21. Improvement of the maintainability in removing dirt and the image forming unit 5
With the improvement of the relative positional accuracy between the exposure units 7a, 5b, 5c, and 5d and the exposure unit 7, it becomes easier to remove the recording medium 11 remaining between the image forming unit and the paper transport belt.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of another modification of the present invention.

In this modification, the fixing members 23a, 23a
3b, 23c and 23d, the image forming units 5a and 5
b, 5c, 5d and the exposure unit 7 are fixed.
It is fixed to a controller power supply 24 or the like, and the controller power supply 24 is fixed to a telescopic rail-shaped fixing member 20 provided in the image forming apparatus so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 20c.

In this example, the opening / closing section 13 also has
Integrated image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d,
The exposure unit 7 and the controller power supply 24 are fixed, the opening / closing unit 13 is attached to the main body with the fixing member 20, and the unit is pulled out using a rail, so that the integrated image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d, the exposure unit 7, and the controller The power supply 24 may be drawn out and the opening / closing unit 13 may be rotated around a fulcrum as an axis.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a configuration of a modification in which the sheet conveying belt is arranged obliquely.

As compared with the example shown in FIG. 7, the sheet conveying belt 21 is arranged obliquely, and the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d are arranged obliquely in parallel so as to face the belt.

FIG. 10 is a view showing a configuration of a modification in which the sheet conveying belt 21 is arranged horizontally and the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction. The exposure unit 7 and the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5
c and 5d are fixed to the opening / closing unit 26, and once the opening / closing unit 26 is pulled up and then rotated about the shaft 27, the electrostatic latent image carriers 6a, 6b,
6c and 6d are prevented from being scratched by being rubbed with the sheet conveying belt 21.

FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 are views showing examples of the detailed configuration of the fixing member 25 of the present modification.

For example, if the shaft 27 fixed to the opening / closing unit 26 is not in a state where the opening / closing unit 26 is raised as shown in FIG. And cannot rotate. For example, when the user slides an open / close operation unit (not shown), the open / close unit 26
12 is lifted and the engagement between the protrusion 27a on the outer periphery of the shaft 27 and the groove 25a on the inner surface of the fixing member 25 is released.
The shaft 27 and the opening / closing unit 26 rotate as shown in FIG.
After rotating at an angle that facilitates maintenance, for example, 90 degrees, the opening / closing unit 26 is pushed downward as shown in FIG.
And the opening / closing unit 26 is fixed.

With this configuration, the maintainability can be improved.

FIG. 14 shows the image forming units 5a,
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a modified example of the configuration of an engagement portion between 5b, 5c, and 5d and an exposure unit 7.

In this modification, as in the example of FIG. 2, each image forming unit, for example, each image forming unit 5a has
A plurality of positioning pins 15a oriented in one direction are provided,
The exposure unit 7 is provided with holes (not shown) for receiving the plurality of positioning pins, and the positioning pins 15a are engaged with the holes for receiving the positioning pins, so that the mounting position of each image forming unit to the exposure unit 7 is changed. Although it is determined, each image forming unit, for example, the image forming unit 5
a, the image forming unit 5a is connected to the exposure unit 7
As shown in FIG.
A fixed guide 28a in a direction substantially parallel to 5a is integrally provided, and further below the fixed guide 28a, lock portions 29a which are pushed down by a spring (not shown) and which can move up and down are provided. I have. Further, on both sides of the exposure unit 7, for fixing each image forming unit, for example, as shown in FIG.
A fixing member 31a having a gap 30a corresponding to the fixing guide 28a is provided. The upper surface of the gap 30a is substantially parallel to the hole for receiving the positioning pin 15a, and the lower surface is a slope such that the width of the gap 30a gradually narrows upward from the entrance portion at the middle portion, and further, the deepest portion is The width is rapidly increasing downward. When the fixing guide 28a and the lock portion 29a on both sides of the exposure unit 7 are inserted into the gap 30a of the fixing member 31a on both sides of the image forming unit 5a and the image forming unit 5a is pushed in, the lower surface of the gap 30a of the fixing member 31a becomes flat. The lock portion 29a hits the lock portion 29a and is pushed upward. When the lock portion 29a fits deepest into the gap 30a of the fixing member 31a, the lock portion 29a is pushed down again by the spring, and the image forming unit 5a is fixed to the exposure unit 7. The lock portion 17a has a shape that can be pushed up by a user to remove the image forming unit 5a from the exposure unit 7.

In the present modified example, the structure on the exposure unit 7 side has no movable structure, so that the reliability on the exposure unit 7 side can be improved.

[0051]

Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus in which a plurality of image forming units are vertically arranged in parallel, the image forming unit is sandwiched between the intermediate transfer belt 2 or the paper transport belt and the exposure unit, and the image forming unit is replaced. When the developer was supplied, the image forming unit had to be pulled out horizontally, but by using the method of the present invention, the image forming unit was fixed to the exposure unit, and the two units were pulled out and rotated. In addition, since the sheet is taken out of the image forming apparatus main body, the maintainability is improved. Furthermore, in the conventional method, it was difficult to remove stains caused by a developer or the like attached to the optical system of the exposure unit. However, in this method, the exposure unit is taken out together with the image forming unit. Once this is done, it is very easy to remove dirt attached to the exposure unit.

Further, since the image forming unit is connected to and fixed to the exposure unit, the relative positional accuracy between the image forming unit and the exposure unit is improved, and color shift can be prevented.

The present invention is also applied to an image forming apparatus of a type in which an image is directly transferred from a latent image carrier to a recording medium without using the intermediate transfer belt 2, so that a conventional image forming unit in which a plurality of image forming units are vertically arranged in parallel. In an image forming apparatus of a type that directly transfers to a medium, when the recording medium is jammed, it is necessary to remove the image forming units one by one in order to remove the recording medium remaining between the image forming unit and the paper transport belt. However, if this method is used, all the image forming units can be simultaneously separated from the paper transport belt, so that it is very easy to remove the recording medium left between the image forming unit and the paper transport belt. Become.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, 5 of FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an engagement portion between the exposure unit and an exposure unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a detailed configuration of a fixing member 20 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of a fixing member 20 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state where the apparatus main body is pulled out of the image forming unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the image forming unit in FIG. 1 is pushed down after the apparatus main body is pulled out.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a configuration of a modified example of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of another modification of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a modified example in which the sheet transport belt is arranged obliquely.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a modified example in which the paper conveyance belt is arranged horizontally and the image forming units are arranged in parallel in the horizontal direction.

11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a detailed configuration of a fixing member 25 in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a state where a shaft 27 and a movable unit 26 in FIG. 11 are rotated.

FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which the shaft 27 and the movable unit 26 of FIG. 12 are further rotated, and the protrusion 27b of the shaft 27 is engaged with the groove 25a.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a modification of the configuration of the engagement portion between the image forming units 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d and the exposure unit 7.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a conventional image forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Intermediate transfer belt 2a surface 3, 4 Roller 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d Image forming unit 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d Electrostatic latent image carrier 7 Exposure unit 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d Developing device 9 Transfer roller 10 Paper cassette 11 Recording medium 12 Fixing unit 13 Opening / closing part 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d Fixing member 15a Positioning pin 16a, 28a Guide part 17a Attachment part 18a, 29a Lock part 19a Fixing pin 20 Fixing member 20a, 20b Rail Unit 20c Rotating shaft 20d Rotation preventing unit 20e Spring 21 Paper transport belt 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d Transfer roller 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d Fixing member 24 Controller power supply 25 Fixing member 25a Groove 25a 26 Opening / closing unit 27 Shaft 27a, 27b Projection 30a gap 31a fixing member

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tomoya Kusanagi 5-7-1 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo Inside NEC Corporation (72) Inventor Takeaki Watanabe 5-7-1 Shiba, Minato-ku, Tokyo F-term within NEC Corporation (reference) 2H030 AA06 AA07 AB02 BB01 BB23 BB42 2H071 AA08 AA13 BA03 BA04 BA13 BA14 BA16 BA19 BA27 BA29 DA02 DA08 DA09 DA34 EA18 2H076 AA17 EA01 EA11 EA12 EA17

Claims (9)

[Claims] A plurality of images arranged in parallel, each holding an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier with a developer to form an image. A forming unit, an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image carrier, and an image formed on each electrostatic latent image carrier conveyed to the plurality of image forming units in a predetermined order Wherein the plurality of image forming units are fixed to the exposure unit by a plurality of first fixing members provided in the exposure unit, respectively. An image forming apparatus comprising: And a second fixing member for holding a movable unit including the exposure unit to which the plurality of image forming units are fixed by the plurality of first fixing members so that the movable unit can be pulled down from a mounted state. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 3. A state in which a movable unit including the exposure unit to which the plurality of image forming units are fixed by the first fixing member is slidably held, and the movable unit is mounted on the intermediate transfer unit holding unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second fixing member that makes the movable unit rotatable after being pulled out of the image forming apparatus. 4. A movable unit including the exposure unit to which the plurality of image forming units are fixed by the first fixing member, and an opening / closing unit that is opened and closed so that the movable unit can be pulled down. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 5. An opening / closing section for opening and closing a movable unit including the exposure unit to which the plurality of image forming units are fixed by the first fixing member, and the opening / closing section slidably holds the opening / closing section. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second fixing member configured to rotate the exposure unit after the movable unit is pulled out of the mounted state.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first fixing member is integral with said exposure unit. 7. An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first fixing member is integral with said opening / closing section. 8. A plurality of images arranged in parallel for holding an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier with a developer to form an image. A forming unit, an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image carrier, and an image formed on each electrostatic latent image carrier conveyed to the plurality of image forming units in a predetermined order Wherein the plurality of image forming units are fixed to the exposure unit by a plurality of first fixing members provided in the image forming unit, respectively. An image forming apparatus comprising: 9. A plurality of images arranged in parallel for holding an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrostatic latent image carrier with a developer to form an image. A forming unit, an exposure unit for forming an electrostatic latent image on the electrostatic latent image carrier, and a recording medium sequentially conveyed to the plurality of image forming units in a predetermined order. And a transfer unit for sequentially transferring the images created on the exposure unit, wherein the plurality of image forming units are respectively fixed to the exposure unit by a plurality of first fixing members provided in the exposure unit. An image forming apparatus, comprising: