Image forming apparatus equipped with an exposure head

Abstract

To solve such a problem that a recovery toner container inhibits the movement of an exposure head in conjunction with opening / closing of a front cover in such a constitution that the recovery toner container is arranged between a drum unit and the front cover, and restrictions may be applied to the shape of the recovery toner container and reduction in a capacity of the recovery toner container may be needed when preventing the inhibition.SOLUTION: There is provided a movement mechanism which moves each of a plurality of exposure heads to the second position being the position where a photoreceptor drum is exposed from the first position lower than the photoreceptor drum in conjunction with the attachment of a recovery toner container, and moves the plurality of exposure heads to the first position from the second position in conjunction with the detachment of the recovery toner container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an exposure head that is movable between an exposure position where a photoconductor is exposed and a remote position that is more distant from the photoconductor than the exposure position. [Background technology]

[0002] In electrophotographic image forming apparatuses, a method is known in which a photosensitive drum is exposed to light using an exposure head to form a latent image. Here, for example, LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) or organic EL (Organic Electro Luminescence) are used for the exposure head. The exposure head is composed of a row of light emitting elements arranged in the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum, and a lens array that focuses light from the row of light emitting elements onto the photosensitive drum. A printer using such an exposure head uses fewer parts than a laser scanning printer that scans a photosensitive drum with a laser beam deflected by a rotating polygon mirror, and therefore the device can be made smaller and less expensive.

[0003] The configuration using the above-mentioned exposure head has a feature that the distance between the photosensitive drum and the lens array is very close due to the characteristics of the lens array. Therefore, when replacing the photosensitive drum, which is a consumable item, for example, there is a possibility that the photosensitive drum and the lens array may come into contact with each other. Therefore, a configuration is known in which a lifting mechanism is provided to move the exposure head between an exposure position and a separated position that is farther away from the photosensitive drum than the exposure position (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus provided with an exposure unit having an exposure head and a lifting mechanism for moving the exposure head between an exposure position and a separated position. The image forming apparatus also includes a drum unit having a photosensitive drum. An operator such as a user or a serviceman can move the drum unit along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum to attach or detach it to or from the image forming apparatus. A front cover that opens and closes is provided on the front side of the image forming apparatus, and an operator attaches or detaches the drum unit with the front cover open.

[0005] Furthermore, the exposure head moves between the separated position and the exposure position in conjunction with the opening and closing of the front cover. When the front cover is open, the exposure head is located at the separated position, and when the front cover is closed, the exposure head is located at the exposure position.

[0006] Incidentally, some image forming apparatuses are equipped with a cleaning member that cleans off residual toner on the photosensitive drum. The residual toner cleaned off by the cleaning member is collected and accumulated in a collected toner container. The collected toner container is replaced by an operator every time a certain amount of collected residual toner accumulates. The collected toner container is sometimes disposed between the drum unit and the front cover for the purpose of reducing the width of the image forming apparatus main body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-134370 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, in a configuration in which the waste toner container is disposed between the drum unit and the front cover, the waste toner container impedes the movement of the exposure head linked to the opening and closing of the front cover. In addition, if an attempt is made to prevent this, the shape of the waste toner container is restricted, and it may become necessary to reduce the capacity of the waste toner container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of drum units each including a photosensitive drum that is rotated and on which a toner image is formed, and a cleaning member that cleans the toner image on the photosensitive drum, the plurality of drum units being detachable from the image forming apparatus by moving along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum, and a plurality of exposure heads provided corresponding to the plurality of photosensitive drums, each having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged along the rotation axis direction, the exposure heads being arranged to expose the corresponding photosensitive drum to light, and a first position from the first position, Evacuate a plurality of exposure heads each movable to a first position and a second position defined by the cleaning member; a recovered toner container for recovering toner cleaned by the cleaning member, the recovered toner container being attached to the image forming apparatus so as to cover at least a portion of each of the plurality of drum units; and a moving mechanism for moving each of the plurality of exposure heads from the second position to the first position in conjunction with the attachment of the recovered toner container to the image forming apparatus, each of the plurality of drum units further comprising a transport path for transporting the toner cleaned by the cleaning member, the recovered toner container being provided corresponding to each of the plurality of drum units, and each of the recovered toner containers further comprising a plurality of receiving ports for receiving the toner cleaned by the cleaning member, Each of the plurality of receiving openings is engaged with a different one of the plurality of conveying paths when the collected toner container is attached to the image forming apparatus. death , the moving mechanism further comprises a plurality of sliders provided corresponding to the plurality of exposure heads, each of which is slidable in a mounting direction or a removal direction of the drum unit along a rotation axis direction of each photosensitive drum, the sliders sliding in conjunction with the mounting and removal of the recovered toner container to and from the image forming apparatus, and a rotating link which rotates when one end side is pressed against the recovered toner container, each exposure head moves from the first position to the second position in conjunction with the corresponding slider sliding in the mounting direction or the removal direction, and moves from the second position to the first position in conjunction with the corresponding slider moving in a direction opposite to the direction of the sliding movement, and the rotating link rotates, so that the other end side moves the slider in the direction of the sliding movement. It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0010] In a configuration in which the collected toner container is disposed between the drum unit and the front cover, the exposure head moves between the exposure position and the separated position in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container, without depending on the opening and closing operation of the front cover. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus. [Diagram 2] 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining a mounting and demounting configuration of a process cartridge. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a configuration for attaching and detaching a collected toner container. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the collected toner container and the process cartridge. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a connection configuration between a collected toner container and a cleaning device. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a collected toner container. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are diagrams for explaining the configurations of a substrate and a lens array. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an optical print head. [Figure 10] 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the configuration of a link mechanism which is an example of a lifting mechanism. [Figure 11] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the relationship between a link mechanism and a slider. [Figure 12] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the mechanism of a link mechanism. [Figure 13] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of a cam mechanism which is an example of a lifting mechanism. [Figure 14] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of an eccentric cam mechanism which is an example of a lifting mechanism. [Figure 15] 13A and 13B are diagrams for explaining other examples of the lifting mechanism. [Figure 16] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the relationship between attachment and detachment of the collected toner container and movement of the optical print head. [Figure 17]6A and 6B are diagrams for explaining the relationship between attachment and detachment of the collected toner container and driving of the lifting mechanism. [Figure 18] 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining a configuration in which a collected toner container directly moves a slider. [Figure 19] 6A and 6B are diagrams for explaining a mechanism by which a slider moves in conjunction with attachment and detachment of a collected toner container. [Figure 20] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining an eccentric cam and a bevel gear. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the components described in this description are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in this description.

[0013] In the following description, some symbols such as Y, M, C, and K are added after the reference numerals. This is to make it easier to understand that each unit corresponds to a different color when describing the configuration of the color image forming apparatus in this embodiment. For example, photosensitive drum 103K means the photosensitive drum corresponding to black (K). Note that the symbol may be omitted and it may simply be written as photosensitive drum 103. This is because the configuration is basically the same for all colors, and therefore the description is omitted. In the following description, a certain color may be used as an example, but unless otherwise specified, units corresponding to other colors also have the same configuration.

[0014] <Image forming device> First, a schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus 1. The terms "upper", "lower", "right" and "left" are defined as indicated by arrows in the figure. That is, when a user, a serviceman or other worker stands in front of the image forming apparatus 1 facing the image forming apparatus 1, the right hand side of the worker means the "right" of the image forming apparatus 1, and the left hand side of the worker means the "left" of the image forming apparatus 1. Note that a recovered toner container 114, which will be described later, is not shown in FIG. 1. The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a color printer (SFP: Single Function Printer) that does not include a reading device, but the embodiment may be a copier that includes a reading device. The embodiment is not limited to a so-called tandem type color image forming apparatus that includes four photosensitive drums 103 as shown in FIG. 1, but may be a color image forming apparatus that includes four or more photosensitive drums 103.

[0015] The image forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes four image forming units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K that form toner images of the respective colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). Here, these four image forming units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K are collectively referred to as an image forming section 102. The reference characters Y, M, C, and K indicate the colors of the toner. The image forming units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K include photosensitive drums 103Y, 103M, 103C, and 103K (hereinafter, collectively referred to simply as "photosensitive drum 103") as an example of a photosensitive body. Each photosensitive drum 103 is rotated by a motor (not shown). As shown in FIG. 1, these photosensitive drums are arranged in a left-right direction, that is, in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, and are spaced apart from each other. The "intersecting direction" mentioned here does not mean a direction strictly perpendicular to the vertical direction and the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103, but means a direction intersecting these directions. In other words, although the rotation axes of the photosensitive drums are aligned in the left-right direction (horizontal) in FIG. 1, they may be aligned in the upward direction from left to right, for example.

[0016] The image forming units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K are also provided with chargers 104Y, 104M, 104C, and 104K (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as "chargers 104") that charge the photosensitive drums 103Y, 103M, 103C, and 103K, respectively. The image forming units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K are also provided with exposure units 520Y, 520M, 520C, and 520K (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as "exposure units 520") that have optical print heads 105Y, 105M, 105C, and 105K (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as "optical print heads 105") that expose the photosensitive drums 103Y, 103M, 103C, and 103K to light. Although details will be described later, the exposure unit 520 includes LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes, hereinafter referred to as LEDs) as an exposure light source that emits light. The image forming apparatus 1 in FIG. 1 is a so-called "bottom exposure type" image forming apparatus that exposes the photosensitive drum 103 from below in the vertical direction. The image forming units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K include developers 106Y, 106M, 106C, and 106K (hereinafter collectively referred to simply as "developer 106"). The developer 106 develops the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 103 with toner, and develops a toner image of each color on the photosensitive drum 103.

[0017] The image forming apparatus 1 includes an intermediate transfer belt 107 onto which a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum 103 is transferred, and primary transfer rollers 108 (Y, M, C, K) (an example of a transfer unit) that sequentially transfer the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 103 onto the intermediate transfer belt 107. The intermediate transfer belt 107 is an endless belt stretched so that a plurality of transfer units onto which the toner images are transferred from the plurality of photosensitive drums 103 face downward. The image forming apparatus 1 also includes a secondary transfer roller (an example of a transfer device) 109 that transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 107 onto a recording material S (recording medium, paper) conveyed from a paper feed unit (paper feed cassette) 101, and a fixing device 100 that fixes the secondarily transferred image onto the recording material S. In this embodiment, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 103 is once transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 107, and then transferred again from the intermediate transfer belt 107 onto the recording material S. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and a so-called direct transfer method in which the toner formed on the photosensitive drum 103 is transferred from the photosensitive drum 103 to the recording material S may also be used.

[0018] The paper feed unit 101 is disposed vertically below the image forming unit 102. The paper feed unit 101 is housed in the main body of the image forming apparatus 1. The paper feed unit 101 can be pulled out from the side of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103. In other words, an operator can insert and remove the paper feed unit 101 into and from the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 from the side of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0019] After the primary transfer, toner that has not been transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 107 remains on the surfaces of the photosensitive drums 103Y, 103M, 103C, and 103K. The residual toner is removed by drum cleaning devices 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K (hereinafter, collectively referred to simply as "cleaning device 80") as an example of a cleaning member, and is accumulated in a recovered toner container 114.

[0020] Furthermore, toner that has not been transferred to the recording material S remains on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 107 after the secondary transfer. This residual toner is removed by a cleaning device (belt cleaner) 7, which is an example of a cleaning member, and is accumulated in a recovered toner container 114. That is, in this embodiment, the recovered toner container 114 accumulates toner that has not been transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 107 and remains on the photosensitive drum 103, and toner that has not been transferred to the recording material S and remains on the intermediate transfer belt 107. Note that the drum cleaning device 80 alone may be referred to as the "cleaning member," and the drum cleaning device 80 and the cleaning device 7, which is the belt cleaner, may be collectively referred to as the "cleaning member."

[0021] Moreover, the image forming apparatus employing the above-mentioned "direct transfer method" does not have a configuration corresponding to the intermediate transfer belt 107. In this case, only the toner that has not been transferred from the photosensitive drum to the recording material is accumulated in the container corresponding to the recovered toner container.

[0022] <Image formation process> The exposure unit 520Y exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 103Y charged by the charger 104Y. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 103Y. Next, the developer 106Y develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 103Y with yellow toner. The yellow toner image developed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 103Y is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 107 by the primary transfer roller 108Y. The magenta, cyan, and black toner images are also transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 107 in a similar image formation process.

[0023] The toner images of each color transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 107 are transported to a secondary transfer portion T2 by the intermediate transfer belt 107. A transfer bias is applied to a secondary transfer roller 109 disposed at the secondary transfer portion T2 to transfer the toner images onto the recording material S. The toner images transported to the secondary transfer portion T2 are transferred onto the recording material S transported from the paper feed portion 101 by the transfer bias of the secondary transfer roller 109.

[0024] The recording material S is stored in a stacked form in the paper feed unit 101, and is fed to the conveying path 20 in accordance with the image formation timing. The paper is fed in such a way that the leading edge of the recording material S is first flipped up by the friction of the paper feed roller 8, and only one sheet of the recording material S is conveyed to the conveying path 20 by a pair of paper separating conveying rollers 9a and 9b to prevent double feeding of the recording material S. The recording material S is then pulled out by the pair of conveying rollers 10a and 10b, and conveyed through the conveying path 20 to the pair of registration rollers 11a and 11b, where it is stopped temporarily. The pair of registration rollers 11a and 11b perform skew correction and timing correction, and the recording material is then conveyed to the secondary transfer unit T2.

[0025] The recording material S onto which the toner image has been transferred at the secondary transfer portion T2 is conveyed to the fixing device 100. The fixing device 100 fixes the toner image onto the recording material S by heat and pressure. The recording material S which has been subjected to the fixing process by the fixing device 100 is discharged to a paper discharge portion 111.

[0026] 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes toner bottles 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K (hereinafter, collectively referred to simply as "toner bottles 4"). When an image is formed, the amount of toner in the developing device 106 decreases. At that time, the toner is supplied to the developing device 106 from the toner bottles 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K provided corresponding to the image forming units 102Y, 102M, 102C, and 102K through pipes (not shown). That is, the developing device 106 included in the image forming apparatus 1 described in this embodiment is supplied with new toner from the toner bottle 4, while a part of the excess toner is transported to the collected toner container 114 as residual toner.

[0027] <Process cartridge> 2 is a diagram for explaining the state when a process cartridge 518 (an example of a drum unit) is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 1 with a collected toner container 114, which will be described later, removed. Fig. 2(a) shows a state in which the process cartridge 518 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, and Fig. 2(b) shows a state in which the process cartridge 518 is in the middle of being removed from (or in the middle of being installed in) the image forming apparatus 1.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the photosensitive drum 103, the charger (not shown in FIG. 2), the developing device 106, and the cleaning device (not shown in FIG. 2) are integrated to form a process cartridge 518. This process cartridge 518 is a unit that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 1 by opening a front cover 113 (described later), which is an example of an opening and closing cover, and removing a collected toner container 114 (described later). The process cartridge 518 can slide relative to the image forming apparatus 1 along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. An operator can attach / detach the process cartridge 518 to / from the image forming apparatus 1 by sliding the process cartridge 518 relative to the image forming apparatus 1. In this way, the process cartridge 518 may be a unit in which the photosensitive drum, the charger, the developing device, and the cleaning device (described later) are all integrated, or may be configured such that only a unit such as the developing device is separated from the other units and can be attached / detached. Specifically, the photosensitive drum 103, the cleaning device 80, and the charger 104 may be considered as one unit (considered as a drum unit) that is detachable from the image forming apparatus 1. In other words, the term "drum unit" refers to a unit that includes at least the photosensitive drum 103 and the cleaning device 80.

[0029] In the present embodiment, since the process cartridge 518 is not fastened to the image forming apparatus 1 with screws, bolts, or the like, an operator can easily attach and detach the process cartridge 518. Here, even if the process cartridge 518 is fastened to the image forming apparatus 1 with screws, bolts, or the like, if the process cartridge 518 is a unit intended as a replacement product, the process cartridge 518 is considered to be a unit that can be detached and replaced with respect to the image forming apparatus 1.

[0030] <Residual toner collection> ● Front cover and waste toner container FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the appearance of the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment is provided with a front cover 113, which is a door for maintenance, on the front side. When the front cover 113 is opened, the collected toner container 114 is exposed. That is, an operator can access the collected toner container 114 by opening the front cover 113. The collected toner container 114 accumulates the toner collected from each photosensitive drum by the cleaning devices 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K, and the toner collected from the intermediate transfer belt 107 by the cleaning device 112. The collected toner container 114 is a replacement unit that can be detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus 1. An operator periodically removes the collected toner container 114 from the image forming apparatus 1 and replaces it. When the amount of residual toner accumulated in the collected toner container 114 exceeds a predetermined amount, a display unit (not shown) provided on the image forming apparatus 1 displays a message urging the operator to replace the collected toner container 114. This allows the operator to know when to replace the collected toner container 114.

[0031] FIG. 3(b) is a diagram for explaining the state when the collected toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 3(b), the worker removes the collected toner container 114 from the image forming apparatus 1 by moving the collected toner container 114 attached to the image forming apparatus 1 in the -X direction (the direction from the rear side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1) (the state of FIG. 3(c)). On the other hand, when the worker moves the collected toner container 114 from the state of FIG. 3(c) in the +X direction (the direction from the front side to the rear side of the image forming apparatus 1), the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1 as shown in FIG. 3(b). The X direction here is a direction approximately parallel to the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103. Note that, in the state in which the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the worker cannot remove the process cartridge 518. In other words, when the worker removes the process cartridge 518, he or she first opens the front cover 113. Then, by removing the collected toner container 114, the worker can access the process cartridge 518. The process cartridge 518 is inserted into and removed from the image forming apparatus 1 along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. The worker can remove the process cartridge 518 from the image forming apparatus 1 by moving the process cartridge 518 from the rear side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1 along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. On the other hand, when mounting the process cartridge 518 in the image forming apparatus 1, the process cartridge 518 is moved from the front side to the rear side of the image forming apparatus 1 along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103.

[0032] ● Positional relationship between waste toner container and process cartridge FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the collected toner container 114 and each of the process cartridges 518 (518Y, 518M, 518C, 518K) when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

[0033] 4(a) is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the collected toner container 114 and each process cartridge 518 in this embodiment. This diagram is a diagram of the collected toner container 114 viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. Here, since the rotation axis directions of the photosensitive drums 103 are approximately parallel, the rotation axis direction may be defined by using any one of the four photosensitive drums 103 as a representative.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4(a), when the collected toner container 114 is viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, the collected toner container 114 covers each process cartridge 518. In other words, when the collected toner container 114 is viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, the collected toner container 114 overlaps each process cartridge 518. In this way, the collected toner container 114 is mounted on an extension line of the rotation axis of each photosensitive drum 103. In the example of FIG. 4(a), the collected toner container 114 is disposed at a position covering each photosensitive drum 103 and each cleaning device 80. Therefore, in order to attach or detach each process cartridge 518 to or from the image forming apparatus 1, the operator must remove the collected toner container 114. Note that when determining whether the collected toner container 114 and each process cartridge 518 overlap, it is only necessary to view the collected toner container 114 along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103 as described above, and therefore it is not necessary to view the collected toner container 114 along the rotation axis.

[0035] FIG. 4(b) shows an example of the arrangement of the collected toner container 114, which is different from the present embodiment. This figure is also a view of the collected toner container 114 viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. In the example of FIG. 4(b), when the collected toner container 114 is viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, the collected toner container 114 covers a part of each process cartridge 518. As shown in FIG. 4(b), when the collected toner container 114 is viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, the collected toner container 114 does not overlap with each photosensitive drum 103 and each cleaning device 80, but overlaps with a part of the process cartridge 518 having the photosensitive drum 103 and the cleaning device 80.

[0036] As described above, the arrangement of the collected toner container 114 may be either one of those shown in Fig. 4(a) and Fig. 4(b). In other words, when the collected toner container 114 is viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, the collected toner container 114 may be configured to overlap "at least a part" of each process cartridge 518.

[0037] About the composition of waste toner container Fig. 5(a) is a diagram showing a connection state between the collected toner container 114 and the cleaning device 112. Fig. 5(b) is a perspective view of the collected toner container 114.

[0038] 5(b), a toner transport path 114a connected to the cleaning device 112 is integrally formed with the collected toner container 114. The toner transport path 114a is provided with a toner receiving port 114d through which the toner transported from the cleaning device 112 flows. When the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the toner receiving port 114d is connected to the toner transport path 112a of the cleaning device 112. The toner cleaned by the cleaning device 112 during image formation is moved by a transport screw (not shown) and passes through the toner transport path 112a on the cleaning device 112 side and the toner transport path 114a on the collected toner container 114 side, and is collected in the collected toner container 114.

[0039] Furthermore, receiving ports 114e, 114f, 114g, and 114h are formed in the collected toner container 114 to receive the toner transported from the cleaning devices 80Y, 80M, 80C, and 80K. The receiving port 114e is connected to the cleaning device 80Y, the receiving port 114f is connected to the cleaning device 80M, the receiving port 114g is connected to the cleaning device 80C, and the receiving port 114h is connected to the cleaning device 80K.

[0040] Furthermore, the collected toner container 114 includes a toner storage portion 114i for storing the toner that has flowed in from each cleaning device, and a protrusion portion 114b. As shown in FIG. 5B, the protrusion 114b has a first plane 114b1 and a second plane 114b2. The first plane 114b1 is inclined with respect to an imaginary plane (XZ plane) parallel to the moving direction (X-axis direction) of the collected toner container 114b when the collected toner container 114 is attached or detached. On the other hand, the second plane 114b2 is continuous with the first plane 114b1 and is inclined with respect to the imaginary plane. The inclination angle of the second plane 114b2 with respect to the imaginary plane is smaller than the inclination angle of the first plane 114b1 with respect to the imaginary plane. In this embodiment, the angle between the imaginary plane and the second plane 114b2 is set to approximately 0 degrees. The protrusion 114b will be described later. The first plane 114b1 and the second plane 114b2 may be linear, such as the apex of a V-shape.

[0041] 6(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1. The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a toner container holding mechanism 115 that holds the collected toner container 114 to an extent that an operator can easily attach and detach it. The toner container holding mechanism 115 is provided with a moving member 401 that comes into contact with a protrusion 114c provided on the collected toner container 114, and a spring 402 attached to the moving member 401.

[0042] 6(b) to (d) are enlarged views of the toner container holding mechanism 115 and its surroundings, and are views for explaining an example of the operation of the toner container holding mechanism 115 when attaching and detaching the collected toner container 114 to and from the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. 6(b) shows the state before the collected toner container 114 is attached to a position (predetermined position) for receiving toner from each cleaning device. FIG. 6(d) shows the state after the collected toner container 114 is attached to a predetermined position of the image forming apparatus 1. FIG. 6(c) shows a state between FIG. 6(a) and FIG. 6(d).

[0043] 6(b), a top portion 401a, and inclined surfaces 401b and 401c are formed on the moving member 401. The spring 402 is attached to the other end of the moving member 401 when the top portion 401a is regarded as one end.

[0044] When the operator moves the collected toner container 114 in the +X direction in FIG. 6(b) to attach the collected toner container 114 to the image forming apparatus 1, the positioning protrusion 114c provided on the collected toner container 114 comes into contact with the inclined surface 401b as shown in FIG. 6(c). When the operator further moves the collected toner container 114 in the +X direction, the inclined surface 401b is pressed against the positioning protrusion 114c. Then, the spring 402 contracts, and the moving member 401 pressed against the positioning protrusion 114c moves in the -Z direction. When the operator further moves the collected toner container 114 in the +X direction, the lower end of the positioning protrusion 114c comes into contact with the top 401a.

[0045] When the operator further moves the collected toner container 114 in the +X direction from the state where the lower end of the positioning protrusion 114c and the top 401a are in contact with each other, the positioning protrusion 114c comes into contact with the inclined surface 401c, and the moving member 401 moves in the +Z direction as shown in FIG. 6(d). When the collected toner container 114 moves to a predetermined position in the image forming apparatus 1, the positioning protrusion 114c engages with the moving member 401 as shown in FIG. 6(d), and the movement of the collected toner container 114 in the -X direction is restricted, and the collected toner container 114 is attached to a predetermined position in the image forming apparatus 1. Note that the image forming apparatus is provided with a plurality of toner container holding mechanisms 115 for positioning the collected toner container 114 relative to the image forming apparatus 1 in addition to the positions shown in FIG. 6. The collected toner container 114 is reliably held at a predetermined position in the image forming apparatus 1 by the plurality of toner container holding mechanisms.

[0046] <Exposure unit> Overview of the exposure unit configuration Next, an exposure unit 520 having an optical print head 105 will be described. The optical print head 105 has a longitudinal shape extending in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103. The optical print head 105 also includes a holding member 505, a lens array 506, and a substrate (not shown). The lens array 506 and the substrate (not shown) are held by the holding member 505. The holding member 505 in this embodiment is a metal member formed by bending a plate material that has been plated on a zinc-plated steel plate or a cold-rolled steel plate. However, the holding member 505 is not limited to a metal member, and may be a resin member. Here, as an example of an exposure method adopted in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, there is a laser beam scanning exposure method in which a semiconductor laser irradiation beam is scanned by a rotating polygon mirror or the like and a photosensitive drum is exposed via an f-θ lens or the like. The "optical print head 105" described in this embodiment is used in an LED exposure method in which the photosensitive drum 103 is exposed to light using light-emitting elements such as LEDs arranged along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, and is not used in the laser beam scanning exposure method mentioned above.

[0047] The exposure unit 520 described in this embodiment is provided vertically below the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103. LEDs are provided as light-emitting elements on a substrate (not shown) of the holding member 505, and these light-emitting elements expose the photosensitive drum 103 from below. Here, the exposure unit 520 does not need to be arranged at a position overlapping the photosensitive drum 103 when the photosensitive drum 103 is viewed from above the photosensitive drum 103 along the vertical direction. In other words, when the photosensitive drum 103 and the exposure unit 520 are viewed along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, the exposure unit 520 may be arranged diagonally below the photosensitive drum 103. For example, the exposure unit 520 does not need to be arranged directly below the photosensitive drum 103 as long as it is arranged below a plane perpendicular to the vertical direction and passing through the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103.

[0048] 7 is a schematic perspective view of an exposure unit 520 included in the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the exposure unit 520 includes an optical print head 105, a support member 526 (an example of a support frame), a first link mechanism 530, and a second link mechanism 540.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7, the holding member 505 of the optical print head 105 is provided with an abutment pin 514 and an abutment pin 515. Both the abutment pin 514 and the abutment pin 515 are examples of metal pins. For example, the abutment pin 515 is provided on the holding member 505 on one side (the rear side) of the lens array 506 in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103, and protrudes from both sides of the holding member 505 in the optical axis direction of the lens array 506. The same is true for the abutment pin 514. When the abutment pin 514 and the abutment pin 515 abut against the process cartridge 518, a gap is formed between the light emission surface of the lens array 506 and the photosensitive drum 103. In this way, the position of the optical print head 105 with respect to the photosensitive drum 103 is determined.

[0050] Here, the process cartridge 518 has been given as an example of the contact point of the contact pins 514 and 515, but in short, it is acceptable for the contact pins 514 and 515 to contact a frame that rotatably supports the photosensitive drum 103. For example, a configuration is known in which flanges are fitted to one end side and the other end side in the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. The photosensitive drum 103 has a hollow cylindrical shape, and flanges are fitted to both ends. A bearing is provided on the outside of the flange. For example, the flange rotates together with the photosensitive drum 103 while rubbing against the bearing. For example, the bearing may be used as the contact point of the contact pins 514 and 515.

[0051] In this embodiment, the abutment pins 514 and 515 are both straight pins made of metal. In addition, the abutment pins 514 and 515 are fixed to the metal holding member 505 by welding. In this manner, in this embodiment, the abutment pins 514 and 515 are integrated with the holding member 505. Note that the fixing of the abutment pins 514 and 515 to the holding member 505 is not limited to welding, and they may be fixed by an adhesive. Also, the abutment pins 514 and 515 may be threaded and fastened to the holding member 505 by being screwed into the holding member 505.

[0052] The first link mechanism 530 includes a link member 535 and a link member 536. The second link mechanism 540 includes a link member 537 and a link member 538. Although details will be described later, the link member 535 is attached to the rear side of the center of the holding member 505 in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103, and the link member 537 is attached to the front side of the center of the holding member 505 in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103.

[0053] Although details will be described later, a sliding member 525 (an example of a slider) slides in the front-rear direction (back-to-front direction) in association with the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container 114 to and from the image forming apparatus 1. Link members 535-538 rotate in conjunction with the sliding movement of the sliding member 525, and the optical print head 105 moves up and down.

[0054] 7, the exposure unit 520 includes a support member 526. The support member 526 supports the optical print head 105 via a first link mechanism 530 and a second link mechanism 540. Specifically, a link member 535 of the first link mechanism 530 supports the holding member 505, and a link member 537 of the second link mechanism 540 supports the holding member 505. A portion of the link member 535 that supports the holding member 505 is a first support portion. A portion of the link member 537 that supports the holding member 505 is a second support portion. The first support portion and the second support portion support the holding member 505 directly or indirectly.

[0055] The support member 526 is formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape. The support member 526 is a longitudinal member extending in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103. One end side (front side) of the support member 526 in the longitudinal direction is fixed to a front plate of the image forming apparatus 1. The front plate is made of metal plate, and is one of various metal frames constituting the framework of the image forming apparatus 1, and is provided on the front side of the image forming apparatus 1. An opening is formed in the front plate, and the above-mentioned process cartridge 518 is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus 1 through this opening. That is, the front plate is covered by closing the front cover 113. On the other hand, the other end side (rear side) of the support member 526 in the longitudinal direction is fixed to a rear plate of the image forming apparatus 1. The rear plate is also made of metal plate, and is one of various metal frames constituting the framework of the image forming apparatus 1, and is provided on the rear side of the image forming apparatus 1. The rear plate is disposed opposite the front plate in the front-rear direction of the image forming apparatus 1. These form a pair and constitute the front and back frameworks of the image forming apparatus 1. The positional relationship between the photosensitive drum 103 and the optical print head 105 is determined by fixing the process cartridge 518 and the support member 526 to the front and rear plates.

[0056] The support member 526 includes a slide member 525 that is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the support member 526. The slide member 525 is slidable in the mounting direction and removal direction of the process cartridge 518 to the image forming apparatus 1. The "mounting direction" refers to the direction from the front side to the back side of the image forming apparatus 1 in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103, and the "removal direction" refers to the direction from the back side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1 in the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103. As the slide member 525 moves relative to the support member 526, the link members 535 to 538 rotate, and the optical print head 105 moves relative to the support member 526.

[0057] ●About the circuit board configuration Next, the substrate 502 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8(a) is a schematic perspective view of the substrate 502. Fig. 8(b1) shows an arrangement of a plurality of LEDs 503 provided on the substrate 502, and Fig. 8(b2) shows an enlarged view of Fig. 8(b1).

[0058] An LED chip 639 is mounted on the substrate 502. As shown in FIG. 8(a), the LED chip 639 is provided on one surface of the substrate 502, and a connector 504 is provided on the back surface side. The substrate 502 is provided with wiring for supplying signals to each LED chip 639. One end of a flexible flat cable (FFC) (not shown) is connected to the connector 504. A substrate is provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus 1. The substrate 502 includes a control unit and a connector. The other end of the FFC is connected to the connector. A control signal is input to the substrate 502 from the control unit of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1 via the FFC and the connector 504. The LED chip 639 is driven by the control signal input to the substrate 502.

[0059] The LED chip 639 mounted on the substrate 502 will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 8(b1) and FIG. 8(b2), a plurality of LED chips 639-1 to 639-29 (29 chips) on which a plurality of LEDs 503 are arranged are arranged on one surface of the substrate 502. Each of the LED chips 639-1 to 639-29 has 516 LEDs (light-emitting elements) arranged in a row in its longitudinal direction. The center-to-center distance k2 between adjacent LEDs in the longitudinal direction of the LED chip 639 corresponds to the resolution of the image forming apparatus 1. Since the resolution of the image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment is 1200 dpi, the LEDs are arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction of the LED chips 639-1 to 639-29 such that the center-to-center distance between adjacent LEDs is 21.16 μm. Therefore, the exposure range of the optical print head 105 of this embodiment is about 316 mm. The photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 103 is formed with a width of 316 mm or more. Since the length of the long side of A4 size recording paper and the length of the short side of A3 size recording paper are 297 mm, the optical print head 105 of this embodiment has an exposure range capable of forming images on A4 size recording paper and A3 size recording paper.

[0060] The LED chips 639-1 to 639-29 are alternately arranged in two rows along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. That is, as shown in FIG. 8(b1), the odd-numbered LED chips 639-1, 639-3, . . . 639-29 counting from the left side are mounted in a row in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 502, and the even-numbered LED chips 639-2, 639-4, . . . 639-28 are mounted in a row in the longitudinal direction of the substrate 502. By arranging the LED chips 639 in this manner, as shown in FIG. 8(b2), the center-to-center distance k1 between the LEDs arranged at one end of one LED chip 639 and the other end of the other LED chip 639 in different adjacent LED chips 639 in the longitudinal direction of the LED chips 639 can be made equal to the center-to-center distance k2 between the adjacent LEDs on one LED chip 639.

[0061] In this embodiment, the light-emitting element is a semiconductor LED, which is a light-emitting diode, but it may be, for example, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). This OLED is also called an organic EL (Organic Electro-Luminescence), and is a current-driven light-emitting element. The OLEDs are arranged in a line along the main scanning direction (the direction of the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103) on a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrate, for example, and are electrically connected in parallel by power supply wiring also provided along the main scanning direction.

[0062] Lens array configuration Next, the lens array 506 will be described. FIG. 8(c1) is a schematic diagram of the lens array 506 when viewed from the photosensitive drum 103 side. FIG. 8(c2) is a schematic perspective view of the lens array 506. As shown in FIG. 8(c1), these lenses are arranged in two rows along the arrangement direction of the LEDs 503. The lenses are arranged alternately such that one lens in one row is arranged so as to be in contact with both of the lenses adjacent to each other in the arrangement direction of the lenses in the other row. Each lens is a cylindrical glass rod lens, and has an entrance surface into which the light emitted from the LEDs 503 is incident and an exit surface from which the light incident from the entrance surface exits. The material of the lens is not limited to glass, and may be plastic. The shape of the lens is not limited to cylindrical, and may be a polygonal prism such as a hexagonal prism.

[0063] The dotted line Z in FIG. 8(c2) indicates the optical axis of the lens. The optical print head 105 is moved by the lift mechanism 640 described above in the direction of the optical axis of the lens indicated by the dotted line Z. The optical axis of the lens here means a line connecting the center of the light emission surface of the lens and the focal point of the lens. Since the lens array 506 has a plurality of lenses, there are also a plurality of "optical axes of the lens", but these optical axes are all substantially parallel to each other. Therefore, when defining the "optical axis of the lens" in the lens array 506, it is sufficient to select one arbitrary lens from the plurality of lenses in the lens array 506 and define it by the optical axis of that lens. The lens array 506 has a role of collecting light emitted from the LED 503 on the surface of the photosensitive drum 103.

[0064] Positional relationship between the substrate and the lens array Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of optical print head 105 cut perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of optical print head 105. As shown in Fig. 9, substrate 502 and lens array 506 are held by holding member 505 so as to face each other.

[0065] The lens array 506 forms a life-size erect image of the light beam emitted from the LED 503 on the photosensitive drum 103. At this time, the distance from the LED 503 to the light entrance surface 506b of the lens array 506 and the distance from the light exit surface 506a of the lens array 506 to the surface of the photosensitive drum 103 are substantially equal.

[0066] The holding member 505 is, for example, a plate material obtained by plating a galvanized steel plate or a cold-rolled steel plate. In this embodiment, the holding member 505 is formed by bending a plate material into a U-shape. By using a metal plate material, costs can be reduced, while bending the plate material can provide strength.

[0067] However, the configuration of the holding member 505 is not limited to a configuration in which a metal plate material is bent, and may be, for example, so-called die casting. Die casting refers to a product manufactured by cooling and solidifying molten metal poured into a mold (cavity) or a manufacturing method thereof. When die casting is used as a manufacturing method, it is possible to handle complex shapes depending on the original mold. On the other hand, there is a disadvantage that there is no cost advantage when there is no need to mass-produce the same product because of the cost of making the mold. In this embodiment, the holding member 505 may be manufactured by bending a metal plate or may be manufactured by adopting die casting.

[0068] <Lifting mechanism> ●Representative example of lifting mechanism (link mechanism) The lifting mechanism is a mechanism that moves the optical print head 105 between an exposure position (second position) where the photosensitive drum 103 is exposed and a separated position (first position) that is farther away from the photosensitive drum 103 than the exposure position. The lifting mechanism is a mechanism that moves the optical print head 105 up and down along the optical axis direction of the lenses in the lens array 506. This "lifting mechanism" and a "transmission mechanism" described later are collectively referred to as the "moving mechanism." As will be explained in detail below, the "transmission mechanism" transmits a force resulting from the mounting operation of the collected toner container 114 to the moving mechanism, and the "moving mechanism" moves the optical print head 105 based on this force.

[0069] In addition, in the following explanation of the "lifting mechanism," "transmission mechanism," and "moving mechanism," since the configurations of the yellow, magenta, cyan, and black stations are similar, we will explain one station as a representative and omit explanations for all the stations.

[0070] Next, a mechanism for moving the optical print head 105 in conjunction with the sliding movement of the slide member 525 will be described with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a view of the exposure unit 520 seen from the left side. For ease of explanation, the support member 526 is not shown. FIG. 10(a) shows a state in which the optical print head 105 is located at an exposure position (an example of a second position) where the photosensitive drum 103 is exposed to light. Meanwhile, FIG. 10(b) shows a state in which the optical print head 105 is located at a separated position (an example of a first position) which is further away from the photosensitive drum 103 than the exposure position. In other words, the optical print head 105 moves up and down between a separated position located below the photosensitive drum 103 and an exposure position which is above the separated position and where the photosensitive drum 103 is exposed to light. Here, in this embodiment, the distance between the photosensitive drum 103 and the light emission surface of the lens array 506 when the optical print head 105 is located at the exposure position is about 3 mm.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 10, a link member 535 is rotatably connected to one end of the slide member 525 in the longitudinal direction of the slide member 525, and a link member 537 is rotatably connected to the other end of the slide member 525 in the longitudinal direction of the slide member 525. The slide member 525 slides from the front side to the back side in response to the rotation of a cover 558 (not shown) from a closed state to an open state. When the slide member 525 slides from the front side to the back side, the link member 535 and the link member 537 rotate counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 10. In addition, the link member 535 and the link member 536 are rotatably connected to each other. The link member 537 and the link member 538 are also rotatably connected to each other.

[0072] Since one end of the link member 536 is rotatably connected to the support member 526 (not shown), the link member 536 also rotates relative to the support member 526 in conjunction with the rotation of the link member 535. Furthermore, since one end of the link member 538 is rotatably connected to the support member 526 (not shown), the link member 538 also rotates relative to the support member 526 in conjunction with the rotation of the link member 537. When the slide member 525 moves from the front side to the back side, both the link member 536 and the link member 538 rotate clockwise relative to the support member 526. Here, the other end of the link member 535 is rotatably connected to the holding member 505, and the other end of the link member 537 is rotatably connected to the holding member 505. Therefore, in conjunction with the sliding movement of slide member 525 from the front side to the back side, link members 535 and 537 rotate counterclockwise, causing the other end side of link member 535 and the other end side of link member 537 to move in a direction away from photosensitive drum 103. In this way, optical print head 105 moves from the exposure position to the retracted position.

[0073] Next, the manner in which the optical print head 105 moves from the state shown in FIG. 10(b) to the state shown in FIG. 10(a), that is, from the retracted position to the exposure position in conjunction with the sliding movement of the sliding member 525, will be described.

[0074] The slide member 525 moves from the back side to the front side in conjunction with the rotation of the cover 558 (not shown) from an open state to a closed state. When the slide member slides from the back side to the front side, the link member 535 and the link member 537 rotate clockwise as shown in FIG. 10. At the same time, the link member 536 and the link member 538 rotate counterclockwise. In conjunction with the slide member 525 sliding from the back side to the front side, the link member 535 and the link member 537 rotate clockwise, so that the other end side of the link member 535 and the other end side of the link member 537 move in a direction approaching the photosensitive drum 103. In this way, the optical print head 105 moves from the retracted position to the exposure position. In this embodiment, the moving direction of the optical print head 105 moving between the retracted position and the exposure position is substantially the same as the optical axis direction of the lens array 506.

[0075] When the holding member 505 of the optical print head 105 moves from the retracted position toward the exposure position in conjunction with the sliding movement of the slide member 525, an abutment pin 514 provided on one end of the holding member 505 in the longitudinal direction of the holding member 505 and an abutment pin 515 provided on the other end of the holding member 505 abut against the process cartridge 518. In this way, the position of the holding member 505 relative to the process cartridge 518, i.e., the position of the optical print head 105, is determined.

[0076] When the position of the holding member 505 relative to the process cartridge 518 is determined in the above manner, the distance between the photosensitive drum 103 and the light exit surface of the lens array 506 is also determined, and the movement of the optical print head 105 to the exposure position is completed.

[0077] The mechanisms of the link mechanism 530 and the link mechanism 540 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11(a) is a schematic perspective view of the front side of the support member 526 as seen from the left side. Also, Figure 11(b) is a schematic perspective view of the front side of the support member 526 as seen from the right side. Below, the link mechanism 530 provided on the front side of the support member 526 will be described. The configuration of the link mechanism 540 is substantially the same as that of the link mechanism 530, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0078] 11, support member 526 includes support shaft 531 and E-type retaining ring 533. Holes through which support shaft 531 is inserted are formed in the right and left side wall surfaces of support member 526, which is machined into a U-shape. With support shaft 531 inserted through these holes, support shaft 531 is fixed to support member 526 by E-type retaining ring 533.

[0079] The sliding member 525 is a plate-like member made of metal. As shown in FIG. 11(a), a long hole 691 extending in the front-rear direction is formed in the sliding member 525. A support shaft 531 is inserted into this long hole 691. In this embodiment, the support shaft 531 is loosely fitted into the long hole 691 with a gap of about 0.1 to 0.5 mm in the up-down direction. The diameter of the long hole 691 in the longitudinal direction is about 350 mm. This allows the sliding member 525 to slide about 350 mm in the front-rear direction relative to the support member 526.

[0080] Further, an auxiliary member 539 is attached to one end side of the slide member 525 in the longitudinal direction of the slide member (the front side of the slide member 525). An accommodation space 562 is formed in the auxiliary member 539. A protrusion provided on the cover 558 is accommodated in the accommodation space 562. When the cover 558 rotates, the protrusion moving together with the rotating cover 558 hits the front side wall or the rear side wall of the accommodation space 562. The protrusion pushes the front side wall of the accommodation space 562, so that the slide member 525 moves to the front side. On the other hand, the protrusion pushes the rear side wall of the accommodation space 562, so that the slide member 525 moves to the rear side. In this way, the slide member 525 also moves in the front-rear direction in conjunction with the rotation of the cover 558.

[0081] The link mechanism 530 includes a link member 535 and a link member 536. Both the link member 535 and the link member 536 are longitudinal resin plates. A protrusion 655 (one example of a resin support portion and a resin first support portion) is formed on one end side (upper side in FIG. 11(a)) of the link member 535 in the longitudinal direction of the link member 535. Meanwhile, a tube portion 610 is formed on the other end side (lower side in FIG. 11(a)) of the link member 535 in the longitudinal direction of the link member 535. The protrusion 655 fits into an opening formed on the front side of the holding member 505. This allows the link member 536 to rotate relative to the holding member 505 with the protrusion 655 as the rotation center. The tube portion 610 is a hollow cylinder. In FIG. 11, a protrusion protruding from the slide member 525 fits into the tube portion 610. This allows the link member 536 to rotate relative to the slide member 525 as well.

[0082] Moreover, one end side in the longitudinal direction of link member 536 (the upper side in FIG. 11(b)) is rotatably attached to link member 535. That is, link member 535 and link member 536 are rotatable relative to each other. Meanwhile, the other end side in the longitudinal direction of link member 536 (the lower side in FIG. 11(b)) is rotatably attached to support member 526. Specifically, holes are formed in the lower side of link member 536 and in the left side wall surface of support member 526, and insertion pin 532 is inserted through this hole. In this way, link member 536 is rotatably fixed to support member 526.

[0083] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining the rotation of each of the link member 535 and the link member 536 of the link mechanism 530. As described above, the tube portion 610 formed in the link member 535 is fitted into the protrusion 534 formed in the support member 526. Therefore, when the slide member 525 slides from the front side to the back side, the link member 535 rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. 12 around the protrusion 534 as the rotation center. Since the link member 535 and the link member 536 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable, the link member 536 rotates counterclockwise relative to the slide member 525 in conjunction with the clockwise rotation of the link member 535. At this time, the link member 536 rotates relative to the support member 526 around the insertion pin 532 as the rotation center. The link member 535 rotates while being rotatably supported by the link member 536, so that the protrusion 655 of the link member 535 moves downward.

[0084] Here, the distance between the rotation center axis of the link member 535 relative to the slide member 525 and the connection center axis of the link member 535 and the link member 536 is L1, the distance between the rotation center axis of the link member 536 relative to the support member 526 and the connection center axis of the link member 535 and the link member 536 is L2, and the distance between the rotation center axis of the link member 535 relative to the holding member 505 and the connection center axis of the link member 535 and the link member 536 is L3. In general, such a link mechanism is also called a Scott-Russell mechanism. By making the distances L1 to L3 equal, the movement direction of the protrusion 655 linked to the sliding movement of the slide member 525 becomes vertical. Specifically, the protrusion 655 moves on the dotted line A in FIG. 12(b). This allows the holding member 505 to move up and down in conjunction with the sliding movement of the slide member 525.

[0085] Other examples of lifting mechanism configurations (cam mechanism) Furthermore, the configuration for moving the optical print head 105 to the exposure position and the retracted position is not limited to the configuration using the first link mechanism 530 and the second link mechanism 540, but may be the configuration using the lifting mechanism 940 shown in Fig. 13. The lifting mechanism 940 will be described below with reference to Fig. 13. Note that members having substantially the same functions as those constituting the lifting mechanism 940 are denoted by the same reference numerals and may not be described repeatedly.

[0086] 13, a first cam portion 112 and a second cam portion 113 are provided on the front and rear sides of slide member 525. In addition, a movement support portion 114 and a movement support portion 115 are provided on the front and rear sides of holding member 505 of optical print head 105. First cam portion 112 and second cam portion 113 have an inclined surface on the holding member 505 side that is inclined downward from the rear side to the front side.

[0087] 13A is a schematic diagram of the holding member 505 and the lifting mechanism 940 located at the exposure position, as viewed from the right side. When the holding member 505 of the optical print head 105 is located at the exposure position, the slide member 525 slides from the front side to the rear side relative to the support member 526, and the first cam portion 112 and the second cam portion 113 provided on the slide member 525 move from the front side to the rear side relative to the support member 526 together with the slide member 525. As a result, the lower ends of the moving support portion 114 and the moving support portion 115 provided on the holding member 505 come into contact with the first cam portion 112 and the second cam portion 113, and the moving support portion 114 and the moving support portion 115 move along the first cam portion 112 and the second cam portion 113 in a direction from the exposure position to the retracted position.

[0088] 13B is a schematic diagram of the holding member 505 and the lifting mechanism 940 in the retracted position, as viewed from the right side. When the holding member 505 of the optical print head 105 is in the retracted position, and the slide member 525 slides from the rear side to the front side relative to the support member 526, the first cam portion 112 and the second cam portion 113 provided on the slide member 525 slide from the rear side to the front side relative to the support member 526 together with the slide member 525. As a result, the lower ends of the moving support portion 114 and the moving support portion 115 provided on the holding member 505 are pushed up and moved along the first cam portion 112 and the second cam portion 113 in the direction from the retracted position to the exposure position.

[0089] Other examples of lifting mechanism configurations (eccentric cam mechanism) The configuration for moving the optical print head 105 to the exposure position and the retracted position is not limited to the above-described configuration example, and may be a configuration using a lifting mechanism 740 shown in Fig. 14. This lifting mechanism does not use a member equivalent to the slide member 525 in the above-described configuration example. The lifting mechanism 740 will be described below with reference to Fig. 14.

[0090] Fig. 14(a) is a view of the lifting mechanism 740 from the side, that is, viewed along the direction in which the photosensitive drums 103 are lined up. As shown in Fig. 14(a), eccentric cams 70, 71 are provided on the front and back sides of the lifting mechanism 740. These eccentric cams 70, 71 can rotate integrally with a rotation shaft 72 as the center of rotation. In other words, the eccentric cams 70 and 71 are located on the same rotation axis.

[0091] The eccentric cams 70 and 71 refer to cams in which the distance from the rotation center to the outer edge of the cam is not uniform, as shown in Fig. 14. The distance from the rotation center to, for example, the part corresponding to the upper end of the cam differs depending on the posture of the cam.

[0092] FIG. 14B is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the postures of the eccentric cams 70 and 71 and the position of the optical print head 105. The diagram on the left side of FIG. 14 shows the state in which the eccentric cam 70 (71) is in the first posture, and the diagram on the right side shows the state in which the eccentric cam 70 (71) is in the second posture. When the eccentric cam 70 (71) is in the first posture, the optical print head 105 is in the exposure position, and when the eccentric cam 70 (71) is in the second posture, the optical print head 105 is in the separated position. The eccentric cam 70 (71) supports the optical print head 105 at its upper end portion. Also, as shown in FIG. 14B, the eccentric cam 70 (71) has an elliptical cross section. Therefore, when the eccentric cam 70 (71) rotates and changes its posture, the optical print head 105 can be moved closer to or farther away from the photosensitive drum 102. This allows the eccentric cam 70 (71) to move the optical print head 105 between the exposure position and the separated position.

[0093] Furthermore, the movement of the optical print head 105 in its width direction (left-right direction on the paper) is restricted by a guide member (not shown). Therefore, even if the eccentric cam 70 (71) moves the optical print head 105 in the up-down direction, the optical print head 105 can be prevented from tilting.

[0094] Other examples of lifting mechanisms (lifting mechanisms using gears) The configuration for moving the optical print head 105 to the exposure position and the retracted position is not limited to the above-mentioned configuration example, and may be a configuration using a lifting mechanism 440 shown in Fig. 15. This lifting mechanism does not use a member equivalent to the slide member 525 in the above-mentioned configuration example. The lifting mechanism 440 will be described below with reference to Fig. 15. Here, the lifting mechanism 440K will be described as a representative example.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 15, gears 441 and 442 are provided on the front and back sides of the lifting mechanism 440. These gears 441 and 442 can rotate together with a rotation shaft 443 as the center of rotation. That is, the gears 441 and 442 are located on the same rotation axis. Also, lifting gears 444 and 445 are provided on the front and rear of the lifting mechanism 440. Teeth are cut on the surface of the lifting gear 444, which meshes with the gear 441. Teeth are also cut on the surface of the lifting gear 445, which meshes with the gear 442. That is, the lifting gears 444 and 445 rise in conjunction with the rotation of the gears 441 and 442 in the direction of the arrow A. On the other hand, the lifting gears 444 and 445 fall in conjunction with the rotation of the gears 441 and 442 in the direction of the arrow B. Since the lift gears 444, 445 and the optical print head 105 are integral, the optical print head 105 also rises and falls as the lift gears 444 and 445 rise and fall. When the lift gears 444 and 445 are fully raised, the optical print head 105 is located at the exposure position, and when the lift gears 444 and 445 are fully lowered, the optical print head 105 is located at the separated position.

[0096] Furthermore, the gear 441 also meshes with a slider 446. The slider 446 is a long member with teeth cut on its surface, and can slide in the left-right direction. Note that the left-right direction here refers to the left-right direction of the image forming apparatus 1, and means a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the photosensitive drum 103 and the vertical direction. However, this does not mean that it is strictly perpendicular in a mathematical sense.

[0097] In this way, the optical print head 105 moves between the exposure position and the separated position in response to the left-right sliding movement of the slider 446.

[0098] <Transmission mechanism> Example using a rotating link 16 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the optical print head 105 accompanying the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container 114 to and from the image forming apparatus 1. Fig. 16(a) shows a state in which the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, and Fig. 16(b) shows a state in which the collected toner container 114 is detached from the image forming apparatus 1.

[0099] 16(a), when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the optical print head 105 is located at the exposure position. The slide member 525 is pulled toward the front side of the image forming apparatus 1, and each link mechanism pushes up each optical print head 105 to the exposure position.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 16(a), trays 850Y, 850M, 850C, and 850K (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "tray 850") are provided below the exposure units 520Y, 520M, 520C, and 520K. Each exposure unit 520 may be replaced for maintenance, for example, when an abnormality is found in the board 502 or the like. When replacing, an operator pulls the exposure unit 520 out of the image forming apparatus 1 toward the front. That is, each exposure unit 520 is configured to be insertable and removable from the image forming apparatus 1 along the rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum 103. The tray 850 is fixed to the front and rear plates with screws or the like. When the exposure unit 520 is inserted or removed from the image forming apparatus 1, it is slid on the tray 850. That is, the tray 850 functions as a guide when the exposure unit 520 is inserted or removed from the image forming apparatus 1. In addition, it also has a function of supporting the exposure unit 520 from below while it is being inserted into or removed from the image forming apparatus 1.

[0101] 16(b), when the collected toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1, the optical print head 105 is located at the separated position. The slide member 525K is pressed toward the back side of the image forming apparatus 1, and each link mechanism pulls down each optical print head 105 to the separated position.

[0102] Figure 17 is a diagram for explaining the sliding movement of the sliding member 525K accompanying the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container 114 to and from the image forming apparatus 1. Figure 17(a) is a diagram of each exposure unit 520 as viewed from below.

[0103] As shown in FIG. 17(a), a rotating link 800K is rotatably attached to the rear side of the tray 850K. The rotating link 800K rotates around a rotation center 801K as a rotation axis. One end of the rotating link 800K is located inside the storage space 562K provided on the front side of the slide member 525K. On the other hand, the other end of the rotating link 800K is a portion that can be pressed by a collected toner container 114 (not shown). That is, when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the other end of the rotating link 800K is pushed from the front side to the back side of the image forming apparatus 1. Then, the rotating link 800K rotates clockwise in FIG. 17(a) around the rotation center 801K as a rotation axis. As a result, one end of the rotating link 800K is pulled into the inside of the inner wall constituting the storage space 562K. The link mechanism pushes up the optical print head 105K as the slide member 525K slides from the back side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1. As described above, the slide member 525K moves with the attachment of the collected toner container 114, and the optical print head 105K moves from the separated position to the exposure position.

[0104] A protrusion 803K is formed between the rotation center 801K of the rotating link 800K and one end side of the rotating link 800K. A protrusion 814K is also formed on the rear side of the tray 850K. The protrusion 814K is located on the back side of the protrusion 803K, and these two protrusions are connected by a spring 802K. The spring 802K applies a force to each of the protrusions 803K and 814K so as to always attract them. By providing the spring 802K, a force is always applied to the rotating link 800K to rotate it counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 17(a). As a result, when the collected toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1, the rotating link 800K automatically rotates counterclockwise, and the optical print head 105 moves from the exposure position to the separation position.

[0105] FIG. 17B is a diagram for explaining the state of the rotating link 800K and the state of the sliding member 525K when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

[0106] 17(b), a protrusion 814K is formed on the back side of the collected toner container 114. Note that this protrusion 814K may be integrally formed with the collected toner container 114, or may be a separate part fixed with a screw or the like.

[0107] In this way, when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the protrusion 814K presses the other end of the rotating link 800K from the front side to the back side of the image forming apparatus 1. Since the rotating link 800K rotates around the rotation center 801K, the protrusion 803K formed on the rotating link 800K moves in a direction away from the protrusion 814K formed on the tray 850K. In other words, when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the spring 802K is in a state of being stretched more than its natural length. The protrusion 814K of the collected toner 114 rotates the rotating link 800K clockwise against the force that tries to rotate the rotating link 800K counterclockwise.

[0108] At this time, one end side of the rotating link 800K retracts the slide member 525K from the back side of the image forming apparatus 1 toward the front side.

[0109] 17(b), the portion of the rotating link 800K indicated by the black circle A is the portion pressed by the protrusion 814K, and the portion indicated by the black circle B is the portion pressing a part of the sliding member 525K (the inner wall of the accommodation space 562K). In other words, the portion of the rotating link 800K indicated by the black circle A indicates the portion where the rotating link 800K and the protrusion 814K may come into contact, and the portion of the rotating link 800K indicated by the black circle B indicates the portion where the rotating link 800K and the inner wall of the accommodation space 562K may come into contact.

[0110] In the longitudinal direction of the rotating link 800K, the distance from the point indicated by the black circle A to the center of the rotating link 800K is shorter than the distance from the point indicated by the black circle B to the center of the rotating link 800K. This allows the amount by which the rotating link 800K pulls in the slide member 525K to be greater than the amount by which the protrusion 814K pushes the rotating link 800K. In other words, the amount of movement of the slide member 525K can be increased at least while the amount of movement of the collected toner container 114 is at least. Since the length of the protrusion 800K formed on the collected toner container 114 can be shortened, the possibility that a part of the collected toner container 114 will hit something when the worker carries the collected toner container 114 can be reduced. In addition, the shape of the collected toner container 114 can be less constrained in the design stage, improving the degree of freedom in design.

[0111] On the other hand, although different from the present embodiment, the distance from the point indicated by black circle A to the center of the pivot link 800K may be longer than the distance from the point indicated by black circle B to the center of the pivot link 800K. In this case, in order to increase the movement amount of the slide member 525K, it is necessary to increase the movement amount of the collected toner container 114, but the pivot link 800K can be rotated with less force compared to the above example. In other words, there is an advantage that the force required by the operator to attach the collected toner container 114 to the image forming apparatus 1 is less.

[0112] FIG. 17C is a diagram for explaining the state of the rotating link 800K and the state of the sliding member 525K when the collected toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

[0113] 17(c), the protrusion 814K formed on the collected toner container 114 is separated from the other end of the rotating link 800K. In other words, the rotating link 800K does not receive force from the protrusion 814K of the collected toner container 114. Therefore, the restoring force of the spring 802K returning to its natural length causes the rotating link 800K to automatically rotate counterclockwise and push the sliding member 525K. At this time, the direction in which the sliding member 525K slides is opposite to the direction in which the optical print head 105 moves from the separated position toward the exposure position.

[0114] The lifting mechanisms corresponding to yellow, magenta, and cyan operate in the same manner when attaching and detaching the collected toner container 114, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0115] As described above, when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the rotating link 800 rotates. In conjunction with this rotation of the rotating link 800, the sliding member 525 slides from the rear side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1. In conjunction with this sliding movement of the sliding member 525, the lifting mechanism moves the optical print head 105 from the separated position to the exposure position.

[0116] Additionally, accompanying the removal operation of the collected toner container 114 from the image forming apparatus 1, the spring 802 rotates the pivot link 800. In conjunction with this rotation of the pivot link 800, the slide member 525 slides from the front side to the back side of the image forming apparatus 1. In conjunction with this sliding movement of the slide member 525, the lifting mechanism moves the optical print head 105 from the exposure position to the separated position.

[0117] In this manner, in the present embodiment, the optical print head 105 can be moved to the exposure position and the separated position in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container 114. Therefore, even if the collected toner container 114 is located between the optical print head 105 and the front cover 113, the collected toner container 114 can be moved to the exposure position and the separated position of the optical print head 105.

[0118] Example of directly pushing the slide part with the waste toner container In the above-mentioned example, the rotating link 800 is used to move the optical print head 105 in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container 114. The example described below is an example in which the sliding member 525 is directly pushed in by the collected toner container 114 without using the rotating link 800. Note that the same components as in the previous example are given the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0119] FIG. 18(a) shows the exposure unit when the optical print head 105 is located at the exposure position, and FIG. 18(b) shows the exposure unit when the optical print head 105 is located at the separated position.

[0120] The configuration of the exposure unit shown in Fig. 18 is different from that shown in the previous example (see Fig. 6) in the configuration of the link mechanisms 830 and 840. Specifically, in the previous example (see Fig. 6), the connection parts between the link members 835 and 837 supporting the optical print head 105 and the slide member 525 are located on the rear side of the connection parts between the other link members 836 and 838 and the support member 526, whereas in this example (see Fig. 18), they are located on the front side.

[0121] By adopting such a configuration, the relationship between the sliding direction of the slide member 525 and the moving direction of the optical print head 105 can be reversed from that in the previous example. That is, in this example, the optical print head 105 moves from the separated position toward the exposure position in conjunction with the movement of the slide member 525 from the front side to the back side of the image forming apparatus 1. Also, the optical print head 105 moves from the exposure position toward the separated position in conjunction with the movement of the slide member 525 from the back side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0122] Also, whereas in the previous example, storage space 562 was formed on the tip side of slide member 525, in this example, there is no such space. Since there is no need to store a member such as pivot link 800K, instead, a contact member 826 that abuts against collected toner container 114 is provided. Contact member 826 is an elastic member made of, for example, rubber, and has the property of being able to absorb the impact when collected toner container 114 abuts against it.

[0123] Fig. 19 is a diagram for explaining a mechanism by which the slide member 525 moves in association with the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container 114 to and from the image forming apparatus 1. Fig. 19(a) shows a state in which the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1 and a part of the collected toner container 114 presses the contact member 826 provided on the slide member 525. Meanwhile, Fig. 19(b) shows a state in which the collected toner container 114 is detached from the image forming apparatus 1 and the slide member 525 moves from the back side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0124] 19(a), when the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the collected toner container 114 pushes the slide member 525 from the front side to the back side of the image forming apparatus 1. This causes the slide member 525 to slide from the front side to the back side of the image forming apparatus 1. In conjunction with this sliding movement of the slide member 525, the link mechanisms 830 and 840 move the optical print head 105 from the separated position toward the exposure position.

[0125] 19(b), as the recovered toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1, the link mechanisms 830 and 840 are automatically driven by the weight of the optical print head 105, and the slide member 525 slides from the back side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1. In conjunction with this sliding movement of the slide member 525, the optical print head 105 moves from the exposure position to the separated position.

[0126] At this time, a configuration may be adopted in which the slide member 525 is always biased from the back side to the front side of the image forming apparatus 1 by connecting the slide member 525 and the support member 526 with a spring (not shown). In this way, the slide member 525 can be automatically slid along with the removal operation of the collected toner container 114. Then, the link mechanisms 830 and 840 can reliably move the optical print head 105 from the exposure position to the separated position.

[0127] As described above, by adopting a configuration in which the slide member 525 is directly pushed into the collected toner container 114, it is possible to eliminate a member equivalent to the pivot link 800. In addition to being able to reduce the number of parts, the simplified configuration is expected to reduce the number of assembly steps, resulting in cost benefits.

[0128] Example of rotating a bevel gear with a waste toner container FIG. 20A is a diagram for explaining a mechanism for operating the lifting mechanism 740 by the driving force caused by the rotation of the bevel gears 150 and 151 when the collected toner container 114 is attached.

[0129] Although details will be described later, when an operator attaches the collected toner container 114 to the image forming apparatus 1, the bevel gear 150 rotates in the direction of arrow A1. Specifically, a part of the collected toner container 114 pushes a protrusion 152 provided on the bevel gear 150, causing the bevel gear 150 to rotate. Note that FIG. 20(a) shows a state in which the protrusion 152 is pushed in by the collected toner container 114.

[0130] 20(a), the bevel gear 150 and the bevel gear 151 mesh with each other. Therefore, the bevel gear 151 rotates in the direction of arrow B2 in conjunction with the rotation of the bevel gear 150 in the direction of arrow A1. The bevel gear 151 and the eccentric cams 70 and 71 are fixed to the same rotation shaft 72. In other words, the bevel gear 151 and the eccentric cams 70 and 71 are located on the same rotation axis line and rotate integrally.

[0131] On the other hand, when the collected toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1, the bevel gear 150 rotates in the direction of arrow B1 due to a spring described later. Accordingly, the bevel gear 151 rotates in the direction of arrow A2. In this way, the optical print head 105 moves from the exposure position to the separated position.

[0132] 20(b) and 20(c) are views of the bevel gear 150 seen from the back side. FIG. 20(b) shows a state in which the collected toner container 114 is attached to the image forming apparatus 1 and the protrusion 152 is pushed in. At this time, the eccentric cam 70 (71) is in the first position. That is, the optical print head 105 is in the exposure position. FIG. 20(c) shows a state in which the collected toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 20(b) and FIG. 20(c), a protrusion 154 is formed on the back side of the bevel gear 150, and one end of a spring 155 is connected to the protrusion 154. The other end of the spring 155 is connected to a protrusion 156 fixed to the frame of the main body of the image forming apparatus 1. That is, in the state in which the protrusion 152 is pushed in by the collected toner container 114 as shown in FIG. 20(b), the spring 155 is in a state in which it is further extended from its natural length. In other words, a force is always acting on the bevel gear 150 to rotate in the direction of arrow B1, and the collected toner container 114 presses the protrusion 152 to rotate the bevel gear 150 in the direction of arrow A2 against this force. When the collected toner container 114 is removed from the image forming apparatus 1, the spring 155 tries to return to its natural length due to its restoring force. Therefore, the bevel gear 150 rotates in the direction of arrow B1 and enters the state shown in FIG. 20(c). At this time, the eccentric cam 70 (71) is in the second position. That is, the optical print head 105 is in the separated position.

[0133] In this manner, when the operator attaches the collected toner container 114 to the image forming apparatus 1, the force applied by the collected toner container 114 to the bevel gear 150 is converted into a rotational force by the bevel gear 150. Then, this rotational force is transmitted to the rotation shaft 72 via the bevel gear 151.

[0134] Example of moving the slider left and right on the waste toner container 15 again, the relationship between the collected toner container 114 and the slider 446 will be described. As shown in Fig. 15, a plurality of protrusions 450 are formed on the slider 446. The protrusions 450 are triangular in shape and have inclined surfaces 451 formed thereon.

[0135] Meanwhile, the collected toner container 114 also has a protrusion 452, which also has an inclined surface 453. When the collected toner container 114 is attached, the inclined surface 453 presses the inclined surface 451, so that the slider 446 slides in the direction of the arrow.

[0136] Since the slider 446 is constantly biased in the direction of the arrow R by the spring 455, the slider 446 automatically slides in the direction of the arrow R when the collected toner container 114 is removed.

[0137] As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is configured such that the collected toner container 114 is disposed between the front cover 113 and the process cartridge 518. However, the optical print head 105 can be moved between the exposure position and the separated position in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the collected toner container 114 without the opening and closing of the front cover 113. This eliminates the need to secure a path for transmitting the opening and closing of the front cover 113 to a lifting mechanism for moving the optical print head 105, and therefore does not impose significant restrictions on the shape of the collected toner container 114. As a result, it is no longer necessary to make the collected toner container 114 unnecessarily complex, and a reduction in manufacturing costs can be expected. In addition, the degree of freedom in designing the collected toner container 114 is improved, and therefore the capacity of the collected toner container 114 can be increased. Furthermore, the degree of freedom in designing the collected toner container 114 is improved, and therefore the shape of the collected toner container 114 can be made easy for an operator to carry. [Explanation of symbols]

[0138] 1. Image forming device 80 Cleaning device (cleaning material) 102 Image forming unit 103 Photosensitive drum 104 Charger 105 Optical print head (exposure head) 106 Developer 107 Intermediate transfer belt 112 Cleaning device 113 Front cover 114 Waste toner container 518 Process Cartridge 520 Exposure Unit 530 Link mechanism 540 Link mechanism 740 Lifting mechanism 830 Link mechanism 840 Link mechanism 940 Lifting mechanism

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, a plurality of drum units each including a photosensitive drum that is driven to rotate and on which a toner image is formed, and a cleaning member that cleans the toner image on the photosensitive drum, each of which is detachable from the image forming apparatus by moving along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive drum; a plurality of exposure heads provided corresponding to the plurality of photosensitive drums, each having a plurality of light-emitting elements arranged along the rotation axis direction, each of the exposure heads being movable between a first position at which the corresponding photosensitive drum can be exposed to light, and a second position retracted from the first position; a collected toner container that collects the toner cleaned by the cleaning member, the collected toner container being attached to the image forming apparatus so as to cover at least a portion of each of the plurality of drum units; a moving mechanism that moves each of the plurality of exposure heads from the second position to the first position in conjunction with attachment of the waste toner container to the image forming apparatus; Equipped with Each of the plurality of drum units further includes a transport path for transporting the toner cleaned by the cleaning member, the collected toner container is provided corresponding to each of the plurality of drum units, and each of the collected toner containers further includes a plurality of receiving openings for receiving the toner cleaned by the cleaning member; each of the plurality of receiving openings engages with a different one of the plurality of conveying paths when the collected toner container is attached to the image forming apparatus; the moving mechanism further includes a plurality of sliders provided corresponding to the plurality of exposure heads, slidable along the rotation axis direction of each photosensitive drum in a mounting direction or a removal direction of the drum unit, the sliders sliding in conjunction with the mounting and removal of the waste toner container to and from the image forming apparatus, and a rotating link that rotates when one end side of the rotating link is pressed against the waste toner container, each exposure head moves from the first position to the second position in conjunction with a corresponding slider sliding in the mounting direction or the removal direction, and moves from the second position to the first position in conjunction with a corresponding slider moving in a direction opposite to the direction of the sliding movement; The rotating link rotates, and the other end side moves the slider in the direction of the sliding movement.

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance from the rotation center of the rotating link to the point where the rotating link is pressed against the waste toner container is longer than the distance from the rotation center of the rotating link to the point where the rotating link abuts against the slider.

3. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collected toner container presses the slider in the direction of the sliding movement in conjunction with mounting of the collected toner container on the image forming apparatus.

4. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a spring for urging the slider in the opposite direction.

5. The moving mechanism includes: an eccentric cam that rotates to move the exposure head between the first position and the second position; a bevel gear that rotates about a rotation axis that intersects with the rotation axis of the eccentric cam, 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bevel gear rotates in conjunction with the attachment of the waste toner container to the image forming apparatus, and the eccentric cam rotates due to the rotation.

6. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of developing devices each provided in correspondence with the plurality of photosensitive drums, the developing devices developing the electrostatic latent images formed on the plurality of photosensitive drums with toner.

7. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drum unit is a process cartridge including a developer that develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum with toner.

8. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an intermediate transfer body onto which the toner images formed on the plurality of photosensitive drums are transferred, and a transfer device that transfers the toner images transferred onto the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium.

9. The cleaning member is a first cleaning member, 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a second cleaning member for cleaning toner adhering to the intermediate transfer body.

10. The plurality of receiving ports include a plurality of first receiving ports, the waste toner container further includes a second receiving port for receiving the toner cleaned by the second cleaning member; 10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9,

11. the waste toner container includes a pressing portion that presses the moving mechanism when the waste toner container is attached to the image forming apparatus, the moving mechanism is configured to move the plurality of exposure heads from the second position to the first position by being pressed by the pressing portion; 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,

12. 12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein when the waste toner container is attached to the image forming apparatus, after the pressing portion starts to press the moving mechanism, each of the plurality of receiving openings engages with a different one of the plurality of transport paths.

Images