Image forming apparatus

摘要

An image forming apparatus includes a drive unit, an image bearing member, a developing unit, a support unit, an urging member, and a switching mechanism. The urging member generates an urging force for pivoting the support unit in an approaching direction in which a peripheral surface of a developing roller is moved toward a peripheral surface of the image bearing member. The switching mechanism switches the support unit between a first position (fitting position) and a second position (releasing position). The support unit includes: a second drive input section disposed coaxially with a pivot shaft and for receiving a rotational drive force from a drive output shaft of the drive unit; and a transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotational drive force to a first drive input section. The rotation direction of the rotational drive force is for rotation in a direction of pivoting the support unit in the approaching direction.

主权项

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a main housing; a drive unit including a drive output shaft configured to generate a rotational drive force for axial rotation; an image bearing member disposed in the main housing and having a peripheral surface for bearing a toner image; a developing unit attached to the main housing to be detachable by pulling out, the developing unit including
a developing roller having a peripheral surface for carrying toner thereon and configured to supply the toner to the image bearing member, anda first drive input section configured to supply a rotational drive force to the developing roller; a support unit supported by the main housing to be freely pivotable about an axis of a pivot shaft, the supporting unit being configured to place and support the developing unit in position; an urging member configured to generate an urging force for urging the support unit to pivot in one of pivoting directions about the pivot shaft, the one pivoting direction coinciding with an approaching direction for moving the peripheral surface of the developing roller toward the peripheral surface of the image bearing member; and a switching mechanism configured to switch the support unit supporting the developing unit, the switching being made between a first position in which the peripheral surface of the developing roller is located relatively close to the peripheral surface of the image bearing member and a second position in which the peripheral surface of the developing roller is located relatively away from the peripheral surface of the image bearing member, wherein the support unit includes
a second drive input section disposed coaxially with the pivot shaft and configured to receive a rotational drive force from the drive output shaft, anda transmission mechanism configured to transmit the rotational drive force received by the second drive input section to the first drive input section, and the rotational drive force generated by the drive output shaft is for rotation in a direction of pivoting the support unit in the approaching direction.