Housing structure for image forming apparatus

摘要

An image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine includes an optical system for housing a scanning exposure optical system. The optical system housing has air inlet and outlet holes defined therein for introducing air into and discharging air from the optical system housing. Electrostatic filters are mounted on the optical system housing in covering relation to the air inlet and outlet holes. Thus, the optical system housing is substantially closed. The optical system housing is composed of surrounding walls having ends joined in pairs in interdigitating relationship, one of the ends in each of the pairs having an end surface held in abutment against an inner surface of the surrounding wall having the other end. An image forming mechanism is housed in an image forming mechanism housing having à pair of confronting side walls spaced from each other. One of the side walls is taller than the other side wall, and has support fingers projecting laterally from an inner surface thereof. The optical system housing is supported on the support fingers and the other side wall. <IMAGE>