| US 7,580,653 B2 | ||
| Image forming unit and moving unit | ||
| Ryoh Idehara, Hyogo (Japan); Nobuhiko Kita, Osaka (Japan); Kazuyoshi Kondo, Osaka (Japan); Tadashi Okano, Ibaraki (Japan); Genta Hagiwara, Ibaraki (Japan); and Kaoru Tada, Ibaraki (Japan) | ||
| Assigned to Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan) | ||
| Filed on Jan. 16, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/623,477. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 2006-008716 (JP), filed on Jan. 17, 2006. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0166073 A1, Jul. 19, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. G03G 15/00 (2006.01); G03G 15/04 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 399—110 [399/118; 399/205] | 11 Claims |
| 1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a latent image carrier that carries a latent image on an endlessly moving surface;
a latent-image writing unit that writes the latent image on the surface;
a holder that moves between a first position and a second position while holding the latent-image writing unit to move the
latent-image writing unit held by itself between a writing operation position and a retracted position; and
a developing unit that develops the latent image carried by the latent image carrier,
wherein the holder holds a held portion provided in the latent-image writing unit to allow a free movement thereof and urges
the latent-image writing unit in a predetermined direction by an urging unit, thereby bringing the held portion in the latent-image
writing unit into contact with a contact target portion of the holder when separated from the writing operation position,
the predetermined direction including a substantial horizontal component and a substantial vertical component when the held
portion contacts the contact target portion.
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