The present disclosure relates to a support unit that supports a member to be supported, the support unit being removably mounted in an apparatus main body, and to an image forming apparatus incorporated with the support unit.
In an image forming apparatus, a toner image is formed on a photoconductor drum by a developing device, and the toner image is transferred onto a sheet in a transfer unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a fixing unit. The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred undergoes a fixing process by the fixing unit and is then discharged. Some of image forming apparatus thus configured to form an image on a sheet includes a support unit that supports a predetermined member, the support unit being removably mounted in the apparatus main body.
The support units thus far developed include a drum unit that supports the photoconductor drum, a developer unit that supports the developing device, and a process unit that integrally supports the photoconductor drum and the developing device. Such support units include a connector unit for electrical connection. When the support unit is mounted in the apparatus main body the connector of the apparatus main body and the connector unit of the support unit are electrically connected, so that driving power and control signals are supplied to the support unit from the apparatus main body. Some of such support units include a cover member that conceals the connector unit.
Here, it is preferable that the support unit includes a grasp portion that facilitates an operator to mount or remove the support unit in and from the apparatus main body. For example, the grasp portion is provided on a cover member that opens and closes the apparatus main body.