BELT SUPPORTING UNIT FOR IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a belt supporting unit with which operator's load and cost can be reduced by simply and easily integrating a cylindrical endless belt into the belt supporting unit or replacing the endless belt without using complicated structure. SOLUTION: The belt supporting unit is constituted of connecting two unit bodies (20, 21) around which the endless belt 2 is spread in the carrying direction of the belt 2, so that the unit bodies (20, 21) can be bent in the bending direction of the belt 2 from the connected state of the unit bodies (20, 21) in the spread direction and forming supporting parts (24, 25) having supporting points higher than the surface of the belt 2 when the belt 2 is spread and protecting the peripheral edge of the belt 2 on both the sides of the unit bodies (20, 21) in the endless belt carrying direction. An area projected from the sides of the supporting parts (24, 25) and sectioned by the outer edge line of the belt supporting unit is made smaller than the area of a side formed by the peripheral diameter of the belt 2, so that the belt 2 can be attached/detached between the supporting parts (24, 25). COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO