IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge can be attached to an image forming apparatus main body by operation on a front side and the breakage of a driving gear in the attachment can be prevented, without increasing the size of the apparatus in its width direction. SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus, when a user replaces the process cartridge a, a driven gear b is never connected to the driving gear h in the image forming apparatus main body g, because of blocking by a blocking part j, in the midst of placing a driven shaft c in the process cartridge a at a positioning position k on the side of the image forming apparatus main body g, and a front cover l is closed to retreat the blocking part j, so that the driven shaft c is placed at the positioning position k by the gravity of the process cartridge a, to connect the driven gear b and the driving gear h. As a result, the problem of the gear breakage due to the collision of the driven gear b and the driving gear h when the user inserts the process cartridge a with a strong force can be prevented from arising. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT