Image forming apparatus with cleaning mechanism for LED print head having light emitting elements

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photosensitive drum configured to be rotatable relative to a main body of the image forming apparatus;
• an LED print head having a plurality of light emitting elements so as to expose the photosensitive drum to light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements, the LED print head also having a lens configured to image the light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements on the photosensitive drum, wherein the LED print head exposes the photosensitive drum to the light from below in a vertical direction;
• and
• a guide portion provided to the main body of the image forming apparatus and disposed upstream of the LED print head in a direction from one end side of the LED print head in a longitudinal direction of the LED print head toward another end side of the LED print head in the longitudinal direction, and the guide portion being configured to guide a movement of a cleaning member for cleaning an exit surface of the lens, the cleaning member being inserted from outside of the main body of the image forming apparatus, wherein the guide portion is configured to guide the movement of the cleaning member so that a movement direction of the cleaning member from when a downstream end of the cleaning member inserted in an insertion direction leaves the guide portion to when the downstream end contacts the exit surface of the lens intersects with the exit surface of the lens,
• wherein the guide portion has a first restricting portion configured to restrict the cleaning member inserted from moving in a direction away from the exit surface of the lens in an optical axis direction of the lens, an extended line of the first restricting portion being inclined such that the extended line intersects with the exit surface of the lens.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a photosensitive drum configured to be rotatable relative to a main body of the image forming apparatus;
• an LED print head having a plurality of light emitting elements so as to expose the photosensitive drum to light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements, the LED print head also having a lens configured to image the light emitted from the plurality of light emitting elements on the photosensitive drum, wherein the LED print head exposes the photosensitive drum to the light from below in a vertical direction;
• and
• a guide portion provided to the main body of the image forming apparatus and disposed upstream of the LED print head in a direction from one end side of the LED print head in a longitudinal direction of the LED print head toward another end side of the LED print head in the longitudinal direction, and the guide portion being configured to guide a movement of a cleaning member for cleaning an exit surface of the lens, the cleaning member being inserted from outside of the main body of the image forming apparatus, wherein the guide portion is configured to guide the movement of the cleaning member so that a movement direction of the cleaning member from when a downstream end of the cleaning member inserted in an insertion direction leaves the guide portion to when the downstream end contacts the exit surface of the lens intersects with the exit surface of the lens,
• wherein the guide portion has a groove portion into which the cleaning member is inserted,
• wherein the groove portion has an inclined surface, and
• wherein a distal end of the cleaning member proceeds in the groove portion along the inclined surface of the groove portion to be brought into contact with the exit surface on the one end side of the LED print head in the longitudinal direction.