Image forming apparatus including a moving unit for an optical print head

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a rotatable photosensitive drum;
• an optical print head for exposing said photosensitive drum to light;
• and
• a moving unit moving said optical print head from a retracted position retracted from said photosensitive drum toward an exposure position closer to said photosensitive drum than the retracted position and where said photosensitive drum is exposed, said moving unit including:
• a slidable portion slidable along a rotational axis direction of said photosensitive drum;
• a first link portion provided with a first connecting portion rotatably connected to said slidable portion at one end side and provided with a first moving portion rotatably connected to said optical print head at the other end side for moving said optical print head, said first connecting portion having a rotation shaft;
• a second link portion provided with a second connecting portion rotatably connected to said slidable portion at one end side and provided with a second moving portion rotatably connected to said optical print head at the other end side for moving said optical print head, said second connecting portion having a rotation shaft;
• a third link portion which is rotatably connected to said first link portion at a position between said first connecting portion and said first moving portion so that said first moving portion and said second moving portion are moved toward said photosensitive drum by rotation of said first link portion about the rotation shaft of said first connecting portion and by rotation of said second link portion about the rotation shaft of said second connecting portion in interrelation with the slide of said slidable portion, said third link portion being rotatable relative to an apparatus main assembly and having a third connecting portion connecting said third link portion and said apparatus main assembly;
• and
• a fourth connecting portion connecting said third link portion and said first link portion, said fourth connecting portion being shorter than a length of said first link portion in a direction connecting said first connecting portion and said first moving portion,
• wherein a rotatable portion of said third link portion corresponds to an end portion on said optical print head side and is positioned between said optical print head and said fourth connecting portion.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a rotatable photosensitive drum;
• an optical print head for exposing said photosensitive drum to light;
• and
• a moving unit for moving said optical print head from a retracted position retracted from said photosensitive drum toward an exposure position closer to said photosensitive drum than the retracted position and where said photosensitive drum is exposed, said moving unit including:
• a slidable portion slidable along a rotational axis direction of said photosensitive drum;
• a first link portion provided with a first connecting portion rotatably connected to said slidable portion at one end side and provided with a first moving portion rotatably connected to said optical print head at the other end side for moving said optical print head, said first connecting portion having a rotation shaft;
• a second link portion provided with a second connecting portion rotatably connected to said slidable portion at one end side and provided with a second moving portion rotatably connected to said optical print head at the other end side for moving said optical print head, said second connecting portion having a rotation shaft;
• a third link portion which is rotatably connected to said first link portion at a position between said first connecting portion and said first moving portion so that said first moving portion and said second moving portion are moved toward said photosensitive drum by rotation of said first link portion about the rotation shaft of said first connecting portion and by rotation of said second link portion about the rotation shaft of said second connecting portion in interrelation with the slide of said slidable portion, said third link portion being rotatable relative to an apparatus main assembly;
• and
• an elastic member provided at an end portion of said third link portion on which said optical print head is located, wherein said elastic member is elastically deformable by being sandwiched by said optical print head and said third link portion in a state in which said optical print head is positioned at the exposure position.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a rotatable photosensitive drum;
• an optical print head for exposing said photosensitive drum to light;
• and
• a moving unit for moving said optical print head from a retracted position retracted from said photosensitive drum toward an exposure position closer to said photosensitive drum than the retracted position and where said photosensitive drum is exposed, said moving unit including:
• a slidable portion slidable along a rotational axis direction of said photosensitive drum;
• a first link portion provided with a first connecting portion rotatably connected to said slidable portion at one end side and provided with a first moving portion rotatably connected to said optical print head at the other end side for moving said optical print head, said first connecting portion having a rotation shaft;
• a second link portion provided with a second connecting portion rotatably connected to said slidable portion at one end side and provided with a second moving portion rotatably connected to said optical print head at the other end side for moving said optical print head, said second connecting portion having a rotation shaft;
• a third link portion which is rotatably connected to said first link portion at a position between said first connecting portion and said first moving portion so that said first moving portion and said second moving portion are moved toward said photosensitive drum by rotation of said first link portion about the rotation shaft of said first connecting portion and by rotation of said second link portion about the rotation shaft of said second connecting portion in interrelation with slide of said slidable portion, said third link portion being rotatable relative to an image forming apparatus main assembly;
• and
• an elastic member provided at one end side of said optical print head with respect to the rotational axis direction, said elastic member is elastically deformable by being sandwiched by said optical print head and an end portion of said third link portion on which said optical print head is located in a state in which said optical print head is positioned at the exposure position.