Image forming apparatus including image forming unit drawable from apparatus main body

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit including an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed and a developing device which includes a developing member developing the electrostatic latent image and movable in a developing position where the developing member is in contact with the image carrier and a separated position where the developing member is separated away from the image carrier, and configured to be drawn out from an apparatus main body;
• and
• a developing separation mechanism which moves the developing device from the developing position to the separated position, wherein
• the developing separation mechanism includes an arm member configured to interfere with the developing device from a downstream side of a draw-out direction so as to move the developing device from the developing position to the separated position, and to be turned to an upstream side of the draw-out direction by the image forming unit when the image forming unit is drawn out and then be separated from the developing device,
• the image forming unit includes:
• a side plate by which the developing device is turnably supported;
• an interference protrusion provided in the developing device;
• and
• a boss provided on the side plate, and
• the arm member includes:
• a separation arm rotatable in an initial posture for moving the developing device from the developing position to the separated position by abutting on the interference protrusion from the downstream side in the draw-out direction of the image forming unit, and in a retreating posture separated from the interference protrusion to the upstream side in the draw-out direction, and
• a retreat arm rotatable together with the separation arm and configured to be abut against the boss, wherein
• when the image forming unit is drawn out from the apparatus main body, the boss abuts against the retreat arm and turns the retreat arm to the upstream side in the draw-out direction, so that the separation arm is turned from the initial posture to the retreat posture together with the retreat arm.