Image forming apparatus and process cartridge removably mounted thereto

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an apparatus body;
• an image carrier;
• a plurality of image forming devices configured to form a toner image on said image carrier;
• an image transferring device configured to transfer the toner image from said image carrier to a recording medium;
• an optical writing device configured to expose said image carrier with light;
• an image forming unit removably mounted to said apparatus body and comprising at least one of said image forming devices other than said optical writing device and said image carrier;
• and
• a guide mechanism included in a case of said optical writing device and configured to guide said image forming unit when said image forming unit is mounted to or dismounted from said apparatus body.

A process cartridge removably mounted to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus, said image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier;
• a plurality of image forming devices configured to form a toner image on said image carrier;
• an image transferring device configured to transfer the toner image from said image carrier to a recording medium;
• an image forming unit removably mounted to said apparatus body and comprising said image carrier and at least one of said plurality of image forming devices;
• and
• a guide mechanism configured to guide, when said image forming unit is being mounted to or dismounted from said apparatus body, said image forming unit such that said image forming unit does not contact said image transferring device.

A process cartridge removably mounted to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus, said image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier;
• a plurality of image forming devices configured to form a toner image on said image carrier;
• an image transferring device configured to transfer the toner image from said image carrier to a recording medium;
• an optical writing device configured to expose said image carrier with light;
• an image forming unit removably mounted to said apparatus body and comprising at least one of said image forming devices other than said optical writing device and said image carrier;
• and
• a guide mechanism included in a case of said optical writing device and configured to guide said image forming unit when said image forming unit is mounted to or dismounted from said apparatus body.