Image forming apparatus, image forming structure body and attachment method

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming structure body that is replaceable, that forms at least a part of appearance of the image forming apparatus, and that includes elements for image formation;
• at least any one of a recording medium transporting structure body that forms at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus and that includes elements for transporting a recording medium to the image forming structure body, and an output recording medium transporting structure body that forms at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus and that transports, to an output port, a recording medium outputted from the image forming structure body;
• and
• a connection structure body that forms at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus, and that is electrically connected to structure bodies,
• the connection structure body and at least any one of the recording medium transporting structure body and the output recording medium transporting structure body being attachable to each other in a state where the image forming structure body is not attached,
• the image forming structure body being in contact with at least three surfaces of the connection structure body and at least any one of the recording medium transporting structure body and the output recording medium transporting structure body, the three surfaces being adjacent to each other, and the image forming structure body being attachable in a state where the connection structure body and at least any one of the recording medium transporting structure body and the output recording medium transporting structure body have been attached to each other.

An image forming structure body comprising:

• a case structure that forms at least a part of appearance of an image forming apparatus to which the image forming structure body is attached;
• a plurality of image forming portions that are provided in the case structure, that each include an image carrier, a charging portion and a developing portion in the case structure, that are electrically connected to a first external structure body attached to the image forming apparatus so as to be in contact with the case structure and to form at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus by being coupled with the first external structure body, and that are driven;
• an alignment mechanism that aligns and transports a recording medium to the plurality of image forming portions, the recording medium obtained from a second external structure body attached to the image forming apparatus so as to be in contact with the case structure and to form at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus;
• and
• a fixing portion that fixes a recording medium subjected to image formation in the plurality of image forming portions, and outputs the recording medium to a third external structure body attached to the image forming apparatus so as to be in contact with the case structure and to form at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus,
• the image forming structure body being attachable to the image forming apparatus by sliding with respect to the image forming apparatus into which the first external structure body, the second external structure body and the third external structure body are incorporated.

An attachment method for an image forming apparatus including an image forming structure body that is replaceable, that forms at least a part of appearance of the image forming apparatus, and that includes elements for image formation;

• a recording medium transporting structure body that forms at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus, and that includes elements for transporting a recording medium to the image forming structure body;
• an output recording medium transporting structure body that forms at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus, and that transports, to an output port, a recording medium outputted from the image forming structure body;
• and a connection structure body that forms at least a part of the appearance of the image forming apparatus, and that is electrically connected to structure bodies, the attachment method comprising:
• causing the recording medium transporting structure body, the output recording medium transporting structure body and the connection structure body to be adjacent to each other, and attaching the recording medium transporting structure body, the output recording medium transporting structure body and the connection structure body to each other in a state where the image forming structure body is not attached;
• and
• causing the image forming structure body to be in contact with at least three surfaces included in surfaces of the recording medium transporting structure body, the output recording medium transporting structure body and the connection structure body, the surfaces being adjacent to each other, and attaching the image forming structure body in a state where the recording medium transporting structure body, the output recording medium transporting structure body and the connection structure body have been attached to each other.