Image-forming apparatus having an erase device located at a first or second position when the apparatus is in an opened or closed position

An image-forming apparatus comprising:

• a first unit having a passage for a copy paper;
• a second unit having an exposure means and opening and closing with respect to said first unit;
• an image-forming unit having, at least, a photosensitive member, a developing means for making developer adhere on an electrostatic latent image on the member to form a visible image, and a housing surrounding the member and the developing means, the housing having an opening for connecting with an outer surface of the member;
• an eraser means arranged at said second unit to erase unnecessary electric charge on the member,
• a holding means attached to said second unit and holding said image-forming unit at one of a first position capable of detaching said image-forming unit from said second unit when said second unit is opened and a second position incapable of detaching said image-forming unit therefrom when said second unit is closed, said holding means positioned at the first position being outside the opening of the housing of said image-forming unit and said holding means positioned at the second position being in the opening thereof.

An image-forming apparatus with a two-part type of body thereof, the apparatus comprising:

• a first unit which is one part of the body;
• a second unit opening and closing with respect to said first unit, which is the other part of the body;
• a holding means pivotably attached to said second unit;
• an image-forming unit having, at least, a photosensitive member, a charging device, and a cleaning device, said image-forming unit having a passage formed between the charging device and the cleaning device, which connects the outside of said image-forming unit with a circumferential surface of the member, said image-forming unit being detachably attached to said holding means;
• and
• an eraser means arranged at said second unit and having a light emitting element for inserting into the passage when said second unit is closed after said image-forming unit is attached to said holding means of said second unit so as to closely confront with the circumferential surface of the member to erase unnecessary electric charge on the surface of the member.

In an image-forming apparatus comprising a first unit having at least a part of a copy paper transporting means, and a second unit having an exposure means and opening and closing with respect to the first unit, a method comprising the steps of:

• detachably attaching an image-forming unit to the second unit, the image-forming unit having, at least, a photosensitive member and a developing means therein;
• providing an opening for connecting with an outer surface of the member in the image-forming unit;
• fixedly attaching an eraser means to the second unit;
• holding the first unit at a first position when the second unit is opened, where the eraser means is confronted with the opening of the image-forming unit;
• and
• moving the first unit to a second position when the second unit is closed, where the eraser means is positioned in the opening thereof.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image-forming unit including at least a photosensitive member, a developing means for making developer adhere on an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member to form a visible image, and a housing surrounding the photosensitive member and the developing means, said housing having an opening for connecting with an outer surface of the photosensitive member;
• and
• eraser means for erasing unnecessary electric charge on the photosensitive member;
• the image forming unit and the eraser means being relatively movable between a first positional relation wherein the image-forming unit is apart from the eraser means to be detached from the image-forming apparatus and a second positional relation wherein the eraser means is inserted into the opening of the image-forming unit so that the image forming apparatus is operable.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first unit and a second unit attachable to said first unit, the image forming apparatus being in operation when the second unit is attached to the first unit and being out of operation when the second unit is detached from the first unit;
• an image-forming cartridge accommodated in the second unit and including at least a photosensitive member, a developing means for making developer adhere on an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member to form a visible image, and a housing surrounding the photosensitive member and the developing means, said housing having an opening for connecting with an outer surface of the photosensitive member;
• and
• eraser means for erasing unnecessary electric charge on the photosensitive member, said eraser means being inserted into said opening of the housing of the image-forming cartridge in interlocking relation with attachment to the first unit of the second unit and retracting from the opening in interlocking relation with detachment from the first unit of the second unit.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first unit and a second unit opening and closing with respect to said first unit;
• an image-forming cartridge accommodated in said second unit including at least a photosensitive member, a developing means for making developer adhere on an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member to form a visible image, and a housing surrounding the photosensitive member and the developing means, said housing having an opening for connecting with an outer surface of the photosensitive member;
• eraser means accommodated in the second unit for erasing unnecessary electric charge on the photosensitive member;
• and
• moving means for moving the eraser means relative to the image-forming cartridge so as to be inserted into said opening of the housing of the image-forming cartridge when the second unit is closed and to be outside of the opening of the first unit when the second unit is opened.