Electrophotographic image forming apparatus with image bearing member contacting and being spaced from transfer member transferring a toner image from the member thereonto

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus with which an image bearing member is usable, said electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprising:

• a transfer member configured to carry a recording medium, wherein a toner image is transferred from the image bearing member to the recording medium in a state that the recording medium is carried on said transfer member;
• a first supporting member configured to support the image bearing member, said first supporting member being movable between a contact position in which the image bearing member contacts said transfer member in a state that said first supporting member supports the image bearing member and a spaced position in which the image bearing member is spaced from said transfer member in the state that said first supporting member supports the image bearing member;
• a second supporting member configured to support said first supporting member for movement in a tangent line direction which is parallel with a tangent line between the image bearing member and said transfer member as seen in an axial direction of the image bearing member, said second supporting member being movable between a first position for positioning said first supporting member at the contact position and a second position which is retracted from the first position away from said transfer member to position said first supporting member at the spaced position;
• a portion to be engaged;
• and
• an engaging portion provided in said first supporting member and engageable with said portion to be engaged to regulate movement of said first supporting member in the tangent line direction when said first supporting member is at the contact position, wherein said engaging portion is disengaged from said portion to be engaged after the image bearing member is spaced from said transfer member by movement of said first supporting member in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the axial direction and to the tangent line in a state of engagement with said portion to be engaged, when said second supporting member moves from the first position toward the second position.