Motherboard mounting structure, image forming apparatus and method for performing the same

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image formation device to form an image on a recording medium;
• and
• at least one motherboard mounting structure including,
• a first board at least having a first connector,
• a second board having a second connector electrically connected directly to the first connector of the first board, the second board including an external terminal connectable to an external device, the external terminal being inserted through an external terminal insertion opening formed on an orthogonal surface of a mainframe orthogonal to a surface of the second board,
• a mount to which the first and second boards are attached,
• a first bracket to hold the first board,
• a second bracket to hold the second board,
• a first guiding hole formed on one of the first bracket and the mount, the guiding hole extending perpendicular to the orthogonal surface of the mainframe,
• a first guiding projection formed on the other one of the first bracket and the mount to be inserted into the first guiding hole,
• a second guiding hole formed on one of the second bracket and the mount, the guiding hole extending perpendicular to the orthogonal surface of the mainframe, and
• a second guiding projection formed on the other one of the second bracket and the mount to be inserted into the second guiding hole, wherein
• the second board is attached to the mount with the external terminal protruding from the external terminal insertion opening, and
• the first and second boards are slidably attached in a prescribed direction to separate from the orthogonal surface of the mainframe.

A method for detaching a first board at least having a first connector and a second board having a second connector electrically connected directly to the first connector of the first board from a mount provided in a motherboard mounting structure to which the first and second boards are attached,

• the second board including an external terminal connectable to an external device, the external terminal being inserted through an external terminal insertion opening formed on an orthogonal surface of a mainframe orthogonal to a surface of the second board, the second board being attached to the mount with the external terminal protruding from the external terminal insertion opening,
• the motherboard mounting structure including a first bracket to hold the first board, a second bracket to hold the second board, a first guiding hole formed on one of the first bracket and the mount, the guiding hole extending perpendicular to the orthogonal surface of the mainframe, a first guiding projection formed on the other one of the first bracket and the mount to be inserted into the first guiding hole, a second guiding hole formed on one of the second bracket and the mount, the guiding hole extending perpendicular to the orthogonal surface of the mainframe, and a second guiding projection formed on the other one of the second bracket and the mount to be inserted into the second guiding hole, the method comprising:
• opening a front cover at the front;
• exposing the first and second boards;
• sliding the first and second boards in a direction perpendicular to the orthogonal surface of the mainframe to separate those therefrom;
• and
• detaching one of the first and second boards at the front.