Abstract

A holder device for handling a replaceable image carrier of an image forming apparatus. A photoconductive element mounted in an electrophotographic copier or similar apparatus and to which toner adheres can be dismounted and replaced with a new photoconductive element with ease and without touching it. A box-like holder has receiving sections for accommodating the old and new photoconductive elements individually. The receiving sections are each provided with guide slots for grasping and guiding opposite ends of a shaft on which a photoconductive element is mounted and openings each being contiguous with a respective one of the guide slots, said guide slots and openings being formed through each of opposite end walls of a housing of the holder device. Lugs are provided on the end walls of the housing to cancel the restraint of restraining members which prevent the ends of a shaft of a photoconductive element from slipping out of the copier, as the holder is sequentially moved into the copier.