Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus with a duplex printing function may include a closeable and openable portion. In one example, the portion may correspond to a cover of the image forming apparatus. The cover may include guiding portions configured to define a return path for duplex printing. In another example, the portion may correspond to a document reading unit including an outer casing. A portion of the outer casing may be configured to guide a recording sheet that is conveyed out of a housing of the image forming apparatus by a switchback roller. In one example, the switchback roller may convey a recording sheet to a position above an upper surface of the outer casing.
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a housing having a first end and a second end, the first end being opposite to the second end;
a photosensitive drum;
a developing roller configured to develop a developing agent image on the photosensitive drum;
a fixing unit configured to thermally fix the developing agent image onto a recording sheet;
a feed tray disposed below the developing roller and configured to store the recording sheet;
a feed roller configured to feed the recording sheet from the feed tray to the photosensitive drum;
a discharge roller disposed below an upper surface of the image forming apparatus and configured to discharge, out of the housing and in a direction toward the second end of the housing, the recording sheet having the developing agent image fixed thereon;
a discharge tray configured to receive the recording sheet discharged by the discharge roller;
a switchback roller configured to convey the recording sheet having the developing agent image fixed thereon out of the housing and into the housing; and
a sheet guide comprising a vertical portion disposed above the switchback roller and closer to the first end than to the second end of the housing, and a bent portion bent relative to the vertical portion, the bent portion extending toward the second end of the housing and the discharge tray and to a position above the upper surface of the image forming apparatus,
wherein the vertical portion defines a first portion of a sheet conveyance path from the switchback roller to the bent portion, the bent portion defining a second portion of the sheet conveyance path extending between the first portion of the sheet conveyance path and the upper surface of the image forming apparatus, and the switchback roller being configured to convey the recording sheet received by the upper surface of the image forming apparatus into the housing, and
wherein the sheet guide is disposed away from a feed path defined between the feed roller and the photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum and the sheet guide are positioned on different sides of a forward feed path and the photosensitive drum and the sheet guide are positioned on a same side of a reverse feed path, the forward feed path extending from the photosensitive drum to the bent portion and the reverse feed path extending form the bent portion to the photosensitive drum.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the feed tray is configured to slide outwardly from the housing in a sliding direction, and the sheet guide is disposed upstream of the upper surface of the image forming apparatus in the sliding direction.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge tray is disposed below and inclined relative to the upper surface of the image forming apparatus.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the discharge roller and the switchback roller are disposed on opposite sides of the developing roller.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a direction in which the discharge roller discharges the recording sheet and a direction in which the bent portion of the sheet guide guides the recording sheet toward the upper surface of the image forming apparatus are opposite to a feeding direction in which the feed roller feeds the recording sheet from the feed tray.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge roller is disposed closer to the discharge tray than to the switchback roller.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover, wherein the upper surface of the image forming apparatus corresponds to a top surface of the cover.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the sheet guide is movable relative to the cover.