Image forming apparatus with metal transport chute and resin support frame

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming unit which is configured to form an image on a recording sheet;

a housing which accommodates the image forming unit and includes a sheet feed opening for feeding a recording sheet to the image forming unit;

a tray which is configured to accommodate a recording sheet;

a feed member which is configured to rotate while pressing a recording sheet fed through the sheet feed opening to apply a transport force to the recording sheet;

a friction member provided to oppose the feed member, and configured to contact the recording sheet from a side opposite to the feed member to apply a transport resistance to the recording sheet, thereby separating a plurality of stacked recording sheets;

a support frame which is formed of resin and supports the friction member and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to a pressing direction of a pressing force by the feed member to receive the pressing force;

a transport chute which is formed of metal and includes a guide part extending along a width direction of a recording sheet transported from the tray in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the support frame so as to contact the recording sheet fed from the tray to guide the recording sheet toward the image forming unit; and

a reinforcing frame which is formed of metal and is mounted on the support frame from a side opposite to the friction member and extends in parallel with the support frame.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein a guide direction of a recording sheet by the guide part of the transport chute intersects a transport direction of a recording sheet by the feed member when viewed from the width direction of the recording sheet, and

wherein the reinforcing frame is formed integrally with the transport chute.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 ,

wherein the reinforcing frame includes a pressing force receiving portion provided at a part corresponding to the friction member, and openings provided on both sides in the width direction with the pressing force receiving portion interposed therebetween, and

wherein the transport chute and the reinforcing frame are formed integrally by pressing and bending a single plate member, and parts of the plate member corresponding to the openings are bent to form at least a part of the guide part.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the guide part is formed with a bent portion at an upstream end thereof in a transport direction of the recording sheet fed from the tray, the bent portion being bent toward a side opposite to a surface of the guide part to contact with the recording sheet.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the bent portion is formed continuously over an entire region in the width direction.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an upstream end of the guide part in a transport direction of the sheet fed from the tray is inclined at both ends of the guide part in the width direction with respect to the transport direction when viewed from a thickness direction of the recording sheet transported in the transport chute.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein an area of the guide part expands toward the both ends from a center thereof in the width direction.