Patent ID: 11919737
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 5:
6. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a storage unit configured to store a sheet;
a feeding unit configured to feed the sheet stored in the storage unit;
a separation unit configured to separate sheets fed by the feeding unit one by one, wherein the separation unit is detachable from the image forming apparatus;
an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet separated one by one by the separation unit;
a conveyance unit located on a downstream side of the separation unit in a sheet conveyance direction and above the separation unit and configured to convey the sheet;
a guide member located on the downstream side of the separation unit in the sheet conveyance direction and above the separation unit and configured to form a conveyance path to guide the sheet toward the conveyance unit, wherein the guide member is configured to rotate about a first rotating shaft;
an urging member configured to urge the guide member; and
an opening and closing member configured to face the guide member and to be opened and closed with respect to a main body unit of the image forming apparatus,
wherein, in a state in which the opening and closing member is closed with respect to the main body unit, the guide member is positioned in a first position in which the guide member forms the conveyance path,
wherein, in a process in which the opening and closing member is opened, a free end of the guide member moves, by using an urging force of the urging member, from the first position to a second position above the first position and, when the free end of the guide member is positioned at the second position, the free end of the guide member is positioned farther from the separation unit with respect to a horizontal direction than the free end of the guide member positioned at the first position,
wherein the free end of the guide member, when positioned at the first position, is at a position that interferes with an attachment/detachment locus of the separation unit,
wherein the free end of the guide member, when positioned at the second position, is at a position that does not interfere with the attachment/detachment locus of the separation unit,
wherein the conveyance unit includes a first roller and a second roller configured to form a conveyance nip portion with the first roller, and
wherein the second roller is configured to rotate about a second rotating shaft, and the second rotating shaft and the first rotating shaft partially overlap when viewed from an axial direction of the first rotating shaft.