Patent ID: 6275676
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus comprising:electrophotographic image forming means for forming a toner image on a sheet;fixing means for fixing the toner image formed on the sheet by heating the toner image;sheet supply means for supplying sheets to said image forming means;sheet supporting means for supporting sheets on which an image has been formed on a first surface; andre-convey means for returning sheets supported on the sheet supporting means to said image forming means to form an image on second surfaces of the sheets supported on the sheet supporting means;wherein the sheets returned to the image forming means by said re-convey means and the sheets conveyed by said sheet supply means are conveyed to the image forming means alternately; anda sheet interval when sheets are alternately conveyed to said image forming means by said sheet supply means and said re-convey means is selected to be smaller than a sheet interval when sheets are continuously conveyed to said image forming means to form images on only one surface of each of the sheets.