Patent ID: 8346153
Filing Date: 2013-01-01
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus that forms an image on both sides of a recording sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body; an image forming unit, which comprises a process cartridge which is configured to be removably mounted to the apparatus main body and which comprises an image carrier carrying a developer image, the image forming unit configured to form an image by transferring the developer image carried by the image carrier onto the recording sheet at an image forming position; a recording sheet accommodating unit, which is provided downward of the image forming unit, and which accommodates the recording sheet; a feeding path that guides the recording sheet conveyed from the recording sheet accommodating unit to the image forming position; a conveyance roller, which is provided in the feeding path at a position upstream of the image carrier and without rollers therebetween, which regulates movement of a leading end of the recording sheet, and which conveys the recording sheet to the image forming position; a discharge path that guides the recording sheet ejected from the image forming unit to outside of the apparatus main body; a discharge roller, which is provided in the discharge path, which is rotatable normally and reversely, and which discharges the recording sheet to the outside of the apparatus main body when the discharge roller normally rotates; and a reverse feeding path, by which the recording sheet is guided when the discharge roller reversely rotates, and which reverses the recording sheet so as to guide the recording sheet to be joined again with the feeding path, wherein the reverse feeding path is joined with the feeding path at a joining position between the image carrier and the conveyance roller, wherein a bottom surface of the process cartridge forms a top of the feeding path from after the conveyance roller through the image forming position such that when the recording sheet returns to the feeding path from the reverse feeding path, the sheet abuts against and is guided by an arc-shaped guide face of the bottom surface of the process cartridge, and wherein the reverse feeding path is configured to feed the recording sheet, which is transmitted through the reverse feeding path, to the image forming position without any roller regulating the movement of the leading end of the recording sheet.