Patent ID: 8870328
Filing Date: 2014-10-28
Classification: B41J,B65H,G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a sheet feed conveying unit having an outlet for a recording medium on one side; a plurality of image forming units having an inlet for the recording medium on one side and an outlet for the recording medium on the other side; and a sheet eject conveying unit having an inlet for the recording medium on one side, wherein: the sheet feed conveying unit, the plurality of image forming units, and the sheet eject conveying unit are arranged along a conveying direction of the recording medium; the outlet of the sheet feed conveying unit matches the inlet of the image forming unit at a most upstream side of a recording medium conveying direction; the outlet of the image forming unit at an upstream side of the recording medium conveying direction matches the inlet of the image forming unit at a downstream side of the recording medium conveying direction; the outlet of the image forming unit at a most downstream side of the recording medium conveying direction matches the inlet of the sheet eject conveying unit; the sheet feed conveying unit, the plural of the image forming units, and the sheet eject conveying unit are connected to each other in a separable manner; and a conveyance trajectory of the recording medium formed by the plurality of the image forming units forms a single circular arc shape having a middle portion protruding upward, wherein the conveyance trajectory of the recording medium formed by the sheet feed conveying unit and the sheet eject conveying unit in addition to the plurality of the image forming units forms a single circular arc shape having a middle portion protruding upward.