Patent ID: 7505714
Filing Date: 2009-03-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. An image forming device comprising: an ink-jet printing part forming an image on a recording sheet by performing an ink-jet printing process using ink; a carriage holding the ink-jet printing part and being arranged to be movable in a main scanning direction; a sheet feeding part feeding the recording sheet to a printing position where the image is formed on the recording sheet by the ink-jet printing part; a sheet reversing part arranged along a substantially horizontal and straight conveyance passage of the recording sheet extending from a downstream position of the ink-jet printing part, the sheet reversing part conveying the recording sheet along the substantially horizontal and straight conveyance passage, inverting the recording sheet so that an image-printed side of the recording sheet faces down, and ejecting the inverted recording sheet to a sheet ejection tray, wherein the sheet reversing part includes a guide plate and a sheet ejection cover, the guide plate forming the substantially horizontal and straight conveyance passage and guiding conveyance of the recording sheet in a part of the conveyance passage from the ink-jet printing part to the sheet ejection cover, the sheet ejection cover including a curved guide inverting the recording sheet upside down; a sheet ejection part provided above the ink-jet printing part and the guide plate, and stacking the recording sheet with the image being formed by the ink-jet printing part, which is inverted by the sheet ejection cover; and an image reading part provided above the sheet ejection part and reading an image of an original document, Wherein the sheet ejection part includes at least a conveyance cover which is capable of being opened or closed to the sheet ejection part, and a part of the conveyance passage corresponding to the guide plate is opened to the outside of the image forming device by opening the conveyance cover, wherein the conveyance cover is a double-doored cover having first and second plate members, a first shaft fixed to a bottom of the sheet ejection part, and a second shaft between the first and second plate members, one end of the first plate member pivotably supported on the sheet ejection part bottom by the first shaft, one end of the second plate member pivotably supported on the other end of the first plate member by the second shaft, and when the conveyance cover is opened and folded up in a folded condition, the ink-jet printing part and a part of the conveyance passage adjacent to the ink-jet printing part are accessible.