Patent ID: 7356303
Filing Date: 2008-04-08
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming portion to form a transferred toner image on a sheet; a fixing device to fix the formed transferred toner image to the sheet by heating; a conveying path switching member to switch a conveying direction of the sheet, the conveying path switching member being provided on a downstream side of the fixing device in a sheet conveying direction; a pair of guide members adjacent the conveying path switching member and the pair of guide members upstream of a pivot point of the conveying path switching member; a first conveying path having a first curved portion to eject the sheet out of the image forming apparatus, the first conveying path being provided on a downstream side of the conveying path switching member in the sheet conveying direction; a second conveying path having a second curved portion to reverse and convey the sheet, the second conveying path being provided on a downstream side of the conveying path switching member in the sheet conveying direction; and a control unit to control a driving of the conveying path switching member, wherein the first curved portion and the second curved portion are curved in an opposite direction to each other with respect to the sheet conveying direction, the conveying path switching member is provided on an upstream side of the first curved portion and the second curved portion in the sheet conveying direction, and the control unit controls driving of the conveying path switching member to switch a position of the conveying path switching member during conveying the sheet, to form a bent conveying path by the conveying path switching member and one of the pair of guide members and to apply a curl to the sheet by making the one of the pair of guide members contact the sheet.