Patent ID: 6094561
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: B65H,G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus comprising:an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet;a convey path for conveying the sheet conveyed from said image forming portion to a discharge portion;a re-supply convey path branched from a branch portion provided in said convey path and adapted to supply the sheet to said image forming portion again;a switching means disposed at said branch portion and adapted to switch a path through which the sheet is conveyed to said convey path or said re-supply convey path;a plurality of convey means provided at a plurality of positions in said re-supply convey path;a surface-reversing and discharging means for returning the sheet entered into said re-supply convey path to said convey path by switching conveying direction of said convey means and for discharging the sheet from said discharge portion through said convey path while surface-reversing the sheet;characterized in that some of said plurality of convey means can be retracted from said re-supply convey path to positions where the retracted convey means do not convey the sheet, and that said surface-reversing and discharging means causes said convey means to retract from said re-supply convey path in accordance with a length of the sheet to be surface-reversed in a conveying direction.