Patent ID: 7840172

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: at least one paper feeding section for storing a recording medium; a black-and-white image forming section for forming a black-and-white image on a recording medium; a color image forming section for forming a color image on a recording medium; a first and second paper output sections each for receiving a recording medium bearing an image formed in any one of the image forming sections; a main transport path that leads from the paper feeding section and runs through the image forming sections; a first and second paper output paths that branch from an end of the main transport path into the respective first and second paper output sections; and a subsidiary transport path that branches from a midway branching point of the second paper output path and joins a point of the main transport path upstream with respect to the image forming sections, wherein any one of the image forming sections selectively forms an image on a recording medium being transported on the main transport path, wherein the first paper output path transports a recording medium in forward and reverse directions, and wherein the image forming apparatus further comprises: a first switching gate mounted at the end of the main transport path, the first switching gate selectively allowing a recording medium to pass through any one of between the main transport path and the first paper output path, between the main transport path and the second paper output path, and between the first and second paper output paths; and a second switching gate mounted at the branching point, the second switching gate selectively allowing passage of a recording medium from the second paper output path toward the second paper output section or toward the subsidiary transport path.