Patent ID: 8042931

Claim:
An image forming apparatus that prints an image on a sheet, the image forming apparatus comprising: means for conveying the sheet in a predetermined direction; means for recording the sheet with a head of an ink jet system; means for stacking the sheet before printing and storing the sheet in a sheet stacking unit; means for conveying the sheet from the sheet stacking unit via a first conveying path below the recording head; means for conveying the sheet from the first conveying path to the recording head side via a second conveying path while reversing the sheet; means for conveying the sheet from the first conveying path to a temporary storing unit via a third conveying path in a state in which a front-to-rear surface of the sheet is maintained; means for conveying the sheet from the temporary storing unit to the recording head side via a fourth conveying path in a state in which the front-to-rear surface of the sheet is maintained; means for switching a conveying direction of the sheet fed from the first conveying path between the second conveying path and the third conveying path; and means for guiding the sheet fed from the second conveying path or the third conveying path to the fourth conveying path side.