Patent ID: 8233837

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a recording sheet at an image forming position; a regulating roller configured to regulate movement of a leading end of the recording sheet and conveys convey the recording sheet to the image forming position; a supply path configured to supply the recording sheet conveyed from the regulating roller to the image forming position; an inversion path that is configured to merge with a position on the supply path between the regulating roller and the image forming position, the inversion path inverting a course of the recording sheet by guiding the recording sheet conveyed from the image forming unit while bending the recording sheet and causing the recording sheet to merge with the supply path, thereby guiding the inverted recording sheet into the supply path in a reverse direction, a return path that is configured on an opposite side of the regulating roller from the supply path to return the recording sheet to the supply path; a control unit configured to control a rotation of the regulating roller in a feed rotational direction and a return rotational direction opposite to the feed rotational direction; wherein the control unit rotates the regulating roller in the return rotational direction to convey the inverted recording sheet into the return path, and rotates the regulating roller in the feed rotational direction to convey the recording sheet to the image forming position; a recording sheet accommodating unit configured to accommodate recording sheets; a recording sheet discharging unit into which the recording sheet conveyed from the image forming unit is discharged; a feed path configured to invert the recording sheet fed from the recording sheet accommodating unit by bending the recording sheet and guide the inverted recording sheet to the regulating roller; a discharge path configured to invert the recording sheet conveyed from the image forming unit by bending the recording sheet and guide the recording sheet to the recording sheet discharging unit; and a main body casing which houses the image forming unit, wherein the recording sheet accommodating unit, the image forming unit, and the recording sheet discharging unit are arranged in order; the image forming unit comprises a cartridge that is detachably attached to the main body casing; and the cartridge comprises a cartridge-side return path comprising at least a portion of the return path.