Patent ID: 8454014

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an apparatus main body for performing an image forming process on a sheet; an internal discharge portion formed in the apparatus main body as an internal space with an opening exposed to the outside and capable of storing a sheet after the image forming process; a discharge opening provided in the apparatus main body to face the internal space and adapted to discharge a sheet to the internal discharge portion; a post-processing unit to be attached later to the apparatus main body, including a receiving opening for sheets and adapted to apply a specified post processing to a received sheet; and a junction unit to be assembled into the internal discharge portion and adapted to convey a sheet from the discharge opening to the receiving opening; wherein: the junction unit includes a first guide member having a first guide surface for guiding a sheet, a second guide member having a second guide surface facing the first guide member at a predetermined distance therefrom, and a supporting member for supporting the second guide member by a rotatable supporting portion and a holding member provided on the first guide member for holding the supporting member; the supporting member has a facing surface facing the first guide surface and has the rotatable supporting portion arranged on the facing surface; and the rotatable supporting portion is arranged in a maximum sheet conveyance area where sheets of a maximum size out of sheets to be conveyed in a sheet conveyance path formed by the first and second guide surfaces pass, the supporting portion lying entirely in the maximum sheet conveyance area in both a sheet conveyance direction and in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction.