Patent ID: 7467794

Claim:
A sheet conveyance release mechanism, comprising: a horizontal conveyance guide unit having a movable guide unit, and a fixed guide unit disposed adjacent to the movable guide unit, for conveying a sheet in a substantially horizontal direction; a vertical conveyance guide unit for conveying the sheet in a substantially vertical direction; a conveyance guide movement unit for moving the movable guide unit from a first position adjacent to the fixed guide unit in a horizontal direction, to a second position either under or over the fixed guide unit to overlap with the fixed guide unit, and separating the vertical conveyance guide unit from a guide surface facing the vertical conveyance guide unit, a flapper for switching a conveyance path of the sheet conveyed between the horizontal conveyance guide unit and the vertical conveyance guide unit, and a link member for rotating the flapper in an upward direction, wherein the link member includes a predetermined gear and is pivotally supported such that said predetermined gear is capable of separating from an opposingly arranged and meshed gear of a plurality of gears for transmitting drive force to convey the sheet.