Patent ID: 8634757

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming portion provided in an image forming apparatus main body; an image forming transport passage for transporting paper having an image transferred thereon at the image forming portion to a fixing portion; an ejection transport passage for transporting paper having an image fixed thereon to an ejection portion; a reverse transport passage having a reverse roller for switching back paper having an image formed on one side thereof; a return transport passage for transporting paper turned upside down through the reverse transport passage to the image forming portion; a branch transport passage branching off the ejection transport passage and having at least one transport roller for transporting paper to the reverse transport passage; a double-side transport unit including: the reverse transport passage; the return transport passage; and a reverse introduction passage extending, from a downstream side, with respect to the reverse roller, of the branch transport passage, to the reverse transport passage, the double-side transport unit being capable of being taken out of or put in the apparatus main body only in an axial direction of the transport roller; and a side panel for holding the transport roller at an end of the transport roller in the axial direction of the transport roller, wherein the side panel is fitted to the apparatus main body and has a cut portion which is formed substantially in a same shape as the transport passage of the branch transport passage to be wide enough for paper to pass therethrough in the axial direction of the transport roller, and the cut portion allows a rear end portion of paper remaining at the downstream side of the transport roller to pass therethrough when the double-side transport unit is pulled in the axial direction of the transport roller out of the apparatus main body to clear paper jam in the double-side transport unit.