Patent ID: 7596341

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a front cover; a sheet storage tray that stores sheets; a first frame; a second frame, wherein the first frame is movable relative to the second frame; a belt provided in the second frame; a third frame, wherein the second frame is movable relative to the third frame; a plurality of process units arranged in the third frame, the plurality of process units being aligned along the length of and opposite to the belt; a sheet discharge tray; a first transport path between the first frame and the second frame that transports a sheet from the storage tray to the sheet discharge tray, the first transport path being between the first frame and the second frame; a fixing unit being outside of the first transport path; and a second transport path between the front cover and the first frame that transports the sheet from the sheet discharge tray to the first transport path during double-sided printing; wherein the image forming apparatus is structured to have: a first state where the front cover, the first frame and the second frame are closed, a second state where the front cover is opened and the first frame and the second frame are closed, a third state where the front cover and the first frame are opened and the second frame is closed, a fourth state where the front cover, the first frame and the second frame are opened.