Patent ID: 8406666

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an electrophotographic imaging unit to form a toner image on a recording medium for forwarding to a media conveyance path; a fixing unit disposed along the conveyance path to fix the toner image in place on the recording medium, the fixing unit having a pair of fixing members, at least one being heated and at least one being pressed against the other one of the pair, to define a fixing nip through which the recording medium is passed under heat and pressure; a conveyance unit disposed downstream of the fixing unit along the conveyance path to forward the recording medium from the fixing nip; and a guide assembly disposed between the fixing unit and the conveyance unit along the conveyance path to guide the recording medium therethrough, the guide assembly including: a pair of first and second media guide members to form a tapered passageway therebetween narrowing from upstream to downstream along the conveyance path to pass the recording medium from the fixing nip into the conveyance unit, the first guide member defining a substantially smooth, first guide surface to face a printed side of the recording medium on which the toner image is formed, the second guide member defining a second guide surface to face a back side opposite the printed side of the recording medium, wherein the conveyance unit comprises a glossing device that processes the recording medium with heat and pressure to gloss the toner image after fixing.