Patent ID: 7306217

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a paper feed tray that is attached to an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus so as to be freely opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body and that is opened to a position for holding a sheet of paper thereon when the image forming apparatus is used, wherein the paper feed tray includes: a plate portion on which the sheet of paper is placed; a pair of left and right side walls extending upward from two sides of the plate portion to be substantially perpendicular to the plate portion; a pair of left and right supported portions that are formed on outer surfaces of the side walls and are rotatably supported on the apparatus body by pivot shafts extending in a substantially horizontal direction substantially perpendicular to a paper feed direction; and a pair of left and right contact portions formed on inner surfaces of the side walls so that, when the paper feed tray is in the closed position, the contact portions are almost in contact with portions of side faces of an internal member that is disposed inside the apparatus body and positioned between the pair of side walls when the paper feed tray is in the closed position, wherein, when a force acts on the paper feed tray in the closed position to bend inward the side walls of the paper feed tray, the contact portions are pressed against the portions of the side faces of the internal member so as to stop the inward bending of the side walls.