Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9448522-B2
Application number	US-201514954060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2015
Priority date	Aug 29, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

An image forming apparatus with a duplex printing function may include a closeable and openable portion. In one example, the portion may correspond to a cover of the image forming apparatus. The cover may include guiding portions configured to define a return path for duplex printing. In another example, the portion may correspond to a document reading unit including an outer casing. A portion of the outer casing may be configured to guide a recording sheet that is conveyed out of a housing of the image forming apparatus by a switchback roller. In one example, the switchback roller may convey a recording sheet to a position above an upper surface of the outer casing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a housing having a first end and a second end, the first end being opposite to the second end;
an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet, the image forming unit including a photosensitive drum;
a forward convey guide configured to guide the sheet having the image formed thereon;
a switchback roller configured to change a rotation direction thereof and convey the sheet guided by the forward convey guide selectively in a forward direction and in a reverse direction;
a switchback guide configured to guide the sheet being conveyed by the switchback roller, the switchback guide having, at an end thereof, an ejection opening through which the sheet being conveyed by the switchback roller in the forward direction is partially ejected out of the housing;
a reverse convey guide configured to guide, toward the image forming unit, the sheet being conveyed by the switchback roller in the reverse direction;
a discharge roller disposed below an upper surface of the image forming apparatus and configured to discharge, out of the housing and in a direction toward the second end of the housing, the sheet having the image formed thereon; and
a discharge tray configured to receive the sheet discharged by the discharge roller,
wherein the ejection opening of the switchback guide is positioned above the upper surface of the image forming apparatus and open toward the second end of the housing, such that the sheet partially ejected through the ejection opening is conveyed horizontally along the upper surface of the image forming apparatus toward the second end, and
wherein the switchback guide includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion disposed closer to the second end of the housing than the first guide portion, the first guide portion and the photosensitive drum being positioned on different sides of a forward convey path and the first guide portion and the photosensitive drum being positioned on a same side of a reverse feed path, and the forward convey path extending from the photosensitive drum to the ejection opening and the reverse feed path extending from the ejection opening to the photosensitive drum.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the switchback guide is disposed above the switchback roller and closer to the first end than to the second end of the housing.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the switchback guide includes a vertical portion disposed above the switchback roller, and a bent portion bent relative to the vertical portion and extending toward the second end of the housing.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first guide portion is configured to pivot relative to the housing.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a feed tray disposed below the image forming unit and configured to store sheets to be fed to the image forming unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge tray is disposed below and inclined relative to the upper surface of the image forming apparatus.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the switchback roller and the discharge roller are disposed on opposite sides relative to the image forming unit.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the discharge roller is disposed closer to the discharge tray than to the switchback roller.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a document reading unit disposed above the image forming unit.

10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a cover, wherein the upper surface of the image forming apparatus corresponds to a top surface of the cover.

Assignees

• Brother Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Shougo

Classifications

• G03G15/6579

  Refeeding path for composite copying · CPC title

• G03G21/1638

  directed to paper handling or jam treatment · CPC title

• G03G15/6552 Primary

  Means for discharging uncollated sheet copy material, e.g. discharging rollers, exit trays · CPC title

• G03G15/234 Primary

  by inverting and refeeding the image receiving material with an image on one face to the recording member to transfer a second image on its second face, e.g. by using a duplex tray; Details of duplex trays or inverters · CPC title

• G03G15/2028

  with means for handling the copy material in the fixing nip, e.g. introduction guides, stripping means · CPC title