Sheet discharge device with cooling mechanism, image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a sheet discharge device that includes:
• a discharge conveyance path that communicates with a discharge port through which a sheet having passed through a fixing portion is discharged, the sheet having a toner image transferred thereon and heated in the fixing portion;
• a pair of discharge rollers configured to convey the sheet along the discharge conveyance path and discharge the sheet from the discharge port;
• a side wall extending downward from the discharge port;
• a sheet stacking tray extending from the side wall in a sheet discharge direction in which the sheet is discharged by the pair of discharge rollers, the sheet stacking tray allowing the sheet discharged from the discharge port to be stacked thereon;
• a first fan disposed below the discharge conveyance path and configured to blow air toward the discharge conveyance path;
• and
• a second fan disposed above the discharge port and configured to blow air from above the discharge port toward the sheet stacking tray;
• a housing;
• a sheet supply portion configured to supply the sheet;
• an image forming portion located in the housing and configured to form a toner image on the sheet supplied from the sheet supply portion;
• the fixing portion located upstream of the sheet discharge device in the housing;
• and
• a duct disposed above the discharge conveyance path to extend in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction, the duct communicating with an air intake opening formed in an outer surface of the housing, and communicating with the second fan, wherein
• the second fan includes:
• a second air intake port communicating with the air intake opening via the duct to take in air from the air intake opening;
• and
• a second air exhaust port configured to exhaust air,
• the second fan takes in air from the second air intake port, and blows air to the sheet stacking tray via the second air exhaust port,
• the duct includes a bottom plate that forms a lower surface of the duct, and
• the bottom plate is configured to form an upper surface of the discharge conveyance path, and serves as an upper-surface sheet guide that guides an upper surface of the sheet that passes through the discharge conveyance path.