Sheet conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus

A sheet conveying apparatus comprising:

• a conveying unit that includes a conveying guide configured to guide a sheet, the conveying unit being able to be pulled out in a pulling-out direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction;
• and
• a passing-over unit configured to pass the sheet over to and from the conveying guide of the conveying unit, the passing-over unit including a rotation central shaft and a conveying guide configured to guide the sheet and to be rotatable around the rotation central shaft, the passing-over unit being arranged on an upstream side or a downstream side of the conveying unit in the sheet conveying direction,
• wherein the passing-over unit is configured to be switched by rotation between a first position and a second position, the sheet is passed over in the first position of the passing-over unit, the conveying guide of the passing-over unit overlaps with the conveying guide of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction when the passing-over unit is in the first position, and the conveying guide of the passing-over unit does not overlap with the conveying guide of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction when the passing-over unit is in the second position,
• wherein a stopper member is provided, which is configured to restrict a movement of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction when the passing-over unit is in the first position, and the restriction by the stopper member to restrict the movement of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction is released when the passing-over unit is in the second position,
• wherein the sheet conveying apparatus includes a rotation restricting member that restricts rotation of the passing-over unit by engaging with the passing-over unit, and
• wherein, in a case where the rotation restricting member restricts the rotation of the passing-over unit when the passing-over unit is in the first position, the stopper member restricts the movement of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction and the restriction by the stopper member is not released unless the restriction by the rotation restricting member is released.

An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet and has multiple modules connected together, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• a first module provided with a conveying unit including a conveying guide configured to guide the sheet, the conveying unit being able to be pulled out in a pulling-out direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction;
• and
• a second module to which the first module is separably connected, the second module including a passing-over unit configured to pass the sheet over between the first module and the second module, the passing-over unit including a rotation central shaft and a conveying guide configured to guide the sheet and to be rotatable around the rotation central shaft, the passing-over unit being arranged on an upstream side or a downstream side of the conveying unit in the sheet conveying direction,
• wherein the passing-over unit is configured to be switched by rotation between a first position and a second position, the sheet is passed over in the first position of the passing-over unit, the conveying guide of the passing-over unit overlaps with the conveying guide of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction when the passing-over unit is in the first position, and the conveying guide of the passing-over unit does not overlap with the conveying guide of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction when the passing-over unit is in the second position,
• wherein a stopper member is provided, which is configured to restrict a movement of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction when the passing-over unit is in the first position, and the restriction by the stopper member to restrict the movement of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction is released when the passing-over unit is in the second position,
• wherein the sheet conveying apparatus includes a rotation restricting member that restricts rotation of the passing-over unit by engaging with the passing-over unit, and
• wherein, in a case where the rotation restricting member restricts the rotation of the passing-over unit when the passing-over unit is in the first position, the stopper member restricts the movement of the conveying unit in the pulling-out direction and the restriction by the stopper member is not released unless the restriction by the rotation restricting member is released.