Fixing unit used with an image forming apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the same

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a printing unit to transfer a toner image to a sheet of paper using electrophotography;
• a pair of fixing rollers to rotate and face each other and apply heat and pressure to the toner image;
• a discharge path to discharge the sheet of paper to which the toner image has been fixed;
• a plurality of guide members disposed in a width direction of the sheet of paper to guide the sheet of paper discharged from the pair of fixing rollers to the discharge path, each of the guide members having a first guiding portion extending toward the discharge path from an outlet of the pair of fixing rollers;
• a first arm rotatably installed between the guide members to elastically contact the sheet of paper drawn out of the pair of fixing rollers and to guide the sheet of paper to the discharge path;
• and
• an elastic member to elastically bias the first arm such that the first arm contacts the sheet of paper,
• wherein a guide member adjacent to the first arm has a second guide portion that is shorter than the first guide portion.

An image recording medium guide unit downstream of a fixing member that discharges the image recording medium to a discharge path from the fixing member, the guide unit comprising:

• a plurality of first guide members disposed in the width direction of the image recording medium to guide the image recording medium discharged from the fixing member to the discharge path, each of the guide members including a first guiding portion extending toward the discharge path from an outlet of the fixing member;
• a second guide member positioned between a pair of first guide members and having a second guide portion that is shorter than the first guide portions;
• and
• a first arm elastically installed adjacent to the second guide member to elastically contact the image recording medium drawn out of the fixing member and to guide the image recording medium to the discharge path.

Afixing unit used with an image forming apparatus, the fixing unit comprising:

• a fixing member that fixes an image on an image recording medium and discharges the fixed image recording medium to a discharge path;
• a plurality of first guide members disposed in the width direction of the image recording medium to guide the image recording medium discharged from the fixing member to the discharge path, each of the guide members including a first guiding portion extending toward the discharge path from an outlet of the fixing member;
• a second guide member positioned between a pair of first guide members and having a second guide portion that is shorter than the first guide portions;
• and
• a first arm elastically installed adjacent to the second guide member to elastically contact the image recording medium drawn out of the fixing member and to guide the image recording medium to the discharge path.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a fixing member that fixes an image on an image recording medium and discharges the fixed image recording medium to a discharge path;
• a plurality of first guide members disposed in the width direction of the image recording medium to guide the image recording medium discharged from the fixing member to the discharge path, each of the guide members including a first guiding portion extending toward the discharge path from an outlet of the fixing member;
• a second guide member positioned between a pair of first guide members and having a second guide portion that is shorter than the first guide portions;
• and
• a first arm elastically installed adjacent to the second guide member to elastically contact the image recording medium drawn out of the fixing member and to guide the image recording medium to the discharge path.