Paper width detection apparatus and image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a recording paper roll loading unit, detachably arranged with respect to a housing, for accommodating a recording paper roll formed by rolling up a recording paper to a roll-form;
• a paper width detection mechanism for detecting a paper width of the recording paper roll accommodated in the recording paper roll loading unit;
• a paper conveying unit for conveying the recording paper;
• a printing unit for performing a printing process on the recording paper conveyed by the paper conveying unit;
• and
• a cutting unit for cutting a printed region printed by the printing unit of a recording medium,
• wherein the paper width detection mechanism includes,
• a plurality of lever members lined in parallel in the paper width direction of the recording paper roll attached to the recording paper roll loading unit, each lever member being rotatably arranged on a same center axis,
• a detecting unit for detecting a rotation state of the lever member, and
• a determination unit for determining the paper width of the recording paper roll based on a detection result detected by the detecting unit,
• one lever member of the plurality of lever members rotates in a first rotating direction about the center axis by contacting an outer peripheral part of a holding unit for holding both ends of the recording paper roll, and
• another lever member positioned on an inner side in the paper width direction facing the recording paper roll than the lever member contacting the holding unit rotates in conjunction with the lever member contacting the outer peripheral part of the holding unit.