Sheet supply device with stacking reference guide

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• sheet support means for supporting sheets;
• sheet supply means, disposed at a position offset from a centerline of the sheets in a widthwise direction thereof, for supplying in a sheet supplying direction a sheet from the sheets supported by said sheet support means;
• a plurality of reference guide members, arranged along the sheet supplying direction, for regulating one lateral end of the sheets supported by said sheet support means, said reference guide members defining the position of the sheets supported by said sheet support means in such a manner that said sheets are supported inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the sheet supplying direction;
• transport reference guide means for guiding one lateral end of the sheet supplied by said sheet supply means;
• transport means for transporting the sheet supplied by said sheet supply means while urging the one lateral end of the sheet against the transport reference guide means;
• and
• engagement means for engaging with one of said reference guide members at its most downstream side and with said transport reference guide means to maintain a sheet regulating surface of said one reference guide member and a sheet guiding surface of said transport reference guide means in a same plane;
• and
• image forming means for forming an image on the sheets transported along said transport reference guide means.

A sheet supply device, comprising:

• sheet support means for supporting sheets;
• sheet supply means for supplying in a sheet supplying direction a sheet from the sheets supported by said sheet support means;
• reference guide means including a sheet guiding surface disposed on said sheet support means for guiding one lateral edge of the sheet fed by said sheet supply means;
• a reversion path for reversing the sheet fed by by said sheet supply means;
• transport reference guide means including a sheet guiding surface disposed at said reversion path for guiding the sheet transported in said reversion path;
• and
• engagement means for directly engaging said reference guide means with said transport reference guide means to maintain their respective sheet guiding surfaces in a same plane.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• sheet support means for supporting sheets;
• sheet supply means for supplying in a sheet supplying direction a sheet from the sheets supported by said sheet support means;
• reference guide means including a sheet guiding surface disposed on said sheet support means for guiding one lateral edge of the sheet fed by said sheet supply means;
• a reversion path for reversing the sheet fed by said sheet supply means;
• transport reference guide means including a sheet guiding surface disposed in said reversion path for guiding the sheet transported in said reversion path;
• and
• engagement means for directly engaging said reference guide means with said transport reference guide means to maintain their respective sheet guiding surfaces in a same plane;
• and
• image forming means for forming an image on the sheet transported along said transport reference guide means.