Duplex image forming apparatus with front surface up discharge control

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• image forming means for forming an image on a sheet;
• fixing means for fixing a toner image formed by said image forming means to the sheet;
• discharge means for discharging the sheet to which the toner image was fixed by said fixing means out of the image forming apparatus;
• reverse rotation means for reversing or turning up the sheet to which the toner image was fixed by said fixing means;
• and
• support means for supporting at least said fixing means, said discharge means and said reverse rotation means as an integral unit which can be shifted in a substantially horizontal direction intersecting a discharging direction of said discharge means.

A sheet conveying apparatus, comprising:

• first guide means for guiding a sheet being conveyed;
• second guide means connected to said first guide means and adapted to guide the sheet the sheet guided by said first guide means;
• first support means for supporting said first guide means for shifting movement from a predetermined guide position toward a direction intersecting with a conveying direction;
• second support means for supporting said second guide means for shifting movement from a predetermined guide position toward the direction intersecting with the conveying direction;
• and
• connecting means for connecting said first guide means and said second guide means to each other in such a manner that, when one of said first and second guide means is shifted from said predetermined guide position, the other guide means is simultaneously shifted from its predetermined guide position.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• image forming means for forming an image on a sheet;
• first containing means for containing a plurality of sheets;
• second containing means disposed lateral to said first containing means for containing a plurality of sheets, said first containing means and said second containing means arranged adjacent to each other;
• a first convey path for directing the sheet from said first containing means to said image forming means;
• a second convey path disposed above said first and said second containing means and below said image forming means, said second convey path extending substantially horizontally and joining said first convey path at a first join point for directing the sheet on which the image was formed by said image forming means to said image forming means again via the first join point and said first convey path;
• switchback means disposed between said image forming means and said second convey path for reversing an advancing direction of the sheet;
• and
• a third convey path joining to said second convey path at a second join point upstream of the first join point on said second convey path in a conveying direction of the sheet for directing the sheet from said second containing means to said image forming means via the second join point, said second convey path and said first convey path.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• image forming means for forming a toner image on a sheet;
• regist roller means for sending a sheet to said image forming means in registration with the timing of image formation;
• fixing means for fixing a toner image formed by said image forming means to the sheet;
• discharge means for discharging the sheet on which the toner image was fixed by said fixing means out of the image forming apparatus;
• convey path means for directing the sheet on which the toner image was fixed by said fixing means to said image forming means again;
• switching means for selectively guiding the sheet on which the toner image was fixed by said fixing means to said discharge means or said convey path means;
• a first support means for supporting at least one of said image forming means, said regist roller means, said fixing means, said discharge means and said switching means as a first integral unit which can be shifted in a substantially horizontal direction intersecting with a discharging direction of said discharge means;
• a second support means for supporting at least a portion of said convey path means as a second unit which can be shifted in a substantially horizontal direction intersecting with the discharging direction of said discharge means;
• and
• connecting means for connecting said first and second units to each other in such a manner that, when said first or second unit is shifted, the other unit is also retracted simultaneously.

An image forming apparatus, comprising:

• image forming means for forming an image on a sheet;
• first guide means for guiding the sheet on which the image was formed by said image forming means;
• second guide means connected to said first guide means and adapted to guide the sheet guided by said first guide means;
• first support means for supporting said first guide means for shifting movement from a predetermined guide position toward a direction intersecting with a conveying direction;
• second support means for supporting said second guide means for shifting movement from a predetermined guide position toward the direction intersecting with the conveying direction;
• and
• connecting means for connecting said first guide means and said second guide means to each other in such a manner that, when said first or second guide means is shifted from said predetermined guide position, the other guide means is simultaneously shifted from its predetermined guide position.