Sheet supply apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same

A sheet supply apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of sheet loading means for loading sheets;
• sheet feeding means provided at a front side of the sheet loading means in a sheet supplying direction for feeding a sheet loaded on the sheet loading means;
• sheet carrying means for carrying the sheet to one of the plurality of the sheet loading means;
• stacker means for stacking the sheet to be carried by the sheet carrying means;
• sheet supply means for supplying the sheet stacked on the stacker means;
• detecting means disposed at a downstream side of the sheet feeding means in a sheet supplying direction for detecting whether a front or back side of the sheet is blank;
• and
• reversing means disposed on a sheet transporting path between the detecting means and the sheet carrying means for selectively reversing the sheet.

A sheet supply apparatus, comprising:

• sheet loading means for loading a sheet;
• sheet feeding means for feeding the sheet loaded on the sheet loading means;
• supply means for supplying the sheet fed by the sheet feeding means to an image forming apparatus;
• sheet carrying means for carrying the sheet to the sheet loading means;
• stacker means for stacking the sheet carried by the sheet carrying means;
• sheet supply means for supplying the sheet stacked on the stacker means;
• first detecting means disposed at a downstream side of the sheet supply means for detecting whether at least one of a front and back side of the sheet is blank;
• reversing means disposed between the detecting means and the sheet carrying means for selectively reversing the sheet, and transporting the sheet to the sheet carrying means;
• and
• marking means for providing a mark on one side of the sheet indicating that the one side is used.

A sheet supply apparatus for supplying a sheet to an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of sheet loading means for loading the sheets;
• sheet feeding means for feeding the sheets loaded on the sheet loading means;
• sheet carrying means for carrying a sheet to one of the plurality of the sheet loading means;
• stacker means for stacking the sheet to be carried to the sheet loading means;
• sheet supply means for supplying the sheet stacked on the stacker means;
• detecting means disposed at a downstream side of the sheet supply means in a sheet supplying direction for detecting whether at least one of a front and back side of the sheet is blank;
• reversing means disposed between the detecting means and the sheet carrying means for selectively reversing the sheet and transporting the sheet to the sheet carrying means;
• and
• marking means for providing a mark on one side of the sheet indicating that the one side is used;
• wherein said stacker means, said sheet supply means, said detecting means, and said reversing means are disposed at one side of the sheet loading means, and said marking means is disposed at the other side of the sheet loading means.

A sheet supply apparatus for supplying a sheet to an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• first and second sheet loading means arranged in parallel for loading sheets;
• first and second sheet feeding means for feeding the sheets loaded on the first and second sheet loading means;
• a sheet supply path arranged above the second sheet loading means for supplying the sheet fed by the first sheet feeding means to the image forming apparatus;
• sheet carrying means disposed at an upstream side of the first sheet feeding means in a sheet supplying direction for carrying the sheet to the first sheet loading means;
• stacker means for stacking the sheet to be carried to the first sheet loading means;
• sheet supply means for supplying the sheet stacked on the stacker means;
• detecting means disposed at a downstream side of the sheet supply means for detecting whether at least one of a front and back side of the sheet is blank;
• reversing means disposed between the detecting means and the sheet carrying means for selectively reversing the sheet and transporting the sheet to the sheet carrying means;
• and
• marking means disposed on the sheet supply path for providing a mark on one side of the sheet fed from the first sheet loading means, indicating that the one side is used.