Image forming apparatus conveniently upgradable to a duplex image forming apparatus
US6546228B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 11, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 8, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 11, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03G15/234
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes a first sheet path, a first sheet transfer mechanism, an ejection mechanism, a second sheet path, and a sheet flipping mechanism. The first sheet path is in a first side of the image forming apparatus. The first sheet transfer mechanism sends recording sheets from a sheet cassette through the first sheet path. The ejection mechanism switches between an ejection process and a duplex recording process. The second sheet path receives the recording sheet from the ejection mechanism and returns it to the image recording mechanism. The second sheet path is on the other side of the apparatus than the first side in which the first sheet path is arranged. The sheet flipping mechanism flips the recording sheet and has a flipping space in which the recording sheet is flipped without coming outside of the image forming apparatus. The ejection mechanism, the second sheet path, and the sheet flipping mechanism are located in a separate add-on unit. The second sheet path has openable/closable side guides for operator access.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.