An image forming device includes: a conveyance path that conveys a printing medium; an image former that is arranged in a first place in the middle of the conveyance path, forms an image on one surface of the printing medium, and fixes the formed image by heating; a cooler that is arranged in a second place downstream in a conveyance direction from the first place in the middle of the conveyance path, and cools the printing medium by blowing air for cooling to the printing medium; and a reader that is arranged in a third place downstream in the conveyance direction from the second place in the middle of the conveyance path, and reads the image formed on the printing medium, wherein between the first place and the second place of the conveyance path, one or a plurality of guide members is provided, and a guide member is not provided.

A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying passage and a switching guide. The switching guide switches the sheet conveying passage between first and second sheet conveying passages. The switching guide includes a plurality of guide ribs and guide members. The plurality of guide ribs are disposed at intervals in the sheet width direction and extend in the sheet conveying direction. The guide members are fitted to specific guide ribs selected from the plurality of guide ribs. The plurality of guide ribs have first and second guide surfaces that guide the sheet. The guide members are formed of a material having higher slidability than the plurality of guide ribs, and have third guide surfaces that are disposed at positions protruding further to an inner side of the sheet conveying passage than the first or second guide surfaces.

A medium transport unit includes an upstream route in which a print sheet is transported, a first switchback route, a second switchback route, a first guide route, a second guide route, a guide flap configured to switch the route so that the print sheet in the upstream route is transported either toward the first guide route or toward the second guide route, a first discharge route from which the print sheet in the first switchback route is discharged, a second discharge route from which the print sheet in the second switchback route is discharged, and a downstream route passing between the first switchback route and the second switchback route and having an upstream end connected to a junction of downstream ends of the first discharge route and the second discharge route.

An image forming apparatus includes an attachable/detachable storage unit having a positioned portion projecting downstream in an attachment direction of the storage unit, a conveyance member, an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet conveyed by the conveyance member, and a conveyance unit to move between a first position and a second position. Engagement of the positioned portion with a positioning portion of the image forming apparatus causes the storage unit to be positioned with respect to the image forming apparatus. The conveyance unit includes a contact portion and a depressed portion. In a case where the contact portion of the conveyance unit comes into contact with the storage unit and the conveyance unit is moved from the second position to the first position by the storage unit, the positioned portion does not come into contact with the depressed portion of the conveyance unit.

An image forming apparatus, including: a sheet cassette; an image former; a fixer; a discharge tray; a conveyor configured to convey a sheet along a conveyance passage; a return conveyor configured to convey the sheet from a branch position between the fixer and the discharge tray to a merge position between the sheet cassette and the image former along a return passage which is branched from the conveyance passage at the branch position, passes below the sheet cassette, and merges with the conveyance passage at the merge position; a switchback roller disposed between the branch position and the discharge tray in the conveyance passage and configured to convey the sheet to the discharge tray when it rotates forwardly and to the return passage when it rotates backwardly; and an intermediate conveyance roller disposed in the return passage at a height level intermediate between the fixer and the sheet cassette.

An image forming apparatus includes a first roller, a second roller arranged downstream of the first roller in a sheet conveyance direction, the second roller including a rotation shaft and a roller body supported by the rotation shaft, a third roller arranged downstream of the second roller in the sheet conveyance direction, a first support member configured to rotatably support the first roller, a second support member configured to rotatably support the third roller, and a bearing member configured to rotatably support an end portion of the rotation shaft. The bearing member includes a first positioning portion configured to position an end portion of the first support member and a second positioning portion configured to position an end portion of the second support member.

Provided is a sheet conveying device including: a conveying portion; and a first conveying guide, the first conveying guide forming a conveying path above a heating portion and having a curved portion for forming a curved path in the conveying path and a plurality of ribs provided on a surface of the curved portion, the plurality of ribs extending along a conveying direction and including a first rib and a second rib adjacent to the first rib, wherein the second rib is arranged to be deviated from the first rib in a width direction and the conveying direction, and wherein in the conveying direction, a second upstream end of the second rib being positioned between a first upstream end and a first downstream end of the first rib, the first downstream end being positioned between the second upstream end and a second downstream end of the second rib.

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a developing section, a transfer section, a pre-transfer conveyance passage, and a guide member. The pre-transfer conveyance passage allows conveyance of the sheet from the developing section to the transfer section. The guide member defines a side of the pre-transfer conveyance passage that faces the transfer surface. The guide member includes: a guide body having a guide surface that faces the transfer surface of the sheet; and a tip section having a curved portion joining an end edge of the guide body, and a distal edge that is on a downstream side in the conveyance direction and faces the image carrier. The distal edge is located at such a position as to allow the transfer surface of the sheet to lie at a space therefrom when a leading end of the sheet is in contact with the image carrying surface.

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging device, a developing device, a transfer member, a registration roller pair, a conveyance guide, and a first cover member. The conveyance guide includes a first conveyance guide opposing one surface of a recording medium conveyed from the registration roller pair to a transfer nip, the one surface being on a side of image carrier, and a second transfer guide opposing another surface of the recording member, the other surface being on a side of the transfer member. The first cover member covers an area along a peripheral surface of the image carrier from the developing device to the transfer member, and forms a substantially sealed space together with the image carrier, the developing device, the transfer member, the registration roller pair, and the transfer guide. A through hole is formed in the first transfer guide.

An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit, a discharging portion, a supporting portion, an image reading portion, and a switching portion is provided. The image forming unit is configured to form an image on a sheet. The discharging portion is configured to discharge the sheet on which the image has been formed. The supporting portion is configured to support the sheet discharged by the discharging portion. The image reading portion is configured to read, at a reading position, the image formed on the sheet. The switching portion is configured to switch between causing the sheet discharged by the discharging portion to be conveyed to the supporting portion and causing the sheet discharged by the discharging portion to be conveyed toward the image reading portion. The sheet conveyed toward the image reading portion is conveyed to the reading position after conveyance by the discharging portion is finished.