Image forming apparatus

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is trans­ported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a substantially horizontal sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center, and a substantially horizontal sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said position; and a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, and principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sheet feeding unit is a sheet feeding unit of cassette type provided at the bottom portion of the main body of the apparatus, and said sheet discharge unit comprises a stacker provided on the upper face of the main body of the apparatus.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said cassette type sheet feeding unit and said stacker are provided in said fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a tray for manual sheet feeding and feeding means therefor on a part opposite to said fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 6

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is trans­ported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a substantially horizontal sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center, and a substantially horizontal sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said positions; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; and a second sheet feeding unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet feeding unit constituting a first sheet feeding unit; wherein the sheet material can be selectively fed to said substantially vertical sheet path either from said first or second sheet feeding unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet feeding unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus, or detachable therefrom.

Claim 7

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is trans­ported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a substantially horizontal sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center, and a substantially horizontal sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said positions; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; and a second sheet feeding unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet feeding unit constituting a first sheet feeding unit; wherein the sheet material can be selectively fed to said substantially vertical sheet path either from said first or second sheet feeding unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet feeding unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus, or detachable therefrom.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, and principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in the other fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 9

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a substantially horizontal sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center, and a substantially horizontal sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said positions; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; and a second sheet discharge unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet discharge unit constituting a first sheet discharge unit; wherein the sheet material can be selectively discharged from said substantially vertical sheet path to said first or second sheet discharge unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet discharge unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus or detachable therefrom.

Claim 10

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a substantially horizontal sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center, and a substantially horizontal sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said positions; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; and a second sheet discharge unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet discharge unit constituting a first sheet discharge unit; wherein the sheet material can be selectively discharged from said substantially vertical sheet path to said first or second sheet discharge unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet discharge unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus or detachable therefrom.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a second sheet feeding unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet feeding unit constituting a first sheet feeding unit; wherein the sheet material can be selectively fed to said substantially vertical sheet path either from said first or second sheet feeding unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet feeding unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus, or detachable therefrom.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, and principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 13

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is trans­ported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center, and a sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said positions; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; a second sheet discharge unit of tray type connected through a branched sheet path to said sub­stantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet discharge unit constituting a first sheet discharge unit of stacker type; wherein the sheet material can be selectively discharged from said substantially vertical sheet path either to said first or second sheet discharge unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet discharge unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus or detachable therefrom; and a second sheet feeding unit of manual insertion type connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet feeding unit constituting a first sheet feeding unit of cassette type; wherein the sheet material can be selec­tively fed to said substantially vertical sheet path either from said first or second sheet feeding unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet feeding unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus, or detachable therefrom; and wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, and principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 14

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is trans­ported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center, and a sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said positions; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; a second sheet discharge unit of tray type connected through a branched sheet path to said sub­stantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet discharge unit constituting a first sheet discharge unit of stacker type; wherein the sheet material can be selectively discharged from said substantially vertical sheet path either to said first or second sheet discharge unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet discharge unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus or detachable therefrom; and a second sheet feeding unit of manual insertion type connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet feeding unit constituting a first sheet feeding unit of cassette type; wherein the sheet material can be selec­tively fed to said substantially vertical sheet path either from said first or second sheet feeding unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet feeding unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus, or detachable therefrom; and wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, and principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 15

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is trans­ported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: at least one sheet feeding slot; first and second sheet discharge slots; sheet path switch means for selectively guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit either toward said first or second sheet discharge slot; a sheet feeding member movable between a first position serving as the sheet feeding member for said sheet feeding slot and a second position folded in the main body of the apparatus, and serving as a closing door for covering said sheet feeding slot and either of said first and second sheet discharge slots in said second position; and a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding slot through said image forming unit to said first and second sheet discharge slots; wherein said sheet path switch means, in response to the shifting of said sheet feeding member to the second position, is switched to a state for guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit toward a sheet discharge slot not closed by the sheet feeding member shifted to said second position.

Claim 16

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is trans­ported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: at least one sheet feeding slot; first and second sheet discharge slots; sheet path switch means for selectively guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit either toward said first or second sheet discharge slot; a sheet feeding member movable between a first position serving as the sheet feeding member for said sheet feeding slot and a second position folded in the main body of the apparatus, and serving as a closing door for covering said sheet feeding slot and either of said first and second sheet discharge slots in said second position; and a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding slot through said image forming unit to said first and second sheet discharge slots; wherein said sheet path switch means, in response to the shifting of said sheet feeding member to the second position, is switched to a state for guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit toward a sheet discharge slot not closed by the sheet feeding member shifted to said second position.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a second sheet feeding unit which enables, even when the sheet feeding member of the first-­mentioned sheet feeding slot is shifted to the second position thereby closing said sheet feeding slot and one of said first and second sheet discharge slots, sheet feeding into the main body of the apparatus, image formation in the image forming unit and sheet discharge to the other sheet discharge slot.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sheet path switch means is adapted, in response to the mounting of a sheet receiving member to a sheet discharge slot opened by the shifting of the sheet feeding member of said sheet feeding slot to the first position, to be switched to a state for guiding the sheet material toward said opened sheet discharge slot.

Claim 19

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet mateiral is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet mateiral, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: at least a sheet feeding slot; first and second sheet discharge slots; sheet path switch means for selectively guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit either toward said first or second sheet discharge slot; and a sheet feeding member movable between a first position serving as the sheet feeding member for said sheet feeding slot and a second position folded in the main body of the apparatus, and serving as clos­ing door for covering said sheet feeding slot and either of said first and second sheet discharge slots in said second position; wherein said sheet path switch means, in response to the shifting of said sheet feeding member to the second position, is switched to a state for guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit toward a sheet discharge slot not closed by the sheet feeding member shifted to said second position.

Claim 20

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet mateiral is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet mateiral, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: at least a sheet feeding slot; first and second sheet discharge slots; sheet path switch means for selectively guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit either toward said first or second sheet discharge slot; and a sheet feeding member movable between a first position serving as the sheet feeding member for said sheet feeding slot and a second position folded in the main body of the apparatus, and serving as clos­ing door for covering said sheet feeding slot and either of said first and second sheet discharge slots in said second position; wherein said sheet path switch means, in response to the shifting of said sheet feeding member to the second position, is switched to a state for guiding the sheet material coming out of the image forming unit toward a sheet discharge slot not closed by the sheet feeding member shifted to said second position.

Claim 21

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit; comprising: a substantially vertically extending sheet path for upward or downward transportation of the sheet material fed from the sheet feeding unit; an image forming unit for image formation on the sheet material transported upwards or downwards in said substantially vertical sheet path; first and second sheet discharge units positioned at the end of said substantially vertical sheet path, at left and right across said substantially vertical sheet path; a first branched sheet path and a second branched sheet path for guiding the sheet material which is subjected to the image formation in said substantially vertical sheet path and reaches the end thereof, respectively to said first or second sheet discharge unit; and sheet path switch means for selectively connecting said substantially vertical sheet path with said first or second branched sheet path.

Claim 22

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit; comprising: a substantially vertically extending sheet path for upward or downward transportation of the sheet material fed from the sheet feeding unit; an image forming unit for image formation on the sheet material transported upwards or downwards in said substantially vertical sheet path; first and second sheet discharge units positioned at the end of said substantially vertical sheet path, at left and right across said substantially vertical sheet path; a first branched sheet path and a second branched sheet path for guiding the sheet material which is subjected to the image formation in said substantially vertical sheet path and reaches the end thereof, respectively to said first or second sheet discharge unit; and sheet path switch means for selectively connecting said substantially vertical sheet path with said first or second branched sheet path.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a sheet detecting unit in an upstream posi­tion, in the sheet transporting direction, of said sheet path switch means.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sheet feeding unit and said sheet discharge unit are provided in said fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 25

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a substantially horizontal sheet feeding unit positioned at the bottom portion of the apparatus below the image forming unit at the center, and a substantially horizontal sheet discharge unit positioned on the upper face of the apparatus; and a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus, and said sheet feeding unit and sheet discharge unit are provided in said fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 26

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a substantially horizontal sheet feeding unit positioned at the bottom portion of the apparatus below the image forming unit at the center, and a substantially horizontal sheet discharge unit positioned on the upper face of the apparatus; and a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus, and said sheet feeding unit and sheet discharge unit are provided in said fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 27

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharge to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center and a sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said position; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; a second sheet discharge unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet discharge unit constituting a first sheet discharge unit; wherein the sheet material can be selectively discharged from said substantially vertical sheet path either to said first or second sheet discharge unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet discharge unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus of detachable therefrom; and a second sheet feeding unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet feeding unit constituting a first sheet feeding unit; wherein the sheet material can be selec­tively fed to said substantially vertical sheet path either from said first or second sheet feeding unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet feeding unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus, or detachable therefrom; and wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, and principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 28

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharge to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a sheet feeding unit provided at either of an upper position and a lower position of the image forming unit at the center and a sheet discharge unit provided at the other of said position; a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; a second sheet discharge unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet discharge unit constituting a first sheet discharge unit; wherein the sheet material can be selectively discharged from said substantially vertical sheet path either to said first or second sheet discharge unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet discharge unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus of detachable therefrom; and a second sheet feeding unit connected through a branched sheet path to said substantially vertical sheet path, in addition to the first-mentioned sheet feeding unit constituting a first sheet feeding unit; wherein the sheet material can be selec­tively fed to said substantially vertical sheet path either from said first or second sheet feeding unit, and a sheet receiving member of the second sheet feeding unit is either foldable or storable in the main body of the apparatus, or detachable therefrom; and wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, and principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 29

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a sheet feeding unit positioned at the bottom portion of the apparatus below the image forming unit at the center, and a sheet discharge unit posi­tioned on the upper face of the apparatus; and a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus, and said sheet feeding unit and sheet discharge unit are provided in said fixed part of the apparatus.

Claim 30

An image forming apparatus in which a sheet material is fed from a sheet feeding unit to an image forming unit for image formation on said sheet material, and said sheet material after image formation is transported and discharged to a sheet discharge unit, comprising: a sheet feeding unit positioned at the bottom portion of the apparatus below the image forming unit at the center, and a sheet discharge unit posi­tioned on the upper face of the apparatus; and a sheet path extending substantially vertically from said sheet feeding unit through said image forming unit to said sheet discharge unit; wherein one of the two parts of the apparatus divided by said substantially vertical sheet path is rendered openable with respect to the other part of the apparatus, principal process elements of said image forming unit are incorporated in said the other fixed part of the apparatus, and said sheet feeding unit and sheet discharge unit are provided in said fixed part of the apparatus.