Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a medium transport path that branches at a predetermined branching position and along which a medium is transported toward a stacking portion in a curved state; an opening-closing member capable of opening and closing, the opening-closing member opening so as to expose an inner section of an apparatus body in a region upstream of the branching position in a medium transporting direction; and a guiding member having a guide surface that serves as a first guide surface of the medium transport path at a concave side of the medium transport path, the guiding member being supported such that the guiding member is rotatable between a guiding orientation in which the guiding member guides the medium and an opening orientation to which the guiding member rotates from the guiding orientation to open the guide surface of the guiding member.

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 a medium transport path that branches at a predetermined branching position and along which a medium is transported toward a stacking portion in a curved state;   an opening-closing member capable of opening and closing, the opening-closing member opening so as to expose an inner section of an apparatus body in a region upstream of the branching position in a medium transporting direction; and   a guiding member including a first roller and a second roller spaced apart from each other along the medium transporting direction, the guiding member having a guide surface at least between the first roller and the second roller, the guide surface serving as a first guide surface of the medium transport path, the guiding member being supported such that the guiding member is rotatable between a guiding orientation in which the guiding member guides the medium and an opening orientation to which the guiding member rotates from the guiding orientation to open the guide surface of the guiding member.   
     
     
         2 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a center of rotation of the guiding member is at a position separated from the branching position toward a downstream side in the medium transporting direction along the medium transport path, and   wherein a distance between the first guide surface and a second guide surface, which faces the first guide surface, of the medium transport path increases when the guiding member rotates to the opening orientation.   
     
     
         3 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the guiding member rotates from the guiding orientation to the opening orientation owing to a weight of the guiding member.   
     
     
         4 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an engagement portion provided on the apparatus body;   an engagement portion provided on the guiding member and capable of engaging with the engagement portion on the apparatus body; and   a contact portion that is provided on the opening-closing member and that moves relative to the engagement portion on the guiding member while being in contact with a contact portion of the engagement portion on the guiding member when the opening-closing member moves from an opened position to a closed portion.   
     
     
         5 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the guiding member includes a holding portion that disengages the engagement portion on the guiding member and the engagement portion on the apparatus body from each other.   
     
     
         6 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the stacking portion is fixed to the apparatus body.   
     
     
         7 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first guide surface defines a curved surface of the medium transport path. 
     
     
         8 . The image forming apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein in the guiding orientation, each of the first roller and the second roller of the guiding member contacts a corresponding roller of the apparatus to form a transport roller pair therebetween.