Patent ID: 8172391
Filing Date: 2012-05-08
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a holding and conveyance device which has a round cylindrical shape and is rotatable about a rotational axis, the holding and conveyance device conveying a recording medium in a prescribed conveyance direction by rotating about the rotational axis while holding the recording medium on an outer circumferential surface of the holding and conveyance device, the holding and conveyance device having a recess section arranged in a direction parallel to the rotational axis at a prescribed position on the outer circumferential surface of the holding and conveyance device; an end portion holding member which is arranged in the recess section and has an end portion holding surface by which at least one of a leading end portion and a trailing end portion of the recording medium held on the outer circumferential surface is held to an inner side relative to an image forming surface of the recording medium held on the outer circumferential surface; a gripping member which is arranged in the recess section and grips the recording medium against the end portion holding surface; and an image forming device which forms an image on the recording medium held on the holding and conveyance device, wherein: a radius of curvature of the end portion holding surface is smaller than a radius of the outer circumferential surface; a tangential direction of the end portion holding surface at an end of the end portion holding surface on a side of the outer circumferential surface is substantially a same with a tangential direction of the outer circumferential surface at an end on a side of the end portion holding surface; the end portion holding surface includes a curved surface section in connection with the end of the outer circumferential surface and a flat surface section in connection with an end of the curved surface section on a side opposite to the outer circumferential surface; and the gripping member is disposed at a position where the gripping member grips the at least one of the leading end portion and the trailing end portion of the recording medium onto the flat surface section.