Patent ID: 7669848

Claim:
A conveying apparatus for conveying a flexible sheet in a sheet-convey direction along a sheet-convey path including a curved portion, the conveying apparatus comprising: an outer guide which defines an outer portion of the curved portion of the sheet-convey path, wherein the outer guide comprises: a plurality of separate curved plates formed separately from each other and arranged in a widthwise direction of the sheet-convey path, wherein each of the plurality of separate curved plates comprises a respective first curved guide surface configured to contact the flexible sheet and cooperatively guide the flexible sheet; and a guide base comprising a plurality of holding portions configured to hold the plurality of separate curved plates, respectively, wherein each of the holding portions has one of: a plurality of engageable recesses separated from each other, and a plurality of engageable projections separated from each other, and said each of the plurality of separate curved plates has the other of: the plurality of engageable recesses, and the plurality of engageable projections, wherein the plurality of engageable recesses, and the plurality of engageable projections are configured to engage with each other such that said each holding portion holds a corresponding one of the plurality of the separate curved plates, and wherein said each of the plurality of separate curved plates is formed of a synthetic resin assuring that the first curved guide surface thereof has a first frictional resistance lower than a second frictional resistance of a surface of the guide base.