A transport device includes: a first transport body; a second transport body that is movable between a contact position and a separate position with respect to the first transport body and that nips a transported material with the first transport body at the contact position; and a transport section that includes a holder to hold a leading end portion of the transported material and that transports the transported material toward a nip region where the first transport body and the second transport body nip the transported material in a state in which the second transport body is located at the separate position. After holding of the leading end portion by the holder for the transported material transported by the transport section has been released, the second transport body nips the transported material with the first transport body and transports the transported material.

An image forming apparatus includes: a circulating member that is a part of a transport path that transports a recording medium; a holding member that is fixed to the circulating member, circulates, and holds a leading end portion of the recording medium; an image forming section that forms an image on the recording medium at an image forming position in a circulation path of the circulating member; and a feeding section that feeds out the recording medium to a holding position where the holding member holds the leading end portion of the recording medium. When a circulation velocity Vg is defined as a velocity at which the circulating member circulates the holding member, a transport velocity of the recording medium is reduced from a first transport velocity V1, which is higher than the circulation velocity Vg, to a second transport velocity V2, which is lower than the first transport velocity V1, before the leading end portion of the recording medium enters the holding position.

An image forming apparatus includes: a holding unit that holds a recording medium transported; a circumferential rotation unit that circumferentially rotates with the holding unit fixed, and constitutes part of a transport path along which the recording medium is transported; an image former that forms an image on the recording medium at an image formation position on a circumferential rotational path of the circumferential rotation unit; a pass point at which the recording medium is passed on the circumferential rotational path; and a receiving point which is provided on a same side as the pass point with respect to the image formation position, and at which the recording medium is received from the circumferential rotational path.

An image forming apparatus includes: a transfer cylinder that rotates; a rotating member that is coaxial with the transfer cylinder and rotates integrally with the transfer cylinder; a circulating member that is provided with a holding part that holds a front end portion of a recording medium, is suspended around the rotating member, and transports the recording medium by circulating as the rotating member rotates; and a transfer unit that has a transfer belt that sandwiches the recording medium transported by the circulating member at a nip position together with the transfer cylinder so that an image is transferred onto the recording medium. The nip position is located on one side relative to a center of the transfer unit in a horizontal direction when viewed from an axial direction of the rotating member, and a center of mass of the transfer unit is located on a nip position side relative to the center in the horizontal direction.

An image forming apparatus includes: a fixing cylinder that is rotatably supported, that has a groove formed in an outer portion thereof in a rotational radial direction thereof, and that causes an image transferred to a recording medium to be fixed to the recording medium when the recording medium passes along an outer surface of the fixing cylinder in the rotational radial direction; a delivery cylinder that is rotatably supported; a circulating member that is loop-shaped and wrapped at least around the fixing cylinder and the delivery cylinder; plural holding members configured to hold the recording medium when the recording medium passes around the delivery cylinder toward the fixing cylinder, the holding members being supported by the circulating member such that the holding members are arranged in a length direction of the circulating member with predetermined intervals therebetween, each holding member being disposed in the groove when the holding member passes along the outer portion of the fixing cylinder; and a pressure unit that is rotatably supported and that causes the recording medium to pass between the pressure unit and the fixing cylinder while a pressure is applied between the pressure unit and the fixing cylinder, the pressure unit coming into contact with an end portion of the groove in a rotation direction of the fixing cylinder before or after a period from when one of the holding members starts a holding operation for holding the recording medium to when the holding operation is completed.

A fixing device includes: a heater that heats an image transferred to a recording medium transported, in a contactless manner; a holding unit that holds the recording medium; and a transport unit that transports the recording medium held by the holding unit along a transport path for the recording medium so that the recording medium is opposed to the heater. The transport path extends in an inclination direction inclined with respect to a horizontal direction as viewed in a width direction of the recording medium transported, and the heater is disposed along the transport path.

A transport device includes: a first rotating body including a shaft portion, a cylindrical portion on an outer periphery of the shaft portion, and a recessed portion in an outer surface of the cylindrical portion; a second rotating body capable of moving from the first rotating body while contacting an outer surface of the first rotating body and nipping a recording medium; a transport unit that includes a holding portion that holds the recording medium, and that transports the recording medium by moving the holding portion in a rotation direction of the first rotating body while the holding portion is disposed in the recessed portion; and a moving mechanism including a cam portion on a side of the cylindrical portion and a contact portion connected to the second rotating body and that comes into contact with the cam portion to separate the second rotating body from the first rotating body.

A fixation device includes: a heating roll that heats a transported recording medium whose front end is gripped by a gripping part while rotating; a pressing roll that is disposed so as to face the heating roll, around which at least a part of the transported recording medium is wound, and presses the wound part of the recording medium toward the heating roll while rotating; a peeling part that peels the recording medium off from the pressing roll by lifting the front end of the recording medium up in a state where the front end of the recording medium has passed a portion where the pressing roll and the heating roll face each other and is no longer gripped by the gripping part; and a reducing part that reduces momentum of the peeling part lifting the front end of the recording medium up.

A transfer device includes a transfer drum that rotates in conjunction with a fixing roller, a transfer belt that transfers an image onto a medium while rotating along with the transfer drum in a state where the medium is nipped between the transfer belt and the transfer drum, a pressing member that is disposed in a space enclosed by the transfer belt, and a switching unit that moves the pressing member and switches between a pressed state in which the transfer belt is pressed against the transfer drum and a separated state in which the transfer belt is separated from the transfer drum.

A fixing device includes: a holding part that extends in a width direction of a recording medium being transported and that holds the recording medium; a pair of circulating parts that are attached to both ends of the holding part and that circulate to transport the recording medium; and a heating member that heats the recording medium in a non-contact manner and that is located in a space between the pair of circulating parts in the width direction.