A sheet gripping mechanism includes a first sheet guide including a guide surface facing a sheet conveyance path along which a sheet is to be conveyed and a second sheet guide which faces the first sheet guide across the sheet conveyance path. The second sheet guide includes a protuberance extending toward the first sheet guide, to locations beyond the guide surface formed by the first sheet guide. When a sheet is located between the first sheet guide and the protuberance of the second sheet guide, the protuberance extends at least a portion of the sheet toward the first sheet guide to bring a part of a surface of the sheet into contact with the first sheet guide.

A sheet gripping mechanism includes a first sheet guide including a guide surface facing a sheet conveyance path along which a sheet is to be conveyed and a second sheet guide which faces the first sheet guide across the sheet conveyance path. The second sheet guide includes a protuberance extending toward the first sheet guide, to locations beyond the guide surface formed by the first sheet guide. When a sheet is located between the first sheet guide and the protuberance of the second sheet guide, the protuberance extends at least a portion of the sheet toward the first sheet guide to bring a part of a surface of the sheet into contact with the first sheet guide.

There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a transporting unit that transports a medium in a transporting direction, a discharge portion that discharges a liquid to the medium positioned in a discharge range, and a supporting portion that has a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface, as a supporting surface supporting the medium to be transported by the transporting unit, in which the first supporting surface supports the medium in the discharge range and does not have unevenness in a width direction intersecting the transporting direction, the second supporting surface supports the medium on a downstream side of the discharge range in the transporting direction and includes uneven portions in which a first portion and a second portion which is further recessed than the first portion are formed alternately in the width direction.

Provided are a roll, a film forming apparatus, and a film forming method. The present invention provides a roll used in an apparatus which may transfer a substrate, e.g., a flexible substrate such as a plastic film and a fibrous or metallic web or film and may form a film on a surface of the substrate, a film forming apparatus including the roll, and a film forming method using the film forming apparatus.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an optional device attachable to the image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container, a sheet feeder, a separator, a guide, and a projection. The sheet container loads multiple sheets. The sheet feeder feeds a sheet out of the multiple sheets in the sheet container. The separator separates the sheet from another sheet fed together with the sheet. The guide having a guide surface to guide the sheet passing the separator such that the sheet is fed in a predetermined sheet conveying direction. An upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface of the guide is located lower than a downstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the separator. The projection is disposed facing the separator at the upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface.

A sheet transfer guide, which is disposed along a sheet conveyance passage through which a sheet passes, provided to guide the sheet, and is included in an image forming apparatus and an image reading device, includes a base material, a coat layer formed on the base material and having a surface roughness smaller than a surface roughness of the base material, and a guide face to which the sheet contacts. The coat layer is formed on the guide face.

There is provided a liquid discharge apparatus including: a transporting unit that transports a medium in a transporting direction, a discharge portion that discharges a liquid to the medium positioned in a discharge range, and a supporting portion that has a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface, as a supporting surface supporting the medium to be transported by the transporting unit, in which the first supporting surface supports the medium in the discharge range and does not have unevenness in a width direction intersecting the transporting direction, the second supporting surface supports the medium on a downstream side of the discharge range in the transporting direction and includes uneven portions in which a first portion and a second portion which is further recessed than the first portion are formed alternately in the width direction.

A sheet conveying apparatus includes a first roller, a first guide, a second guide, a second roller, and a third roller. The first guide is configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the first roller and includes a first guide surface and a first edge portion located downstream of the first guide surface in a sheet conveying direction. The second guide, disposed downstream of the first guide, includes a second guide surface and a second edge portion located upstream of the second guide surface. The second roller is disposed downstream of the first roller and above the first roller. The third roller is disposed at a position more proximate to the second guide surface than the second roller. When projected on a cut plane orthogonal to an axis of the third roller, at least of a part of the second edge portion overlaps the third roller.

A sheet conveying device, which is included in an image forming apparatus and an optional device attachable to the image forming apparatus, includes a sheet container, a sheet feeder, a separator, a guide, and a projection. The sheet container loads multiple sheets. The sheet feeder feeds a sheet out of the multiple sheets in the sheet container. The separator separates the sheet from another sheet fed together with the sheet. The guide having a guide surface to guide the sheet passing the separator such that the sheet is fed in a predetermined sheet conveying direction. An upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface of the guide is located lower than a downstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the separator. The projection is disposed facing the separator at the upstream end in the sheet conveying direction of the guide surface.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image and a guiding member that guides a sheet on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit. At least one of irregularities and holes are formed on or in a surface of the guiding member that guides the sheet.