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 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 transport apparatus includes a first transport device, a second transport device, a first guide member, and a second guide member. The first transport device transports a sheet. The second transport device is disposed downstream of the first transport device in a transport direction and transports the sheet. The first guide member is disposed between the first and second transport device such that the second transport device is closer to the first guide member than the first transport device and guides the sheet to the second transport device. The second guide member is disposed between the first and second transport device such that the first transport device is closer to the second guide member than the second transport device and guides the sheet to the first guide member while curving the sheet.

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 transport apparatus includes a first transport device, a second transport device, a first guide member, and a second guide member. The first transport device transports a sheet. The second transport device is disposed downstream of the first transport device in a transport direction and transports the sheet. The first guide member is disposed between the first and second transport device such that the second transport device is closer to the first guide member than the first transport device and guides the sheet to the second transport device. The second guide member is disposed between the first and second transport device such that the first transport device is closer to the second guide member than the second transport device and guides the sheet to the first guide member while curving the sheet.