A paper feed roller 1 is used in a paper feeding unit in an electrophotographic image forming device. The paper feed roller 1 includes a non-foamed elastic body 2 having an embossed surface 21 including crest-like parts 211 and valley-like parts 212. The embossed surface 21 has many dimple parts 213 recessed inward on bottom surfaces of the valley-like parts 212 or on the bottom surfaces and lateral surfaces of the valley-like parts 212, and does not have the many dimple parts 213 on top parts of the crest-like parts 211. A diameter of the dimple parts 213 can be set to be 1 to 100 μm and an arithmetic average height Ra of the embossed surface 21to be 3 to 50 μm.

Provided is a sheet holder capable of suitably holding a cloth sheet medium while a plotter performs processing. The sheet holder is used for a plotter that performs processing on a cloth sheet medium. The sheet holder includes a holder base material on an upper surface of which the sheet medium is mounted, and an engaging sheet attached onto the holder base material and including a plurality of hook-shaped engaging elements to be engaged with the sheet medium. The engaging elements are arranged so as to be arranged in a plane shape at predetermined intervals on the holder base material.

A roller has knit fabric at its surface and which is employed in an apparatus permitting achievement of conservation of resources, conservation of energy, and low cost, and an apparatus employing such a roller. Roller 1 covered with covering 3 including knit fabric at its surface causes conveyance, supply, or other such movement of an object, or uses an to dry or cool an object as it is moved, or rotates while causing an object to be subjected to suction. Knit fabric 3a covering the roller surface has gaps having air permeability and steps 6 comprising stripes in a pattern of bands at the front and back surfaces; the stripes in the pattern of bands are perpendicular to the direction of rotation at the surface of the rotating support body 2. Loops making up knit fabric 3a have domains of small loops 4c and large loops 4b.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a feeding unit, a separation surface, a first separation part configured to switch between a condition in which the first separation part is protruded from the separate surface and the sheet comes into contact with the first separation part and a condition in which the first separation part is retracted from the separate surface and the sheet does not come into contact with the first separation part and to be fixed to each of the two conditions and a second separation part configured to be movable in a direction from a condition in which the second separation part is protruded from the separate surface and the sheet is capable of come into contact with the second separation part to a condition in which the second separation part is retracted from the separate surface, according to a contact force received from the sheet.

A sheet feeder, which can be included in an image forming apparatus, includes a rotary body to contact and feed a recording medium to a downstream side along a sheet conveying path, a friction body disposed facing and contacting the rotary body with the sheet conveying path interposed therebetween, the friction body forming a separation nip region with the rotary body, a receiver to support the friction body at a position opposite to the separation nip region, and multiple projections to guide the recording medium toward the separation nip region. Each of the multiple projections extends toward the rotary body at respective axial ends of the rotary body and has a top face disposed upstream from the separation nip region in a sheet conveying direction between an outer circumferential surface of the rotary body and a surface of the friction body.

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 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.