Sheet member transporting apparatus and recording apparatus having sheet member transporting apparatus

Abstract

A sheet member transporting apparatus in which increase in number of components is restrained to reduce time and effort for assembly even when a curved route portion having a level difference in the direction of gravitational force is provided in a midsection of a transporting route, and a recording apparatus having the sheet member transporting apparatus are provided. A pivotable member configured to be capable of supporting a printing surface of a sheet fed by a sheet feed roller toward the downstream side pivots about a pivot shaft extending along the width direction of the sheet intersecting the direction of transport of the sheet so as to draw a curved trajectory having the level difference in the direction of gravitational force to receive the sheet pivoted together with the pivoting member and transport the sheet toward the downstream side in the direction of transport.

1 . A sheet member transporting apparatus configured to transport a flexible sheet member, comprising:
 a feeding device configured to feed the sheet member toward the downstream side in the direction of transport;   a supporting device having a supporting member which is capable of supporting one of the surfaces of the sheet member fed by the feeding device, the supporting member being pivotable about a pivoting shaft that extends along the width direction of the sheet member that intersect the direction of transport of the sheet member, and   a transporting device configured to receive the sheet member that is pivoted together with the supporting member in a state of being supported by the supporting member of the supporting device from the supporting device and transport the sheet member toward the downstream side in the direction of transport.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet member transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting member includes an abutting portion which is capable of coming into abutment with the sheet member fed by the feeding device at a downstream side end thereof in the direction of transport from an upstream side in the direction of transport. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet member transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the supporting member includes a curved surface portion which is capable of coming into surface contact with one of the surfaces of the sheet member. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet member transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transporting device includes a transporting roller extending along the width direction, and
 a rotating device configured to rotate the transporting roller,   the supporting member is formed with a depression at a downstream side end in the direction of transport, and   the depression opposes the transporting roller when the supporting member is pivoted toward the transporting device.   
     
     
         5 . A recording apparatus comprising:
 a recording device configured to perform recording by causing a recording material to adhere to a sheet member; and   the sheet member transporting apparatus according to  claim 1 .