Transport device, transfer device, and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A transport device includes a transporting member that transports an object that is wound around an outer peripheral surface thereof by rotating; a holding unit that is rotatably supported by the transporting member at a first end thereof, the holding unit holding a leading end of the object in a transport direction by gripping the leading end between a second end thereof and the outer peripheral surface when the object enters a space between the second end and the outer peripheral surface; and a positioning unit disposed on the transporting member or the holding unit so as to be movable downstream in a direction in which the object enters the space. The positioning unit contacts the leading end of the object that has entered the space and positions the object in the transport direction when the holding unit moves to hold the object.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A transport device comprising:
 a transporting member that transports an object that is wound around an outer peripheral surface thereof by rotating;   a holding unit that is rotatably supported by the transporting member at a first end thereof, the holding unit holding a leading end of the object in a transport direction by gripping the leading end between a second end thereof and the outer peripheral surface when the object enters a space between the second end and the outer peripheral surface; and   a positioning unit disposed on the transporting member or the holding unit so as to be movable downstream in a direction in which the object enters the space, the positioning unit contacting the leading end of the object that has entered the space and positioning the object in the transport direction when the holding unit moves to hold the object.   
     
     
         2 . The transport device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the positioning unit moves from a positioning position, in which the positioning unit positions the object, downstream in the transport direction when the holding unit moves toward a separated position in which the second end of the holding unit is separated from the outer peripheral surface, and   wherein the positioning unit returns to the positioning position when the holding unit moves from the separated position to a gripping position in which the holding unit grips the leading end of the object between the second end and the outer peripheral surface.   
     
     
         3 . The transport device according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a linkage unit that transmits a driving force from a single driving unit to the holding unit and the positioning unit and that links movement of the positioning unit to movement of the holding unit.   
     
     
         4 . A transfer device that is the transport device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the object is a recording medium and the transporting member is a transfer member that transfers an image received from the outside to the recording medium.   
     
     
         5 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 the transfer device according to  claim 4 ; and   an image carrier that carries an image that is to be transferred by the transfer device.   
     
     
         6 . The transport device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the holding unit interferes with the positioning unit when seen from an axial direction of the transporting member, a plurality of protruding portions are formed in the second end of the holding unit, a plurality of protruding portions are formed in an end of the positioning unit, and the protruding portions of the positioning unit are arranged between the protruding portions of the holding unit when the holding unit moves to hold the object.