Sheet transport device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A sheet transport device includes: a curved transport path for a sheet; and multiple endless belt pairs arranged along the transport path and having transport surfaces that are in contact with each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sheet transport device comprising:
 a curved transport path for a sheet; and   a plurality of endless belt pairs arranged along the transport path and having transport surfaces that are in contact with each other.   
     
     
         2 . The sheet transport device according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the plurality of endless belt pairs, an endless belt pair located on the downstream side has a smaller inclination angle with respect to the transport path than an endless belt pair located on the upstream side in the sheet transport direction. 
     
     
         3 . The sheet transport device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inclination angle of an endless belt pair located on the downstream side in the sheet transport direction with respect to the transport path is 60° or less. 
     
     
         4 . The sheet transport device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transport path includes a semicircular transport path for the sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The sheet transport device according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of endless belt pairs include at least four endless belt pairs arranged along the transport path. 
     
     
         6 . The sheet transport device according to  claim 1 , wherein the endless belt pairs each include a transport belt disposed on the outer circumferential side of the transport path and a transport belt disposed on the inner circumferential side of the transport path, the transport belt disposed on the outer circumferential side of the transport path having a greater circumferential length than the transport belt disposed on the inner circumferential side of the transport path. 
     
     
         7 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium; and   a transport part that transports the recording medium to the image forming section, the transport part including the sheet transport device according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium; and   a transport part that transports the recording medium to the image forming section, the transport part including the transport device according to  claim 2 .   
     
     
         9 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium; and   a transport part that transports the recording medium to the image forming section, the transport part including the sheet transport device according to  claim 3 .   
     
     
         10 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium; and   a transport part that transports the recording medium to the image forming section, the transport part including the sheet transport device according to  claim 4 .   
     
     
         11 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium; and   a transport part that transports the recording medium to the image forming section, the transport part including the sheet transport device according to  claim 5 .   
     
     
         12 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an image forming section that forms an image on a recording medium; and   a transport part that transports the recording medium to the image forming section, the transport part including the sheet transport device according to  claim 6 .