Transfer Apparatus

A transfer apparatus comprising:

• a transfer roller which opposes an image carrier to transfer developer carried on a peripheral surface of the image carrier onto a recording medium conveyed along a conveyance path, and is configured to rotate in synchronization with the conveyance of the record medium;
• a guide-member supporting frame which is provided at an upstream of a transferring portion where the image carrier and the transfer roller are closest, in the conveyance path, and is provided at a side of the transfer roller with respect to the conveyance path;
• a flexible guide member which has a thin plate shape as seen in a side sectional view, and is attached to the guide-member supporting frame at an upstream of the transferring portion in the conveyance path to guide the record medium to the transferring portion;
• and
• a inflexible protrusion supporting member which has a rigid shape as seen in a side sectional view, and is provided on the guide-member supporting frame between the transferring portion and the guide member in the conveyance path, and which protrudes toward the conveyance path such that the protrusion supporting member supports a trailing edge of the record medium after the trailing edge of the record medium passes the guide member,
• wherein the guide member includes:
• a fixed portion which is fixed to the guide-member supporting frame;
• and
• a swing portion which is provided at one end side thereof opposite to the fixed portion as seen along the conveyance path and at a downstream in the conveyance path to be closer to the conveyance path than the fixed portion, and
• wherein the protrusion supporting member is provided to abut the guide member while the guide member does not protrude from the protrusion supporting member to a side of the transferring portion when the swing portion of the guide member swings to approach the guide-member supporting frame by abutting the record medium.