Recording medium conveying apparatus and image recording apparatus

A recording medium conveying apparatus comprising:

• a loop mount member having an outer peripheral surface on which a recording medium is to be mounted;
• a driver unit that circulates the mount member along a predetermined circulation track;
• a ventilation member provided along at least part of an inner peripheral surface of the mount member;
• an air chamber provided on an opposite side of the ventilation member from a side in contact with the placement member, and having air permeability to/from an outer peripheral surface side of the mount member through holes of the mount member and the ventilation member;
• a suction unit that sucks air in the air chamber;
• and
• a side wall member having side wall surfaces covering at least part of side surfaces of the ventilation member, the side surfaces joining a first surface that is in contact with the placement member and a second surface that is adjacent to the air chamber, wherein
• a buffer region where the ventilation member is not present is included in a ventilation member-disposed region enclosed by straight lines passing respectively on the first surface, the second surface, and an opposite pair of the side wall surfaces across the ventilation member, in a cross section that intersects the pair of side wall surfaces and is perpendicular to the first surface.