Medium conveyance apparatus and image forming apparatus

A medium conveyance apparatus, comprising:

• a medium conveyance unit which has a medium supporting region that supports a rear surface of a medium and which conveys the medium in a prescribed conveyance direction while supporting the medium;
• and
• a guide section which is disposed adjacently on an upstream side, in terms of the medium conveyance direction, to a support start position where secure supporting of the medium by the medium conveyance unit is started in a conveyance path of the medium, and which contacts a front surface of the medium and causes the medium to make tight contact with the medium conveyance unit,
• wherein the guide section has a suction port provided in a position opposing the medium and applies a back tension to the medium, at least a portion of which is securely supported by the medium supporting region, by applying suction pressure from the suction port to a portion of the medium that is not securely supported by the medium supporting region, and
• wherein the guide section includes:
• a rotating roller having a hollow cylindrical shape and supported rotatably about a central axle;
• and
• a secure roller which is inserted inside the rotating roller and is securely supported,
• a plurality of suction holes are provided in a surface of the rotating roller which contacts the medium, and
• the suction port is provided in the secure roller along a direction parallel to the central axle, and
• wherein the medium conveyance apparatus further comprises a curl state judging device which judges a state of curl of the medium,
• wherein the guide section has a blocking section which blocks at least a portion of the suction holes provided in a central portion in the axial direction and at least a portion of the suction holes provided in both end portions in the axial direction, and
• if the judged state of curl of the medium indicates a convex shape on the front surface side, then at least a portion of the suction holes provided in the central portion in the axial direction are blocked by the blocking section, and if the judged state of curl of the medium indicates a concave shape on the front surface side, then at least a portion of the suction holes provided in the both end portions in the axial direction are blocked by the blocking section.