A plurality of separation needles are arranged downstream from a transfer
roller in the sheet transport direction along a direction which is
orthogonal to the sheet transport direction, and when a separation
voltage is applied to the separation needles, an electrical discharge
occurs between the photosensitive drum and the separation needles, and a
sheet which has been charged by the transfer roller has static charge
eliminated and is separated from the photosensitive drum. Furthermore, a
transport unit established downstream from the separation needles in the
sheet transport direction has a plurality of transport plates which guide
the transport of the sheet, and a grounding plate which is located
between these transport plates, and the grounding plate is connected to
the grounding unit of the device body such that the grounding plate can
be seen without interference from the tip end of the separation needles.