Recording medium conveyance mechanism connecting apparatus and sheet finishing apparatus

The invention provides a recording medium conveyance mechanism connecting apparatus and a sheet finishing apparatus, an image forming apparatus and a recording medium conveying method. The connecting apparatus includes a rotation conveyance section whose end is positioned below a recording medium discharge port of a recording medium discharging apparatus, and which is constructed separately from an inlet roller to nip and convey a recording medium and is rotated to receive and guide the recording medium discharged from the recording medium discharging apparatus to an inside of a recording medium receiving apparatus, and an upper conveyance mechanism whose end is positioned above the recording medium discharge port of the recording medium discharging apparatus and which is constructed separately from the inlet roller. An upper end of the connecting apparatus at a recording medium discharging apparatus side is positioned above the recording medium discharge port of the recording medium discharging apparatus, and a lower end is positioned below the recording medium discharge port of the recording medium discharging apparatus.