Patent ID: 9340045
Filing Date: 2016-05-17
CPC Classification: B41J

Claim Text:
1. A recording apparatus, comprising: a plurality of recording modules arranged in one direction and each comprising a recording device configured to perform recording on a recording medium comprising a first surface and a second surface which is a back side from the first surface; a storage configured to accommodate the recording medium; a receiver configured to receive the recording medium on which recording is performed by any one of the plurality of recording modules; a first path whose one end is connected to the storage, the first path being defined such that the recording medium is conveyed toward a corresponding one of the plurality of recording modules; a second path comprising two ends, one of which is connected to the receiver, the second path being defined such that the recording medium is conveyed from a corresponding one of the plurality of recording modules; a plurality of third paths extending respectively via the plurality of recording modules and defined such that the recording medium to be conveyed in the first path is conveyed toward a corresponding one of the plurality of third paths via a corresponding at least one of a plurality of first connection positions positioned on the first path and corresponding respectively to the plurality of recording modules, the plurality of third paths being defined such that the recording medium to be conveyed in the corresponding one of the plurality of third paths is conveyed toward the second path via a corresponding at least one of a plurality of second connection positions positioned on the second path and corresponding respectively to the plurality of recording modules; and a conveyor configured to convey the recording medium along the first path, the second path, and the plurality of third paths, the two ends of the second path comprising another end located on an opposite side of the plurality of second connection positions from the one end of the second path, said another end being connected to a portion of the first path which is located upstream of the plurality of first connection positions, the conveyor being configured to, when the recording medium having passed through the first path once is conveyed to the first path again via the second path, convey the recording medium in a state in which the first surface and the second surface are reversed when compared with a state in which the recording medium passes through the first path in preceding conveyance; wherein the conveyor comprises: wherein the recording apparatus further comprises a controller configured to control the plurality of recording modules, the first conveyor, the second conveyor, and the plurality of third conveyors; wherein the second conveyor is configured to convey the recording medium in the second path in a first direction directed toward the receiver and a second direction which is opposite the first direction; wherein the plurality of recording modules comprise: wherein the controller is configured to control the second conveyor to switch a conveying direction of the recording medium from the first direction to the second direction when a trailing edge in the first direction, of the recording medium comprising the first surface on which recording has been performed by the second recording module is located on the second path at a position located downstream, in the first direction of a corresponding one of the plurality of second connection positions which corresponds to the second recording module and upstream, in the first direction, of a corresponding one of the plurality of second connection positions which corresponds to the first recording module.