Patent ID: 9517644
Filing Date: 2016-12-13
CPC Classification: B41J

Claim Text:
1. A printing apparatus comprising: a medium support that applies suction to a printing medium, the medium support having a top surface that supports the printing medium; a print mechanism that prints within a printing area onto the printing medium supported on the medium support; and a conveyor that conveys the printing medium supported on the medium support in a transport direction; wherein a cavity is formed in the medium support, the cavity being positioned facing the printing area and receding into the medium support away from the top surface of the medium support, and a first suction opening that applies suction to the printing medium is formed in the cavity, wherein a second suction opening that applies suction to the printing medium is formed in a non-cavity and planar region of the top surface of the medium support, the second suction opening being located downstream from the cavity in the transport direction; wherein the cavity includes: a first base floor at a first depth from the top surface of the medium support; and a second base floor at a second depth from the top surface of the medium support, the second depth being smaller than the first depth, and the first base floor and second base floor being offset from each other; wherein the second base floor is located downstream from the first base floor in the transport direction; and wherein the first suction opening is formed in the second base floor and no suction opening is formed in the first base floor.