Patent ID: 6074056
Filing Date: 2000-06-13
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink-jet printer comprising:a rotary drum having a peripheral surface with a plurality of suction holes arranged therein and rotating at a constant speed;a medium loading section for loading a printing medium to the peripheral surface of said rotary drum;a medium holding system for holding the printing medium on the peripheral surface of said rotary drum by applying negative suction pressure to the printing medium via the suction holes; anda print head for printing an image by jetting ink onto the printing medium held on the peripheral surface of said rotary drum;wherein said rotary drum has an outer cylindrical member serving as the peripheral surface, an inner cylindrical member having a diameter smaller than said outer cylindrical member, and a partitioning wall section for fixing said inner cylindrical member within said outer cylindrical member at a uniform distance from said outer cylindrical member and for partitioning a space between said inner cylindrical member and said outer cylindrical member into a plurality of air rooms in a drum rotational direction, said medium holding system including a plurality of air holes arranged in said inner cylindrical member to associate with said air rooms, a suction unit for suctioning air via said air holes to set said air rooms in a negative pressure state, and an air-flow control mechanism for sequentially setting said air holes from a closed state to an open state as corresponding suction holes pass a loading position of the printing medium by rotation of said rotary drum.