Patent ID: 6042283
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A printer comprising:a recording medium guide surface defining a printing region;a print head disposed opposite to said recording medium guide surface having a predetermined gap therebetween;a recording medium guide to guide a recording medium to the printing region and exposing the recording medium to said print head in the printing region, said recording medium guide including a guide plate movable between a first position in which said guide plate is disposed opposite to said recording medium guide surface so as to guide the recording medium past the printing region, and a second position in which said guide plate is retracted from the printing region;a first pair of rollers switchable between a closed state engaging each other for transporting the recording medium to the printing region, and an open state separated from each other;a first mechanism to move said guide plate into the first position and return said guide plate to the second position;a second mechanism to switch said first pair of rollers between the closed state and the open state; anda drive source to drive both said first mechanism and said second mechanism thus bringing said first pair of rollers into the closed state and moving said guide plate from the second to the first position in a sequential order.