Patent ID: 7236736
Filing Date: 2007-06-26
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An image recording apparatus that supplies a sheet of recording material of a predetermined length from a supply section and conveys said recording material along a feed path from said supply section through an image recording section to an ejecting section, to record an image on said recording material in said image recording section, said image recording apparatus comprising: a feedback path for feeding said recording material from a section of said feed path, between said image recording section and said ejecting section, back to a section of said feed path between said supply section and said image recording section; a first guide member disposed between said image recording section and said ejecting section, said first guide member being switched over between a first position, for guiding said recording material from said image recording section to said ejecting section, and a second position for guiding said recording material from a side of said ejecting section, to said feedback path; a controller that switches said first guide member to said second position after said recording material goes past said first guide member in its first position, and then conveys said recording material in opposite direction to feed said recording material into said feedback path, thereby to feed said recording material in reversed position again through said image recording section, for recording images on both sides of said recording material; and a buffer section, branched from said feed path between said first guide member and said ejecting section, for holding said recording material temporarily, and a second guide member switched over between a first position for guiding said recording material from said first guide member toward said ejecting section and a second position for guiding said recording material from said first guide member toward said buffer section, wherein said controller feeds said recording material through said second guide member in its second position into said buffer section with one end of said recording material ahead, and after an opposite end of said recording material goes past said first guide member in its first position, said controller switches over said first guide member to its second position, and then conveys said recording material in opposite direction to feed said recording material into said feedback path.