Patent ID: 6375319
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An ink-jet printer comprising:a rotary drum for rotating at a constant speed; a print medium loading mechanism for loading a print medium onto said rotary drum; a print medium holding section for holding the print medium loaded by said print medium loading mechanism on said rotary drum; and a print head for printing an image by ejecting ink onto the print medium; wherein said print medium loading mechanism includes a pair of loading rollers for feeding the print medium while pinching the printing medium, and a separating mechanism for separating one of the loading rollers from the other roller to release the print medium after a leading edge of the print medium has been held on said rotary drum; wherein said print medium holding section includes a charging roller for electrically charging the print medium while pressing the print medium onto said rotary drum, such that the print medium is held on said rotary drum by electrostatic attraction, and a separating mechanism for separating said charging roller from said rotary drum after a predetermined rear part of the print medium has passed said charging roller; and wherein said print medium holding section includes a groove made in a peripheral surface of said rotary drum and a clamp claw received in said groove, said separating mechanism having a pair of arcuate guides disposed on ends of said rotary drum in an axial direction of said rotary drum, a radius of each arcuate guide being larger than a radius of said rotary drum at a position corresponding to said groove to prevent said charging roller from falling into said groove, and being equal to the radius of said rotary drum at positions corresponding to both sides of said groove in a rotation direction of said rotary drum.