Abstract:
A recording apparatus is provided and in one exemplary embodiment includes a tray, a first roller, a second roller opposing the first roller, a recording part, and an urging member. The tray can have a tip part, which can include a first tip portion and a second tip portion. The second tip portion can be disposed at an upstream position relative to the first tip portion in a first direction. The recording part can be configured to record on the medium mounted on the tray, and the urging member can be configured to urge the second roller towards the first roller to transfer the tray in the first direction. In some embodiments, a width of the first tip portion can be narrower than a width of the second tip portion. The first and second tip portions can each include tapered portions that have thicknesses that decrease in the first direction.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority as a divisional application to a utility application entitled “Transferred Medium” having Ser. No. 11/270,853, filed on Nov. 8, 2005, which claims priority to a Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-323430, filed Nov. 8, 2004. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a transferred medium having a plate shape that can be nipped between a feed driving roller which rotates and a feed driven roller which rotates in close contact with the feed driving roller and being transferred in a secondary scan direction in response to the rotation of the feed driving roller. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Inkjet printers as an example of a recording apparatus or a liquid jetting apparatus may perform printing by ejecting ink droplets onto a label surface of an optical disk as a thin plate member such as a compact disk (CD) or a digital versatile disk (DVD). In such inset printers, the thin plate member such as an optical disk is generally set in a tray having a plate shape, is fed over a feeding path in the inkjet printers (transferred in a secondary scan direction) with the thin plate member set in the tray, and then is subjected to printing. 
         [0006]    Here, the tray is fed in the secondary scan direction by the rotation of a feed driving roller in the state that the tray is nipped between the feed driving roller and a feed driven roller. However, when the tray is transferred in the secondary scan direction (fed) with the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, the tray must be inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller. Since the feed driven roller is strongly pressed on the feed driving roller, there is known an inkjet printer having a means for releasing the feed driven roller from the feed driving roller by the use of a lever as a means for inserting the tray between both rollers as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-355956 (hereinafter, referred to as JP &#39;956). 
         [0007]    A tray in which a film having the shape of a thin sheet is attached to the front end of the tray is disclosed in Japanese Unexplained Patent Application Publication No. 200442384 (hereinafter, referred to as JP &#39;384). Accordingly, when feeding the tray, the thin film is first inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller and the tray body is then inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller as a result. Therefore, a means for releasing the feed driven roller disclosed in JP &#39;956 is not necessary. 
         [0008]    In the tray disclosed kit JP &#39;384, the means for releasing the feed driven roller is not necessary by providing a thin film at the front end of the tray. However, in the structure employing the thin film, since a process of attaching the thin film thereto is required, there are problems in that increase in cost can be caused and the thin film can be easily damaged. Specifically, when the tray is inserted into the printer, the thin film provided at the front end of the tray can be easily destroyed due to the forcible insertion of the tray into the printer. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is contrived to solve the above-mentioned problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transferred medium, which can be nipped between a feed driving roller and a feed driven roller without releasing the feed driven roller, with low cost and without being easily destroyed and more particularly to provide a transferred medium having a structure for allowing the transferred medium to be easily nipped between a feed driving roller and a feed driven roller. The invention is as follows. 
         [0010]    In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transferred medium having a plate shape that can be nipped between a feed driving roller which rotates and a feed driven roller which rotates in close contact with the feed driving roller and being transferred in a secondary scan direction in response to the rotation of the feed driving roller, wherein a stress concentrated part, on which stress acting on the transferred medium when the transferred medium is nipped between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller is concentrated, is integrally formed at the front end of the transferred medium with the transferred medium. 
         [0011]    According to the aspect described above, the stress concentrated part on which the stress acting on the transferred medium is concentrated when the transferred medium is nipped between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller is integrally formed at the front end of the transferred medium with the transferred medium. Accordingly, when the transferred medium is nipped between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, the stress concentrated part is first inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, the main body of the transferred medium is then inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, and the transferred medium is finally nipped between both rollers. That is, since the area of the front end of the transferred medium (as seen in the plan view) is extremely reduced by the stress concentrated part, the front end of the transferred medium can be easily inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller with a small force (in other words, it can easily pry off both rollers). Therefore, the transferred medium can be surely inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller without using a means for releasing the feed driven roller from the feed driving roller. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent increase in cost of the recording apparatus. 
         [0012]    When the front end of the transferred medium is inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, the insertion may be automatically performed by the use of a feeding means (for example, a discharge roller) provided downstream from the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller or may be manually performed by a user. That is, by the use of any method, it is possible to easily insert the transferred medium between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller with a small force. In the former case, it is possible to precisely insert the front end of the transferred medium between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller without any slip between the feeding means and the transferred medium. 
         [0013]    Since the stress concentrated part is integrally formed with the transferred medium, the increase in cost of the transferred medium can be prevented and the strength is enhanced, thereby making it difficult to damage the transferred medium when the transferred medium is inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller. In addition, since the bottom surface of the transferred medium is smooth without any step difference, it is possible to precisely transfer the transferred medium in the secondary scan direction. The “front end” of the transferred medium represents an end in the transferring direction of the transferred medium (the end of the transferred medium which is a front side when the transferred medium is inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller). 
         [0014]    In a second aspect of the present invention, the stress concentrated part may be a projection part projected in a transferring direction of the transferred medium. 
         [0015]    According to the aspect described above, since the stress concentrated part is the projection part projected in the transferring direction of the transferred medium, it is possible to form the stress concentrated part with a simple structure and low cost. 
         [0016]    According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transferred medium having a plate shape that can be nipped between a feed driving roller which rotates and a feed driven roller which rotates in close contact with the feed driving roller and being transferred in a secondary scan direction in response to the rotation of the feed driving roller, wherein a projection part projected in a transferring direction of the transferred medium is integrally formed at the front end of the transferred medium with the transferred medium. 
         [0017]    According to the aspect described above, the projection part projected in the transferring direction of the transferred medium is integrally formed at the front end of the transferred medium with the transferred medium. Accordingly, when the transferred medium is nipped between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, the projection part is first inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, the main body of the transferred medium is accordingly inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller, and the transferred medium is finally nipped between both rollers. That is, since the area of the front end of the transferred medium (as seen in the plan view) is extremely reduced by the projection part, the transfer medium can be easily inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller with a small force (In other words, it can easily pry off both rollers). Therefore, the transferred medium can be surely inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller without using a means for releasing the feed driven roller from the feed driving roller. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent increase in cost of the recording apparatus. 
         [0018]    When then front end of the transferred medium is inserted between the feed  6  driving roller and the feed driven roller, the insertion may be automatically performed by the use of a feeding means (for example, a discharge roller) provided downstream from the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller or may be manually performed by a user. That is, by the use of any method, it is possible to easily insert the transferred medium between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller with a small force. In the former case, it is possible to precisely insert the front end of the transferred medium between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller without any slip between the feeding means and the transferred medium. 
         [0019]    Since the projection part forms a body along with the transferred medium, the increase in cost of the transferred medium can be prevented and the strength thereof is enhanced, thereby making it difficult to damage the transferred medium when the transferred medium is inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller. In addition, since the bottom surface of the transferred medium is smooth without any step difference, it is possible to precisely transfer the transferred medium in the secondary scan direction. The “front end” of the transferred medium means an end in the transferring-direction of the transferred medium (the end of the transferred medium which is a front side when the transferred medium is inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller). 
         [0020]    In a fourth aspect of the present invention, the projection part may have a shape of a tongue. According to this aspect, since the projection part has the shape of a tongue, it is possible to secure the strength of the projection part. 
         [0021]    In a fifth aspect of the present invention, the projection part may be tapered toward the tip as seen in a longitudinal section of the transferred medium. 
         [0022]    According to this aspect, since the projection part is tapered toward the tip as seen in a longitudinal section of the transferred medium, it is possible to more easily insert the transferred medium between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller. 
         [0023]    In a sixth aspect of the present invention, the front end of the transferred medium may be tapered toward the tip as seen in the longitudinal section of the transferred medium and the top surface thereof may be not projected from the top surface of the projection part. 
         [0024]    According to this aspect, since the front end of the transferred medium is tapered toward the tip as seen in the longitudinal section of the transferred medium and the top surface thereof is not projected from the top surface of the projection part, the front end of the transferred medium can be smoothly inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller without jam when it is inserted therebetween. That is, in the structure that a plurality of feed driven rollers are arranged in the width direction of the transferred medium, when the transferred medium is fed to the feed driving roller and the feed driven rollers and the projection part passes between the feed driving roller and the feed driven rollers, the feed driven rollers closely contacting the projection part and the feed driven rollers having a free state where it does not closely contact the projection part may be mixed. At this time, the feed driven rollers in the free state has a smaller gap from the feed driving roller than that of the feed driven rollers closely contacting the projection part. Therefore, in this state, when the front end of the transferred medium following the projection part passes between the feed driving roller and the feed driven rollers, the front end of the transferred medium may be jammed by the feed driven rollers. 
         [0025]    However, since the front end of the transferred medium is tapered, the front end of the transferred medium can be allowed to pass between the feed driving roller and the feed driven rollers smoothly without jam. In addition, since the top surface of the front end of the transferred medium is not projected from the top surface of the projection part, a prying effect between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller by the projection part cannot be hindered. 
         [0026]    In a seventh aspect of the present invention, the bottom surface of the projection part may form a flat plane along with the bottom surface of the transferred medium. 
         [0027]    According to this aspect, since the bottom surface of the projection part form a flat plane along with the bottom surface of the transferred medium, the bottom surface of the transferred medium is smooth without any step difference and it is thus possible to precisely transfer the transferred medium in the secondary scan direction. 
         [0028]    In an eight aspect of the present invention, the projection part may be tapered toward the tip as seen in a plane view of the transferred medium. 
         [0029]    According to this aspect, since the projection part is tapered toward the tip as seen in a plane view of the transferred medium, it is possible to more easily insert the transferred medium between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller. 
         [0030]    In a ninth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the projection parts may be provided at the front end of the transferred medium in a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction of the transferred medium with a predetermined pitch. 
         [0031]    According to this aspect, since a plurality of projection parts are provided at the front end of the transferred medium in a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction of the transferred medium with a predetermined pitch, it is possible to prevent or reduce the skew of the transferred medium when the front end of the transferred medium is inserted between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller. 
         [0032]    In a tenth aspect of the present invention, the feed driven roller may be axially supported by a holder member which is biased such that the feed driven roller comes in close contact with the feed driving roller, and the projection part may come in close contact with the feed driven roller at a position spaced far from a position where a biasing means for biasing the holder member applies a biasing force to the holder member. 
         [0033]    Since the projection part comes in close contact with the feed driven roller at a position spaced far from a position where the biasing means for biasing the holder member that axially supports the feed driven roller applies a biasing force to the holder member, it is possible to insert the transferred medium between the feed driving roller and the feed driven roller. 
         [0034]    In an eleventh aspect of the present invention, the transferred medium may be a tray having a setting part in which a thin plate member can be set. 
         [0035]    According to this aspect, since the transferred medium is a tray having a setting part in which a thin plate member such as an optical disk can be set, it is possible to obtain the same operations and advantages as this aspect from the tray in which the thin plate member can be set. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of an inkjet printer. 
           [0037]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the inkjet printer. 
           [0038]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the inkjet printer. 
           [0039]      FIG. 4  is a side cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the inkjet printer. 
           [0040]      FIG. 5  is a side cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the inkjet printer. 
           [0041]      FIG. 6  is a plan view illustrating a tray according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0042]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the tip of the tray according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0043]      FIG. 8A  is a plan view of a tongue piece and  FIG. 8B  is a side view of the tongue piece. 
           [0044]      FIGS. 9A to 9C  are diagrams illustrating an operation when the front end of the tray is inserted between a feed driving roller and a feed driven roller. 
           [0045]      FIG. 10  is a plan view illustrating a positional relation between the feed driven roller and the tongue piece. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0046]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Here, an inkjet printer  1  (hereinafter, referred to as “printer”) as an example of a recording apparatus or a liquid jetting apparatus will be first schematically described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 .  FIGS. 1 to 3  are perspective views illustrating an appearance of the printer  1  and  FIGS. 4 and 5  are side cross-sectional views of the printer  1 . In the following description, the right side in  FIGS. 4 and 5  (the front side of the printer) is referred to as the “downstream” of a paper feeding path and the left side (the rear side of the printer) is referred to as the “downstream” of the paper feeding path. 
         [0047]    In  FIG. 1 , the printer  1  includes a feeding unit  2 , in which a recording sheet (hereinafter, referred to as “paper P”) as an example of a “recording medium” or a “transferred medium” can be set with a tilted posture, at the rear portion thereof and a stacker  13  which can switch an open state ( FIG. 2 ) where the paper P can be stacked by opening the stacker to the front side of the printer and a closed state ( FIG. 1 ) where the stacker is closed with the standing posture approximately perpendicular to the open state by the use of opening and shutting operations (rotation), at the front portion in a lower case  17  (see  FIG. 4 ) constituting the bottom of the printer. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the stacker  13  includes a stacker body  14  and a sub stacker  15  and can rotate around a rotation axis  14   a  (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ) of the stacker body  14 . Accordingly, by drawing out the sub stacker  15  from the stacker body  14  in the open state where the stacker rotates to the front side of the printer, the stack surface for stacking the paper P is formed. 
         [0049]    The outside of the printer  1  is covered with a housing  11  of a case shape and the central top portion of the housing  11  is provided with a cover  12  which can be opened and shut for performing replacement of an ink cartridge or the like. The feeding unit  2 , the stacker  13 , the housing  11 , and the cover  12  constitute for the appearance of the printer. 
         [0050]    Now, a paper feeding path in the printer  1  will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 . In  FIG. 4 , the feeding unit  2  includes a hopper  21 , a feeding roller  23 , a retard roller  27 , and a guide rollers  25  and  26  and feeds the set paper P sheet by sheet to a feed driving roller  33  and a feed driven roller  34  constituting a “feeding means” for feeding the paper P to an inkjet recording head  39 . 
         [0051]    More specifically, the hopper  21  has a plate shape and can shake about a shaking point (not shown) at the upper portion thereof. The hopper  21  brings the paper P supported on the hopper  21  into close contact with the feeding roller  23  or separates the paper from the feeding roller  23 , by means of shaking. The feeding roller  22  has a “D” shape as seen in the side view and feeds the paper P pressed by its circular arc portion to the downstream on the other hand, in the course of carrying the paper P with the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driver roller  34  after feeding the paper P, the feeding roller is controlled such that its flat portion is opposed to the paper P so as not to generate any carrying load. 
         [0052]    The retard roller  27  is provided to come in close contact with the circular arc portion of the feeding roller  23 . When only a sheet of paper P is fed without feeding two or more sheets of paper P, the retard roller  27  rotates in contact with and along with the paper P (clockwise rotation to  FIG. 4 ) and when plural sheets of paper P exist between the feeding roller  23  and the retard roller  27 , the retard roller  27  does not rotate but stops because the frictional coefficient between the sheets of paper is smaller than the frictional coefficient between the paper P and the retard roller  27 . Accordingly, the next sheet of paper P to be doubly fed does not advance downstream from the feeding roller  23  by the attraction of the uppermost sheet of paper P to be fed, thereby preventing two or more sheets of paper from being fed. 
         [0053]    The guide rollers  25  and  25  are rotatable provided and perform a function of not bringing the sheet of paper P into contact with the feeding roller  23  to generate a carrying load in the course of carrying the sheet of paper P by the use of the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 . 
         [0054]    The paper P fed by the feeding unit  2  is guided to the guide  29  and reaches the feed driving roller  33  which rotates with a motor and the feed driven roller  34  which rotates in close contact with the feed driving roller  33 . The feed driven roller  34  is axially supported by a holder  31  and the holder  31  is attached to a main frame (not shown) constituting a main body of the printer  1  through a twist coil spring (not shown). The paper P reaching the feed driving roller  33  is nipped between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  and is fed to an area opposed to the inkjet recording head  39  downstream with the rotation of the feed driving roller  33 . In the present embodiment, the diameter of the feed driving roller  33  is about 10 mm and the diameter of the feed driven roller  34  is about 5 mm. 
         [0055]    At the downstream from the feed driving roller  33 , the inkjet recording head (hereinafter, referred to as “recording head”)  39  and a platen  41  opposed thereto are disposed. The recording head  39  is provided at the bottom of the carriage  35  and the carriage  35  reciprocates in a primary scan direction with a driving motor not shown under guidance of a carriage guide axis  37  extending in the primary scan direction. The carriage  35  is mounted with an individual ink cartridge (not shown) for each color and supplies ink to the recording head  39 . 
         [0056]    In the platen  41  regulating the distance between the paper P and the recording head  39 , a rib is formed on the surface opposed to the recording head and concave portions  42  and  42  are formed thereon. The concave portions  42  serves to leave the ink jetted to areas departing from the ends of the paper P as it is. Accordingly, a so-called rimless printing that performs the printing without margin at the ends of the paper P can be performed. The concave portion  42  is provided with an ink absorbing member for absorbing the left ink and the ink is guided to a used ink tray (not shown) provided at the lower portion of the platen  41  from the ink absorbing member. 
         [0057]    Subsequently, an assistant roller  46  and a discharge driving roller  44  and a discharging driven roller  45  constituting a “discharge means” are provided downstream from the recording head  39 . A plurality of discharge driving rollers  44  are arranged in the axial direction of a shaft which rotates and the discharge driven roller  45  is provided in a frame  47  made of a metal plate which is longitudinal in the primary scan direction and rotates in close contact with the discharge driving roller  44 . The sheet of paper P having been subjected to the recording by the recording head  39  is nipped between both rollers and then discharged to the stacker  13 . The assistant roller  46  positioned upstream from the rollers rotates in close contact with the paper P from its top side and has a function of preventing the floating of the paper P and keep constant the distance between the paper P and the recording head  39 . 
         [0058]    Hitherto, the paper feeding path has been schematically described. The printer  1  can directly perform the printing to a label surface of an optical disk such as a compact disk in an inkjet manner, in addition to the paper P as the transferred medium. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the optical disk D as a “recording medium” or a “thin plate member” Is fed over the linear paper feeding path in the printer  1 , in a state that it is set in a tray  50  as a “transferred medium” having a plate shape. The tray  50  is provided independent of the printer  1  and is inserted toward the rear side (the left side in  FIG. 5 ) of the printer  1  from the front side (the right side in  FIG. 5 ) of the printer  1 , while being supported by a tray guide  18  to be described later. 
         [0059]    More specifically, in  FIGS. 2 to 5 , a reference number  18  denotes a tray guide for guiding the tray  50  when performing the recording to the optical disk D by the use of the tray  50 . The tray guide  18  is provided downstream from the discharge driving roller  44  and the discharge driven roller  45  in a freely opening and shutting manner (in a rotatable manner) and can switch an open state for supporting the tray  50  by opening it toward the front side of the printer as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5  and a closed state where the tray guide is closed with the standing posture approximately perpendicular to the open state by the use of rotation as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . 
         [0060]    The tray guide  18  and the stacker  13  switches the open state and the closed state by the use of the same rotation as indicated by the change from  FIG. 4  to  FIG. 5 . That is, they have the standing posture approximately vertical in the closed state and are in the using state by falling down from the standing posture to the front side of the printer. When they are in the closed state, the tray guide  18  is positioned inside the stacker  13  to be approximately parallel with the stacker  13  and when they are in the open state, the tray guide  18  is positioned on the stacker  13  to be approximately horizontal and the stacker  13  is maintained with the posture facing the upside so as not to allow the discharge paper P to fall down. 
         [0061]    Hitherto, the schematic construction of the printer  1  has been described. Hereinafter, the tray  50  will be described in detail with reference to  FIGS. 6 to 10 . Here,  FIG. 6  is a plan view of the tray  50 ,  FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the front end of the tray  50 ,  FIG. 8A  is a plan view of a projection part  57 ,  FIG. 8B  is a side view of the projection part  57 ,  FIGS. 9A to 9C  are diagrams illustrating operations when the front end of the tray  50  is inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 , and  FIG. 10  is a plan view illustrating a positional relation between the feed driven roller  34  and the projection part  57 . 
         [0062]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the tray  50  has a rectangular shape as seen in a plan view thereof and has a plate shape that can be nipped between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  ( FIG. 5 ). The tray  50  is transferred in the secondary scan direction in response to the rotation of the feed driving roller  33 . 
         [0063]    The tray  50  includes a tray body  51  and a setting part  52  and is integrally formed from a resin material. The setting part  52  is embodied as a concave portion having a circular shape as seen in the plane view shown in the figure. A convex portion  53  is formed at the center of the setting part  52  and when an optical disk D is set in the setting part  52 , a central hole (not shown) of the optical disk D is fitted to the convex portion  53 . Accordingly, the position of the optical disk D in the setting part  52  is determined. Holes  54  and  54  formed around the setting part  52  are holes for taking out (ejecting) the optical disk D. 
         [0064]    The vertical directions in  FIG. 6  is a transferring direction of the tray  50  and the top side in  FIG. 6  is used as the front end when the tray  50  is inserted (fed) into the printer  1  through the tray guide  18  as shown in  FIG. 3 . That is, a reference number  56  denotes the front end of the tray  50 . Tongue pieces  57  and  57  as the “projected part” are projected in the transferring direction (insertion direction) of the tray  50  at the front end of the tray  50  to be a body along with the tray  50 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0065]    A plurality of tongue pieces  57  are arranged in a direction (the lateral direction, that is, the width direction, in  FIG. 6 ) perpendicular to the transferring direction of the tray  50  with a predetermined pitch as shown in the figures. As seen in the plan view thereof, the tongue piece is tapered toward the tip thereof as shown in detail  FIG. 8A . In the present embodiment, the width “a” is set about 9 mm and the amount of protrusion “b” from the front end  56  is set about 3 mm. In the present embodiment, the tip of the tongue piece has a smooth arc shape as shown in the figures, but not limited to it, may have any shape only if it is tapered toward the tip. Alternatively, the tongue piece may have a shape not tapered toward the tip. 
         [0066]    Next, the tongue piece  57  has the shape shown in  FIG. 8B  as seen in a longitudinal section of the tray  50  (a section obtained by cutting the tray  50  in the transferring direction). That is, the tongue piece is tapered toward the tip and the bottom surface  57   b  of the tongue piece form a flat plane along with the bottom surface  51   a  of the tray body  51 . 
         [0067]    The front end  56  of the tray  50  is tapered toward the tip, similar to the tongue piece  57 , and the top surface  56   a  thereof is not projected upwardly from the top surface  57   a  of the tongue piece  57 . 
         [0068]    In the present embodiment, the thickness “c” of the tip of the tongue piece  57  is set about 0.5 mm, the tilted angle of the top surface  57   a  of the tongue piece  57  (tilted angle about the bottom surface  51   b  of the tray body  51 ) is set about 8.degree, the tilted angle of the top surface  56   a  of the front end  56  (tilted angle about the bottom surface  51   b  of the tray body  51 ) is set about 12.degrees. 
         [0069]    Now, operations and effects of the tongue piece  57  will be described mainly with reference to  FIG. 9 . As described with reference to  FIG. 3 , when the tray  50  is inserted into the printer  1  (is fed over the paper feeding path), the tray is inserted toward the rear side of the printer  1  through the tray guide  18  by using the front end  56  of the tray  50  as the tip. At this time, the discharge driven roller  45  is in a state that it is separated from the discharge driving roller  44  as shown in  FIG. 5  when the tray guide  18  is in the open state (in use). Accordingly, the tray  50  can be inserted (set) Into the printer  1  without bringing the optical disk D set in the tray  50  into contact with the discharge driven roller  45 , that is, without damaging the optical disk D. In the present embodiment, when a user inserts (sets) the tray  50  into the printer  1 , the front end of the tray  50  reaches the platen  41  (does not reach the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 ) and then the tray  50  is automatically transferred to the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  by means of a feeding means not shown. 
         [0070]    Here, in order to transfer the tray  50  in the secondary direction by means of the rotation of the feed driving roller  33 , it is necessary to insert the front end  56  of the tray  50  between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  closely contacting the feed driving roller  33 . However, the tongue pieces  57  projected in the transferring direction of the tray  50  are integrally formed at the front end  56  of the tray  50  with the tray  50 . Accordingly, when the tray  50  is transferred to the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 , the tongue pieces  57  are first inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  ( FIG. 9B ), the front end  56  of the tray  50  is then inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 , and the tray  50  is finally nipped between both rollers ( FIG. 9C ). 
         [0071]    That is, since the area of the front end of the tray  50  (as seen in the plan view) is extremely reduced by the tongue piece  57 , the front end  56  of the tray  50  can be easily inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  with a small force (in other words, it can easily pry off both rollers with a small force). Therefore, the tray  50  can be surely inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  without using a means for releasing the feed driven roller  34  from the feed driving roller  33 , thereby preventing increase in cost of the printer  1 . 
         [0072]    Since the tongue piece  57  is integrally formed with the tray  50  (the tray body  51 ), it is possible to prevent increase in cost of the tray  50  and to enhance the strength of the tray, thereby making it difficult to damage the tray  50  when it is fed. In addition, since the bottom surface  51   b  of the tray  50  (the tray body  51 ) can be formed smooth without any step difference, it is possible to precisely transfer the tray  50  in the second scan direction. 
         [0073]    The tongue piece  57  may serve as a stress concentrated part (a part on which the largest stress acts in the present embodiment) on which the stress acting on the tray  50  is concentrated, when the tray  50  is inserted and kept between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 . That is, since the area of the front end of the tray  50  (as seen in the plan view) is extremely reduced by the stress concentrated part, the front end of the tray  50  can be easily inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  with a small force. 
         [0074]    Since the tongue piece  57  is tapered toward the tip as seen in the longitudinal section of the tray  50 , it is possible to more easily insert the tray  50  between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 . In addition, since the front end  56  of the tray  50  is tapered toward the tip as seen in the longitudinal section of the tray  50  and the top surface  56   a  thereof. Is not projected upwardly from the top surface  57   a  of the tongue piece  57 , the front end  56  of the tray  50  can be inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34  smoothly without jam when it is inserted therebetween. 
         [0075]    That is, in the structure that a plurality of feed driven rollers  34  are provided in the width direction of the tray  50  as shown in  FIG. 10 , when the tray  50  is fed to the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34  and the tongue piece  57  passes between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34 , feed driven rollers (denoted by reference numbers  34 B and  34 D in  FIG. 10 ) which come into close contact with the tongue piece  57  and feed driven rollers (denoted by reference numerals  34 A and  34 C in  FIG. 10 ) which do not come into close contact with the tongue piece  57  and are kept in a free state exist together. 
         [0076]    Here, the feed driven rollers  34 A and  34 C in a free state has a smaller gap from the feed driving roller  33  than that of the feed driven rollers  34 B and  34 D closely contacting the feed driving roller  33  (see  FIG. 9B ). Therefore, in this state, when the front end  56  of the tray  50  passes between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34 , the front end  56  of the tray  50  may be jammed by the feed driven rollers  33 . However, since the front end  56  of the tray  50  is tapered as described above, the front end  56  of the tray  50  can be allowed to pass between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34  smoothly without jam. In addition, since the top surface  56   a  of the front end  56  is not projected from the top surface  57   a  of the tongue piece  57 , a prying effect between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34  by the tongue piece  57  cannot be hindered. 
         [0077]    Since the tongue piece  57  is also tapered toward the tip as seen in the plan view as described above, it is possible to more easily insert the tray  50  between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34 . In addition, since a plurality of tongue pieces  57  are arranged in the width direction of the tray  50  with a predetermined pitch, it is possible to prevent or reduce the skew of the tray  50  when the front end  56  of the tray  50  is inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34 . 
         [0078]    In addition, in the relation with the holder  31  which axially supports the feed driven rollers  34  as shown in  FIG. 10 , the tongue pieces  57  come in close contact with the feed driven rollers  34  at positions most apart from the position (in the present embodiment, approximately the center in the width direction of the holder  31  (in the direction perpendicular to the transferring direction of the tray  50 )) where a twist coil spring  31  for biasing the holder  31  such that the feed driven rollers  34  come in close contact with the feed driving roller  33  applies the biasing force to the holder  31 . That is, since the tongue pieces are disposed to come in close contact with the feed driven rollers  34  at the positions where the pressing force applied from the feed driven rollers  34  is smallest, it is possible to insert the tray  50  between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34  with a smaller force. 
         [0079]    In the present embodiment, in the relation with the holder  31  and the feed driven rollers  34  as shown in  FIG. 10 , two tongue pieces  57  are disposed approximately at the same positions, that is, at the positions where the pressing force applied from the feed driven rollers  34  are equal to each other. Specifically, in the present embodiment, the tongue piece is disposed at the position corresponding to the position deviated to right from the center in the width direction of the feed driven roller  34  ( 34 B or  34 D) axially supported at the right side (the right side in  FIG. 10 ) of the holder  31  as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0080]    That is, the biasing force of the twist coil spring  36  acts on the appropriate center in the width direction of the holder  31  and thus the feed driven roller  34  is biased to come in close contact with the feed driving roller  33 . Therefore, if the two tongue pieces come in close contact with the feed driving roller at different positions, the forces with which the feed driven rollers  34  press the tongue pieces  57 , respectively, are different. Accordingly, the skew of the tray  50  may occur due to the non-uniform force when the tray is inserted between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven rollers  34 . 
         [0081]    However, as described above, since the two tongue pieces  57  are disposed at the substantially equal positions (positions where the pressing force from the feed driven roller  34  is smallest) in the positional relation with the holders  31  and the feed driven rollers  34  arranged in the width direction of the tray  50 , the pressing force with which the feed driven rollers  34  press the tongue pieces  57  does not have deviation, thereby preventing the skew of the tray  50 . 
         [0082]    In the embodiments of the present invention, the tray  50  in which an optical disk D can be set as an example of the transferred medium has been exemplified. However, not limited to the tray  50 , the same projection part may be integrally formed in a thick paper such as a board paper. As a result, it is possible to easily insert the thick paper between the feed driving roller  33  and the feed driven roller  34 , without using a means for releasing the feed driven roller  34  and without causing damage at the time of feeding.