Abstract:
A recording apparatus includes a recording head, a holding tray on which a first recording material is set and which is configured to be advanced and retracted in a linear path between a first position wherein it opposes the recording head and a second position wherein it is retracted from the first position, a reverse transporting portion for transporting a second recording material which is set under the second position while reversing the second recording material in a U shape, and a path forming member for guiding the reversed, another recording material to the linear path after the recording material is bypassed above the second position.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/426,668 filed on Apr. 20, 2009 which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-112195, filed Apr. 23, 2008 which applications are expressly incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a recording apparatus which is typified by a printer, a facsimile, or a copier, and which includes a recording execution unit having a recording head, a U-shaped reversal path that guides a first recording material such as recording sheet to the recording execution unit while reversing the recording material in a U shape, and a reciprocating movement path that reciprocates a holding tray mounting thereon a second recording material such as an optical disk to be guided to the recording execution unit. 
         [0004]    2. Related Art 
         [0005]    An ink jet printer will be described as an example of a recording apparatus. Among ink jet printers, there is known a printer having a structure capable of selectively executing a recording operation on both a soft recording material without self-supporting properties such as paper or film and a hard recording material having self-supporting properties such as an optical disk (e.g., CD-R and DVD-R) (reference should be made to, for example, JP-A-2005-059584). The optical disk is transported in a state of being set on a special holding tray. 
         [0006]    Moreover, among the ink jet printers, there is known a printer having a U-shaped reversal structure in which a number of sheets are accommodated in a feed cassette in a stacked state and are transported to the front side while being reversed in a U-shaped reversal path which is provided in a rear interior space of a printer body. In the printer having the U-shaped reversal structure, recording heads are arranged in the U-shaped reversal path so that a recording operation is executed on the sheet being transported and reversed in a U shaped state. 
         [0007]    However, in the former printer (disclosed in JP-A-2005-059584, for example), since a transport path of the soft recording material and a transport path of the hard recording material are configured to be independent from each other, the printer is likely to become bulky. Particularly, such a problem becomes prominent in a structure that incorporates the holding tray in the printer body. 
         [0008]    On the other hand, the latter printer having the U-shaped reversal structure has a structure in which a recording operation is executed on a sheet being transported and reversed in the U-shaped state. In a state where the sheet is reversed in a U-shape, since a backward tension or the like is applied thereto in response to the reversion and curving thereof, a transport load increases, making it difficult to perform highly accurate recording and thus degrading the recording quality. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a recording apparatus which is excellent in compactness and recording quality thereof. 
         [0010]    According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a recording apparatus including: a recording head; a holding tray on which a first recording material is set and which is configured to be advanced and retracted in a linear path between a first position wherein it opposes the recording head and a second position wherein it is retracted from the first position; a reverse transporting portion for transporting a second recording material which is set under the second position while reversing the second recording material in a U shape; and a path forming member for guiding the reversed, another recording material to the linear path after the recording material is bypassed above the second position. 
         [0011]    In the above aspect of the recording apparatus, the path forming member may be integrally formed with a support portion for supporting the holding tray at the second position. 
         [0012]    In the above aspect of the recording apparatus, a front end portion of the holding tray being retracted to the second position may protrude to a position located between the linear path and a guide path formed by the path forming member. 
         [0013]    In the above aspect of the recording apparatus, the recording apparatus may further include a pivoting flap which is provided at a converging position of the linear path and the guide path formed by the path forming member. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an internal structure of an ink jet printer according to an embodiment of the invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a side sectional view of the ink jet printer when a holding tray is received therein. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of the ink jet printer at the start of execution of a previous recording operation. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side sectional view of the ink jet printer at the end of execution of a previous recording operation. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side sectional view of the ink jet printer when a second recording material is set thereon. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view showing an operation state of the holding tray on a reciprocating movement path of the holding tray when the holding tray is positioned at a storage position thereof. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the holding tray at the start of execution of a previous recording operation. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the holding tray at the end of execution of a previous recording operation. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the holding tray when a second recording material is set thereon. 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is an upper perspective view of the holding tray. 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a lower perspective view of the holding tray. 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of a path forming member. 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an auxiliary transport mechanism of the holding tray. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]    Hereinafter, a recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention will be described. First, an ink jet printer  1  will now be described as a recording apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention and the schematic entire structure of the printer will be described below with reference to the drawings. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing an internal structure of an ink jet printer, and  FIG. 2  is a side sectional view showing a schematic internal structure of the ink jet printer when a holding tray is positioned at a storage position thereof.  FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of the ink jet printer when the holding tray is positioned at a recording execution start position thereof, and  FIG. 4  is a side sectional view of the ink jet printer when the holding tray is positioned at a recording execution ending position thereof.  FIG. 5  is a side sectional view of the ink jet printer when the holding tray is positioned at a set position thereof. 
         [0030]    The ink jet printer  1  is a multi-functional ink jet printer, on which a not-shown image reading device (scanner) is mounted, and is a such a type of ink jet printer that is capable of executing a recording operation on both a first recording material P, which is a soft recording material such as sheet or film, and a second recording material Q which is a hard recording material such as an optical disk including CD-R and DVD-R. The ink jet printer  1  is a serial printer in which a recording head  42  is mounted on a lower surface of a carriage  40  which is capable of reciprocating along a width direction B intersecting a transport direction A, the lower surface corresponding to a recording execution region of the two kinds of first and second recording materials P and Q. 
         [0031]    The ink jet printer  1  is provided with a printer body  2  which is a recording apparatus main body having a rectangular casing shape and has an external appearance configured by a relatively flat surface. Moreover, a feed cassette  11  capable of accommodating therein a number of first recording materials P in a stacked state is detachably attached to a central lower portion of a front surface  2   a  of the printer body  2 . Furthermore, a discharge stacker  47  for stacking the first recording material P having data or images recorded thereon in a stacked state is provided above the mounting surface of the feed cassette  11 . In addition, on the front surface  2   a  of the printer body  2 , not-shown operation buttons for execution of various operation instructions, not-shown cartridge holders for receiving therein various ink cartridges, and the like are provided. 
         [0032]    The feed cassette  11  is a member which is installed at a beginning position of the transport path of the first recording material P. The first recording materials P accommodated in the feed cassette  11  are sequentially and continuously fed out on a one-by-one basis from the uppermost one by an automatic feeding device  3  to be fed toward a later-described U-shaped reversal path  50 . The automatic feeding device  3  is configured to include a pickup roller  16  that rearwardly draws an upper one of the first recording material P in the feed cassette  11 , a sloped separation surface  12  that guides the upper one of the first recording material P, which is drawn rearward, to the U-shaped reversal path  50 , while preliminarily separating the first recording material, a first guide roller  20  which is provided obliquely above a rear portion of the sloped separation surface  12  in a freely rotatable state, and a separation roller  21  which is provided obliquely above a rear portion of the first guide roller  20 . 
         [0033]    The pickup roller  16  is provided at a front end portion of a pivot arm  17  which pivots about a pivot shaft  18  so as to make pressure contact with an upper surface of the first recording material P during feeding thereof, whereby the upper one of the first recording material P in the feed cassette  11  is drawn rearward by its rotation in the transport direction A. The separation roller  21  is applied with a predetermined rotational resistance by a torque limiter mechanism and is configured by a pair of nip rollers of a driven separation roller  22  and a driving separation roller  23 . The separation roller  21  performs a main separation operation that completely separates a subsequent one of the first recording material P, which was unable to separate in the preliminarily separation by the sloped separation surface  12 , from the uppermost one of the first recording material P. 
         [0034]    The first recording material P fed to the U-shaped reversal path  50  is transported on the U-shaped reversal path  50  by a later-described recording-material feeding device  5  according to the present embodiment to be guided to a recording position  51 . Under the recording position  51 , a platen  38  is provided which supports the lower surface of the first recording material P or the second recording material Q, which is transported thereto, to thereby define a gap PG between the recording material and the lower surface of the recording head  42 . The platen  38  is configured to include a transport guide portion  39  which is a support member, platen ribs  38   a  which are formed on an upper surface of the transport guide portion  39 , and ink recovery grooves  39   a  for recovering surplus ink which was not used for execution of a recording operation. 
         [0035]    On the other hand, above the recording position  51 , there are provided the recording head  42  which is a major constituent element of the recording execution device  4  which is a recording execution unit, and the carriage  40  which is capable of reciprocating while being guided in the width direction B along a carriage guide shaft  41  in a state of mounting the recording head  42  on a lower surface thereof. The recording execution device  4  is configured to include a plurality of not-shown, ink tubes and ink supply pumps for supplying ink of each color to the recording head  42 , a not-shown capping device which is provided at the home position of the carriage  40 , a not-shown automatic gap adjustment mechanism which is used, for example, when switching between the first recording material P and the second recording material Q, and the like. The recording head  42  is provided on a planar transport path  52  which is disposed in the vicinity of a downstream position of a later-described transport roller  34 . 
         [0036]    At a downstream position of the recording position  51 , a recording-material discharge device  6  is provided. The recording-material discharge device  6  is configured to include a discharge roller  43  which is configured by a pair of nip rollers of a driving discharge roller  44  and a driven discharge roller  45  and the above-described discharge stacker  47 . In the discharge stacker  47 , an extension stacker  48  which is accommodated therein in a nested shape is provided so as to be freely drawn out or received therein. 
       Embodiment 
       [0037]    Next, the ink jet printer  1  according to the present embodiment, having such a configuration, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
         [0038]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view showing an operation state of the holding tray on a reciprocating movement path of the holding tray when the holding tray is positioned at a storage position thereof, and  FIG. 7  is a top plan view of the holding tray when the holding tray is positioned at the recording execution start position.  FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the holding tray when the holding tray is positioned at the recording execution ending position, and  FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the holding tray when the holding tray is positioned at the set position.  FIG. 10  is an upper perspective view of the holding tray, and  FIG. 11  is a lower perspective view of the holding tray.  FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the path forming member, and  FIG. 13  is a perspective view of an auxiliary transport mechanism of the holding tray. 
         [0039]    The ink jet printer  1  according to the present embodiment is provided with the feed cassette  11  which is detachably attached to the printer body  2 , the U-shaped reversal path  50  which guides the first recording material P stacked in the feed cassette  11  to be discharged to the front surface  2   a  of the printer body  2  which is the mounting surface of the feed cassette  11  by reversing the recording material in a U shape, the holding tray  55  which is capable of moving between a set position  53  ( FIGS. 5 and 9 ) and a storage position  54  ( FIGS. 2 and 6 ) in a state where the second recording material Q is set thereon, a reciprocating movement path  56  which guides the reciprocating movement of the holding tray  55  between the set position  53  and the storage position  54 , and the transport roller  34  which is provided at the downstream position of the U-shaped reversal path  50  so as to transport the first and second recording materials P and Q. 
         [0040]    In the present embodiment, in addition to the above-described configuration, the holding tray  55  is configured by a tray having such a small size that it can be received within an interior space  58  of the path forming member  57  which forms the U-shaped reversal path  50 , and an extending movement mechanism  59  that extends the movement stroke S in order to guide the holding tray  55  to the set position  53  is connected to the holding tray  55 . At the downstream position of the U-shaped reversal path  50 , the planar transport path  52  capable of transporting the first and second recording materials P and Q in a planar posture is provided, and as described above, the recording position  51  is provided on the planar transport path  52  in the vicinity of the downstream position of the transport roller  34 . 
         [0041]    The recording position  51  as used in the present specification means a recording execution region where a recording operation is performed by the recording head  42 . Specifically, the recording position corresponds to a recording execution region having a gap defined between the recording execution start position  60  shown in  FIG. 7  and the recording execution ending position  61  shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0042]    As a characteristic configuration of the present embodiment, in the interior space  58  of the path forming member  57 , a support member  62  for supporting the rear surface (lower surface)  55   b  of the holding tray  55  positioned at the storage position  54  is provided in a state of being integral with the path forming member  57 . This integral structure may be any of an integral structure by integral molding of plastic material and an integral structure in which individual bodies are fixed by a fixing tool. 
         [0043]    According to the present embodiment, since the support member  62  for supporting the rear surface  55   b  of the holding tray  55  positioned at the storage position  54  is provided within the interior space  58  of the path forming member  57  to be integral with the path forming member  57 , it is possible to increase the mechanical strength of the path forming member  57  which forms the U-shaped reversal path  50  and the recording apparatus main body. 
         [0044]    The U-shaped reversal path  50  is provided by using the rear interior space of the printer body  2 . The U-shaped reversal path  50  is configured to include upper housings  63  and  64  which are divided into two parts and positioned on the upper side, an upper transport guide  37 , the upper housings  63  and  64  and the upper transport guide  37  being examples of members forming an outer guide surface  50   a  of the U-shaped reversal path  50 , a lower housing  65  which is disposed on the lower side, and the path forming member  57  that forms an inner guide surface  50   b  of the U-shaped reversal path  50 . On the U-shaped reversal path  50 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , a first intermediate conveying roller  25  which is configured by a pair of nip rollers of a driving conveying roller  26  and a driven conveying roller  27 , a second guide roller  29  which is configured to be freely rotatable, and a second intermediate conveying roller  31  which is configured by a pair of nip rollers of a driving conveying roller  32  and a driven conveying roller  33  are arranged. By the conveying and guiding operation of these rollers  25 ,  29  and  31 , the first recording material P supplied to be positioned in the U-shaped reversal path  50  is supplied to the above-described transport roller  34  provided in the vicinity of the downstream position of the U-shaped reversal path  50 . 
         [0045]    The transport roller  34  is configured by a pair of nip rollers of a driving transport roller  35  which is supported by a roller driving shaft  35   a  and a driven transport roller  36  which is provided at a front end of the upper transport guide  37  in a freely rotatable state. The position of the driven transport roller  36  in the transport direction A is set to a position which is shifted slightly downstream from the position of the driving transport roller  35  in the transport direction A. By employing the transport roller  34  having such position setting, a front end of the first recording material P supplied thereto is pressed by the platen ribs  38   a  disposed thereunder, and thus it is possible to prevent the first recording material P from being scratched by the head, thereby achieving improvement in the recording quality. Moreover, driving force from a not-shown driving motor is transmitted to the roller driving shaft  35   a,  thereby transporting the first and second recording materials P and Q. In addition, the driving force is transmitted to an auxiliary transport mechanism  67  via a gear train  66 , whereby a movement start operation wherein the second recording material Q starts moving from the storage position  54  and a movement end operation wherein the second recording material Q reaches the storage position  54  can be executed. 
         [0046]    Furthermore, a not-shown clutch device is provided in the roller driving shaft  35   a,  so that by appropriately changing the engagement position of the clutch device, the driving force of the roller driving shaft  35   a  can be selectively transmitted to the above-described, not-shown ink supply pump, capping device, and automatic gap adjustment mechanism, and the automatic feeding device  3 . 
         [0047]    The holding tray  55  is a rectangular flat plate-like member having a small depth dimension as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . At positions of an upper surface  55   a  of the holding tray  55  located slightly frontward from the central position in the width direction thereof, a concave setting portion  71  for setting the second recording material Q and a convex holding portion  72  for holding the second recording material Q being set at the center thereof are formed. Applicable examples of the second recording material Q which can be set on the holding tray  55  include a variety of optical disks including one that will be developed in the future, such as CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW having a diameter of 12 or 8 cm or a blu-ray disk that is attracting attentions as a next-generation optical disk. 
         [0048]    In addition, guide claws  73  which have a comb-teeth shape and are downwardly sloped toward the front side are formed at the front end portion of the holding tray  55 . In the vicinity of the corner portions of the rear end portion of the holding tray  55 , tongue-like connection pieces  75 L and  75 R are formed so as to be rotatably connected to front end portions  74   a  and  74   a  of later-described guide arms  74 L and  74 R of the extending movement mechanism  59 . Moreover, convex connection portions  75   a  are formed on the lower surface of the left connection piece  75 L and the upper surface of the right connection piece  75 R. 
         [0049]    The reciprocating movement path  56  is configured to include the above-described support member  62  that supports the lower surface of the holding tray  55  when the holding tray  55  is positioned at the storage position  54 , edge guides  76 L and  76 R which are provided to the support member  62  so as to make sliding contact with left and right side edges of the holding tray  55 , thereby guiding the movement of the holding tray  55 , the above-described transport guide portion  39  that supports the lower surface of the holding tray  55  when the holding tray  55  is positioned at the recording position  51 , and the above-described discharge stacker  47  that supports the lower surface of the holding tray  55  when the holding tray  55  is positioned at the set position  53 . 
         [0050]    The extending movement mechanism  59  is configured to include the folding-type guide arms  74 L and  74 R which are rotatably connected to the holding tray  55 , and guide rails  77 L and  77 R which are configured to engage with the proximal end portions  74   b  of the guide arms  74 L and  74 R to thereby guide the posture and movement of the guide arms  74 L and  74 R. The guide arms  74 L and  74 R are elongated, flat plate-like members having a small width, and connection holes  78  and  78  are formed on the front end portions  74   a  of the guide arms  74 L and  74 R so as to rotatably connect the guide arms  74 L and  74 R to the connection pieces  75 L and  75 R of the holding tray  55 . 
         [0051]    Moreover, guide pins  79  and  79  are provided on the proximal end portions  74   b  of the guide arms  74 L and  74 R so as to upwardly project from the left guide arm  74 L and downwardly project from the right guide arm  74 R, respectively. The guide pin  79  upwardly projecting from the guide arm  74 L is configured to engage with the L-shaped guide rail  77 L that is formed on an inner circumferential surface  57   a  of the path forming member  57 , and the guide pin  79  downwardly projecting from the guide arm  74 R is configured to engage with the L-shaped guide rail  77 R that is formed horizontally symmetrically on an upper surface  62   a  of the support member  62 . 
         [0052]    The movement of the holding tray  55  in the transport direction A and the direction opposite to the transport direction A is carried out by the above-described auxiliary transport mechanism  67  and the above-described transport roller  34 . The auxiliary transport mechanism  67  carries out the movement wherein the holding tray  55  positioned at the storage position  54  is transferred to the recording execution start position  60  and the movement wherein the holding tray  55  positioned at the recording execution start position  60  is stored at the storage position  54 . As an example of the auxiliary transport mechanism  67 , a rack and pinion mechanism as shown in an enlarged view in  FIG. 13  can be applied. In the present embodiment, the auxiliary transport mechanism  67  is illustrated in which a rack  68  is arranged at the rear right edge portion of the upper surface  55   a  of the holding tray  55  and a pinion  69  is arranged at a terminating end portion of the gear train  66  transmitting the driving force of the roller driving shaft  35   a,  respectively. 
         [0053]    Next, the operation state of the recording apparatus according to the present embodiment, having such a configuration will be described by dividing the operation with respect to the holding tray into: (1) during storage; (2) at the start of execution of recording operation; (3) at the end of execution of recording operation; and (4) during setting. 
       (1) During Storage (FIGS. 2 and 6) 
       [0054]    During storage refers to a case where the holding tray  55  is positioned at the storage position  54 . In this case, as shown in the drawings, the holding tray  55  is stored within the U-shaped reversal path  50  in a state in which the lower surface  55   b  is supported by the support member  62  in the interior space  58  of the path forming member  57 . 
         [0055]    When the holding tray  55  is positioned at the storage position  54 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , it is able to execute a recording operation on the first recording material P. That is, only the uppermost one of the first recording material P among the first recording materials P accommodated in the feed cassette  11  is supplied to the U-shaped reversal path  50  by the automatic feeding device  3 . In the U-shaped reversal path  50 , a conveying force is applied to the first recording material P by the first intermediate conveying roller  25  and the second intermediate conveying roller  31  and is guided to the transport roller  34  by the second guide roller  29 , the outer guide surface  50   a  and the inner guide surface  50   b  of the U-shaped reversal path  50 , and the inner guide surface  37   a  of the upper transport guide  37 . Moreover, the first recording material P is transported to the recording position  51  provided on the planar transport path  52  by the pinching and transporting action of the transport roller  34 , whereby a desired recording operation is executed thereon by the recording execution device  4 . 
         [0056]    According to the present embodiment, since the U-shaped reversal path  50  of the first recording material P (another recording material) is formed by bypassing the accommodation space of the holding tray  55 , it is possible to realize a recording apparatus which is excellent in compactness and recording quality thereof. 
         [0057]    Moreover, since the storage position  54  for incorporating the holding tray  55  in the recording apparatus main body is provided in the interior space  58  of the path forming member  57  that forms the U-shaped reversal path  50 , it is possible to effectively utilize the interior space  58  of the U-shaped reversal path  50 . 
         [0058]    Furthermore, since the recording head  42  that constitutes the recording execution device is provided at a position closer to the set position  53  than the end portion of the holding tray  55  positioned at the storage position  54 , disposed close to the set position  53 , it is possible to secure a large (long), relatively flat region on the upstream side immediately close to the recording head  42 . Owing to such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the transport load resulting from the U-shaped reversion and curving, to perform highly accurate recording, and to prevent degrading in the recording quality. This is particularly advantageous in a recording material having a small height such as a postcard because the reversed and curved state thereof in the U-shaped reversal path  50  is disappeared so that the recording material becomes generally flat and a recording operation can be performed thereon. 
         [0059]    In addition, in a state in which the front end of the first recording material P arrives at the transport roller  34  in direct charge of transport of the recording material during execution of an recording operation, since the recording material P on the upstream side thereof is able to assume an approximately flat shape, it is possible to reduce the transport load, to perform highly accurate transport by means of the transport roller  34 , and to improve the recording quality. 
       (2) At the Start of Execution of Recording Operation (FIGS. 3 and 7) 
       [0060]    When the driving force of the roller driving shaft  35   a  is transmitted to the rack  68  of the holding tray  55  positioned at the storage position  54  via the gear train  66  and the pinion  69 , the holding tray  55  starts moving forward. When the guide claws  73  at the front end of the holding tray  55  reaches the nip point of the transport roller  34 , the transmission of the driving force from the auxiliary transport mechanism  67  stops, and the holding tray  55  reaches the recording execution start position  60  wherein it receives the driving force from the transport roller  34 . Since the holding tray  55  is used by the second recording material Q, the gap PG between the recording head  42  and the platen  38  is enlarged upward by operating a not-shown automatic gap adjustment device so as to be set to a gap PG for the second recording material Q. 
       (3) At the End of Execution of Recording Operation (FIGS. 4 and 8) 
       [0061]    The holding tray  55  positioned at the recording execution start position  60  is transported on the planar transport path  52  along the transport direction A by the pinching and transporting action of the transport roller  34 . At the same time, ink of each color is ejected downward from the recording head  42  over an entire width of the recording surface of the second recording material Q by the reciprocating movement of the carriage  40  reciprocating in the width direction B. When the execution of the recording operation on the recording surface of the second recording material Q ends, the holding tray  55  arrives at the recording execution ending position  61  shown in  FIGS. 4 and 8 . 
       (4) During Setting (FIGS. 5 and 9) 
       [0062]    When the second recording material Q is set on the holding tray  55  or when the second recording material Q having data or images recorded thereon is removed from the holding tray  55 , the holding tray  55  is positioned at the set position  53  wherein the holding tray  55  is drawn out to the frontmost position as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 9 . The movement of the holding tray  55  between the recording execution ending position  61  and the set position  53  is carried out by causing the left and right guide arms  74 L and  74 R to be pinched by the transport roller  34  as shown in the drawings. In the course of the movement of the holding tray  55  between the storage position  54  and the recording execution start position  60 , the movement of the holding tray  55  between the recording execution start position  60  and the recording execution ending position  61 , and the movement of the holding tray  55  between the recording execution ending position  61  and the set position  53 , the guide pins  79  and  79  provided at the proximal end portions  74   b  and  74   b  of the guide arms  74 L and  74 R are always in a state of being engaged with the guide rails  77 L and  77 R, and the postures of the guide arms  74 L and  74 R are continuously changed from the folded state shown in  FIGS. 2 and 6  to the extended state shown in  FIGS. 5 and 9 . 
         [0063]    The operation state of the holding tray  55  according to the present embodiment during movement from the set position  53  to the storage position  54  is opposite to the above-described operation state, and the details thereof are the same as those of the above. 
       Other Embodiment 
       [0064]    Although the recording apparatus  1  according to the present embodiment basically has the above-described configuration, a partial configuration may be modified or omitted within the range without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the holding tray  55  may have not only a configuration that it is completely accommodated within the interior space  58  of the path forming member  57 , but also a configuration that a part of the holding tray  55  comes out from the interior space  58  of the path forming member  57 . Moreover, the configuration of the extending movement mechanism  59  is not limited to the configuration shown in the above-described embodiment but may have a configuration that uses a link mechanism or a cam mechanism. Furthermore, the configuration of the auxiliary transport mechanism  67  is not limited to the rack and pinion mechanism employed in the above-described embodiment, but may employ various mechanisms capable of securing the same movement amount.