Patent Publication Number: US-6991328-B2

Title: Medium transporting device and recording apparatus incorporating the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a medium transporting device for transporting a medium, and a recording apparatus incorporating such a medium transporting device. 
   Generally, in a large-size printer which is a well-known recording apparatus, a sheet feeding section for feeding a recording medium such as recording paper is disposed below a printer body. A recording section for recording information on the fed recording paper and a sheet ejecting section for ejecting the recording paper after recording are disposed above the printer body. When such a large-size printer, for example, an ink jet printer is used, a user places recording paper in the sheet feeding section so that a leading end portion of the recording paper is pulled out of the sheet feeding section. While the leading end portion of the recording paper is clamped between a feeding roller and a follower roller, the ink jet printer is activated. 
   As a result, the ink jet printer rotates the feeding roller to feed the recording paper to a nip portion between a transporting roller and a follower roller in the recording section through a transport guide member. Then, while a feeding roller is rotated to feed the recording paper onto a platen of the recording section, ink drops are jetted from nozzle orifices of recording heads of the recording section to record information on the recording paper. The feeding roller is further rotated to transport the recording paper to a nip portion between an ejection roller and a follower roller in the sheet ejecting section. Then, the ejection roller is rotated to eject the recording paper onto a tray (e.g. see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-254740A). 
   Each of the follower rollers provided in the ink jet printer is made of plastics. A metal shaft is inserted in each follower roller so that the follower roller rotates while sliding on the metal shaft. Accordingly, the friction coefficient between the follower roller and the shaft is relatively high, so that a large transport resistance is generated on the basis of a friction loss of the shaft caused by pressing force of the follower roller. For this reason, a slippage occurs when the recording paper is transported. Because the amount of the slippage varies according to the kind of the recording paper, it is difficult to correct the transporting amount while considering the slippage for all kinds of recording paper. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the invention is to provide a medium transporting device which can achieve constant and accurate transporting regardless of the kind of the medium, and a recording apparatus incorporating such a medium transporting device. 
   In order to achieve the object, according to the invention, there is provided a device for transporting a medium, comprising: 
   a driving roller; and 
   a follower roller, brought into press contact with the driving roller by a load having a predetermined value, thereby being rotated in accordance with a rotation of the driving roller to transport the medium clamped therebetween in a first direction, the follower roller comprising a shaft portion and a roller body provided so as to surround the shaft portion,
         wherein the follower roller is configured such that a value of a ratio f/F is not greater than 0.03, where F is a force transporting the medium in the first direction which is generated by the load, and f is a resistance force generated in a second direction opposite to the first direction by a friction loss of the shaft portion of the follower roller which is generated by the load.       

   With this configuration, the resistance force f can be reduced. Accordingly, the slippage at the time of transporting the medium can be reduced, so that medium transporting accuracy can be improved. 
   Preferably, a ball bearing is disposed between the shaft portion and the roller body. 
   With this configuration, the friction coefficient between the follower roller and the shaft portion can be reduced. Accordingly, the resistance force f which has a large influence on occurrence of the slippage at the time of transporting the medium can be also reduced. 
   Preferably, the value of the ratio f/F is determined by adjusting a ratio d/D, where d is an outer diameter of the shaft portion and D is an outer diameter of the follower roller. 
   In this case, when the ratio d/D of the outer diameter d of the shaft of the follower roller to the outer diameter D of the follower roller is set to be smaller, medium transport resistance f which has a large influence on occurrence of the slippage at the time of transporting the medium can be also reduced. 
   Preferably, the value of the load is determined so as to reduce a decrease of a transporting amount of the medium due to fluctuation of the load. 
   With this configuration, the slippage at the time of transporting the medium can be reduced more greatly regardless of the kind of the medium. Accordingly, medium transporting accuracy can be improved more greatly. 
   According to the invention, there is also provided a recording apparatus, comprising: 
   the above medium transporting device; and 
   a recording section which performs a recording operation with respect to the medium transported by the medium transporting device. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an ink jet printer which is a recording apparatus incorporating a recoding recording medium cutting device of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing an example of internal configuration of an essential part of the printer of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of essential part of the printer of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4A  is a schematic side view showing a state in which a rolled sheet is clamped between a feeding roller and a follower roller in the printer of  FIG. 1  while the follower roller is pressed against the feeding roller; 
       FIG. 4B  is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the follower roller of  FIG. 4A ; 
       FIG. 5A  is a graph showing a relation between loads imposed on the rolled sheet and transporting accuracies, for various kinds of rolled sheets; 
       FIG. 5B  is a graph showing a relation between loads imposed on the rolled sheet and transporting accuracies of a resin-coated rolled sheet, for various ratios of transport resistance to transporting force; 
       FIG. 6  is a graph showing a simulation result of a relation between back tensions and ratios of actual transporting amount to designed transporting amount, for various loads imposed follower rollers having different friction coefficients; 
       FIG. 7  is a graph showing an actual measurement result of a relation between the back tensions and the ratios of an actual transporting amount to a designed transporting amount, for various loads imposed follower rollers having different friction coefficients; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view showing the details of a sheet feeding section in the printer of in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIGS. 9A to 18  are views showing a procedure of use of the printer of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 
   An ink jet printer  100  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  is a large-size printer which can record an image on a rolled sheet having a relatively large width such as A1-size sheet or B1-size sheet according to Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). The ink jet printer  100  includes a body section  110 , a recording section  120 , a sheet ejecting section  130 , leg sections  140 , and a sheet feeding section  150 . The recording section  120 , the sheet ejecting section  130  and a cutter  133  are disposed in the body section  110  of the ink jet printer  100 . The sheet feeding section  150  is disposed between the leg sections  140  which support the body section  110 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the body section  110  includes a housing  111  which is made of a plastic or metal plate and with which the recording section  120  and the sheet ejecting section  130  are covered. As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the housing  111  is provided with upper and front covers  112  and  113  which are made of semitransparent or transparent plastic or metal plates respectively and which are provided so that upper and front parts of the housing  11  can be opened. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the upper cover  112  is pivoted on its rear portion so that the upper cover  112  can be opened or closed when a user pushes up or down the upper cover  112  while gripping a front portion of the upper cover  112 . Because the recording section  120  and the sheet ejecting section  130  can be made open upward largely when the upper cover  112  is opened by the user, the maintenance of recording heads  121 , a carriage  122 , etc. and the removal of sheet transporting error such as a sheet jam during recording or sheet ejection can be made easily. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the front cover  113  is pivoted on its lower portion so that the front cover  113  can be opened or closed when the user pushed down or up the front cover  113  while gripping an upper portion of the front cover  113 . Because the lower parts of the recording section  120  and the sheet ejecting section  130  can be made open largely when the front cover  113  is opened by the user, the removal of sheet transporting error such as a sheet jam during sheet feeding can be made easily. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an ink cartridge holder  160  is disposed in the lower right section of the body section  110  when viewed from the front. The ink cartridge holder  160  has a holder body  161  for receiving and holding respective color ink cartridges  10 , and a cover  162  with which the front of the holder body  161  is covered. The cover  162  is pivoted on its lower portion so that the cover  162  can pivot relative to the holder body  161 . That is, the cover  162  can be opened or closed when the user pushes down or up the cover  162  while gripping an upper portion of the cover  162 . Because the holder body  161  can be made open largely when the cover  162  is opened by the user, the ink cartridges  10  can be replaced easily. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a control panel  170  operated by the user for recording control etc. is disposed in the upper right section of the body section  110  when viewed from the front. A liquid crystal display and various kinds of buttons are disposed in the control panel  170  so that the user can operate the buttons while watching the liquid crystal display for confirmation. Because the user can operate the buttons reliably on the basis of visibility, operation errors, operating mistakes, etc. can be eliminated. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the recording section  120  comprises: a carriage  122  which carries recording heads  121 ; a flexible flat cable (hereinafter referred to as FFC)  123  which electrically connects the recording heads  121  to a controller  101  for executing recording; ink tubes  124  which connect the recording heads  121  to the ink cartridges  10  each containing ink; a feeding roller  125  which transports the rolled sheet; a follower roller  126  which is driven by the feeding roller  125 ; and a not-shown sheet suction unit for preventing the transported rolled sheet from being floated up. 
   The recording heads  121  include a black ink recording head for jetting black ink, and a plurality of color ink recording heads for jetting various colors of ink such as dark yellow, yellow, light cyan, cyan, light magenta, magenta, etc. Pressure generating chambers and nozzle orifices respectively communicated with the pressure generating chambers are provided in the recording heads  121 . When each pressure generating chamber is pressurized with a predetermined value in the condition that ink is reserved in the pressure generating chamber, an ink drop having a controlled size is jetted from a corresponding nozzle orifice toward the rolled sheet R. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the carriage  122  is placed on a rail  127  through bearings and connected to a carriage belt  128 . The rail  127  is provided in a primary scanning direction. When the carriage belt  128  is operated by a carriage actuator not shown, the carriage  122  makes a reciprocating motion while guided by the rail  127  in accordance with the movement of the carriage belt  128 . The FFC  123  has one end connected to a connector of the controller  101 , and the other end connected to a connector of the recording heads  121  so that a recording signal can be sent from the controller  101  to the recording heads  121 . 
   The ink tubes  124  are provided for the various colors of ink. Each ink tube  124  has one end connected to a corresponding color ink cartridge  10  by way of a compressor not shown, and the other end connected to a corresponding color recording head  121 . Each ink tube  124  is provided so that a corresponding color of ink pressurized by the compressor is fed from a corresponding ink cartridge  10  to a corresponding recording head  121 . 
   The feeding roller  125  is driven to rotate forward and backward by driving force transmitted from a motor not shown. The follower roller  126  is pressed against the feeding roller  125  by an urging member such as a spring. The follower roller  126  follows the feeding roller  125  so that the follower roller  126  can rotate forward/backward with the forward/backward rotation of the feeding roller  125 . The feeding roller  125  and the follower roller  126  feed the supplied rolled sheet while the rolled sheet is held between the feeding roller  125  and the follower roller  126 . 
   Assume the case where the follower roller  126  is pressed against the feeding roller  125  by a load W in the condition that the rolled sheet R is put between the feeding roller  125  and the follower roller  126  as shown in  FIG. 4A . When the feeding roller  125  in this state is rotated, a transporting force (medium feeding force) F, which is equal to the product μ′W of the friction coefficient μ′ between a back surface Ra of the rolled sheet R and an outer circumferential face  125   a  of the feeding roller  125  and the load W, acts on the rolled sheet R. 
   On this occasion, a friction loss, which is equal to the product μW of the friction coefficient μ between an outer circumferential face  126   b  of a shaft  126   a  of the follower roller  126  and an inner circumferential face  126   c  (or a bearing portion of the shaft  126   a ) of the follower roller  126  rotationally sliding on the shaft  126   a  and the load W, also acts on the follower roller  126 . As a result, a transport resistance (medium feeding resistance) f acts on an obverse surface Rb of the rolled sheet R through an outer circumferential face  126   d  of the follower roller  126  in accordance with the friction loss μW. The transport resistance f is given by the following expression (1): 
             f   =           d   /   2       D   /   2       ⁢   μ   ⁢           ⁢   W     =       d   D     ⁢   μ   ⁢           ⁢   W               (   1   )             
 
in which D is the outer diameter of the follower roller  126 , and d is the outer diameter of the shaft  126   a.  
 
   That is, the feeding roller  125  is betrayed by the follower roller  126  which must cooperate with the feeding roller  125 , so that the feeding roller  125  suffers the resistance force from the nearest position. The transport resistance f has a large influence on transporting accuracy so that a large slippage may occur in accordance with the kind of the rolled sheet R. To solve this problem, it is necessary to reduce the ratio f/F of transport resistance f to transporting force F as given by the following expression (2): 
               f   F     =           (     d   /   W     )     ⁢   μ   ⁢           ⁢   W         μ   ′     ⁢   W       =       d   D     ⁢     μ     μ   ′                   (   2   )             
 
     FIG. 5A  is a graph showing a relation between ratios of an actual transporting amount to a designed transporting amount (i.e. transporting accuracies) and loads (back tensions) imposed on the rolled sheet R, for various kinds of rolled sheets. Examples are as follows: a rolled sheet of mat paper having a ratio of a transport resistance f to a transporting force F (hereinafter referred to as “f/F value”) of 0.06 (represented by black triangles); a rolled sheet of mat paper having an f/F value of 0.01 (represented by white triangles); a rolled sheet of resin-coated paper having an f/F value of 0.06 (represented by black circles); and a rolled sheet of resin-coated paper having an f/F value of 0.01 (represented by white circles). 
   As is obvious from this figure, accurate transportation can be attained for each of the rolled sheet of mat paper having the f/F value of 0.06, the rolled sheet of mat paper having the f/F value of 0.01, and the rolled sheet of resin-coated paper having the f/F value of 0.01 because the ratio of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount little decreases when the load (back tension) imposed on the rolled sheet increases. 
   In the rolled sheet of resin-coated paper having the f/F value of 0.06, however, the ratio of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount decreases even in the case where the load (back tension) imposed on the rolled sheet is zero. As the load (back tension) imposed on the rolled sheet increases, the ratio of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount decreases significantly. That is, transporting accuracy is worsened. 
     FIG. 5B  is a graph showing a relation between ratios of an actual transporting amount to a designed transporting amount and loads (back tensions) imposed on the rolled sheet, for various f/F values. As is obvious from this figure, when the f/F value is not greater than 0.03, the rolled sheet can be transported accurately because the ratio of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount little decreases though the load (back tension) imposed on the rolled sheet increases. As described above, when f/F is selected to be not greater than 0.03, more preferably, not greater than 0.01, transporting accuracy for various types of rolled sheets can be improved. Incidentally, when this rule is applied not only to the rolled sheet but also to various recording media such as a cut sheet of paper, transporting accuracy can be improved. 
   As a comparative example, the inner circumferential face  126   c  of the follower roller  126  was made of plastics (polyacetal) and the shaft  126   a  was made of metal (stainless steel). In this case, the friction coefficient μ was 0.155 and the ratio f/F of transport resistance f to transporting force F was 0.06. On this occasion, the outer diameter D of the follower roller  126  was 5 mm, the outer diameter d of the shaft  126   a  was 1.5 mm, and the friction coefficient μ′ of the feeding roller  125  was 0.8. 
   On the contrary, when a ball bearing  126   e  which was a roller bearing was disposed in an inner race of the follower roller  126  as shown in  FIG. 4B , the friction coefficient μ was set at 0.025 and f/F was set at 0.01. On this occasion, the outer diameter D of the follower roller  126  was 5 mm, the outer diameter d of the shaft  126   a  was 1.5 mm, and the friction coefficient μ′ of the feeding roller  125  was 0.8. 
   The outer diameter D of the follower roller  126  and the outer diameter d of the shaft  126   a  were changed as follows. When, for example, the follower roller  126  was formed so that the diameter D of the follower roller  126  became larger while the outer diameter d of the shaft  126   a  became smaller to reduce the friction coefficient μ, the ratio f/F could be set to be in a range of from 0.02 to 0.05. 
   According to a further experiment, the friction coefficient μ could be set to be in a range of from 0.02 to 0.03 when a ball bearing was disposed in the shaft bearing of the shaft  126   a  of the follower roller  126 , and the friction coefficient ii could be set to be in a range of from 0.12 to 0.2 when a sleeve bearing made of plastics or the like was disposed in a bearing of the shaft  126   a  of the follower roller  126 . On the other hand, the friction coefficient μ′ could be set to be in a range of from 0.5 to 0.9 in accordance with the material of the front surface of the feeding roller  125 . When strength was considered, the lower limit of the outer diameter d of the shaft  126   a  was 0.8 mm. 
   Although description has been made on the case where a follower roller formed so that the ratio f/F is set to be not greater than 0.03, more preferably, not greater than 0.01 is applied to the roller  126  driven by the feeding roller  125 , the invention is not limited thereto. For example, transporting accuracy can be improved when such a follower roller is applied to a pinch roller  153  which is a follower roller of a delivery roller  152  or to a follower roller  132  of an ejection roller  131 . 
   Also in the case where the load W was changed for each of the follower rollers  126  having different friction coefficients μ, there was obtained a phenomenon that the ratio of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount was substantially constant when the back tension was zero. Therefore, a simulation for the phenomenon was performed on the basis of following hypotheses.
     1) The back tension of zero is apparent back tension, so that the actual back tension start position is equivalent to a point minus the value of transport resistance f because of the influence of the transport resistance f.   2) To generate a constant slippage in paper transporting (the ratio of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount), the back tension needs to be doubled when the load W is doubled.   

     FIG. 6  is a graph showing the simulation result of the relation between the ratios of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount and the back tensions, in cases where large and small loads W 1  and W 2  are applied to each of follower rollers  126  having large and small friction coefficients μ 1  and μ 2 . Here, the dashed line shows the case where the large load W 1  is applied to the follower roller  126  having the large friction coefficient μ 1 , the dashed chain line shows the case where the small load W 2  is applied to the follower roller  126  having the large friction coefficient μ 1 , the solid line shows the case where the large load W 1  is applied to the follower roller  126  having the small friction coefficient μ 2 , and the chain line shows the case where the small load W 2  is applied to the follower roller  126  having the small friction coefficient μ 2 . 
   According to the hypothesis  1 , the actual back tension start position is equivalent to a point A, B, C or D minus the value of transport resistance f because of the influence of the transport resistance f. On the other hand, to generate a constant slippage in paper transporting (the ratio of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount), the back tension needs to be doubled when the load W is doubled. That is, a point A′ is required for a point B′, and a point C′ is required for a point D′. As a result, if the friction coefficient μ is constant, the transporting amounts at the back tension of zero coincide with each other regardless of whether the load W is large or small. 
     FIG. 7  is a graph showing an actual measurement result of the relation between the ratios of the actual transporting amount to the designed transporting amount and the back tensions in cases where the loads W of 29 N and 58 N are applied to each of follower rollers  126  having friction coefficients of 0.15 and 0.025. In  FIG. 7 , the white triangles represent the case where the load W of 58 N is applied to the follower roller  126  having the friction coefficient μ of 0.15, the white circles represent the case where the load W of 29 N is applied to the follower roller  126  having the friction coefficient μ of 0.15, the crosses represent the case where the load W of 58 N is applied to the follower roller  126  having the friction coefficient μ of 0.025, and the white rectangles represent the case where the load W of 29 N is applied to the follower roller  126  having the friction coefficient μ of 0.025. 
   As is obvious from this figure, the transporting amount at the back tension of zero little changes though the load W increases. It is understood that the result of actual measurement in  FIG. 7  substantially coincides with the result of simulation in  FIG. 6 . Accordingly, when the load W is set so that the lowering of the transporting amount caused by the change of the back tension is reduced, the slippage at the time of transporting paper can be reduced more greatly regardless of the kind of paper, so that paper transporting accuracy can be improved more greatly. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the sheet ejecting section  130  has a ejection roller  131 , and a follower roller  132 . The ejection roller  131  and the follower roller  132  transport the rolled sheet in the primary scanning direction to eject the roller of sheet. The ejection roller  131  is driven to rotate forward and backward by driving force transmitted from a motor through the feeding roller  125 . The follower roller  132  is pressed against the ejection roller  131  by an urging member such as a spring. The follower roller  132  follows the ejection roller  131  so that the follower roller  132  can rotate forward with the forward rotation of the ejection roller  131 . The ejection roller  131  and the follower roller  132  feed the rolled sheet while the roller of sheet transported is held between the ejection roller  131  and the follower roller  132 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , a cutter  133  is disposed so as to be movable both in the vertical direction and the primary scanning direction in the condition that the edge of the cutter  133  faces downward. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the leg sections  140  have two props  142  provided with moving rollers  141 . The body section  110  is placed on the props  142  and screwed to upper portions of the props  142 . Because the props  142  are provided with the moving rollers  141 , the body section  110  which is heavy can be moved to a desired position smoothly. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the sheet feeding section  150  is disposed under the body section  110  and between the leg sections  140 . The sheet feeding section  150  includes a pair of supports  151 , a delivery roller  152 , and a pinch roller  153 . The supports  151  support opposite ends of the rolled sheet R. The delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  feed the rolled sheet R. The sheet feeding section  150  further includes a pair of arms  154  to which the supports  151  are fixed and on which respective opposite ends of the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  are supported. 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , the pair of supports  151  are fixed and mounted onto opposed faces of the pair of arms  154  disposed opposite to each other, respectively. The pair of supports  151  have built-in bearings. As shown in  FIG. 9A , a spindle  155  is inserted into an inner circumferential portion of the rolled sheet R for supporting the same. Opposite ends of the spindle  155  are rotatably supported by the bearings. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9B and 9C , the spindle  155  is laid between the pair of supports  151  in the condition that a pair of flange-shaped clamps  156  are fitted to opposite sides of the rolled sheet R put in the center of the spindle  155 . When a user lifts the rolled sheet provided with the spindle  155  and fits the opposite ends of the spindle  155  to the pair of supports  151 , mounting of the rolled sheet can be completed. Accordingly, the number of steps for setting the rolled sheet can be reduced greatly. 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  are supported to opposed faces of the pair of arms  154  respectively so that the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  can rotate in the condition that both ends of each of the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  are disposed opposite to each other. That is, the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  are disposed so as to be laid between the pair of arms  154 . The two ends of the delivery roller  152  are supported at predetermined points of the opposed faces of the pair of arms  154 . On the other hand, the two ends of the pinch roller  153  are supported movably, for example, in grooves provided in the opposed faces of the pair of arms  154  so that the pinch roller  153  is retractably brought into contact with the delivery roller  152 . The pinch roller  153  is locked in the contact position or the retracted position of the pinch roller  153  relative to the delivery roller  152 , for example, by a locking mechanism using a stopper and urging members provided in the opposed faces of the arms  154 . 
   Because the user can easily pull out a leading end portion of the rolled sheet R by the built-in bearings of the supports  151  and can easily insert and hold the leading end portion of the rolled sheet R between the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  by the moving mechanism of the pinch roller  153 , the number of steps for setting the rolled sheet R can be reduced greatly. 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , the pair of arms  154  are attached to opposed faces of the two props  142  of the leg sections  140  respectively so that the pair of arms  154  can rotate in directions of the arrows shown in this figure. The rotation of the pair of arms  154  is locked and positioned in the replacement position shown in  FIG. 10  and in the feeding position shown in  FIG. 8 , by a locking mechanism using a stopper and urging members provided in the opposed faces of the props  142 , for example. 
   That is, the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  are provided so that the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  are protruded to the front of the ink jet printer  100  when the pair of arms  154  are rotated to the replacement position shown in  FIG. 10 , and that the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153  are pulled into the rear of the ink jet printer  100  so as to be connected to the transporting path of the rolled sheet R when the pair of arms  154  are rotated to the feeding position shown in  FIG. 8 . 
   Because the user can operate in an ordinary place on the front side of the ink jet printer  100  without necessity of going to the rear side of the ink jet printer  100  when the leading end portion of the rolled sheet R needs to be inserted and held between the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153 , the number of steps for setting the rolled sheet R can be reduced greatly. 
   Although the aforementioned embodiment has shown the case where the pair of supports  151  are respectively fixed and mounted to the opposed faces of the pair of arms  154  disposed opposite to each other so that the supports  151  can rotate together with the arms  154 , the same effect as described above can be obtained also in the case where the pair of supports  151  are fixed and mounted coaxially to rotation shafts of the arms  154  provided on the opposed faces of the two props  142  of the leg sections  140 . That is, the supports  151  may be provided as supports always fixed to predetermined positions regardless of the rotation of the arms  154 . 
   In this configuration, a procedure for using the ink jet printer  100  provided with the cutting device  210  according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 9A to 18 . First, as shown in  FIG. 9A , the user pulls one of the pair of clamps  156  fitted onto the spindle  155  out of one end of the spindle  155 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 9B , the user inserts the end of the spindle  155  into an axial hole C of the rolled sheet R through one end of the axial hole C. 
   Then, as shown in  FIG. 9C , the user fits one end of the axial hole C of the rolled sheet R to the other clamp  156  fitted onto the other end of the spindle  155  so that the rolled sheet R abuts on the other clamp  156 . Then, the user fits one clamp  156  to the other end of the axial hole C of the rolled sheet R through one end of the spindle  155 . As a result, the rolled sheet R can rotate together with the spindle  155 . 
   Then, for example, the user pulls the delivery roller  152  forward and pivots the arms  154  from the feeding position shown in  FIG. 8  to the replacement position shown in  FIG. 10 . Then, the user lifts up the rolled sheet R provided with the spindle  155  from the supports  151  and fits the two end portions of the spindle  155  into grooves  151   a  of the supports  151  respectively as shown in  FIG. 11 . When the two ends of the spindle  155  are fitted to the pair of supports  151  respectively in this manner, mounting of the rolled sheet can be completed. Accordingly, the number of steps for setting the rolled sheet R can be reduced greatly. 
   Then, as shown in  FIG. 12 , the user lifts the pinch roller  153  and locks the pinch roller  153  in the condition that the pinch roller  153  is retracted from the delivery roller  152 . Then, the user pulls the leading end portion of the rolled sheet R forward and inserts the leading end portion of the rolled sheet R between the pinch roller  153  and the delivery roller  152 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 13 , the user pushes down the pinch roller  153  and locks the pinch roller  153  in the contact position with respect to the delivery roller  152 . As a result, the leading end portion of the rolled sheet R is held between the pinch roller  153  and the delivery roller  152 . Because the user can operate in an ordinary place on the front side of the ink jet printer  100  in this manner so that the leading end portion of the rolled sheet R is pulled out and held between the delivery roller  152  and the pinch roller  153 , the number of steps for setting the rolled sheet R can be reduced greatly. 
   Then, for example, as shown in  FIG. 14 , the user pushes the delivery roller  152  backward and pivots the arms  154  from the replacement position to the feeding position. As a result, the leading end portion of the rolled sheet R held between the pinch roller  153  and the delivery roller  152  is aligned with the inlet of a feeding guide  157 . 
   When the user operates the control panel  170  to activate the ink jet printer  100  on this occasion, the delivery roller  152  begins to rotate as shown in  FIG. 15 . As a result, the rolled sheet R held between the pinch roller  153  and the delivery roller  152  is guided by the feeding guide  157  and fed to the recording section  120  located above the sheet feeding section  150 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 16 , the rolled sheet R is transported in the secondary scanning direction while the rolled sheet R is held between the feeding roller  125  and the follower roller  126  and held between the ejection roller  131  and the follower roller  132 . In this condition, ink drops are jetted from the recording heads  121  moving in the primary scanning direction, so that predetermined information is recorded on the rolled sheet R. On this occasion, because the friction coefficient μ between the outer circumferential face  126   b  of the shaft  126   a  of the follower roller  126  and the inner circumferential face  126   c  of the follower roller  126  is set to be smaller, the ratio f/F of transport resistance f to transporting force F of the rolled sheet R is also reduced. Accordingly, accuracy in transporting the rolled sheet R can be improved so that accurate recording can be performed. 
   After completion of recording, as shown in  FIG. 17 , the rolled sheet R is transported backward by the backward rotation of the feeding roller  125  and the ejection roller  131 , so that the rolled sheet R is cut both in the primary scanning direction and in the secondary scanning direction by the cutter  133 . Finally, as shown in  FIG. 18 , the cut piece of the rolled sheet CR is ejected while clamped between the ejection roller  131  and the follower roller  132 . 
   As described above, in the ink jet printer  100  according to this embodiment, the ratio f/F of transport resistance f based on a friction loss of the shaft  126   a  of the follower roller  126  caused by the pressing force W of the follower roller  126  to transporting force F generated on the feeding roller  125  on the basis of the pressing force W of the follower roller  126  brought into press contact with the feeding roller  125  serving as a medium transporting device is set to be not greater than 0.03. Accordingly, the transport resistance f can be reduced. Accordingly, the slippage of the rolled sheet can be reduced particularly when a rolled sheet easy to slip is transported. While accuracy in transporting the rolled sheet can be improved, roller marks can be prevented from being generated on the recording surface of the rolled sheet R. 
   Moreover, the pressing force of the follower roller  126 , that is, the load W is set so that lowering of the roll paper transporting amount caused by the change of the load imposed on the rolled sheet is reduced. Accordingly, the slippage at the time of transporting the rolled sheet can be reduced more greatly regardless of the kind of the rolled sheet. Accuracy in transporting the rolled sheet can be improved more greatly. 
   Although description has been made on the case where an ink jet printer is used as the recording apparatus, the invention is not limited thereto. The invention may be applied to a recording apparatus such as a facsimile machine or a copying machine if the recording apparatus can use the transporting device. Moreover, the apparatus to which the invention can be applied is not limited to the recording apparatus if the apparatus can transport the medium. That is, the invention may be applied to any other apparatus than the recording apparatus.