Patent Publication Number: US-11648776-B2

Title: Ink-jet recording apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a continuation of prior U.S. application Ser. No. 14/138,082, filed Dec. 22, 2013, which is a divisional application of prior U.S. application Ser. No. 13/629,937, filed Sep. 28, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,636,352, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-259496, filed on Nov. 28, 2011, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an ink-jet recording apparatus which records an image on a sheet upon suppressing lifting-off of the sheet from a platen. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     An ink-jet recording apparatus which includes a platen which supports a sheet transported in a transporting direction (hereinafter, ‘transporting direction’), and which carries out image recording by jetting ink droplets from a recording section onto a sheet on the platen, has hitherto been known. In such type of ink-jet recording apparatuses, there is an apparatus which includes a contact portion which suppresses or inhibits lifting off of a sheet from the platen. The contact portion is arranged between the platen and the recording section, and suppresses the lifting-off of a sheet from the platen by contacting with the sheet which is transported. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Reducing a distance between the platen and the recording section shortens a distance between the sheet on the platen and the recording section, and an accuracy of image recording is improved. However, when the distance between the platen and the recording section is made smaller, the contact portion comes closer to the recording section. As the contact portion comes closer to the recording section, there is a possibility of the contact portion and the recording section making a contact. Sometimes, ink is adhered to the recording section by ink mist, etc. When the ink is adhered to the recording section, the ink is adhered to the contact portion due to the contact between the recording section and the contact portion. As the ink is adhered to the contact portion, the ink moves to a rear surface of the platen from a side of the recording section upon running down a front surface of the contact portion, and makes the sheet dirty. 
     The present teaching is made in view of the abovementioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet recording apparatus in which it is possible to suppress the ink adhered to the contact portion from flowing toward the platen. 
     According to an aspect of the present teaching, there is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus includes: 
     a recording portion configured to jet ink droplets from nozzles onto a sheet; and 
     a contact portion provided between the nozzles and an upstream end of the recording portion in the transporting direction, and configured to come into contact with an upper surface of the sheet, 
     wherein the contact portion has 
     a storage portion provided on a side of the recording portion, and configured to store an ink, and 
     a protruding portion which provided between both ends in a width direction intersecting the transporting direction of the storage portion and being protruded toward the recording portion, and 
     wherein an upper end of the protruding portion is the highest in the contact portion. 
     The sheet is transported so that the lift-off of the sheet from the platen is suppressed by the contact portion which comes into contact with an upper surface of the sheet. When at least one of the recording portion and the contact portion is displaced in a direction of the recording portion and the contact portion coming closer, the contact portion comes into contact with the recording portion at the protruding portion. When the contact portion comes into contact with the recording portion, in a case in which an ink is adhered to the recording portion, the ink is adhered to the protruding portion. The ink adhered to the protruding portion flows toward the storage portion running down the protruding portion, and is accumulated in the storage portion. Due to the storage portion, the ink is suppressed from flowing to a lower-surface side of the contact portion. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an ink-jet recording apparatus  10 ; 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic cross-sectional view of a main body  13 ; 
         FIG.  3    is a bottom view of a recording head  46 ; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a part of the main body  13 ; 
         FIGS.  5 A ,  FIG.  5 B ,  FIG.  5 C ,  FIG.  5 D ,  FIG.  5 E , and  FIG.  5 F  are diagrams showing a contact member  60 , where,  FIG.  5 A  is a plan view,  FIG.  5 B  is a left-side view,  FIG.  5 C  is a front view,  FIG.  5 D  is a right-side view,  FIG.  5 E  is a perspective view, and  FIG.  5 F  is a bottom view; 
         FIG.  6 A  is partially enlarged view of a cross-section taken along a line VIA-VIA in  FIG.  5 A , and  FIG.  6 B  is a partially enlarged view of a cross-section taken along a line VIB-VIB in  FIG.  5 C ; 
         FIGS.  7 A ,  FIG.  7 B ,  FIG.  7 C ,  FIG.  7 D ,  FIG.  7 E , and  FIG.  7 F  are diagrams showing a contact member  70 , where,  FIG.  7 A  is a plan view,  FIG.  7 B  is a left-side view,  FIG.  7 C  is a front view,  FIG.  7 D  is a right-side view,  FIG.  7 E  is a perspective view, and  FIG.  7 F  is a bottom view; 
         FIG.  8 A  is a plan view of a portion of a guide rail  92 ,  FIG.  8 B  is a diagram showing a state in which a protruding insert  65  is inserted through a first hole  98 ,  FIG.  8 C  is a diagram showing a state in which, the contact member  60  is fixed to the guide rail  92 , and  FIG.  8 D  is a cross-sectional view along a line VIIID-VIIID in  FIG.  8 C ; 
         FIG.  9 A  is a cross-sectional view orthogonal to a frontward-rearward direction  8 , of a contact portion  63  in a first modified embodiment,  FIG.  9 B  is a cross-sectional view orthogonal to the frontward-rearward direction  8 , of the contact member  63  in a second modified embodiment, and  FIG.  9 C  is a cross-sectional view orthogonal to the frontward-rearward direction  8 , of the contact member  63  in a third modified embodiment; 
         FIG.  10 A  is a cross-sectional view orthogonal to the frontward-rearward direction  8 , of a platen  50  of a fourth modified embodiment, and  FIG.  10 B  is a cross-sectional view orthogonal to the frontward-rearward direction, in a state in which the platen  50  of a fifth modified embodiment is at a second position; 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view in which, a part of the main body  13  in the fifth modified embodiment is broken; 
         FIG.  12 A ,  FIG.  12 B ,  FIG.  12 C , and  FIG.  12 D  are diagrams explaining a movement in the fifth modified embodiment, where,  FIG.  12 A  is a cross-sectional view of the platen  50  orthogonal to the frontward-rearward direction  8 ,  FIG.  12 B  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the platen  50  which is at a first position,  FIG.  12 C  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the platen  50  which is a position between the first position and a second position, and  FIG.  12 D  is a vertical cross-sectional view of the platen  50  which is at the second position; and 
         FIG.  13 A  and  FIG.  13 B  are vertical cross-sectional views of the contact member  60 , explaining an operation of a sixth modified embodiment, where,  FIG.  13 A  shows a third position and  FIG.  13 B  shows a fourth position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present teaching will be described below. However, the embodiment described below is an example of the present teaching, and appropriate (various) changes may be made in the embodiment, without departing from the scope of the present teaching. In the following description, as shown in  FIG.  1   , a vertical direction  7  is defined based on a state in which an ink-jet recording apparatus is usably installed. Moreover, an operation panel  16  is provided to a side surface of the ink-jet recording apparatus  10 , and a front-rear direction  8  is defined with the side surface to which the operation panel  16  is provided, as a front surface of the ink-jet recording apparatus  10 . A left-right direction  9  is defined upon viewing the ink-jet recording apparatus  10  from a front-surface side. 
     [Outline of Ink-Jet Recording Apparatus  10 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the ink-jet recording apparatus  10  includes a printer section  11  which records an image on a sheet  6  ( FIG.  2   ) such as a recording paper, a glossy paper, and a postcard, and a scanner section  12  which fetches an image recorded on a document (not shown in the diagram), and is capable of realizing (functions such as) print, scan, and copy. In a case in which the ink-jet recording apparatus according to the present teaching has a printer section which records an image etc. on a sheet by jetting an ink, the ink-jet recording apparatus is not necessarily required to have the scanner section  12 . In other words, the scanner section  12  has an arbitrary structure (composition), and a detail explanation thereof is omitted. 
     [Outline of Printer Section  11 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the printer section  11  includes a main body  13  and a paper feeding cassette  20  which is accommodated at a lower portion of the main body  13 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , a sheet  6  is placed on the paper feeding cassette  20 . Inside a casing  14  of the main body  13  ( FIG.  1   ), a feeding section  40 , a transporting path (channel)  31 , a pair of transporting rollers  34 , a pair of paper discharging rollers  37 , contact members  60  and  70 , and a recording section (recording portion)  45  shown in  FIG.  2    are provided. In the main body  13 , the sheet  6  is fed to the transporting path  31  by the feeding section  40 , and the sheet  6  which has been fed is transported by the pair of transporting rollers  34 . The sheet  6  which is transported is held (pressed) by the contact members  60  and  70 , and image recording is carried out by jetting ink droplets from the recording section  45  onto the sheet  6  which is held. The sheet  6  having an image recorded thereon is discharged by the pair of paper discharging rollers  37  to a paper discharging tray  29  of the paper feeding cassette  20 . Various components of the printer section  11  will be described below. 
     [Casing  14 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the casing  14  has on a front surface in the front-rear direction  8 , an opening (insertion slot)  15  into which or from which the paper feeding cassette  20  is inserted or removed. The paper feeding cassette  20  is slidable in the front-rear direction  8  from the opening  15 . 
     [Paper Feeding Cassette  20 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the paper feeding cassette  20  is accommodated at a lower portion of the casing  14 , and is slidable in the front-rear direction  8 . As shown in  FIG.  2   , the paper feeding cassette  20  includes a main tray  21  which holds the sheet  6  before an image being recorded thereon, and the paper discharging tray  29  which receives the sheet  6  after an image is recorded thereon. The paper discharging tray  29  is arranged at an upper side (above) the main tray  21 , and is supported by the main tray  21 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the main tray  21  includes a bottom plate  22  on which the sheet  6  is placed, and an inclined plate  26  which is extended to be inclined upward in a rearward direction from a rear end of the base plate  22  in the front-rear direction  8 . The inclined plate  26  guides the sheet  6  sent from the feeding section  40  to the transporting path  31 . The bottom plate  22  is provided with a side guide mechanism  27  which positions the sheet  6  by centering and suppresses the sheet  6  sent by the feeding section  40  from passing obliquely. The centering mechanism positioning by making a center in the left-right direction  9  (a direction perpendicular to a paper surface of  FIG.  2   ) of sheet  6  of various sizes coincide with a center of the bottom plate  22  in the left-right direction  9 . 
     [Feeding Section  40 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the feeding section  40  includes a spindle  41  which is rotatably supported by a frame which is not shown in the diagram, an arm  42  which is extended to be inclined downward in a rearward direction from the spindle  41 , and of which one-end portion is pivotably supported by the spindle  41 , and a feeding roller  43  which is pivotably (rotatably) supported by the other-end portion of the arm  42 . The arm  42  is provided with a plurality of gears  44  which transmit the rotation of the spindle  41  to the feeding roller  43 . 
     As the spindle  41  is rotated by a drive motor which is not shown in the diagram, the arm  42  is rotated integrally with the spindle  41  due to a force of friction with the spindle  41 , and the feeding roller  43  contacts with the sheet  6  on the main tray  21 . Moreover, the feeding roller  42  is rotated by the spindle  41  via the gears  44 . As the feeding roller  42  rotates, the sheet is sent rearward in the front-rear direction  8 . The sheet  6  which has been sent is guided to the transporting path  31  by the inclined plate  26  of the main tray  21 . 
     [Transporting Path  31 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the transporting path  31  is a path through which the sheet  6  is transported, and is demarcated by a platen  50  and a plurality of guide members not shown in the diagram. The transporting path  31  has a curved path  32  shown by an alternate dot and dash line, and a straight path  33  shown by alternate two dots and dash line. The curved path  32  is directed upward with an upper end of the inclined plate  26  of the main tray  21  as a base end, and upon being curved, is extend frontward in the front-rear direction  8 . The straight path  33  is extended frontward in a straight line, in the front-rear direction  8  from a tail end of the curved path  32 . A lower surface of the straight path is demarcated by the platen  50 . 
     [Platen  50 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the platen  50  is in the form of a plate of which a thickness direction is parallel to the up-down direction  7 , and is arranged at an upper side of the paper feeding cassette  20 . As shown in  FIG.  4   , a plurality of supporting ribs  51  which support the sheet  6  are projected or protruded upward from an upper surface of the platen  50 . The supporting ribs  51  are provided to be extended in the front-rear direction  8  to be able to support the transported sheet  6 . Moreover, the supporting ribs  51  are isolated mutually in the left-right direction  9 , and are arranged at positions which are bilaterally symmetrical with a central portion of the platen  50  in the left-right direction  9  as a point of symmetry. Such an arrangement is for supporting the sheet  6  of various sizes which has been positioned by centering by the side guide mechanism  27 , at bilaterally symmetrical positions. 
     [Guide Rails  92  and  93 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , a pair of guide rails  92  and  93  at a front side and a rear side of recording section  45  which is installed is arranged at an upper side of the platen  50 . The guide rails  92  and  93  are formed of steel plates extended in the left-right direction  9 . The guide rail  92  at a rear side in the front-rear direction  8  and the guide rail  93  at a front side (in the front-rear direction  8 ) are arranged to be isolated in the front-rear direction  8 . Two ends in the left-right direction of the guide rails  92  and  93  are supported by a frame which is not shown in the diagram. The guide rails  92  and  93  support the recording section  45  which has been installed, such that the recording section  45  is capable of reciprocating in the left-right direction  9 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   ,  FIGS.  5 A to  5 F , and  FIGS.  7 A to  7 F , the guide rail  92  is provided with a plurality of insertion holes (keyways)  97  into which protruding inserts  65  and  75  of the contact members  60  and  70  which will be described later are to be inserted. As shown in  FIG.  8 A , a first hole  98  which is extended in the front-rear direction  8  and a second hole  99  which is extended leftward in the left-right direction  9  from a central portion of the first hole  98  in the front-rear direction  8  are formed in the insertion hole  97 . The protruding inserts  65  and  75 , as shown in  FIG.  8 B , after being inserted through the first hole  98  from a lower side of the guide rail  92 , are moved leftward in the left-right direction, and are fitted into the second hole  99  as shown in  FIG.  8 C  and  FIG.  8 D . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the guide rail  92  is provided with a plurality of latching holes  92 B which latch the contact members  60  and  70  in the left-right direction. One contact member  60  (contact member  70 ) is provided with one latching hole  92 B. In  FIG.  4   , only some of the latching holes  92 B are assigned reference numerals. The latching holes  92 B are provided at positions which are intermediate between the two insertion holes  97  at a rear side in the front-rear direction  8 . A latching bump  121  which is provided to the contact members  60  and  70  is fitted into the latching hole  92 B. Further details will be described later. 
     [Recording Section  45 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the recording section  45  includes a carriage  48  and a recording head  46  which is mounted on the carriage  48 . The carriage  48  and the recording head  46  are arranged at a distance, at the upper side of the platen  50 . A gap G is formed between the recording section  45  and the platen  50 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the carriage  48  is installed between the guide rails  92  and  93 , and is supported by the guide rails  92  and  93 , to be capable of reciprocating in the left-right direction  9 . The carriage  48  is fixed to a belt which is not shown in the diagram. The belt is provided to the guide rail  93 , and is turned by a drive motor which is not shown in the diagram, thereby making the carriage  48  reciprocate in the left-right direction  9 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the recording head  46  is mounted on the carriage  48 , and is positioned at the upper side of the platen  50 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , the recording head  46  has a plurality of nozzles  47  which jet ink droplets in a lower surface thereof. The recording head  46  records an image on the sheet  6  by jetting ink droplets from the nozzles  47  onto the sheet  6  on the platen  50 . 
     [Pair of Transporting Rollers  34 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the transporting rollers  34  are arranged at an upstream side in a transporting direction  19  of the platen  50  (rear side in the front-rear direction  8 ). Further, a nipping position of the transporting rollers  34  are arranged near the platen  50  at a lower side of the guide rail  92  shown in  FIG.  4   . The pair of transporting rollers  34  includes a transporting roller  35 , and a driven roller  36  which is arranged at a lower side of the transporting roller  35 . 
     The transporting roller  35  is provided on a rotating shaft  35 A which is extended in the left-right direction  9  (direction orthogonal to the paper surface in  FIG.  2   ), and rotates integrally with the rotating shaft  35 A. Two end portions of the rotating shaft  35 A in the left-right direction are rotatably supported by a frame which is not shown in the diagram. The driven roller  36  is rotatably supported by a holder which is not shown in the diagram. The holder is subjected to an upward bias applied by an elastic member, which is not shown in the diagram. The driven roller  36  makes a pressed contact with the transporting roller  35  arranged at the upper side, due to the elastic member. As the rotating shaft  35 A is rotated by a drive motor which is not shown in the diagram, the pair of transporting rollers  34  nips the sheet  6 , and transports the sheet  6  in the transporting direction  19 . 
     [Pair of Paper Discharging Rollers  37 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the pair of paper discharging rollers is arranged at a downstream side in the transporting direction  19  of the platen  50  (front side in the front-rear direction  8 ), and at a lower side of the guide rail  93 . The pair of paper discharging rollers  37  includes a plurality of paper discharging rollers  38  and a plurality of spurs  39  arranged at an upper side of the paper discharging rollers  38 . 
     The paper discharging rollers  38  are provided to a rotating shaft  38  which is extended in the left-right direction  9  (direction orthogonal to the paper surface in  FIG.  2   ), and rotates integrally with the rotating shaft  38 A. Two end portions of the rotating shaft  38 A in the left-right direction  9  are rotatably supported by a frame which is not shown in the diagram. The spur  39  is rotatably supported by an elastic shaft which is not shown in the diagram. Two end portions in an axial direction of the elastic shaft are supported by a holding member, which is not shown in the diagram, which is held by the guide rail  93 . The spur  39  makes a pressed contact with the paper discharging roller  38  due to the elastic shaft which is bent. As the rotating shaft  38 A is rotated by a drive motor which is not shown in the diagram, the pair of paper discharging rollers  37  nips the sheet  6 , and discharges to the paper discharging tray  29 . 
     [Contact Member  60 ] 
     The contact members  60  and  70  shown in  FIG.  2    are members, which suppress the transported sheet  6  from lifting-off from the platen  50  by warping or curling. As shown in  FIG.  4   , the plurality of contact members  60  is arranged to be mutually isolated in the left-right direction  9 . Moreover, the plurality of contact members  60  is arranged at positions which are bilaterally symmetrical with a center of the platen  50  in the left-right direction as a base of symmetry. Such an arrangement is made for pressing the sheet  6  of various sizes which is positioned by centering, at a bilaterally symmetrical position. The contact member  60  will be described below while referring to  FIGS.  5 A  to  5 F,  FIGS.  6 A,  6 B , and  FIG.  8 A to  8 D . The up-down direction  7 , the front-rear direction  8 , and the left-right direction  9  shown in  FIGS.  5 A to  5 F ,  FIGS.  6 A,  6 B , and  FIG.  8 A to  8 D  are direction defined in a state of the contact member  60  fixed to the guide rail  92 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  5 A to  5 F , the contact member  60  includes a fitting portion  61  which is to be fitted to the guide rail  92 , a contact portion  63  which holds or presses the sheet  6 , and a curved portion  62  which connects the fitting portion  61  and the contact portion  63 . The contact member  60  is molded by a resin material which has an elastic property so that the contact portion  63  and an elastic portion  120  which will be described later are elastically deformable. Elastic deformation of the contact portion  63  and the elastic portion  120  will be described later. 
     The fitting portion  61  takes on an outer shape of a plate with a thickness of the plate in the up-down direction  7 . A plurality of stiffening ribs  64  for reinforcing, and four protruding inserts  65  which are to be inserted into the insertion holes  97  ( FIG.  8 A ) of the guide rail  92  protrude upward from an upper surface of the fitting portion  61 . The four protruding inserts  65  are arranged at two positions side-by-side in the front-rear direction  8  and two positions side-by-side in the left-right direction  9 . The four protruding inserts  65  are provided for supporting the fitting portion  61  assuredly by four-point support. 
     A pair of front and rear claws  66  and  67  which are hitched on an upper surface of the guide rail  92  ( FIG.  8 D ) is provided to a front-end portion (upper-end portion) of a protrusion of the protruding insert  65 . The claw  66  is protruded frontward in the front-rear direction  8 , from an upper-end portion of the protruding insert  65 . The claw  67  is protruded rearward in the front-rear direction  8 , from the upper-end portion of the protruding insert  65 . 
     The elastic portion  120  in the form of a plate which is flexible in the up-down direction, is extended rearward from a rear end of the fitting portion  61  in the front-rear direction. A latching bump  121  which fits into the latching hole  92 B described above, which is provided to the guide rail  92  is protruded upward from an upper surface of a front-end portion (rear-end portion in the front-rear direction  8 ) of a protrusion of the elastic portion  120 . 
     For fixing the contact member  60  on the guide rail  92 , firstly, as shown in  FIG.  8 B , the protruding insert  65  is inserted into the first hole  98  of the insertion hole  97 , from a lower side of the guide rail  92 . Next, the contact member  60  is moved leftward in the left-right direction  9 . As the contact member  60  is moved leftward, the latching bump  121  makes a contact with a lower surface of the guide rail  92 , and the elastic portion  120  is bent. As shown in  FIG.  8 C  and  FIG.  8 D , as the contact member  60  is moved further leftward and the protruding insert  65  is fitted into the second hole  99 , due to an elastic force of the elastic portion  120 , the latching bump  121  is fitted into the latching hole  92 B. Accordingly, the contact member  60  is latched in the front-rear direction  8  and the left-right direction  9 , and is slightly movable in the vertical direction  7 . Concretely, the contact member  60  supported by the guide rail  92  to be movable in the vertical direction, between a lower limit position at which the claws  66  and  67  make a contact with the upper surface of the guide rail  92 , and an upper limit position at which an upper end of the stiffening rib  64  makes a contact with the lower surface of the guide rail  92 . The fitting portion  61  is fitted to the guide rail  92  so that, the contact portion  63  which will be described later does not make a contact with an upper surface of the platen  50 , at the lower limit position. Further, the fitting portion  61  is fitted to the guide rail  92  so that the contact portion  63  is at a position above an upper end of the supporting rib  51  and below the lower surface of the recording section  50 , at the upper limit position shown in  FIG.  6 A . The reason for fixing the contact member  60  on the guide rail  92  in such manner is that, it reduces the number of components, as screws etc. are not to be used for fixing, thereby making the fixing job easy, and positioning in height position (upper limit position) of the contact portion  63  can be accurate, since the guide rail  92  can be used as a basis (a reference). 
     The contact member  60  is at the lower limit position due to a weight of the contact member  60 , when no external force is exerted. As the transported sheet  6  makes a contact with the contact portion  63  which will be described later, the contact member  60  moves from the lower limit position to the upper limit position. The details will be described later. 
     As shown in  FIG.  5 C , the curved portion  62  is extended downward while bending in a circular arc shape. This is for avoiding a contact between the curved portion  62  and the transporting roller  35  ( FIG.  4   ) arranged at the lower side of the guide rail  92  ( FIG.  4   ). The curved portion  62  is reinforced by the stiffening rib  68  for suppressing the bending. 
     At a lower end of the curved portion  62 , a guide surface  69  which guides a downstream end of the transported sheet  6  in the transporting direction  19  to the contact portion  63 , is provided. In the following description, the downstream end of the transported sheet  6  in the transporting direction  19  is called merely a front end of the sheet  6 . To describe more elaborately, the guide surface  69  is formed to be an inclined surface which is extended to be inclined downward in the frontward direction from a position inclined upward in the frontward direction of a nipping position of the pair of transporting rollers  34  ( FIG.  2   ). From the guide surface  69 , three guide ribs  69 A which are extended in a direction in which the guide surface  69  is extended (to be inclined downward in the frontward direction), are protruded. The guide ribs  69 A are provided one each at two end portions and a central portion of the guide surface  69  in the left-right direction. The front end of the sheet  6  which is transported by the pair of transporting rollers  34  makes a contact with a front end (lower end) of the protrusion of the guide rib  69 A, and is guided to the contact portion  63 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  5 A to  5 F , the contact portion  63  is in the form of a plate which is extended to be inclined downward in the frontward direction from a front surface in the front-rear direction  8  of a lower-end portion of the curved portion  62 , and is inclined slightly with respect to a horizontal surface (horizontal plane) to come closer to the upper surface of the platen ( 50 ) as directed frontward. A front end of the contact portion  63  in the front-rear direction  8  is positioned at a rear side (upstream-end side in the transporting direction) of the nozzle  47  of the recording head  46  in the front-rear direction  8 , and at a front side (a downstream side of the upstream side in the transporting direction) of a rear end of the carriage  48  in the front-rear direction, and is close to the nozzles  47 . The plurality of contact members  60  is installed on the guide rail  92  such that the contact portions  63  assume same positions in the up-down direction  7  and the front-rear direction  8 . 
     The reason why the contact portion  63  is inclined is for guiding smoothly the transported sheet  6  ( FIG.  2   ), to the front end of the contact portion  63  in the front-rear direction  8 . Moreover, the reason why the contact portion  63  is in the form of a plate is, for arranging the contact portion  63  in the gap G ( FIG.  2   ) of which a distance in the up-down direction is shortened, and for securing a strength of the contact portion  63 . The reason why the front end of the contact portion  63  in the front-rear direction  8  is brought closer to the nozzle  47  ( FIG.  3   ) is, for improving the accuracy of image recording by pressing (holding) the sheet  6  at a position near the nozzle  47 . 
     The contact portion  63  is formed to have a tapered shape which is inclined such that two ends in the left-right direction come closer, toward the front (as directed frontward) in the front-rear direction  8 , in order to bend easily in the vertical direction. Since a front-end portion of the contact portion  63  in the front-rear direction  8  is formed to have tapered shape, the front-end portion of the contact portion  63  is bent when slightly thick sheet  6  is transported, and the thick sheet  6  is prevented from blocking or jamming between the contact portion  63  and the platen  50  ( FIG.  2   ). 
     From a second surface  82  which is a lower surface of the contact portion  63 , three contact ribs  63 A which are extended in a direction in which the contact portion  63  is extended to be inclined (downward in the frontward direction), are protruded downward. The contact ribs  63 A are provided one each at two end portions and a central portion of the left-right direction  9 , and are connected or joined to the guide ribs  69 A of the curved portion  62 . The contact rib  63 A makes a contact with an upper surface of the transported sheet  6 , and presses the sheet  6  from an upper-surface side. Since the contact rib  63 A is provided, an area of contact between the contact member  60  and the sheet  6  decreases, and a transporting resistance of (for) the sheet  6  is reduced. As a result, the accuracy of image recording is improved. 
     As shown in  FIG.  6   , a surrounding rib  84  (an example of a surrounding rib of the present teaching) is protruded upward from a peripheral edge of a first surface  81  which is an upper surface of the contact portion  63 . The surrounding rib  84  is provided to be connected to two end portions of the first surface  81  in the left-right direction  9  and a front-end portion of the first surface  81  in the front-rear direction  8 . The surrounding rib  84 , demarcates (divides) a storage section (storage portion)  86  which stores ink, together with the first surface  81 . 
     A protruding rib  83  (an example of a protruding portion of the present teaching) is extended in a direction in which the contact portion  63  is inclined (inclined downward in the frontward direction), from a central portion of the first surface  81  in the left-right direction  9 . An amount of protrusion L 1  of the protruding rib  83  from the first surface  81  is larger than an amount of protrusion L 2  of the surrounding rib  84  from the first surface  81 . Accordingly, when at least one of the recording section  45  and the contact portion  63  is displaced in a direction of the recording section  45  and the contact portion  63  coming closer, the contact portion  63  makes a contact with the recording section  45  at the protruding rib  83 . At this time, when an ink due to ink mist etc. is adhered to the lower surface of the recording section  45 , the ink is adhered to an upper end of the protruding rib  83 . The ink adhered to the protruding rib  83  flows to the first surface  81  by running down a surface of the protruding rib  83  due to gravitation force. In order that the ink adhered to the protruding rib  83  does not flow to an upper end of the surrounding rib  84 , the protruding rib  83  is provided at an inner side of the surrounding rib  84 , and is isolated from the surrounding rib  84 . 
     A plurality of ribs  85  is provided to the first surface  81  so that the ink which has flowed to the first surface  81  does not accumulate near the protruding rib  83 . This will be described in detail. A plurality of ribs  85  is provided on both sides of the protruding rib  83  in the left-right direction. The ribs  85  are extended in the left-right direction, and are provided to be mutually isolated in the front-rear direction  8 . One of the ends in the left-right direction  9  of the rib  85  is extended up to the protruding rib  83 , and the other end is isolated from the surrounding rib  84 . An amount of protrusion L 3  from the first surface  81  of the rib  85  is smaller than the amount of protrusion L 1  of the protruding rib  83  so that the rib  85  does not make a contact with the recording section  45 . A second groove  102  is formed by two adjacent ribs  85 . Ink which has adhered to the protruding rib  83 , upon flowing to the second groove  102  by running down the protruding rib  83 , is spread or diffused inside the second groove  102  due to capillarity, and flows to a first groove  101  which is formed by the rib  85  and the surrounding rib  84 . Accordingly, the ink adhered to the protruding rib  83  is ceased from accumulating near the protruding rib  83 . As the ink ceases to accumulate near the protruding rib  83 , it is possible to suppress the ink from moving to the recording section  45  from the protruding rib  83  when the protruding rib  83  and the recording section  45  have made a contact once again. 
     [Contact Member  70 ] 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , the contact members  70  are arranged at an upper side of two end portions of the platen  50  in the left-right direction. Therefore, a shape of the contact member  70  is changed slightly from a shape of the contact member  60 . The contact member  70  will be described below in detail with reference to  FIGS.  7 A to  7 F . In  FIGS.  7 A to  7 F , the up-down direction  7 , the front-rear direction  8 , and the left-right direction  9  are indicated as directions in a state of the contact member  70  fixed to the guide rail  92 . 
     The contact member  70  includes a fitting portion  71 , a curved portion  72 , and a contact portion  73 . The fitting portion  71 , similarly as the fitting portion  61  of the contact member  60 , is provided with a stiffening rib  74  for reinforcing, a protruding insert  75 , and an elastic portion  120 , and the latching bump  121 . The fitting portion  71  has almost a same structure as the fitting portion  61  of the contact member  60  except for a point that, a claw  77  is not provided to two protruding inserts  75  at a front side in the front-rear direction  8 . The reason why the two protruding inserts  75  are not provided with the claw  77  is, for avoiding an interference of two members. The fitting portion  71 , similarly as the fitting portion  61  of the contact member  60 , is fixed to the guide rail  92  by the four protruding inserts  75 , the claws  76  and  77 , and the stiffening rib  74 . 
     The curved portion  72  has a stiffening rib  78  for reinforcing, a guide surface  79 , and a guide rib  79 A, and is formed to have almost similar shape as the curved portion  62  of the contact member  60 . 
     The contact portion  73  has a rectangular shape which is slightly inclined with respect to a horizontal plane such that a front end thereof in the front-rear direction  8  is positioned at a lower side than the rear end. The front end (lower end) of the contact portion  73  in the front-rear direction  8  is positioned at the same position in the up-down direction  7  and the front-rear direction  8 , as the front end (lower end) of the contact portion  63  in the front-rear direction  8 . 
     Similarly as in the contact member  60 , the protruding rib  83 , the surrounding rib  84 , and the rib  85  are provided on a side of the first surface  81  which is an upper surface of the contact portion  73 . Moreover, from the second surface  82  which is the lower surface of the contact portion  73 , three contact ribs which are extended in a direction in which the contact portion  73  is extended to be inclined (downward in the frontward direction) are protruded downward. The contact ribs  73 A are provided one each at two end portions and a central portion of the contact portion  73  in the left-right direction, and are connected to the guide rib  79 A of the curved portion  72 . The contact rib  73 A makes a contact with the upper surface of the transported sheet  6 , and presses the sheet  6 . 
     The contact member  70  is arranged such that, a left end in the left-right direction  9  or the right end in the left-right direction  9  of the sheet  6  (such as A4 size or legal size) is between the two contact ribs  73 A. Accordingly, sometimes, the sheet  6  does not make a contact except with one of the contact ribs  73 A in the left-right direction  9 . When the contact portion  73  is presumed to have a tapered shape as the contact portion  63 , it becomes impossible to press the sheet  6  up to a vicinity of the nozzles  47  ( FIG.  3   ). Therefore, the contact portion  73  does not have a tapered shape, and is rectangular-shaped. The contact member  70 , presses the sheet  6  up to the vicinity of the nozzles  47  at an inner side of the two ends of the sheet  6  in the left-right direction by the contact rib  73 A. A notch  73 B which is cut out from a front end is provided to a central portion in the left-right direction  9  of a front-end portion of the contact portion  73  in the front-rear direction  8 . Due to the notch  73 B, a front end in the front-rear direction  8  of the abutting rib  73 A provided at the central portion of the contact portion  73  in the left-right direction is positioned at a rear side of a front end of the contact rib  73 A on the left side and the right side. 
     Operation of Embodiment 
     An operation of the ink-jet recording apparatus  10  will be described with reference to  FIG.  2   . The sheet  6  placed on the main tray  21  is fed to the transporting path  31  by the feeding roller  43 . The sheet  6  which is fed is transported by the pair of transporting rollers  34 . The front end of the sheet  6  which has passed the nipping position of the pair of transporting rollers  34  is guided to the contact portions  63  and  73  by the guide ribs  69 A and  79 A of the contact members  60  and  70 . The sheet  6  which has been guided lifts up the contact members  60  and  70  which are at the lower limit position, to the upper limit position. The contact members  60  and  70  which have been moved to the upper limit position press the sheet  6  from the upper side by the contact ribs  63 A and  73 A of the contact portions  63  and  73 , and suppress the lifting-off of the sheet  6  from the platen  50 . As the front-end portion of the sheet  6  reaches a position at a lower side of the nozzle  47  of the recording head  46  ( FIG.  3   ), the rotating of the transporting roller  35  stops. Thereafter, ink droplets are jetted from the nozzle  47  on to the sheet  6  while the carriage  48  reciprocates in the left-right direction, and printing of one line is carried out. After printing of one line is carried out, the transporting roller  35  is rotated and the sheet  6  is forwarded by a portion equivalent to one line. Printing of one line and transporting (forwarding) of sheet  6  equivalent to the portion of one line are repeated alternately, and an image is recorded on the sheet  6 . The sheet  6 , after having the image recorded thereon, is discharged to the paper discharging tray  29  by the pair of paper discharging rollers  37 . Moreover, as the sheet  6  passes the contact members  60  and  70 , the contact members  60  and  70  which were at the upper limit position return to the lower limit position due to its weight. 
     As the recording section  45  is displaced to the lower side, or as the recording section  45  is displaced to an upper side due to bending of the contact portions  63  and  73 , the contact portions  63  and  73  make contact with the recording section  45  at the protruding rib  83  ( FIGS.  6 A,  6 B ). The ink which has adhered to the protruding rib  83  due to contacting with the recording section  45  flows to the second groove  102  ( FIGS.  6 A,  6 B ) running down the protruding rib  83 . The ink which has flowed to the second groove  102  flows into the second groove  102  due to capillarity, and flows to the first groove  101 . The ink is stored in the first groove  101  and the second groove  102  (storage section  86 ). 
     Effect of Embodiment 
     In the embodiment, the storage section  86  which stores ink is provided on the side of the first surface  81  of the contact portion  63 , and the protruding rib  83  which makes a contact with the recording section  45  is provided at the inner side of the surrounding rib  84  which demarcates the storage section  86 . Therefore, the ink which has adhered to the protruding rib  83  due to contacting with the recording section  45  flows to the storage section  86  running down the protruding rib  83 , and is stored in the storage section  86 . By being stored in the storage section  86 , the ink is suppressed from flowing toward the second surface  82 . As a result, it is possible to suppress the sheet  6  from becoming dirty or stained by the ink which has adhered to the contact members  60  and  70 . Accordingly, it is possible to improve the accuracy of image recording by shortening the distance of the gap G in the up-down direction. 
     Moreover, since the plurality of ribs  85  is provided to the first surface  81 , it is possible to suppress the ink from being accumulated densely near the protruding rib  83 . As a result, it is possible to suppress the ink from moving from the protruding rib  83  to the recording section  45  when the protruding rib  83  and the recording section  45  have abutted once again. 
     First Modified Embodiment 
     In the abovementioned embodiment, an example in which the first surface was formed to be a flat surface has been described. In a first modified embodiment, an example in which the first surface  81  is formed to be a curved surface as shown in FIG.  9 A will be described. The first surface  81  and the second surface  82  are formed to be circular arc shaped curved surfaces of which a central portion in the left-right direction is positioned at a lower side of a left end and a right end. From the second surface  82 , three contact ribs  63  are protruded downward similarly as in the embodiment. 
     From the front-end portion of the first surface  81  in the front-rear direction  8 , a rib which is not shown in the diagram is protruded upward. This rib is extended up to two ends of the first surface  81  in the left-right direction  9 . The storage section  86  is demarcated by this rib and the first surface  81 . The protruding rib  83  is provided to be extended in a direction in which the contact portion  63  is inclined (downward in the frontward direction). 
     In the first modified embodiment, similarly as in the abovementioned embodiment, it is possible to store the ink adhered to the protruding rib  83  due to abutting with the recording section  45 , in the storage section  86 , and to suppress the ink from flowing to the second surface  82 . 
     Second Modified Embodiment 
     In a second modified embodiment, an example in which a plurality of recesses  88 B and a plurality of bumps  88 A having a hemispherical shape shown in  FIG.  9 B , instead of the plurality of ribs  85  in the embodiment and the first modified embodiment, are provided to the first surface  81 , will be described. The plurality of bumps  88 A is protruding upward from the first surface  81 . The recesses  88 B are dented in the first surface  81 . The plurality of bumps  88 A and the plurality of recesses  88 B are provided on the entire first surface  81 . Due to the bumps  88 A and the recesses  88 B, an area of contact between the contact portion  63  and the ink flowed to the first surface  81  becomes large. As a result, even in a case in which vibrations are imparted to the contact portion  63 , it is possible to hold the ink assuredly. When the area of contact can be made large, the bumps  88 A and the recesses  88 B may be formed to have an arbitrary shape. For instance, the bumps  88 A and the recesses  88 B may be formed to have various shapes such as a semielliptical shape and a rectangular column shape, apart from the hemispherical shape. 
     In the second modified embodiment, the example in which the plurality of bumps  88 A and the plurality of recesses  88 B are provided has been described. However, the first surface  81  may be provided with only the bumps  88   a  or only the recesses  88 B. 
     Third Modified Embodiment 
     In a third modified embodiment, an example in which instead of the surrounding rib  84 , a first groove  89  shown in  FIG.  9 C  is provided to a peripheral edge portion of the first surface  81 , will be described. The first groove  89  is provided to be dented from the first surface  81 , at two end portions of the first surface  81  in the left-right direction, and a front-end portion of the first surface  81  in the front-rear direction. The storage section  86  is demarcated by the first groove  89 . The protruding rib  83  is provided similarly as in the abovementioned embodiment. 
     The ink which has flowed from the protruding rib  83  to the first surface  81 , upon flowing on the first surface  81 , flows to the first groove  89 , and spreads inside the first groove  89  due to capillarity. 
     Even in the third modified embodiment, similarly as in the abovementioned embodiment, it is possible to store the ink adhered to the protruding rib  83  due to contacting with the recording section  45 , in the storage section  86  (first groove  89 ), and to suppress the ink from flowing toward the second surface  82 . 
     In the third modified embodiment, the plurality of bumps  88 A and the plurality of recesses  88 B described in the second modified embodiment may be provided to the first surface  81  which is at the inner side of the first groove  89 . 
     Fourth Modified Embodiment 
     In the embodiment described above, an example in which the lower end of the contact portions  63  and  73  at the upper limit position is positioned at the upper side of the upper end of the supporting rib  51 , has been described. In a fourth modified embodiment, an example in which the lower end of the contact portions  63  and  73  at the upper limit position is positioned at a lower side of the upper end of the supporting rib  51 , and the sheet  6  which is susceptible to bending such as a regular paper (standard paper) is transported in the form of a wave (forming a wave-shape) by the contact portions  63  and  73 , and the supporting rib  51  will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG.  10 A , the platen  50  and the supporting rib  51  are provided at positions which are intermediate between the two adjacent contact members  60  in the left-right direction  9 . Because of such an arrangement, it is possible to let a distance between an upper peak of the wave and a lower peak of the wave to be same, and thereby the control of the recording head  46  becomes easy. In the recording head  46 , an accuracy of image recording is improved by jetting the ink droplets upon taking into consideration a distance between the sheet  6  and the nozzles  47  ( FIG.  3   ) which changes periodically due to the wave-shape. Therefore, making the distance between the upper peak of the wave and the lower peak of the wave to be same, control of the recording head  46  becomes easy. 
     For making the transported sheet  6  to have the shape of a wave, the supporting rib  51  of the platen  50  is provided such that, the front end (upper end) of the protrusion is positioned at an upper side of the lower end (front end in the front-rear direction  8 ) of the contact ribs  63 A and  73 A at the upper limit position. The sheet  6  which is transported, while passing the contact portions  63  and  73 , is supported by the supporting rib  51 , and is pushed down by the contact ribs  63 A and  73 A. The sheet  6  is made to be wave-shaped with a portion supported by the supporting rib  51  let to be the ‘upper peak’ of the wave-shape and a portion pushed down by the contact ribs  63 A and  73 A let to be the ‘lower peak’ of the wave-shape. The sheet  6  which is made to be wave-shaped is suppressed from being warped upward. 
     Fifth Modified Embodiment 
     In a fifth modified embodiment, in addition to the arrangement in the fourth modified embodiment, the platen  50  is provided pivotably so that, it is possible to record an image not only on the sheet  6  which is susceptible to bending such as a regular paper, but also on the sheet paper  6  such as a glossy paper and a cardboard. This will be described below in detail. The platen  50  as shown in  FIG.  11    is pivotably (rotatably) supported by the rotating shaft  38  of the paper discharging roller  38  at the front-end portion in the front-rear direction  8 . Accordingly, a rear-end portion of the platen  50  in the front-rear direction  8  is displaceable vertically. The platen  50  is turned to a first position in  FIG.  10 A  and a second position in  FIG.  10 B . Here, the first position is a position at which the upper end of the supporting rib  51  is positioned at an upper side of the lower end (front end in the front-rear direction) of the contact portions  63  and  73  which are at the upper limit position, and the second position is a position at which the upper end of the supporting rib  51  is positioned at a lower side of the lower end of the contact portions  63  and  73  which are at the upper limit position. 
     As shown in  FIG.  11   , a coil spring  113  which applies a bias to the platen  50  toward the first position (upward) is arranged at a lower side of the rear-end portion of the platen  50  in the front-rear direction. A lower end of the coil spring  113  is supported by being contacted with an intermediate plate  112  provided to a frame which is not shown in the diagram. An upper end of the coil spring  113  makes a contact with a lower surface of the platen  50 . The platen  50  is subjected to bias which is applied toward the first position (upward) by the coil spring  113 , and makes a contact with a holder  114  which rotatably holds the driven roller  36 , and assumes the first position. 
     As shown in  FIG.  10 B , when the sheet  6  which is hard to bend (curl) such as a glossy paper, is transported, the platen  50  is turned from the first position to the second position by the sheet  6 . The sheet  6  turns the platen  50  to the second position, and is transported without being made wave-shaped. The platen  50  which is turned to the second position is returned to the first position due to the bias (due to the force imparted) by the coil spring  11  as the sheet  6  passes the contact members  60  and  70 . 
     As the sheet  6  such as a cardboard which is thicker than a regular paper is transported, the platen  50  is pivoted or turned from a first position shown in  FIG.  12 B  to a position shown in  FIG.  12 C . The position shown in  FIG.  12 C  is an intermediate position between the first position shown in  FIG.  12 B  and a second position shown in  FIG.  12 D . As the platen  50  is pivoted to the position in  FIG.  12 C , the sheet  6 , as shown by a solid line in  FIG.  12 A , is transported upon assuming a wave-shape which is gentler with smaller amplitude of wave than in a case of the regular paper. The recording section  45  jets ink droplets according to the gentler wave-shape assumed by the sheet  6 . Concretely, in the recording head  46 , the distance between the sheet  6  and the nozzles  47  ( FIG.  3   ) changes periodically, and the recording head  46  jets ink droplets presuming that an amount of change is smaller as compared to a case of the regular paper. As to whether the sheet  6  is a regular paper, or a glossy paper, or a cardboard, can be judged from information which is included in print instructions. Or, a sensor which detects the thickness of the sheet  6  may be provided. 
     In the fifth modified embodiment, since the platen  50  is turned according to the thickness of the sheet  6  or susceptibility of the sheet  6  to bending, it is possible to record an image by transporting the sheet  6  without being particular about the thickness of the sheet  6  or susceptibility of the sheet  6  to bending. 
     In the fifth modified embodiment, an example in which the rear-end portion of the platen  50  in the front-rear direction is displaced vertically due to turning has been described. However, the platen  50  may be provided to be movable entirely in the vertical direction  7  while maintaining a horizontal state. 
     Sixth Modified Embodiment 
     In the fifth modified embodiment, an example in which the platen  50  is pivotably provided such that the sheet  6  such as a glossy paper which is hard to bend is transported without being made to be wave-shaped. In a sixth modified embodiment, an example in which the contact members  60  and  70  are provided pivotably instead of the platen  50  being provided pivotably, will be described. 
     As shown in  FIG.  13   , the guide rail  92  is provided with a receiving portion (retaining portion)  92 A which pivotably supports the rear-end portion of the contact members  60  and  70  in the front-rear direction. The contact member  60  shown in  FIG.  13    will be described below, and the description for the contact member  70  is similar as the description for the contact member  60 . 
     The contact member  60 , unlike in the abovementioned embodiment, is not provided with the protruding insert  65  of the rear side in the front-rear direction  8 . Moreover, a length in the vertical direction  7  of the protruding insert  65  in the front-rear direction is longer than a length of the protruding insert  65  in the abovementioned embodiment ( FIGS.  5 A to  5 F ). The contact member  60  is pivoted with the rear-end portion as an axis to a third position ( FIG.  13 A ) at which the claw  66  of the protruding insert  65  of the front side in the front-rear direction  8  makes a contact with the upper surface of the guide rail  92 , and a fourth position ( FIG.  13 B ) at which the stiffening rib  64  makes a contact with the lower surface of the guide rail  92 . 
     When the contact member  60  is at the third position, a lower end (front end in the front-rear direction  8 ) of the contact rib  63 A is positioned at a lower side of the upper end of the supporting rib  51 . When the contact member  60  is at the fourth position, the lower end of the supporting rib  63 A is positioned at an upper side of the upper end of the supporting rib  51 . A coil spring  115  is arranged between a front-end portion of the fitting portion  61  and the guide rail  92 . The coil spring  115  applies bias to the contact member  60  toward the third position (downward direction). 
     As the sheet  6  such as a glossy paper which is hard to bend ( FIG.  10 B ) is transported, the contact member  60  is pivoted (turned) from the third position to the fourth position by the sheet  6 . The sheet  6  positions the contact member  60  at the fourth position, and is transported without being made to be wave-shaped. The contact member  60  which was pivoted or turned to the fourth position, after passing of the sheet  6 , returns to the third position due to the bias of the coil spring  115 . 
     At the time of transporting the sheet  6  such as a cardboard which is thicker than the regular paper, the contact member  60  is turned to a position between the third position and the fourth position. The sheet  6 , similarly as in the case in which the wave-shape is shown by the solid line of  FIG.  12 A , is transported upon assuming a wave-shape which is gentler with smaller amplitude of wave than in the case of a regular paper shown by a dashed-line. 
     In the sixth modified embodiment, since the contact members  60  and  70  are pivoted according to the thickness of the sheet  6  or susceptibility of the sheet  6  to bending, it is possible to record an image by transporting the sheet  6  without being particular about the thickness of the sheet  6  or susceptibility of the sheet  6  to bending. 
     In the sixth modified embodiment, an example in which the contact portions  63  and  73  are displaced vertically by pivoting has been described. However, the contact members  60  and  70  may be provided to be movable entirely in the up-down direction  7  while maintaining a horizontal state. 
     Other Modified Embodiments 
     In the abovementioned embodiment, an example in which the storage section  86  is formed by the first surface  81  and the surrounding rib  84  has been described. However, the ink storage section may be formed by an ink absorbing member, which absorbs ink, such as a sponge stuck to the first surface  81 . The ink which has run down the protruding rib  83  is held upon being absorbed by the ink absorbing member. Moreover, instead of providing the rib  85 , the bumps  88 A, and the recesses  88 B to the first surface  81 , the ink absorbing member may be arranged at the inner side of the surrounding rib  84 . 
     In the abovementioned embodiment, an example in which two types of contact members namely, the contact member  60  and the contact member  70  are used, has been described. However, only one of the contact members  60  or the contact member  70  may be used. 
     In the abovementioned embodiment, an example in which the protruding rib  83  is provided to be extended to be inclined downward has been described. However, a boss in the form of a rod which is protruded upward may be provided as the protruding rib  83 , provided that the strength is secured. 
     In the abovementioned embodiment, an example in which the contact members  60  and  70  are installed on the guide rail  92  by using the protruding inserts  65  and  75  respectively has been described. However, the contact members  60  and  70  may be fixed to the guide rail  92  by using fixing members such as screws. Moreover, the guide rail  92  and the contact members  60  and  70  may also be molded integrally by a resin (material). 
     In the abovementioned embodiment, an example in which the contact member  60  is provided with the guide ribs  69 A and  63 A, has been described. However, the contact member  60  may not be provided with the guide ribs  69   a  and  63 A. In this case, the sheet  6  is guided to the contact portion  63  by the guide surface  69 . Moreover, the sheet  6  is pressed by the lower surface of the contact portion  63 . Same arrangement is to be made for the contact member  70 . 
     In the abovementioned embodiment, an example in which the transporting path  31  has the curved path  32  has been described. However, the transporting path  31  may include only the straight path  33 . 
     Except for unperformable cases, it is also possible to appropriately combine the abovementioned embodiment and one or more modifications as necessary.