Patent Publication Number: US-11660883-B2

Title: Image recording apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-108606 filed on Jun. 24, 2020. The entire subject matter of the application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosures relate to an image recording apparatus configured to form an image on a continuous sheet that is unwound from a roll body (i.e., a recording sheet roll) and loaded to a sheet supporting table. 
     Related Art 
     There has been known an image recording apparatus configured to form an image on a continuous sheet unwound from a roll body, which is a continuous recording sheet in a rolled form. 
     The roll body is attached to an attachment member provided in an internal space of the image recording apparatus. Typically, a roll body insertion opening is formed on a housing of the image recording apparatus, and an external cover configured to rotate to open and close the insertion opening is provided to the housing of the image recording apparatus. 
     SUMMARY 
     The sheet of the roll body is unwound from the roll body and conveyed to a platen at which an image is printed thereon. If a conveyance path extending from the roll body to the printing part is relatively long, a spatial efficiency in arranging respective components in the internal space of the image recording apparatus becomes low, and the image recording apparatus tends to be upsized. 
     Additionally, sufficient space must be provided around the image recording apparatus to allow the external cover to rotate and be located at its open position. It is noted that, if the roll body insertion opening is made wider so that the roll body can easily be attached to the attachment part, a larger external cover is required, which requires a larger space therefor. 
     Further, after attaching the roll body to the image recording apparatus, it is necessary for a user to unwound the sheet from the roll body and set the same to a component such as a roller pair configured to hold and convey the sheet. However, if there is not sufficient space around the image recording apparatus, it is difficult for the user to visibly recognize the internal space of the image recording apparatus, which results in poor workability. 
     According to aspects of the present disclosures, there is provided an image recording apparatus having a housing having a front wall and a rear wall spaced from each other in a front-rear direction, and a right wall and a left wall spaced from each other in a right-left direction, the right wall, the left wall, the front wall and the rear wall defining an internal space of the housing, a sheet roll holder configured to hold a sheet roll, a supporting member configured to support the sheet roll, the supporting member extending in an axial direction of the sheet roll and being supported by the sheet roll holder, a sheet conveyer arranged in an internal space of the housing, the sheet conveyer being configured to convey a sheet unwound from the sheet roll, and a recording device arranged in the internal space of the housing, the recording device being configured to record an image on the sheet unwound from the sheet roll and conveyed by the sheet conveyer. The sheet roll holder is configured to be slidable with respect to the housing so as to be detachable from and attachable to the housing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of an image recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosures. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of the image recording apparatus when a cover is fully opened, and a holder is pulled out from a housing. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional side view of the image recording apparatus taken along line III-III shown in  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of the holder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, an image recording apparatus  10  according to an embodiment of the present disclosures will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that an embodiment described below is only an illustrative example, and various modifications and/or improvements of the embodiment can be made without departing from aspects of the present disclosures. 
     In the following description, a term “one-way direction” refers to a one-way direction from one point toward another point, while a term “direction” or “both-way direction” refers to a both-way direction between one point and another point. 
     In the following description, a vertical direction (an up-down direction)  7 , which is a both-way direction, is defined with reference to a state in which the image recording apparatus  10  is installed and ready for use (i.e., a state shown in  FIG.  1   ). Further, a front-rear direction  8 , which is also a both-way direction, is defined regarding a side in which a discharge opening  13  is provided as a front side, and a right-left direction  9 , which is also a both-side direction, is defined with the image recording apparatus  10  viewed from its front side. Furthermore, right, left, front, rear, up and down sides are indicated by arrows in each of  FIG.  1 - 4   . 
     Appearance of Image Recording Apparatus 
       FIG.  1    is a perspective view of the image recording apparatus  10 , which is configured to form an image onto a continuous sheet unwound from a roll body  11  (see  FIG.  3   ) in accordance with an inkjet printing method. 
     The image recording apparatus  10  has a housing  14 , which has an approximately rectangular parallelopiped shape. An internal space of the housing  14  is defined by walls. As shown in  FIG.  1   , the housing  14  has a right wall  35  and a left wall  36 , which are arranged to face and be spaced from each other in the right-left direction  9 , an upper wall  33  and a lower wall  34 , which are arranged to face and to be spaced from each other in the up-down direction  7 , and a front wall  31  and a rear wall  32 , which are arranged to face and to be spaced in the front-rear direction  8 . Each of the upper wall  33  and the lower wall  34  connects the right wall  35  and the left wall  36 , and each of the front wall  31  and the rear wall  32  connects the upper wall  33  and the lower wall  34 . 
     The housing  14  has a suitable size such that the image forming apparatus  10  can be placed and used on a desk. However, it is also possible to install and use the image recording apparatus  10  on the floor. 
     As mentioned above, the discharge opening  13  is formed on the front wall  31 . The discharge opening  13  is a through opening penetrating through the front wall  31 . Through the discharge opening  13 , the internal space of the image recording apparatus  10  communicates with the outside. An operation panel  17  is arranged on the left side with respect to the discharge opening  13  on the front wall  31 . The operation panel  17  has a display and input keys. The user can input various operation commands and the like to operate the image recording apparatus  10  through the operation panel  17 . 
     A cover  16  is provided on a lower side with respect to the operation panel  17  (i.e., a lower left side) on the front wall  31 . A finger grip  16 A is formed on au upper end portion of the front side of the cover  16 . The finger grip  16 A is formed to be a concave portion or a protruded potion with respect to a front surface of the cover  16  so that the user can hook a finger when moving the cover  16 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , the cover  16  is configured to be opened and closed as the user rotates the cover  16  about a rotation axis at a lower end of the cover  16  and extending along the right-left direction  9 . When the cover  16  is opened, the internal space of the housing  14  is exposed through an opening  12 . An outer surface of the cover  16  forms, when closed, a part of the front wall  31  of the housing  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , a tank (or a plurality of tanks)  70  is arranged in the internal space of the housing  14 . The tank  70  is located on the rear side with respect to the cover  16  in the closed state. The tank  70  is configured to hold ink. According to the embodiment, the tank  70  is of a cartridge type and is detachably attached to the housing  14 . The ink contained by the tank  70  is supplied to a print head  24  via a tube  71  (see  FIG.  3   ). 
     The ink is a liquid that contains pigments and other substances. The ink has a viscosity suitable for uniformly dispersing the pigment. The pigment defines a color of the ink. 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , a holder insertion opening  18  is formed on a lower rear portion of the right wall  35 . The internal space of the housing  14  communicates with the outside through the holder insertion opening  18 . A holder  90  can be slidably inserted into the internal space of the housing  14  through the holder insertion opening  18 . As shown in  FIG.  1   , when the holder  90  is fully inserted inside the housing  14  through the holder insertion opening  18 , a holder outer wall  95  of the holder  90  constitutes a right surface (i.e., an example of a side wall) of the housing  14  in association with the right wall  35  of the housing  14 . The detailed structure of the holder  90  will be described later. 
     Internal Structure of Image Recording Apparatus 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , a conveyance path  22  is defined in the internal space of the housing  14 . In the internal space of the housing  14 , a guide roller  20 , a first conveyance roller pair  54  (i.e., rollers  60  and  61 ), a second conveyance roller pair  55  (i.e., rollers  62  and  63 ), a platen  25  and the tank  70  are provided. Although not shown in  FIG.  3   , a maintenance unit including a cap configured to cover a nozzle area of the print head  24 , a wiper configured to wipe the nozzle surface, a control circuit board, and a power supply circuit may also be arranged in the internal space of the housing  14 . 
     The print head  24  includes discharge modules  242 . Each of the discharge modules  242  is configured such that a plurality of nozzles  30  is arranged side by side along the right-left direction  9 . Ink droplets are discharged downward from the plurality of nozzles  30  toward the platen  25 . Although only two rows of nozzles  30  spaced in the front-rear direction  8  are shown in  FIG.  3   , more than two rows of nozzles may be arranged in the front-rear direction  8 , and each row has a plurality of nozzles  30  arranged in the right-left direction  9 . 
     The guide roller  20  is arranged in the internal space of the housing  14 , and in the vicinity of the rear wall  32 . The guide roller  20  is a cylindrical roller of which a rotation axis extends in the right-left direction  9 . A sheet  11 A, which is unwound and led upward from the roll body  11 , is wound around the guide roller  20  and extends frontward toward the front wall  31 . On a circumferential surface (i.e., a roller surface) of the guide roller  20 , a surface opposite to a printing surface of the sheet  11 A contacts. 
     The guide roller  20  is configured to move between a first position which is indicated by the solid line, and a second position which is indicated by the broken line in  FIG.  3   . The first position is a position on an inner side at a concave curvature of the curved portion of the conveyance path  22  compared to the second position. Although not shown in  FIG.  3   , the guide roller  20  is urged by an elastic member such as a spring toward the second position. 
     As the sheet  11 A unwound from the roll body  11  wraps around the guide roller  20 , and held by the first conveyance roller pair  54  and the nip rollers  93  and  94 , a tension of the sheet  11 A therebetween is applied to the guide roller  20 , thereby the guide roller  20  being urged to move from the second position and located at the first position. A lower part  20 L, which is a part of the guide roller  20 , is located below an upper end of the guide roller  20  is located on a lower side with respect to an upper end of the holder outer wall  95  in a state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14 . The outer wall  95  of the holder  90  is indicated by broken lines in  FIG.  3   . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the conveyance path  22  is formed from a position in the vicinity of an upper rear end portion of the holder  90  to the discharge opening  13  via the guide roller  20 . 
     There are provided guide members (not shown) to the housing  90  and defining the conveyance path  22  having a concavely curved guide surface at a portion facing the guide roller  20  so that the conveyance path  22  from the upper rear end portion of the holder  90  changes its extending direction from the up-down direction  7  to the front-rear direction  8  at the guide roller  20 , and then extends to the first conveyance roller pair  54 . 
     A part of the conveyance path  22  from the guide roller  20  to the discharge opening  13  extends substantially linearly in the front-rear direction  8 . The conveyance path  22  is a path through which the sheet  11 A is conveyed. The conveyance path  22  is defined by the guide members, which are arranged to be spaced in the up-down direction  7 , the guide roller  20 , the print head  24  and the platen  25 . Between the guide roller  20  and the discharge opening  13 , a frontward direction, which is the one-way direction, is the conveying direction of the sheet  11 A in the conveyance path  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the first conveyance roller pair  54  is provided along the conveyance path  22  in the internal space of the housing  14 , at a position on a downstream side in the conveying direction, with respect to the guide roller  20  and on an upstream side in the conveying direction, with respect to the print head  24 . The first conveyance roller pair  54  has a first conveyance roller  60  and a pinch roller  61 . The second conveyance roller pair  55  is provided along the conveyance path  22  in the internal space of the housing  14  at a position on a downstream side with respect to the print head  24 . The second conveyance roller pair  55  has a second conveyance roller  62  and a pinch roller  63 . The first conveyance roller  60  and the second conveyance roller  62  rotate as a rotation force of a motor (not shown) is transmitted. The pinch roller  61  is urged toward the first conveyance roller  60 , and the pinch roller  63  is urged toward the second conveyance roller  62 . The first conveyance roller pair  54  and the second conveyance roller pair  55  convey the sheet  11 A in the conveying direction along the conveyance path  22  as the first conveyance roller  60  and the second conveyance roller  62  hold the sheet  11 A therebetween and rotate, and the second conveyance roller  62  and the pinch roller  63  hold the sheet  11 A therebetween. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the print head  24  and the platen  25  are arranged between the first conveyance roller pair  54  and the second conveyance roller pair  55 , and on opposite sides with respect to the conveyance path  22 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , the platen  25  is arranged below the print head  24 . An upper surface of the platen  25  is configured to be parallel to a surface of the print head  24  on which orifices for respective nozzles  30  are formed. A dimension of the upper surface of the platen  25  in the right-left direction  9  is larger than a dimension of the roll body in the right-left direction  9 . The upper surface of the platen  25  supports, from below, the sheet  11 A conveyed by the first conveyance roller pair  54  and the second conveyance roller pair  55 . Although not shown in  FIG.  3   , it is also possible to have the sheet  11 A attracted onto the upper surface of the platen  25  by electrostatic force or negative pressure. Since the platen  25  is not fixed to the holder  90 , the platen  25  stays unmoved in the internal space of the housing  14  when the holder  90  is pulled out from the housing  14 . 
     Configuration of Holder 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the holder  90  can be slidably pulled out from and inserted into the housing  14 , in the right-left direction  9 , through the holder insertion opening  18  formed on the right wall  35  of the housing  14 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the holder  90  has a holder chassis  91 , a spindle  92 , and the nip rollers  93  and  94 . 
     The holder chassis  91  has a holder outer wall  95  and a main body  96 . The holder outer wall  95  closes the holder insertion opening  18  when the holder  90  is fully inserted in the internal space of the housing  14  through the holder insertion opening  18  (see  FIG.  1   ). In this state (i.e., when the holder  90  is fully inserted in the housing  14 ), the outer surface of the holder outer wall  95  and the outer surface of the right wall  35  of the housing  14  are on the same plane. 
     The main body  96  is an approximately L-shaped side view and has a part extending along the lower wall  34  of the housing  14  and a part extending along the rear wall  32  of the housing  14 . A part of a curved surface  96 A of the main body  96 , which faces upward and frontward, guides the sheet  11 A unwound from the roll body  11 . The right surface of the main body  96  is connected to the holder outer wall  95 . The main body  96  has a supporting member  97  that supports a left end of the spindle  92  and a supporting member  98  that supports a left end of the nip roller  93 . The supporting member  97  is arranged at the left end of the main body  96  and extends upward from the curved surface  96 A. The supporting member  98  is arranged at the left end of the main body  96  and extends frontward from the curved surface  96 A. Both the supporting elements  97  and  98  face the holder outer wall  95  in the right-left direction  9 . Upper, left, and front sides of the main body  96  are open to the outside with no walls present. 
     The spindle  92  extending in the right-left direction  9  is arranged on an inner side of curvature of the curved surface  96 A of the main body  96 . A right end of the spindle  92  is rotatably supported by a supporting member  99  provided on a left surface of the holder outer wall  95 . A left end of the spindle  92  is rotatably supported by the supporting member  97 . The spindle  92  is detachably attached to the supporting elements  97  and  99 . The spindle  92  is inserted into the center (i.e., a hollow core) of the roll body  11  and supports the roll body  11 . The spindle  92  is rotated by a rotating force transmitted from a motor (not shown) arranged in the internal space of the housing  14 . 
     Although not shown in  FIG.  4   , there is a hole in the supporting element  97 , and a left end of the spindle  92  is inserted through the hole and rotatably supported thereby. The left end of the spindle  92  is connected to a transmission mechanism (e.g., a gear train) provided to the main body  96 , and the spindle  92  rotates as a driving force is transmitted through the transmission mechanism. The roll body  11  has a hollow core, and the spindle  92  has a portion configured to engage with an inner surface of the hollow core of the roll body. According to the above configuration, when the spindle  92  rotates, the roll body  11  rotates. It should be noted that the above-described configuration of enabling the rotation of the roll body  11  in association with the rotation of the spindle  92  is only an example. That is, a configuration of enabling the rotation of the roll body  11  in association with the rotation of the spindle motor  92  is not necessarily limited to a specific one, but any possible configuration may be employed. 
     As shown in  FIG.  3   , in a state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14 , a central portion of the spindle  92  in the front-rear direction  8  is located on a rear side with respect to a central position  14 C (indicated by a two-dotted line in  FIG.  3   ) of the housing  14  in the front-rear direction  8 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the nip roller  93  extending in the right-left direction  9  is arranged on the inner side with respect to the curvature of the curved surface  96 A of the main body  96 . The nip roller  93  is arranged on an upper rear side with respect to the spindle  92 . A right end of the nip roller  93  is rotatably supported by the left surface of the holder outer wall  95 . A left end of the nip roller  93  is rotatably supported by the supporting member  98 . The nip roller  93  is configured to rotate about an axis extending in the right-left direction  9 . 
     The nip roller  93  is configured such that, in a state where the nip roller  93  is supported by the holder outer wall  95  and the supporting member  98 , the nip roller  93  is movable, in the front-rear direction  9 , between a holding position shown by solid lines and a non-holding position shown by broken lines in  FIG.  3   . The front-rear movement of the nip roller  93  is performed as a driving force is transmitted from a motor (not shown) or a magnet valve. 
     It is noted that a configuration of enabling the nip roller  93  to move between the holding position and the non-holding position is not necessarily be limited to a specific configuration, but any suitable configuration may be employed. An example of possible configurations will be described below. The supporting member  98  has a groove cut along the direction of movement of the nip roller  93 . The shaft of the nip roller  93  is inserted into this groove. In this case, the holder outer wall  95  also has a similar groove, and both ends of the shaft of the nip roller  93  are inserted into the grooves, thereby the shaft of the nip roller  93  being slidably supported. In addition, a groove having the same shape is formed in a frame of the main body, and the shaft of the nip roller  93  is also inserted into the groove of the frame of the main body through the groove of the support member  98 . There is further provided a cam, which is rotated by the driving force from the motor of the main body, such that the cam is in contact with the shaft of the nip roller  93 , and the rotation of the cam causes the shaft of the nip roller  93  to move along the groove to move between the holding position and the non-holding position. 
     When the nip roller  93  is located at the holding position, the nip roller  93  and another nip roller  94  hold the sheet  11 A therebetween. The nip roller  93  at the non-holding position is spaced from the nip roller  94 , and a distance between the nip roller  93  and the nip roller  94  is much greater than the thickness of the sheet  11 A. Therefore, when the nip roller  93  is located at the non-holding position, the nip roller  93  and the nip roller  94  do not hold the sheet  11 A therebetween. 
     The nip roller  94  is provided to the main body  96  of the holder  90 . The nip roller  94  is located on a rear side with respect to the nip roller  93 . The nip roller  94  is configured to rotate about an axis extending in the right-left direction  9 . A part of the nip roller  94  is located on a rear side with respect to the curved surface  96 A of the main body  96  (see  FIG.  3   ). A front part of the nip roller  94  is slightly protruded with respect to the curved surface  96 A. The front part of the nip roller  94  protruded from the curved surface  96 A is in contact with the nip roller  93  when the nip roller  93  is located at the holding position. The nip roller  94  is rotated as a rotating force is transmitted from a motor (not shown) arranged in the internal space of the housing  14 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , in a state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14 , the nip rollers  93  and  94  and the guide roller  20  are located on the rear side with respect to the spindle  92 . In addition, in the state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14 , the nip rollers  93  and  94  are located on an upper side, in the up-down direction  8 , with respect to a central axis of the spindle  92  and on a downside, in the up-down direction  8 , with respect to the guide roller  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , a mark  100  is formed on an upper end portion of the curved surface  96 A. The mark  100  is formed at an approximately central part, in the right-left direction  9 , of the upper end portion of the curved surface  96 A. According to the present embodiment, the mark  100  is a down-pointing triangle as shown in  FIG.  4   . The position indicated by the mark  100  (in this embodiment, a position indicated by a bottom vertex of the down-pointing triangle) is a position of a leading end of the sheet  11 A unwound from the roll body  11 . It is noted that the mark  100  may be formed by embossing or other unevenness, or may be printed by ink. Alternatively, the mark  100  may be formed by a sticker with the mark  100  printed thereon may be affixed to the curved surface  96 A. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  and  2   , a finger grip  101  is formed as a portion concaved leftward from the right surface of the holder outer wall  95 . In a state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14  as shown in  FIG.  1   , the finger grip  101  is exposed to outside the housing  14 . Therefore, the user can hold the finger grip  101  by inserting the fingers onto the finger grip  101  from the right side (i.e., outside) of the holder  90 . It is noted that the finger grip  101  may be formed to have another shape. For example, the finger grip  101  may be a C-shaped handle protruding rightward from the right surface of the holder outer wall  95 . 
     A translucent window  102  is formed on the right surface of the holder outer wall  95 . The window  102  is formed on an upper side with respect to the handle  101  on the right surface of the holder outer wall  95 . The window  102  enables the user to see the inner side of the holder  90  from the outside (i.e., the right side). Although the size and shape of the window  102  should not be limited to a particular one, it is preferable that the window  102  enables the user to check the remaining amount of the sheet of the roll body  11  held by the spindle  92 . For example, a lower end of the window  102  in the vertical direction  7  may be located in the vicinity of a position of the spindle  92 , and an upper end of the window  102  may be located in the vicinity of an upper end (i.e., an outermost portion) of a new roll body  11  held by the spindle  92  as shown in  FIGS.  3  and  4   . The window  102  may be a through opening or an opening to which a translucent element is fitted. 
     Operation of Image Recording Apparatus 
     Hereinafter, an operation of the image recording apparatus  10  will be described. When receiving print data, the image recording apparatus  10  controls a motor (not shown) to rotate the spindle  92 , the guide roller  20 , the first conveyance roller  60 , and the second conveyance roller  62 . At an initial state, the nip roller  93  is located at the non-holding position. Accordingly, the leading end of the sheet  11 A of the roll body  11  is fed toward a position below the print head  24 . A surface of the sheet  11 A facing the print head  24  is an outer surface when wounded as the roll body  11 . The image recording apparatus  10  controls the motor to rotate respective rollers to feed the sheet  11 A, while causes the print head  24  to eject ink droplets toward the sheet  11 A based on the print data. The ink droplets ejected from the print head  24  adhere onto the sheet  11 A supported on the platen  25 . 
     In response to completion of the printing based on the print data, the sheet is conveyed until a printed portion of the sheet  11 A is discharged from the housing  14  through the discharge opening  13 . Thereafter, the image recording apparatus  10  controls the motor (not shown) to stop rotating the spindle  92 , the guide roller  20 , the first conveyance roller  60 , and the second conveyance roller  62 . 
     Replacement of Roll Body 
     Hereinafter, an operation to replace the roll body  11  will be described. When the sheet  11 A is completely consumed for printing and is completely unwound from the roll body  11  supported by the spindle  92 , the roll body  11  should be replaced with a new one by the user. When the roll body  11  is replaced, the user firstly holds the finger grip  101  and pulls out the holder  90  rightward. In this way, the holder  90  is slid out of the housing  14  through the holder insertion opening  18  as shown in  FIG.  2   . 
     It is noted that the holder  90  may be completely pulled out of the housing  14  as shown in  FIG.  4   , or may be pulled out to a sufficient extent so that the roll body  11  can be replaced with a new roll body  11 . 
     The user may hold the used roll body  11  and take out the same, together with the spindle  92 , from an upper side or a front side of the holder chassis  91 . Then, the user may attach a new roll body  11  to the spindle  92 , and attach the new roll body  11 , together with the spindle  92 , to the main body  96 . Thereafter, the user unwinds the sheet  11 A from the roll body  11  and makes the sheet  11 A pass between the nip rollers  93  and  94  until the leading end of the sheet  11 A is located to a position indicated by the mark  100 . 
     Thereafter, as the user inserts the holder  90  into the housing  14  through the holder insertion opening  18 , the nip roller  93  is moved from the non-holding position to the holding position as described above. In this way, the sheet  11 A is held between the nip rollers  93  and  94 . Next, when the nip roller  94 , the guide roller  20  and the first conveyance roller  60  are rotated, the sheet  11 A unwound from the roll body  11  is guided to the first conveyance roller pair  54 , and held between two rollers  60  and  61  of the first conveyance roller pair  54 . Thereafter, the nip roller  93  is moved from the holding position to the non-holding position. 
     Effects of Illustrative Embodiment 
     According to the image forming apparatus  10  described above, the holder  90  can be detached from the housing  14  and the roll bodies  11  can easily be replaced. Accordingly, a setting operation of the roll body  11  can be performed relatively easily. It is particularly easy to set the roll body  11  to the spindle  92  which is located on the rear side of the housing  14 . 
     Further, the leading end of the sheet  11 A can be appropriately positioned as the nip roller  93  is located at the holding position. Further, accuracy in conveying the sheet  11 A is increased since the holding power of the nip rollers  93  and  94  has no influence when the nip roller  93  is located at the non-holding position. 
     Furthermore, in a state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14 , the nip rollers  93  and  94 , and the guide roller  20  are located on the rear side with respect to the spindle  92 . Therefore, the conveyance path  22  can be shortened, thereby the image forming apparatus  10  being downsized. 
     Further, in a state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14 , the nip rollers  93  and  94  are located on an upper side with respect to the center of the spindle  92  and on a lower side with respect to the guide roller  20 . Therefore, the conveyance path  22  can be shortened, thereby the image forming apparatus  10  being downsized. 
     The holder outer wall  95  forms a right side surface in association with right wall  35  of the housing  14 . Therefore, a cover for the holder insertion opening  18  is unnecessary, and the holder  90  can be attached to and detached from the housing  14  easily. 
     It is noted that, in the illustrative embodiment, the holder outer wall  95  forms the right side surface of the housing  14  in association with the right wall  35 . The configuration may be modified such that the holder  90  may be pulled out leftward, and the holder outer wall  95  may form a left side surface of the housing  14  in association with the left wall  36 . 
     Since the holder outer wall  95  is provided with the translucent window  102 , the status of the roll body  11  is visually recognizable from outside with the holder  90  being attached to the housing  14  (i.e., without pulling out the holder  90  from the housing  14 ). 
     In a state where the holder  90  is attached to the housing  14 , a part of the guide roller  20  located at the first position is arranged on a lower side with respect to an upper end of the holder outer wall  95 . Therefore, the image forming apparatus  10  can be downsized. It is noted that the first position and the second position are merely names indicating relative positional relationship. It is noted that the entire guide roller  20  located at the first position may be arranged on the lower side with respect to the upper end of the holder outer wall  95 . 
     Since the spindle  92  is detachably attached to the main body  96  of the holder  90 , the setting of the roll body  11  can be performed easily. 
     Since the mark  100  is provided on the curved surface  96 A of the holder  90 , the setting of the sheet  11 A pulled out of the roll body  11  can be performed easily. 
     Modifications 
     According to the illustrative embodiment, the sheet  11 A unwound from the roll body  11  is conveyed upward, inside the holder  90 . The configuration may be modified such that the sheet  11 A unwound from the roll body  11  may be conveyed rearward initially and then conveyed upward. 
     According to the illustrative embodiment, the upper side and the front side of the holder chassis  91  are opened. The configuration may be modified such that a cover member to cover the upper side and the front side of the holder chassis  91  may be provided. For example, such a cover may be detachably attached to the holder chassis  91 , and the cover may be detached from the holder chassis  91  when the roll body  11  is replaced. 
     Instead of the nip rollers  93  and  94  provided in the holder  90 , urging members configured to urge both side ends, in the right-left direction  9 , of the sheet  11 A from the front side toward the curved surface  96 A may be provided. When such urging members are provided, a pickup roller configured to feed the leading end of the sheet  11 A toward the guide roller  20  may additionally be provided to the holder  90 . 
     The arrangement, on the front wall  31  of the image recording apparatus  10 , of the discharge opening  13 , the cover  16  and the operation panel  17  can be changed. The discharge opening  13 , the cover  16  or the operation panel  17  may be arranged on a wall other than the front wall  31 . For example, the discharge opening  13  may be provided to the upper wall  33 . In such a case, the sheet  11 A on which an image has been printed may pass through the discharge opening  13  and is discharged to an upward or obliquely upward direction. 
     Instead of the guide roller  20 , a guide member having a curved surface that contacts the sheet  11 A to guide the sheet  11 A may be provided. 
     According to the illustrative embodiment, the first conveyance roller pair  54  and the second conveyance roller pair  55  hold and convey the sheet  11 A in the conveyance path  22 . It is noted that another conveyance member such as a conveying belt may be used instead of such a configuration. 
     The tank  70  does not need to be limited to one that stores ink of a singular color of black. For example, multiple tanks respectively storing ink of four different colors (e.g., black, yellow, cyan and magenta) may be provided. Optionally, a heater configured to heat at least one of the sheet and the ink may be provided at a downstream position with respect to the print head  24  along the conveyance path  22  to expedite the drying of the ink. Alternatively, ink containing UV-curing resin may be used. In such a case, a UV irradiator may be provided at a downstream position with respect to the print head  24 . 
     The tank  70  does not need to be limited to a cartridge type tank, but may be one fixed to the housing  14 . In such a case, a filling opening may be formed to such a tank, and ink will be refilled into the tank  70  via the filling opening. 
     According to the illustrative embodiment, the print head  24  employing the inkjet printing technique is used. Alternatively, the image recording apparatus may be one employing an electrophotographic imaging technique or one utilizing a thermal head. 
     According to the illustrative embodiment, the roll body  11  is held by the spindle  92 . It is noted that a stick-like supporting member rotatably supporting the roll body is not necessarily a rotatable member such as the spindle  92 . For example, a cylindrical solid or hollow member having an outside diameter smaller than an inside diameter of a core of the roll body  11  may be used as the non-rotatable supporting member. 
     According to the illustrative embodiment, the image recording apparatus  10  is used with the front wall  31  and the rear wall  32  of the housing  14  extending in the up-down direction  7  and the right-left direction  9 , respectively. It is noted that a usage posture of the image recording apparatus  10  does not need to be limited to the posture according to the above-described embodiment. 
     It is noted that the print head  24  in the above-described embodiment is an example of a recording device according to aspects of the present disclosures. The roll body  11  in the above-described embodiment is an example of a sheet roll according to aspects of the present disclosures. The guide roller  20  in the above-described embodiment is an example of a guide member according to aspects of the present disclosures. The first conveyance roller pair  54  in the above-described embodiment is an example of a conveying mechanism according to aspects of the present disclosures. The second conveyance roller pair  55  in the above-described embodiment is another example of a sheet conveyer according to aspects of the present disclosures. The spindle  92  in the above-described embodiment is an example of the supporting member according to aspects of the present disclosures. The nip roller  93  in the above-described embodiment is an example of the holding member according to aspects of the present disclosures. Further, the nip roller  94  in the above-described embodiment is another example of the holding member according to aspects of the present disclosures.