Patent ID: 7121202

Claim:
An imaging apparatus for exposing a recording material to light, comprising: a recording drum having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface on which said recording material is mounted and rotating about a rotary axis thereof in a positive direction and a reverse direction; a first transport mechanism for transporting said recording material to said recording drum; a second transport mechanism for transporting said recording material from said recording drum; a leading edge clamp having a clamp body urged to be fastened; a releasing mechanism for pressing said leading edge damp to release said clamp body; a trailing edge clamp for clamping the other edge of said recording material to said outer peripheral surface of said recording drum; a mounting/demounting mechanism for mounting/demounting said trailing edge clamp from said recording drum; a swing member for swinging said releasing mechanism and said mounting/demounting mechanism in directions close to and away from said outer peripheral surface of said recording drum; a roller held slidably on said swing member, provided downstream from said releasing mechanism and upstream from said mounting/demounting mechanism with respect to said positive direction of rotation of said recording drum, and urged toward said outer peripheral surface of said recording drum; and a guide member provided in the vicinity of said leading edge clamp for causing said roller to climb up thereon to change a traveling path of said roller such that said roller avoids interference with said leading edge clamp, wherein when mounting said recording material on said outer peripheral surface of said recording drum, said recording drum is rotated until said leading edge clamp faces said releasing mechanism, said releasing mechanism releases said clamp body of said leading edge clamp, said first transport mechanism transports said recording material toward said recording drum, said recording drum is rotated in said positive direction without making a stop with said recording material pressed by said roller, after a leading edge of said recording material is clamped by said clamp body and said recording material mounted on said outer peripheral surface is pressed by said roller, and until said recording material reaches said outer peripheral surface throughout substantially full length thereof, and when demounting said recording material from said outer peripheral surface of said recording drum, said recording drum is rotated until said trailing edge clamp faces said mounting/demounting mechanism, said mounting/demounting mechanism disengages said trailing edge clamp from said recording drum, and said recording drum is rotated without making a stop in said reverse direction until said leading edge clamp faces said releasing mechanism with said recording material pressed by said roller to cause said recording material to be discharged to said second transport path.