Patent ID: 7490546

Claim:
An image recording apparatus comprising: a recording drum for supporting a recording medium mounted peripherally thereof; forward end clamps for fixing a forward end of the recording medium mounted peripherally of said recording drum, to a peripheral surface of said recording drum; and rear end clamps for fixing a rear end of the recording medium mounted peripherally of said recording drum, to the peripheral surface of said recording drum, said rear end clamps being movable along recesses formed to extend circumferentially of said recording drum; said recording medium being mounted peripherally of said recording drum, with an edge of said recording medium axially of said recording drum overhanging one of said recesses; wherein a margin of the recording medium for gripping by said rear end clamps is changeable according to one of rigidity of the recording medium mounted peripherally of said recording drum and a length of the recording medium overhanging said one of said recesses; wherein positions of the recording medium gripped by said rear end clamps are shiftable circumferentially of said recording drum according to one of the rigidity of the recording medium mounted peripherally of said recording drum and the length of the recording medium overhanging said one of said recesses; wherein an area of contact between the recording medium and said rear end clamps over said recesses is changed according to one of the rigidity of the recording medium mounted peripherally of said recording drum, and the length of the recording medium overhanging said one of said recesses; and wherein the area of contact between the recording medium and said rear end clamps over said recesses is reduced when the recording medium overhangs said one of said recesses by a large length.