Patent ID: 8454256

Claim:
A card printing apparatus for sequentially printing a plurality of colors on a card, comprising: a card supply unit for supplying the card; a card conveyance path provided linearly from the card supply unit to convey the card; a conveyance device provided on the card conveyance path for conveying the card; a printing unit provided on the card conveyance path, the printing unit printing a first color while conveying the card and printing a next color while conveying the card in a reverse direction after positioning the card; a card cleaning member disposed between the card supply unit and the printing unit within a returning range of the card while printing the card conveyed in reverse, the card cleaning member contacting the card supplied from the card supply unit and cleaning the card; a holder for holding the card cleaning member; and a card cleaning member moving device having an actuator, the actuator moving the holder holding the card cleaning member between a retreated position spaced from the card conveyance path where the card cleaning member does not contact a surface of the card being conveyed, and an operating position where the card cleaning member contacts the surface of the card being conveyed by advancing into the card conveyance path, wherein the card cleaning member is moved to the retreated position when the card is conveyed in reverse while printing wherein the holder is detachably attached to the card printing apparatus, the actuator comprises a solenoid, a plunger attached to the solenoid to project from or retract into the solenoid by an actuation of the solenoid, a lever member rotationally attached to the plunger at one end, and an engaging member engaging the other end of the lever member, the holder detachably engaging the engaging member, and the holder and the engaging member include convex and concave portions engaging each other, respectively, so that the holder is attached to or detached from the engaging member by insertion.