Patent ID: 7337936

Claim:
A printing apparatus comprising: a printing unit configured to print an image onto a continuous paper; and a continuous paper transporting mechanism configured to transport the continuous paper, wherein the continuous paper transporting mechanism comprises: a frictionally transporting section configured to frictionally transport the continuous paper in a first direction, the frictionally transporting section including a back feeding unit configured to feed back the continuous paper in a second opposite direction by a predetermined amount after completion of printing; a paper braking section provided on an upstream side of the frictionally transporting section and configured to put brake on the transportation of the continuous paper; a paper-position restricting section having a pair of rollers arranged between the frictionally transporting section and the paper braking section obliquely at a predetermined angle θ with respect to a paper transporting direction; and a buffer unit provided between the paper-position restricting section and the frictionally transporting section and operable to come into contact with a surface of the continuous paper when the continuous paper is feeding back, and to separate from the surface of the continuous paper when the printing unit is printing, and a control unit that controls the operation of the buffer unit, in correspondence with the operation of the back feeding unit, to come into contact with a surface of the continuous paper when the continuous paper is feeding back, and that controls the operation of the buffer unit to separate from the surface of the continuous paper when the printing unit is printing, wherein the printing unit is disposed on a downstream side of the frictionally transporting section.