Patent ID: 8070286

Claim:
An image recording apparatus comprising: an endless transport mechanism including a pair of roller members, a drive mechanism for rotating said roller members, and an endless cord member wound around said roller members; a plurality of tables each for holding a recording medium on a surface thereof; a guide mechanism for guiding said tables to be movable along a track corresponding to said endless cord member; a linear motor mechanism including a plurality of movers and a stator for reciprocating said movers along the track of movement of said tables; a first connecting mechanism including a first connector attached to said endless cord member of said endless transport mechanism, a second connector attached to each of said tables, and a first switching mechanism for switching said first connector and said second connector between a connected state and a released state; a second connecting mechanism including a third connector attached to each of the movers of said linear motor mechanism, a fourth connector attached to each of said tables, and a second switching mechanism for switching said third connector and said fourth connector between a connected state and a released state; a recording medium feed mechanism for feeding the recording medium to each of said tables in movement; a recording head disposed above the tables moved by drive of said linear motor mechanism, each in a state of having said third connector and said fourth connector connected by said second connecting mechanism, for recording an image by discharging inks onto the recording medium from a plurality of inkjet nozzles arranged in a direction crossing a moving direction of the tables; and a recording medium discharge mechanism for discharging, from each of said tables, the recording medium with the image recorded by said recording head; wherein said first switching mechanism is arranged to disconnect said first connector and said second connector before each of said tables is opposed to said recording head, and to connect said first connector and said second connector after each of said tables is opposed to said recording head; and said second switching mechanism is arranged to connect said third connector and said fourth connector before each of said tables is opposed to said recording head, and to disconnect said third connector and said fourth connector after each of said tables is opposed to said recording head.