Patent ID: 7001017

Claim:
A drive roller releasing apparatus for use with a drive roller, which transports print material to a feed roller using a pinch roller, in an ink-jet printer, the apparatus comprising: a drive roller separating mechanism attached to a shaft of the drive roller, the drive roller separating mechanism to separate the drive roller from the pinch roller and which is detachably in contact longitudinally with the drive roller so as to apply pressure to the drive roller; and a controller to control said drive roller separating mechanism so as to separate the pinch roller from the drive roller when the print material is moved into the feed roller, wherein said drive roller separating mechanism comprises: a releasing cam disposed at the drive roller shaft and having a cam surface in contact with a pinch roller shaft of the pinch roller, the cam surface being shaped such that the pinch roller is gradually separated from the drive roller according to a rotation of the drive roller shaft; a one-way clutch disposed between the releasing cam and the drive roller shaft, the one-way clutch allowing the releasing cam to be rotated in one direction; and a torsion spring at the drive roller shaft, the torsion spring to bias the releasing cam to rotate in the one direction in order for the cam surface to remain in contact with the pinch roller shaft.