Printing apparatus for performing printing to an elongated print medium

A printing apparatus for performing printing to a print medium elongated, the printing apparatus comprising:

• a printing unit configured to cause inks to adhere to a printing face of the print medium to be transported;
• and
• a drying mechanism configured to dry the inks by heating the print medium unloaded from the printing unit,
• the drying mechanism including:
• at least a first turning roller, a second turning roller, a third turning roller, and a fourth turning roller each configured to contact a rear face of the print medium unloaded from the printing unit with no inks adhering thereto to turn a transportation direction of the print medium;
• a printing face contact roller located downstream of the fourth turning roller in the transportation direction and configured to contact the printing face of the print medium to turn the transportation direction of the print medium;
• and
• at least a first heating unit, a second heating unit, and a third heating unit each configured to heat the print medium guided by the first to fourth turning rollers and the printing face contact roller, wherein
• the first turning roller turns a direction of the print medium, unloaded from the printing unit, vertically downward or diagonally downward such that the printing face of the print medium is directed upward,
• the second turning roller turns a direction of the print medium, whose direction is turned by the first turning roller, such that the printing face is directed downward,
• the third turning roller turns a direction of the print medium, whose direction is turned by the second turning roller, vertically upward or diagonally upward such that the printing face of the print medium is directed upward,
• the fourth turning roller turns a direction of the print medium, whose direction is turned by the third turning roller, horizontally such that the printing face is directed upward or diagonally downward such that the printing face is directed upward,
• the first heating unit is located so as to face the printing face of the print medium and heats the print medium in a non-contact manner between the first turning roller and the second turning roller,
• the second heating unit is located so as to face the printing face of the print medium and heats the print medium in a non-contact manner between the third turning roller and the fourth turning roller,
• the third heating unit is located so as to face the printing face of the print medium, and heats the print medium in a non-contact manner between the fourth turning roller and the printing face contact roller,
• the printing face contact roller firstly contacts the printing face of the print medium after the inks adhere, and guides the print medium to an outlet of the drying mechanism by folding the print medium with the inks being dried, and
• the first heating unit, the second heating unit, the third heating unit, or any other heating unit that is configured to heat the print medium guided by the first to fourth turning rollers and the printing face contact roller is not arranged below the print medium between the second turning roller and the third turning roller such that the print medium is transported without being heated between the second turning roller and the third turning roller.