Drive roller releasing apparatus for ink-jet printer

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 disposed at 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 the drive roller is not rotated if the drive roller shaft is rotated in a reverse direction within a predetermined angle, but is rotated in the reverse direction with the drive roller shaft if the drive roller shaft is rotated in the reverse direction at more than the predetermined angle.

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 when the print material is at the feed roller and which is detachably in contact with the drive roller so as to apply pressure to the drive 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.

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 disposed at a shaft of the drive roller, the drive roller separating mechanism to separate the drive roller from the pinch roller when the print material is at the feed roller and which is detachably in contact with the drive roller so as to apply pressure to the drive 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, and
• wherein the drive roller is not rotated if the drive roller shaft is rotated in a reverse direction within a predetermined angle, but is rotated in the reverse direction with the drive roller shaft if the drive roller shaft is rotated in the reverse direction at more than the predetermined angle.

A printer to print information on a print material, comprising:

• a printing unit to print the information on the print material;
• a feed roller to feed the print material under said printing unit;
• a pinch roller;
• a drive roller having a drive roller shaft, said drive roller to transport the print material to said feed roller using said pinch roller;
• a drive roller separating mechanism attached to the shaft of said drive roller, said drive roller separating mechanism to separate said drive roller from said pinch roller and which is detachably in contact with said drive roller so as to apply pressure to said drive roller;
• and
• a controller to control said drive roller separating mechanism so as to separate said pinch roller from said drive roller when the print material is moved into said feed roller,
• wherein said drive roller separating mechanism comprises:
• releasing cam disposed at the drive roller shaft and having a cam surface in contact with a portion of said pinch roller, the cam surface being shaped such that said pinch roller is gradually separated from said 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 portion of said pinch roller.

A printer to print information on a print material, comprising:

• a printing unit to print the information on the print material;
• a feed roller to feed the print material under said printing unit;
• a pinch roller;
• a drive roller having a drive roller shaft, said drive roller to transport the print material to said feed roller using said pinch roller;
• a drive roller separating mechanism disposed at the shaft of said drive roller, said drive roller separating mechanism to separate said drive roller from said pinch roller and which is detachably in contact with said drive roller so as to apply pressure to said drive roller;
• and
• a controller to control said drive roller separating mechanism so as to separate said pinch roller from said drive roller when the print material is moved into said feed roller,
• wherein said drive roller is not rotated if the drive roller shaft is rotated in a reverse direction within a predetermined angle, but is rotated in the reverse direction with the drive roller shaft if the drive roller shaft is rotated in the reverse direction at more than the predetermined angle.