Transport apparatus, recording apparatus, and method of loading a recording medium

A transport apparatus for transporting a recording medium in a roll shape while applying a tension thereto, the recording medium being fed from a feeding roll and wound up onto a take-up roll, the transport apparatus comprising:

• a transport roller arranged in a path between the feeding roll and the take-up roll to transport the recording medium;
• a first tension bar arranged in a path between the transport roller and the take-up roll for applying a tension to the recording medium in a first direction;
• first biasing means for biasing at least two portions of the first tension bar independently from one another;
• support plates having guide holes for guiding the first tension bar in a predetermined direction;
• a second tension bar arranged in a path between the first tension bar and the take-up roll in parallel to a roll shaft of the take-up roll for applying a tension to the recording medium in a second direction different from the first direction so that the recording medium is tightened by the first and second tension bars and the tightened recording medium is wound up onto the take-up roll, the second tension bar including concentric pinions in at least two portions thereof;
• a support member including racks meshing with the respective pinions of the second tension bar to support the second tension bar and to cause the second tension bar to move in parallel to the roll shaft of the take-up roll and in a direction different from a moving direction of the first tension bar;
• second biasing means for biasing the second tension bar in a direction different from a biasing direction of the first tension bar biased by the first biasing means;
• a flat, plate-shaped platen arranged in a path between the transport roller and the first tension bar;
• and
• suction means for sucking the recording medium toward the platen.