# US 8,770,875 B2 · Recording apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,875 B2 - Document ID: US8770875B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/758,288 - Filed: 2013-02-04 - Published: 2013-10-03 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2012-03-30 - Assignees: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hiroto Sugahara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770875B2 ## CPC - B41J 11/007: {Conveyor belts or like feeding devices} - B41J 2/07: characterised by jet control (B41J2/205 takes precedence) - B41J 11/008: {Controlling printhead for accurately positioning print image on printing material, e.g. with the intention to control the width of margins} - B41J 11/485: {Means for selecting a type of copy material amongst different types of copy material in the printing apparatus} - B41J 2/04526: {controlling trajectory} - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract There is provided a recording apparatus including: a recording head having recording elements arranged in a first direction; a first transporting mechanism having a first supply roller and a first discharge roller to transport the first recording medium; a second transporting mechanism arranged between the first supply and discharge rollers in the first direction to transport the second recording medium, the second transporting mechanism holding an overlap portion, of the second recording medium, overlapping in the first direction with a portion of a recording range in which the recording elements of the recording head are arranged; and a controller controlling the recording head to perform recording on the second recording medium by using only a part of the recording elements which are located to overlap with the overlap area of the second recording medium. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A recording apparatus configured to perform recording on a first recording medium and on a second recording medium, the recording apparatus comprising: a recording head having a plurality of recording elements arranged in a first direction; a first transporting mechanism including a first supply roller and a first discharge roller which are arranged to sandwich the recording head therebetween in the first direction, and configured to transport the first recording medium with respect to the recording head in the first direction by the first supply roller and the first discharge roller; and a second transporting mechanism arranged between the first supply roller and the first discharge roller in the first direction, configured to transport the second recording medium in the first direction while maintaining posture of the second recording medium, and configured to hold an overlap portion, of the second recording medium, overlapping in the first direction with a portion of a recording range in which the plurality of recording elements of the recording head are arranged; and a controller configured to control the recording head to perform recording on the second recording medium, which is transported by the second transporting mechanism, by using only a part of the recording elements arranged in the first direction, the part of the recording elements being located to overlap with the overlap area, of the second recording medium, held by the second transporting mechanism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second transporting mechanism includes a second supply roller and a second discharge roller which are arranged with a spacing distance therebetween in the first direction, the second transporting mechanism being configured to transport the second recording medium by the second supply roller and the second discharge roller with respect to the recording head in the first direction; and the spacing distance between the second supply roller and the second discharge roller in the first direction is smaller than a spacing distance between the first supply roller and the first discharge roller in the first direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording head includes a plurality of first recording elements which are arranged over a first range in the first direction, and a plurality of second recording elements which are arranged over a second range in the first direction, the second range including the first range and being longer than the first range in the first direction; the second supply roller and the second discharge roller are arranged in the first direction to sandwich at least a part of the plurality of first and second recording elements therebetween in the first direction, the part of the plurality of first and second recording elements being located within in the first range; and the controller is configured to control the recording head to perform recording on the second recording medium, which is transported by the second transporting mechanism, by using first and second recording elements, among the plurality of first recording elements and the plurality of second recording elements, which are arranged in the first range and which are sandwiched between the second supply roller and the second discharge roller in the first direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a guiding mechanism configured to guide the second recording medium from the second discharge roller to the first discharge roller of the first transporting mechanism; wherein a transporting direction of the first recording medium by the first transporting mechanism is same as a transporting direction of the second recording medium by the second transporting mechanism; and the second recording medium, on which the recording has been performed by the recording head, is guided from the second discharge roller by the guiding mechanism and is transported to the first discharge roller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a head moving mechanism configured to move the recording head in a second direction crossing the first direction; wherein the controller is configured to control the head moving mechanism and the recording head to perform recording on the first recording medium or the second recording medium while moving the recording head in the second direction; a width of the second recording medium in the second direction is smaller than a width of the first recording medium in the second direction; and the second transporting mechanism is configured to transport the second recording medium to an area which is included in a facing area facing the recording head moving in the second direction, and to which the first recording medium is transported. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in a direction orthogonal to a plane including the first direction, the second transporting mechanism is configured to transport the second recording medium in the first direction at a position away from the recording head than the first recording medium. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording head includes a plurality of nozzle configured to discharge an ink, as the plurality of recording elements; and at least one of the second supply roller and the second discharge roller of the second transporting mechanism and an ink receiving portion are arranged in the first direction within the recording range in the first direction of the recording head, the ink receiving portion being configured to receive an ink, included in the ink discharged toward an edge portion in the first direction of the first recording medium but not landed on the first recording medium. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the recording head includes: a plurality of nozzles as the plurality of recording elements which are arranged in the first direction and which are each configured to discharge an ink; a common ink chamber which extends in the first direction and which is commonly communicated with the plurality of nozzles; and an ink supply section which is communicated with an end portion in the first direction of the common ink chamber; wherein a part of the plurality of nozzles arranged in the first direction is located closer to a side of the end portion than other nozzles among the plurality of nozzles and different from the part of the plurality of nozzles, the part of the nozzles being arranged between the second supply roller and the second discharge roller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second transporting mechanism is configured to transport the second recording medium having a length of in the first direction which is shorter than the spacing distance between the first supply roller and the first discharge roller in the first direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second transporting mechanism is configured to transport the second recording medium having a width in a direction orthogonal to the first direction which is smaller than that of the first recording medium. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second transporting mechanism includes a guide mechanism configured to guide the second recording medium, on which the recording has been performed by the recording head, to the first discharge roller of the first transporting mechanism, in a same direction same as the first direction in which the first recording medium is transported by the first transporting mechanism; the second supply roller is located, in the first direction, inside the recording range in the first direction in which the plurality of recording elements of the recording head are arranged; and the controller is configured to control the recording head to perform the recording on the second recording medium, which is transported by the second transporting mechanism, by using only a part of the recording elements arranged in the first direction, the part of the recording elements being located between the second supply roller and the first discharge roller. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first transporting mechanism has a platen on which the first recording medium is placed; and the platen has an opening which is formed therein and via which the overlap area of the second recording medium, held by the second transporting mechanism, is exposed with respect to the recording head. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The recording apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a head moving mechanism configured to move the recording head in a second direction crossing the first direction; wherein the opening is located at a position not overlapping with the first recording medium in the second direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The recording apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the second transporting mechanism is configured to hold the overlap area of the second recording medium at a position away from the recording head as compared with a placement surface, of the platen, on which the first recording medium is placed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second transporting mechanism includes a suction roller or a suction belt configured to hold, on an outer circumference surface thereof, the second recording medium by suction. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second transporting mechanisms are configured to transport the first and second recording media, respectively, at a same time.