An inkjet printing apparatus includes a mounting unit where a recording medium is mountable, a head unit that ejects ink droplets to the recording medium, a planar direction driving unit that drives at least one of the head unit ejecting the ink droplets and the mounting unit to move in a planar direction and that changes a relative positions of the head unit and the mounting unit in the planar direction, and a height direction driving unit that changes a relative positions of the head unit and the mounting unit in a height direction perpendicular to the planar direction. The planar direction driving unit has a moving speed changing mechanism that changes a carriage speed between the head unit and the mounting unit in the planar direction. The height direction driving unit has a distance changing mechanism that changes a distance between the head unit and the mounting unit.

An inkjet printing apparatus includes a mounting unit where a recording medium is mountable, a head unit that ejects ink droplets to the recording medium, a planar direction driving unit that drives at least one of the head unit ejecting the ink droplets and the mounting unit to move in a planar direction and that changes a relative positions of the head unit and the mounting unit in the planar direction, and a height direction driving unit that changes a relative positions of the head unit and the mounting unit in a height direction perpendicular to the planar direction. The planar direction driving unit has a moving speed changing mechanism that changes a carriage speed between the head unit and the mounting unit in the planar direction. The height direction driving unit has a distance changing mechanism that changes a distance between the head unit and the mounting unit.

A modular print drive assembly and platen assembly are provided. The modular print drive assembly is structured for insertion and removal from a printer, the modular print drive assembly and includes a print drive housing defining a plurality of printer mount fasteners, a printhead coupled to and supported by the print drive housing, a platen latch assembly coupled to and supported by the print drive housing. The platen latch assembly is structured to removably receive a platen in position to define a nip between the platen and the printhead The modular print drive also includes a platen drive motor coupled to and supported by the print housing, wherein the platen drive motor is supported by the print housing in position to drive the platen upon receipt within the platen latch assembly.

A modular print drive assembly and platen assembly are provided. The modular print drive assembly is structured for insertion and removal from a printer, the modular print drive assembly and includes a print drive housing defining a plurality of printer mount fasteners, a printhead coupled to and supported by the print drive housing, a platen latch assembly coupled to and supported by the print drive housing. The platen latch assembly is structured to removably receive a platen in position to define a nip between the platen and the printhead The modular print drive also includes a platen drive motor coupled to and supported by the print housing, wherein the platen drive motor is supported by the print housing in position to drive the platen upon receipt within the platen latch assembly.

An application device and an application method are disclosed which enable a three-dimensional applying and drawing process to be performed without provision of any rotary mechanism on a discharge head. The application device comprises a discharge head that includes a discharge device having a discharge port opened in a Z direction, a stage that holds a workpiece, a set of XYZ relatively-moving devices that moves the discharge head and the stage relative to each other, an R-axis rotation device that rotates the stage about an R-axis parallel to an XY plane, a P-axis rotation device that rotates the stage about a P-axis parallel to the XY plane, the P-axis extending in a different direction from the R-axis, a control device, and a stand, wherein the P-axis rotation device is disposed under the R-axis rotation device, and the P-axis rotation device rotates the stage and the R-axis rotation device together.

A garment printing machine is provided with a transportable platen that can be utilized to significantly decrease the delay in printing expended in loading and unloading a garment for printing in either a digitized garment printing machine or a screen garment printing machine. The platen is provided with structure that holds a print receiving area of a garment firmly in position atop a print panel support plate that forms a part of the platen. Furthermore, the invention includes a platen support structure that cooperates with the conventional couplings on existing conventional garment printing machines. A plurality of transportable platens constructed according to the invention are utilized interchangeably so that while one garment loaded on one of the platens is being printed upon in the printing machine, the prior garment just printed upon is unloaded and the next garment to be printed is loaded onto another identical platen. This totally avoids any delay in printing due to loading and unloading of garments on the platens.

A thermal printer includes a frame including sidewalls; a platen roller supported by the frame, through bearings, the platen roller being configured to rotate with a rotational shaft; a thermal head disposed opposite the platen roller; a support member for supporting the thermal head, the support member being configured to be pivoted with respect to the frame; and an adjustment mechanism disposed between the rotational shaft of the platen roller and the thermal head, the adjustment mechanism allowing a distance between the rotational shaft of the platen roller and the thermal head to be adjusted, while contacting at least one from among components of the platen roller and components of the thermal head, so that a gap between the thermal head and the platen roller is adjusted.

A printer includes: a first fixed printhead; a second fixed printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead relative to a media feed direction; a platen for supporting print media; an input media transport mechanism positioned upstream of the first printhead, the input media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N.sub.1 on print media; an output media transport mechanism positioned downstream of the second printhead, the output media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N.sub.2 on print media; and an intermediary media transport mechanism positioned between the first and second printheads, the intermediary media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N.sub.3 on print media. The gripping forces satisfy the relationship N.sub.1>N.sub.2>N.sub.3 for optimal printing results.

A printer includes: a first fixed printhead; a second fixed printhead positioned downstream of the first printhead relative to a media feed direction; a platen for supporting print media; an input media transport mechanism positioned upstream of the first printhead, the input media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N.sub.1 on print media; an output media transport mechanism positioned downstream of the second printhead, the output media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N.sub.2 on print media; and an intermediary media transport mechanism positioned between the first and second printheads, the intermediary media transport mechanism exerting a gripping force N.sub.3 on print media. The gripping forces satisfy the relationship N.sub.1>N.sub.2>N.sub.3 for optimal printing results.

There is provided an ink-jet recording apparatus including: a platen, a contact portion disposed between a pair of first ribs of the plurality of first ribs with respect to a scanning direction. A lower end of the contact portion is located lower than each upper end of the pair of first ribs. The platen includes a second rib disposed between one first rib of the pair of first ribs and the contact portion with respect to the scanning direction, and an upper end of the second rib is located lower than the upper end of the one first rib of the pair of first ribs and higher than the lower end of the contact portion.