In a printer, a medium transporting apparatus includes a straight path through which a medium on which recording has been performed with the recording head is output, an inversion path through which the recording medium on which recording has been performed with the recording head is output to an output destination different from an output destination of the straight path, a switching member provided downstream of the recording head in a medium transport direction and configured to switch between a first state in which the switching member constitutes a portion of the straight path and a second state in which the switching member constitutes a portion of the inversion path, a motor that drives a pair of transport rollers that transports the medium, and a switching mechanism that switches between a first state and a second state with motive power of the motor.

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.

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.

The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a printing system for printing a substrate, in which the printing system can be housed in a gas enclosure, where the environment within the enclosure can be maintained as a controlled printing environment. A controlled environment of the present teachings can include control of the type of gas environment within the gas enclosure, the size and level particulate matter within the enclosure, control of the temperature within the enclosure and control of lighting. Various embodiments of a printing system of the present teachings can include a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis moving plate that are configured to substantially decrease excess thermal load within the enclosure by, for example, eliminating or substantially minimizing the use of conventional electric motors.

The present teachings disclose various embodiments of a printing system for printing a substrate, in which the printing system can be housed in a gas enclosure, where the environment within the enclosure can be maintained as a controlled printing environment. A controlled environment of the present teachings can include control of the type of gas environment within the gas enclosure, the size and level particulate matter within the enclosure, control of the temperature within the enclosure and control of lighting. Various embodiments of a printing system of the present teachings can include a Y-axis motion system and a Z-axis moving plate that are configured to substantially decrease excess thermal load within the enclosure by, for example, eliminating or substantially minimizing the use of conventional electric motors.

An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, an irradiation unit, a carriage, and a moving unit. The liquid discharge head discharges a liquid onto a recording medium. The liquid includes a metallic ink and a color ink. The irradiation unit irradiates the liquid on the recording medium with light. The liquid discharge head and the irradiation unit are mounted on the carriage. The moving unit alternately perform a main scanning movement and a sub-scanning movement. The liquid discharge head discharges the metallic ink in a region of the recording medium in a former main scanning movement and discharges the color ink in the region in which the metallic ink has been discharged, in a latter main scanning movement after the former main scanning movement. The irradiation unit irradiates the region in which the color ink has been discharged with the light.

An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge head, an irradiation unit, a carriage, and a moving unit. The liquid discharge head discharges a liquid onto a recording medium. The liquid includes a metallic ink and a color ink. The irradiation unit irradiates the liquid on the recording medium with light. The liquid discharge head and the irradiation unit are mounted on the carriage. The moving unit alternately perform a main scanning movement and a sub-scanning movement. The liquid discharge head discharges the metallic ink in a region of the recording medium in a former main scanning movement and discharges the color ink in the region in which the metallic ink has been discharged, in a latter main scanning movement after the former main scanning movement. The irradiation unit irradiates the region in which the color ink has been discharged with the light.

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.

A printing apparatus includes a conveyance belt that supports a medium, a carriage where a printing head is disposed for printing on a medium, and a gap adjusting unit that adjusts the gap between the conveyance belt and the printing head. The gap adjusting unit includes a gap adjusting motor, a power transmission unit including a rotation shaft that rotates with the driving force of the motor, a lifting unit, and a relative displacement mechanism. The lifting unit moves the carriage up and down with the rotational force of the rotation shaft transmitted by the power transmission unit. The relative displacement mechanism relatively displaces one of two members making up at least one of the power transmission unit or the lifting unit in the direction of allowing the upward displacement of the carriage with respect to the other that is in an operation stop state.

A printing apparatus includes a conveyance belt that supports a medium, a carriage where a printing head is disposed for printing on a medium, and a gap adjusting unit that adjusts the gap between the conveyance belt and the printing head. The gap adjusting unit includes a gap adjusting motor, a power transmission unit including a rotation shaft that rotates with the driving force of the motor, a lifting unit, and a relative displacement mechanism. The lifting unit moves the carriage up and down with the rotational force of the rotation shaft transmitted by the power transmission unit. The relative displacement mechanism relatively displaces one of two members making up at least one of the power transmission unit or the lifting unit in the direction of allowing the upward displacement of the carriage with respect to the other that is in an operation stop state.