A system for stretching a surface of a shoe for digitally printing onto the surface by an external device, the system comprising an apparatus and a controller in electrical communication, the system having: a main plate to receive and support the shoe; a side arm to traverse longitudinally along an edge of a medial portion of the main plate and to engage with at least a portion of the tongue of the shoe; and a driver causing the longitudinal traversal of the side arm, having: an end bearing and an end connector; a rotary band; an end bracket opposite the end bearing and beneath the main plate; a driving screw between the end bracket and the end bearing, and associated with the side arm; and a motor adapted to receive an electrical signal from the controller selectively causing a rotation of a rotary shaft of the motor.

Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus that includes a support unit configured to support a medium, an ejection unit configured to eject a liquid onto the medium that is transported while being supported by the support unit, and a plate-like pressing unit configured to press, against the support unit, an end portion in a width direction intersecting with a transport direction of the medium being transported in a region opposing the ejection unit. The pressing unit includes regions with different distances therefrom to the support unit via the medium.

Provided is a liquid ejecting apparatus that includes a support unit configured to support a medium, an ejection unit configured to eject a liquid onto the medium that is transported while being supported by the support unit, and a plate-like pressing unit configured to press, against the support unit, an end portion in a width direction intersecting with a transport direction of the medium being transported in a region opposing the ejection unit. The pressing unit includes regions with different distances therefrom to the support unit via the medium.

Provided is a printing apparatus that includes a support unit which has a support surface for supporting a medium and moves in a movement direction, and a print unit configured to perform printing on the medium supported by the support unit. The support surface includes a first side and a second side that is shorter in length than the first side and extends in a direction intersecting with the first side. The support unit can be displaced to be in a first state where the first side is so arranged as to be along the movement direction and in a second state where the first side is so arranged as to be along a direction intersecting with the movement direction.

An intermittent drive device includes a tooth-missing gear having a tooth row partially missing, an output gear, an input gear provided with a first tooth row receiving a driving force and a second tooth row transmitting the driving force to the tooth-missing gear and arranged at a position apart from the output gear in a rotation axis direction. A shaft joint member moves in the rotation axis direction to a first position where the driving force is transmitted to the output gear and a second position where the transmission is released. A tooth-missing gear control mechanism starts rotation of the tooth-missing gear from a state where the driving force from the input gear is released and meshes with the input gear. A switching mechanism switches a position of the shaft joint member in the rotation axis direction between the first position and the second position.

An intermittent drive device includes a tooth-missing gear having a tooth row partially missing, an output gear, an input gear provided with a first tooth row receiving a driving force and a second tooth row transmitting the driving force to the tooth-missing gear and arranged at a position apart from the output gear in a rotation axis direction. A shaft joint member moves in the rotation axis direction to a first position where the driving force is transmitted to the output gear and a second position where the transmission is released. A tooth-missing gear control mechanism starts rotation of the tooth-missing gear from a state where the driving force from the input gear is released and meshes with the input gear. A switching mechanism switches a position of the shaft joint member in the rotation axis direction between the first position and the second position.

An apparatus for stretching a surface of a pair of shoes for digitally printing onto the surface by an external device, the apparatus comprising: a main plate configured to receive the pair of shoes, the main plate comprising a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, and a medial portion extending between the front and the rear ends, the medial portion being laterally offset from an outer edge of each of the front and the rear ends, a pair of curved grooves disposed at the rear end and being adapted to receive an interior of the heel of each shoe of the pair of shoes; a pair of side arms each being adapted to traverse longitudinally along an edge of the medial portion, and having a V-shaped groove; and a pair of motors each configured to independently cause a longitudinal movement of the pair of side arms.

An apparatus for stretching a surface of a pair of shoes for digitally printing onto the surface by an external device, the apparatus comprising: a main plate configured to receive the pair of shoes, the main plate comprising a front end, a rear end opposite the front end, and a medial portion extending between the front and the rear ends, the medial portion being laterally offset from an outer edge of each of the front and the rear ends, a pair of curved grooves disposed at the rear end and being adapted to receive an interior of the heel of each shoe of the pair of shoes; a pair of side arms each being adapted to traverse longitudinally along an edge of the medial portion, and having a V-shaped groove; and a pair of motors each configured to independently cause a longitudinal movement of the pair of side arms.

Example implementations relate to a printer comprising at least one printhead, carried by a carriage, to print onto a substrate, a surface to support the substrate; the surface comprising a plurality of platens associated with an elongate member; each platen having an upper planar surface forming part of the surface for supporting the medium and being adjustable to vary a characteristic of the upper planar surface to influence a distance between the upper planar surface and the at least one printhead.

Example implementations relate to a printer comprising at least one printhead, carried by a carriage, to print onto a substrate, a surface to support the substrate; the surface comprising a plurality of platens associated with an elongate member; each platen having an upper planar surface forming part of the surface for supporting the medium and being adjustable to vary a characteristic of the upper planar surface to influence a distance between the upper planar surface and the at least one printhead.