An image forming apparatus may include a mechanism for forming a corrugated shape in a sheet to be conveyed. The mechanism may include various components include one or more pressing portions, one or more ribs, one or more discharge rollers, a switching mechanism and the like. In one arrangement, ribs and pressing portions configured to create the corrugated shape may be disposed at various locations upstream or downstream of the platen, recording portion and/or nozzles thereof. In one example, pressing portions may be disposed both upstream and downstream of the nozzles of the recording portion to maintain a corrugated shape in the conveyed sheet. Various other configurations may be used.

An image forming apparatus may include a mechanism for forming a corrugated shape in a sheet to be conveyed. The mechanism may include various components include one or more pressing portions, one or more ribs, one or more discharge rollers, a switching mechanism and the like. In one arrangement, ribs and pressing portions configured to create the corrugated shape may be disposed at various locations upstream or downstream of the platen, recording portion and/or nozzles thereof. In one example, pressing portions may be disposed both upstream and downstream of the nozzles of the recording portion to maintain a corrugated shape in the conveyed sheet. Various other configurations may be used.

An integrated electrohydrodynamic jet printing and spatial atomic layer deposition system for conducting nanofabrication includes an electrohydrodynamic jet printing station that includes an E-jet printing nozzle, a spatial atomic layer deposition station that includes a zoned ALD precursor gas distributor that discharges linear zone-separated first and second ALD precursor gases, a heatable substrate plate supported on a motion actuator controllable to move the substrate plate in three dimensions, and a conveyor on which the motion actuator is supported. The conveyor is operative to move the motion actuator between the electrohydrodynamic jet printing station and the spatial atomic layer deposition station so that the substrate plate is conveyable between a printing window of the E-jet printing nozzle and a deposition window of the zoned ALD precursor gas distributor, respectively. A method of conducting area-selective atomic layer deposition is also disclosed.

A printing apparatus including: a first roller mechanism including: a first shaft part having a first gear; and a first roller in which the first shaft part is inserted; and a second roller mechanism including: a movable holder configured to be moved in directions coming close to and being separated from a printing medium by a displacement mechanism; a second shaft part which is rotatably supported on the movable holder and having a second gear; a second roller in which the second shaft part is inserted, tiltable with respect to a shaft center of the second shaft part, and having an engaging groove recessed in an inner peripheral surface of an intermediate part of the second roller in a shaft center direction; and a protrusion protruding from an outer peripheral surface of the second shaft part and engaged with the engaging groove of the second roller.

A printing device includes: a print head; a platen roller positioned to face the print head; a motor configured to generate a driving force to rotate the platen roller; a cassette receiving portion; and a power transmission portion configured to transmit the driving force of the motor to the platen roller. A cassette incorporating a printing tape to be printed by the print head is detachably attachable to the cassette receiving portion in a first direction. The power transmission portion includes a plurality of gears including a first gear movable from a first position to a second position downstream of the first position in the first direction. The power transmission portion is configured to switch a ratio of a rotation number of the platen roller to a rotation number of the motor depending on whether the first gear is at the first position or at the second position to transmit the driving force to the platen roller.

A printing device includes: a print head; a platen roller positioned to face the print head; a motor configured to generate a driving force to rotate the platen roller; a cassette receiving portion; and a power transmission portion configured to transmit the driving force of the motor to the platen roller. A cassette incorporating a printing tape to be printed by the print head is detachably attachable to the cassette receiving portion in a first direction. The power transmission portion includes a plurality of gears including a first gear movable from a first position to a second position downstream of the first position in the first direction. The power transmission portion is configured to switch a ratio of a rotation number of the platen roller to a rotation number of the motor depending on whether the first gear is at the first position or at the second position to transmit the driving force to the platen roller.

A printing device includes: a cassette accommodation portion; a print head; a platen roller; a platen holder; a platen gear; and a roller urging portion. The platen gear is configured to mesh with a transmission gear to receive a drive force therefrom. The platen gear is urged toward a rotational axis of the transmission gear. The platen roller includes: a platen shaft; a roller sleeve; and a roller body. The platen shaft extends through the roller sleeve in an axial direction thereof. The roller sleeve has an axial center portion connected to the platen shaft such that a torque can be transmitted from the platen shaft to the roller sleeve. The platen gear is fixed to the platen shaft and is positioned outside the roller sleeve in the axial direction. The roller urging portion is configured to urge the roller sleeve toward the print head.

A printing device includes: a cassette accommodation portion; a print head; a platen roller; a platen holder; a platen gear; and a roller urging portion. The platen gear is configured to mesh with a transmission gear to receive a drive force therefrom. The platen gear is urged toward a rotational axis of the transmission gear. The platen roller includes: a platen shaft; a roller sleeve; and a roller body. The platen shaft extends through the roller sleeve in an axial direction thereof. The roller sleeve has an axial center portion connected to the platen shaft such that a torque can be transmitted from the platen shaft to the roller sleeve. The platen gear is fixed to the platen shaft and is positioned outside the roller sleeve in the axial direction. The roller urging portion is configured to urge the roller sleeve toward the print head.

A printing apparatus including: a first roller mechanism including: a first shaft part having a first gear; and a first roller in which the first shaft part is inserted; and a second roller mechanism including: a movable holder configured to be moved in directions coming close to and being separated from a printing medium by a displacement mechanism; a second shaft part which is rotatably supported on the movable holder and having a second gear; a second roller in which the second shaft part is inserted, tiltable with respect to a shaft center of the second shaft part, and having an engaging groove recessed in an inner peripheral surface of an intermediate part of the second roller in a shaft center direction; and a protrusion protruding from an outer peripheral surface of the second shaft part and engaged with the engaging groove of the second roller.

The present invention relates to a portable sublimation printer capable of simultaneously controlling up/down of a platen roller of a portable thermal sublimation printer and up/down of a printing medium pickup roller with a rack and pinion mechanism. A portable sublimation printer having a small thickness and a light weight to a rack apparatus of a portable sublimation printer is provided.