Image forming apparatus having a platen and recording means elastically pressed together

Claim 2

An image forming apparatus comprising: a platen for contacting and holding a rear surface of a recording medium, said platen having a recording surface area and at least three positioning areas; recording means for recording on said recording medium by discharging a liquid, said recording means having at least three positioning portions corresponding to said positioning areas; and pressing means for elastically pressing said positioning areas against said positioning portions, wherein said positioning areas and said positioning portions are provided at both sides of said recording medium across said platen relative to a conveyance direction of said recording medium, wherein each said positioning area contacts a corresponding positioning portion to form a gap between said recording means and said recording medium, and said pressing means maintains simultaneous contact between at least three of said positioning areas and corresponding ones of said positioning portions.

Claim 3

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising fan means for holding said recording medium on said platen by air pressure.

Claim 4

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said platen has a plurality of holes therein.

Claim 5

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said positioning areas and said recording surface area of said platen define a plane and said positioning portions comprise projections on said recording means.

Claim 6

An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said positioning areas and positioning portions are provided at an upstream position and a downstream position of the conveyance direction of said recording medium.

Claim 7

An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising four said positioning areas and four said positioning portions, wherein a pair of each are provided at both an upstream position and a downstream position of a conveyance direction of said recording medium.

Claim 8

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressing means has an elastic member for pressing said platen against said recording means.

Claim 9

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressing means includes means for pivotally supporting said recording means at a recording position.

Claim 10

An image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said pressing means further includes an elastic member for pressing said platen against said recording means.

Claim 11

An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means includes a recording unit comprising plural recording heads, each for discharging different liquids, wherein said recording heads are arranged along the conveyance direction of said recording medium and have widths corresponding to the width of said recording surface area.

Claim 12

An image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each liquid is a different color.

Claim 13

An image forming apparatus comprising: a platen for contacting and holding a rear surface of a recording medium, said platen having a recording surface area and at least three positioning areas; recording means for recording on said recording medium by discharging liquids, said recording means having at least three positioning portions corresponding to said positioning areas and having a recording unit comprising plural recording heads, each for discharging a different liquid, wherein said recording heads are arranged along a conveyance direction of said recording medium and have widths corresponding to the width of said recording surface area; and pressing means for elastically pressing said positioning areas against said positioning portions, wherein four of said positioning areas and four of said positioning portions are provided, two of the four pairs being provided at both sides of said recording medium relative to a conveyance direction of said recording medium and one of said two pair provided upstream of said conveyance direction and the other of said two pair provided downstream of said conveyance direction, wherein each positioning area contacts a corresponding positioning portion to form a gap between said recording means and said recording medium, and said pressing means maintains simultaneous contact between at least three of said positioning areas and corresponding ones of said positioning portions, wherein said at least three of positioning areas and positioning portions are provided respectively at (1) an upstream position of said conveyance direction; (2) a downstream position of said conveyance direction; and (3) at an opposite position with respect to one of said upstream and said downstream positions.

Claim 14

An image forming apparatus comprising: a platen for contacting and holding a rear surface of a recording medium, said platen having a recording surface area and at least three positioning areas; recording means for recording on said recording medium by discharging liquids, said recording means having at least three positioning portions corresponding to said positioning areas and having a recording unit comprising plural recording heads, each for discharging a different liquid, wherein said recording heads are arranged along a conveyance direction of said recording medium and have widths corresponding to the width of said recording surface area; and pressing means for elastically pressing said positioning areas against said positioning portions, wherein four of said positioning areas and four of said positioning portions are provided, two of the four pairs being provided at both sides of said recording medium relative to a conveyance direction of said recording medium and one of said two pair provided upstream of said conveyance direction and the other of said two pair provided downstream of said conveyance direction, wherein each positioning area contacts a corresponding positioning portion to form a gap between said recording means and said recording medium, and said pressing means maintains simultaneous contact between at least three of said positioning areas and corresponding ones of said positioning portions, wherein said at least three of positioning areas and positioning portions are provided respectively at (1) an upstream position of said conveyance direction; (2) a downstream position of said conveyance direction; and (3) at an opposite position with respect to one of said upstream and said downstream positions.

Claim 15

An image forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said recording means has four recording heads for discharging four different colors.

Claim 16

An image forming apparatus comprising: a platen for contacting and holding a rear surface of a recording medium, said platen having a recording surface area and at least three positioning areas; recording means for recording on said recording medium by discharging liquids, said recording means having at least three positioning portions corresponding to said positioning areas and having a recording unit comprising four recording heads, each for discharging a different color liquid, wherein said recording heads are arranged along a conveyance direction of said recording medium and have widths corresponding to the width of said recording surface area; and pressing means for elastically pressing said positioning areas against said positioning portions, wherein four of said positioning areas and four of said positioning portions are provided, two of the four pairs being provided at both sides of said recording medium relative to a conveyance direction of said recording medium and one of said two pair provided upstream of said conveyance direction and the other of said two pair provided downstream of said conveyance direction, wherein each positioning area contacts a corresponding positioning portion to form a gap between said recording means and said recording medium, and said pressing means maintains simultaneous contact between at least three of said positioning areas and corresponding ones of said positioning portions, wherein said at least three of positioning areas and positioning portions are provided respectively at (1) an upstream position of said conveyance direction; (2) a downstream position of said conveyance direction; and (3) at an opposite position with respect to one of said upstream and said downstream positions.

Claim 17

An image forming apparatus comprising: a platen for contacting and holding a rear surface of a recording medium, said platen having a recording surface area and at least three positioning areas; recording means for recording on said recording medium by discharging liquids, said recording means having at least three positioning portions corresponding to said positioning areas and having a recording unit comprising four recording heads, each for discharging a different color liquid, wherein said recording heads are arranged along a conveyance direction of said recording medium and have widths corresponding to the width of said recording surface area; and pressing means for elastically pressing said positioning areas against said positioning portions, wherein four of said positioning areas and four of said positioning portions are provided, two of the four pairs being provided at both sides of said recording medium relative to a conveyance direction of said recording medium and one of said two pair provided upstream of said conveyance direction and the other of said two pair provided downstream of said conveyance direction, wherein each positioning area contacts a corresponding positioning portion to form a gap between said recording means and said recording medium, and said pressing means maintains simultaneous contact between at least three of said positioning areas and corresponding ones of said positioning portions, wherein said at least three of positioning areas and positioning portions are provided respectively at (1) an upstream position of said conveyance direction; (2) a downstream position of said conveyance direction; and (3) at an opposite position with respect to one of said upstream and said downstream positions.