Recording device

Abstract

To further efficiently perform double-sided recording on recording media with different lengths in a conveyance direction.SOLUTION: A recording device is provided. Recording means records on a recording medium conveyed in a conveyance direction at a recording position. A first conveyance path is for causing the recording medium to pass through the recording position of the recording means. A second conveyance path is for reversing front and back sides of the recording medium. A third conveyance path is for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium. The second conveyance path branches from the first conveyance path at a first branch point downstream of the recording position in the conveyance direction, and joins the first conveyance path upstream of the recording position. The third conveyance path branches from the second branch point on the second conveyance path and joins the first conveyance path upstream of the recording position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a recording apparatus capable of recording on both sides of a recording medium. In such a recording apparatus, a conveyance path may be provided for inverting the front and back of the recording medium on which recording has been performed on one side (for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, as a method for efficiently performing double-sided recording, while the recording medium that has finished recording on the surface is passing through (or staying in) the conveyance path for inverting its front and back, it is conceivable to perform recording on the surface of the subsequent recording medium. In order to perform double-sided recording more efficiently, it is desirable to be able to perform such an operation more appropriately for various recording media having different lengths in the conveyance direction.

[0005] The present invention provides a technique for more efficiently performing double-sided recording on recording media having different lengths in the conveyance direction.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, recording means for recording on a recording medium conveyed in the conveyance direction at a recording position; a first conveyance path for passing the recording medium through the recording position of the recording means; A first transport roller is provided upstream of the recording position in the first transport path and transports the recording medium to the recording position, In the aforementioned transport direction, at a first branching point downstream of the recording position, it branches off from the first transport path and rejoins the first transport path upstream of the recording position. A second transport path for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium, A branch is made off from the second branching point on the second transport path and merges with the first transport path upstream of the recording position. A third transport path for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium, A second transport roller is provided downstream of the first branching point in the first transport path, and is capable of transporting the recording medium in a direction opposite to the direction in which recording is performed by the recording means. A first switching member is provided between the recording position and the second transport roller, and at the first branching point, it is possible to switch the destination of the recording medium being transported in the opposite direction by the second transport roller to the second transport path, Equipped with, A recording medium having a length in the transport direction equal to a first length can be stored on the second transport path, A recording medium having a length in the transport direction of a second length can be stored in the portion of the second transport path from the first branching point to the second branching point and in the section formed by the third transport path. A recording device characterized by the above is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, double-sided recording can be performed more efficiently on recording media with different lengths in the transport direction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] (A) External view of a recording device according to one embodiment. (B) A diagram showing the recording device with the reader and ink tank cover open. [Figure 2] (A) is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the recording device. (B) is a perspective view showing part of the recording and transport sections. [Figure 3] (A) is a diagram showing the state in which the recording unit is recording onto the recording medium. (B) is a diagram showing the state in which the recording medium has entered the inversion path. [Figure 4] (A) is a diagram showing the case where the recording medium passes through the inversion path and is retransported to the main path. (B) is a diagram showing the case where the recording medium passes from the inversion path through the branch path and is retransported to the main path. [Figure 5] Diagram illustrating the operating modes of the switching unit during recording. [Figure 6] A block diagram showing the configuration of the control system for the recording device. [Figure 7] (A) is a flowchart showing the paper feeding sequence of the recording device. (B) is a flowchart showing the inversion sequence of the recording device. [Figure 8]Schematic diagram for explaining the internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] Schematic diagram for explaining the internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] Schematic diagram for explaining the internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] Diagram for explaining the operation mode of the switching unit during the recording operation. [Figure 12] Schematic diagram for explaining the internal configuration of a recording apparatus according to an embodiment.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of the features described in the embodiments are essential for the invention. Two or more of the plurality of features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Also, the same or similar configurations are assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0010] Note that "recording" is not limited to forming significant information such as characters and figures, and it does not matter whether it is significant or not. Also, "recording" broadly refers to forming an image, pattern, pattern, etc. on a recording medium or performing processing on the medium, regardless of whether it is manifested so that a human can perceive it visually.

[0011] Also, the "recording medium" broadly represents not only paper used in general recording apparatuses but also anything that can receive a recording material, such as cloth, plastic film, metal plate, glass, ceramics, wood, leather, etc.

[0012] Also, in the figure, arrows X, Y, and Z respectively indicate the width direction, depth direction, and height direction of the recording apparatus 1, and these directions intersect each other (here, they are perpendicular to each other).

[0013] [First Embodiment] <Overview of the recording device> Figure 1(A) is an external view of a recording device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The recording device 1 of this embodiment is a serial-type inkjet recording device that records an image by ejecting ink supplied from an ink tank 7 onto a recording medium P. However, the recording device 1 can also be a full-line type inkjet recording device or a recording device of another type such as an electrophotographic method.

[0014] The recording device 1 has a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape overall. A document reader 3 capable of reading documents is mounted on the top of the main body 2, and can be opened and closed relative to the main body 2. A touch panel display device 4 that accepts user input is provided on the front of the main body 2. Also on the front of the main body 2 is a paper feed cassette 24 capable of storing and loading recording media P. The user can replenish the recording media P in the recording device 1 by pulling out the paper feed cassette 24.

[0015] Figure 1(B) shows the recording device 1 with the reader 3 and ink tank cover 5 open. In this figure, the ink inlet 6 for injecting ink is exposed on the front of the recording device 1. That is, by opening the reader 3 and ink tank cover 5, ink can be filled into the ink tank 7 through the ink inlet 6.

[0016] <Internal configuration of the recording device> Figure 2(A) is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the recording device 1. The recording device 1 includes a paper stacking section 20A, a transport section 30, and a recording section 10. A transport path CP is also formed inside the recording device 1. Figure 2(B) is a perspective view showing a part of the recording section 10 and the transport section 30. Hereinafter, the transport direction of the recording medium P will be referred to as the sub-scanning direction, the transport source will be referred to as the upstream side, and the transport destination as the downstream side. In this embodiment, the sub-scanning direction is the Y direction in a plan view of the recording device 1.

[0017] (Transportation route) The transport path CP is the path along which the recording medium P is transported. The transport path CP is formed by guide members that guide the transport of the recording medium P, the walls of the housing that constitute the main body 2, and the flappers 71 and 73 of the switching section 70, which will be described later. The transport path CP in this embodiment is configured to include a plurality of branching points. In this embodiment, the transport path CP includes branching point D1 and branching point D2. The transport path CP also includes merging points G1 and G2 as merging points where paths branched from the branching points merge with other paths.

[0018] The transport path CP includes the paper feed path CP1, the main path CP2, the reversal path CP3, and the branch path CP4.

[0019] The paper feed path CP1 is the path through which the recording medium P is fed from the paper stacking unit 20A. The transport path CP1 connects to the paper stacking unit 20A at its upstream end and connects to the main path CP2 at its downstream end.

[0020] The main path CP2 is the path that allows the recording medium P to pass through the recording position 10a by the recording unit 10. The transport path CP2 connects to the paper feed path CP1 at its upstream end and to the discharge section of the recording medium P at its downstream end. Therefore, for example, when performing single-sided recording on the recording medium P, the recording medium P is discharged from the recording device 1 via the paper feed path CP1 and the main path CP2. Here, the portion of the main path CP2 downstream of the branching point D1 is the region used for the discharge and reversal of the recording medium P, and may be referred to as the reversal / discharge region CP2a below.

[0021] The inversion path CP3 is a path for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium P. One end of the inversion path CP3 is branching point D1 on the main path CP2, and the other end is merging point G1 on the main path CP2. As will be described in more detail later, when reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium P, the recording medium P is guided into the inversion path CP3 in the opposite direction to when recording is performed by the recording unit 10.

[0022] The branching path CP4 is a path for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium P, and it branches off from the reversal path CP3. One end of the branching path CP4 is the branching point D2 on the reversal path CP3 (on the transport path), and the other end is the merging point G2 located upstream of the recording position 10a on the main path CP2. As will be explained in more detail later, the provision of the branching path CP4 creates a path for reversing the recording medium P that has a different path length from the reversal path CP3. This allows for more appropriate execution of double-sided recording operations for recording media with different lengths in the transport direction. The path that the recording medium P follows when its front and back sides are reversed during double-sided recording operations will be explained later.

[0023] (Switching section) The switching unit 70 switches the destination of the recording medium P at branching points on the transport path CP. The switching unit 70 includes a transport path switching unit 70A that switches the destination of the recording medium P at branching point D1, and a transport path switching unit 70B that switches the destination of the recording medium P at branching point D2.

[0024] The transport path switching section 70A includes a flapper 71 and a drive source that drives it. The flapper 71 is located at the branching point D between the discharge roller 35 and the sensor 37. 1In this configuration, the flapper is provided so as to be displaceable between a "first position" and a "second position" by a drive source. The "first position" is the position when the recording medium P is transported along the main path CP2 (see Figure 3(A)), and the "second position" is the position when the recording medium P is moved from the main path CP2 to the reverse path CP3 (see Figure 3(B)). In other words, the "first position" is the position where the recording medium can pass through the branching point D1 along the main transport path CP2, and the "second position" is the position where the recording medium can move from the branching point D1 to the reverse path CP3. The flapper 71 is provided between the recording position 10a by the recording unit 10 and the reverse roller 38, and is an example of a switching member that can switch the destination of the recording medium P, which is transported by the reverse roller 38 at the branching point D1 in the opposite direction to the direction of travel during recording, from the main path CP2 to the reverse path CP3. Furthermore, the drive source 38a that drives the reversing roller 38 may be used as the drive source for driving the flapper 71, or a different drive source (motor, solenoid, etc.) may be used.

[0025] The transport path switching section 70B includes a flapper 73 and a drive source such as a motor that drives it. The flapper 73 is provided so as to be displaceable between a "third position" and a "fourth position" by the drive source. The "third position" is the position when the recording medium P is transported along the reversal path CP3 (see Figure 4(A)), and the "fourth position" is the position when the recording medium P enters the branch path CP4 from the reversal path CP3 (see Figure 4(B)). The flapper 73 is an example of a switching member that can switch the entry destination of the recording medium P from the reversal path CP3 to the branch path CP4 at the branch point D2.

[0026] (Paper stacking section) The paper loading unit 20A loads recording media P (e.g., paper) and feeds the loaded recording media P to the transport path CP. In this embodiment, the paper loading unit 20A includes a paper feed cassette 24 for loading recording media P and a paper feed roller 23a for feeding the recording media P loaded in the paper feed cassette 24.

[0027] The paper feed cassette 24 is detachably mounted on the front of the main body 2 of the recording device 1. The paper feed roller 23a extends in the X direction and feeds the recording medium P by rotating with the driving force of a drive source 25 such as a motor. The recording medium P is fed to the main path CP2 via the paper feed path CP1 by the paper feed roller 23a. Here, the paper feed path CP1 refers to the section from the paper stacking section 20A to the intermediate roller 51, which will be described later.

[0028] (Transportation section) The transport unit 30 transports the recording medium P along the transport path CP. The transport unit 30 includes a plurality of transport rollers, specifically an intermediate roller 51, a main transport roller 31, a discharge roller 35, a reversing roller 38, and an intermediate roller 55.

[0029] The intermediate roller 51 transports the recording medium P, which has been conveyed along the paper feed path CP1 by the paper feed roller 23a, to the downstream main path CP2. The intermediate roller 51 is driven by a drive source 25 shared with the paper feed roller 23a. When the drive of the paper feed roller 23a is stopped and only the intermediate roller 51 is driven, the drive of the paper feed roller 23a is disconnected using a clutch or the like. The intermediate roller 51 may be driven by a drive source separate from the drive source 25 of the paper feed roller 23a.

[0030] The main conveyor roller 31 further conveys the recording medium P that has been conveyed along the main path CP2 by the intermediate roller 51 to the downstream. The main conveyor roller 31 is provided extending in the X direction and is driven by a drive source 32 such as a motor. A driven roller 31a is pressed against the main conveyor roller 31, and the recording medium P is conveyed while being sandwiched in the nip portion formed by the main conveyor roller 31 and the driven roller 31a.

[0031] The discharge roller 35 further transports the recording medium P that has been transported along the main path CP2 by the main transport roller 31 to the downstream side. The discharge roller 35 is provided extending in the X direction and is driven by a drive source 32 common to the main transport roller 31.

[0032] The reversing roller 38 can transport the recording medium P that has been conveyed along the main path CP2 by the discharge roller 35 further downstream and discharge it from the recording device 1. The reversing roller 38 is located downstream of the branching point D1 in the main path CP2 and can transport the recording medium P that has been conveyed along the main path CP2 in the opposite direction of travel. As a result, the recording medium enters the reversing path CP3. The reversing roller 38 is driven by a drive source 38a such as a motor so that it can rotate in both forward and reverse directions.

[0033] In this embodiment, the reversing roller 38 rotates in the CCW direction (counterclockwise, see Figure 3(A)) when ejecting the recording medium P, and rotates in the CW direction (clockwise) when introducing the recording medium P into the reversing path CP3. As will be described later, when the reversing roller 38 introduces the recording medium P into the reversing path CP3, the flapper 71 of the switching unit 70 is moved to the "second position".

[0034] The intermediate roller 55 further transports the recording medium P, which has been conveyed from the main path CP2 to the inversion path CP3 by the reversing roller 38, to the downstream side of the inversion path CP3. The intermediate roller 55 is provided extending in the X direction and is driven by a drive source 56 such as a motor. In this embodiment, a branching point D2 is provided downstream of the intermediate roller 55 on the inversion path CP3. Therefore, depending on the position of the flapper 73 described later, the recording medium P is either re-transported back to the main path CP2 by passing through the inversion path CP3, or re-transported back to the main path CP2 via the branching path CP4 from the branching point D2.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple sensors are provided on the transport path CP to detect the leading and trailing ends of the recording medium P, thereby allowing the position of the recording medium P on the transport path CP to be determined. For example, the CPU 101 of the control circuit 100, which will be described later, can determine that the recording medium P has reached the intermediate roller 51 when the sensor 52, which is provided downstream of the intermediate roller 51 in the transport direction, detects the leading end of the recording medium P. The CPU 101 can also determine that the entire recording medium P has passed the intermediate roller 51 when the sensor 52 detects the trailing end of the recording medium P. Known technologies can be used as appropriate for the sensor 52. For example, the sensor 52 may be a lever-type photosensor in which the optical axis is shielded by a lever that rotates when in contact with the recording medium P, or it may be a photosensor that directly detects the recording medium P. Sensors 34, 37, and 59 may have the same configuration as sensor 52.

[0036] (Records Department) The recording unit 10 includes a recording head 12 that ejects ink onto a recording medium P to perform recording, and a carriage 11 on which the recording head 12 is mounted and which moves back and forth in a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, the carriage 11 moves in the X direction. The recording unit 10 also has a transmission mechanism for moving the carriage 11, which includes a guide rail that guides the movement of the carriage 11 in the main scanning direction, and a belt 14 that transmits driving force from a drive source 13 such as a motor to the carriage 11. Hereinafter, the movement of the carriage 11 is referred to as scanning, and the act of recording an image by the recording head 12 while the carriage 11 is moving may be referred to as recording scanning.

[0037] The recording of an image on the recording medium P by the recording device 1 can be performed, for example, as follows: The recording medium P fed from the paper stacking unit 20A is intermittently transported by the transport unit 30, and the transport of the recording medium P and the recording of an image by the recording unit 10 are performed alternately. Specifically, the transport unit 30 transports the recording medium P to the row position (position in the sub-scanning direction) where the image is formed and stops. While the transport of the recording medium P is stopped, the carriage 11 is moved to perform a recording scan. Subsequently, the transport unit 30 transports the recording medium P to the next row position, and the same procedure is repeated. In this way, an image can be recorded on the entire recording medium P.

[0038] <Double-sided recording operation> (overview) Next, the double-sided recording operation in the recording device 1 will be explained. Figure 3(A) shows the state in which the recording unit 10 is recording on the recording medium P1. Here, it is assumed that recording is being performed on the surface of the recording medium P1. In the following explanation, of the ends of the recording medium P1 in the transport direction, the end that is on the front side in the direction of travel during the recording operation will be called end P1a, and the end that is on the rear side in the direction of travel during the recording operation will be called end P1b.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3(A), during recording, the front portion of the recording medium P1 in the direction of travel is transported to the discharge roller 35 and further downstream to the reversing roller 38. When reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium P1 after recording on its surface, the recording medium P1 is first transported further by the discharge roller 35 and the reversing roller 38 so that the end portion P1b is located downstream of the branching point D1 on the main path CP2.

[0040] When the sensor 37, located downstream of branching point D1 on the main path CP2, detects the rear end (end P1b) of the recording medium P1, the rotation direction of the reversing roller 38 is reversed from the CCW direction to the CW direction. As a result, the recording medium P1 is transported in the opposite direction to that during recording, with end P1b as the front end in the direction of travel. Also, based on the detection of the rear end (end P1b) of the recording medium P1 by the sensor 37, the CPU 101 moves the flapper 71 from the 'first position' to the 'second position'.

[0041] The recording medium P1, transported with its end P1b as the front end by the flapper 71 which has moved to the "second position," is guided from the main path CP2 to the reverse path CP3 at the branching point D1. Figure 3(B) shows the state when the recording medium P1 has entered the reverse path CP3. The recording medium P1 that has entered the reverse path CP3 is further transported downstream of the reverse path CP3 by the intermediate roller 55. As will be explained in more detail later, here we assume that the flapper 73 is in the "third position."

[0042] The recording medium P1, guided to the inversion path CP3 by the inversion roller 38, is transported to the intermediate roller 55. When the CPU 101, described later, detects that the recording medium P1 has been drawn into the inversion path CP3 by the sensor 59 located downstream of the intermediate roller 55, it manages the position of the recording medium P1 within the inversion path CP3 based on the detection result. The CPU 101 then drives the intermediate roller 55 at a predetermined timing to transport the recording medium P1 from the junction G1 upstream of the intermediate roller 51 to the main path CP2. The recording medium P1, having been re-transported to the main path CP2 in this way, has its front end in the direction of travel as end P1b, so its front and back sides are reversed compared to when the front surface was recorded. Therefore, as the recording medium P1 is further transported along the main path CP2 to the recording position 10a of the recording unit 10, recording is performed on the back side of the recording medium P1. As will be explained in more detail later, the predetermined timing for transporting the recording medium P1 from the merging point G1 to the main path CP2 includes, for example, after the recording of the first surface of the subsequent recording medium P2 is completed, or after the subsequent recording medium P2 has passed the merging point G1 in order to record the first surface.

[0043] After recording on the back side of the recording medium P1, the recording medium P1 can be ejected from the main path CP2 to the outside of the recording device 1 by continuing to rotate the reversing roller 38 in the forward direction without reversing its rotation. In this way, double-sided recording is performed on the recording medium P1.

[0044] <Transport path during reversal operation> Next, the transport path when inverting the recording medium P will be explained using Figures 4(A) and (B). In the recording device 1, it may be set up to enable double-sided recording on multiple types of recording media with different lengths in the transport direction, such as A4 size plain paper and A5 size plain paper. From the viewpoint of improving the efficiency of double-sided recording, it is desirable to perform double-sided recording operations, particularly inversion operations of the recording media, according to the length of the recording media in the transport direction. Therefore, in the recording device 1 of this embodiment, the transport path of the recording medium P when inverting the recording medium P is configured to be switchable. More specifically, the recording device 1 is configured to be able to switch the transport path of the recording medium P during inversion operations by the transport path switching unit 70B.

[0045] Figure 4(A) shows the case where the recording medium P1 passes through the reversal path CP3 and is re-transported to the main path CP2 at the merging point G1 (see Figure 3(A)). At this time, the flapper 73 of the transport path switching unit 70B is in the 'third position'. As a result, at the branching point D2, the recording medium P1 proceeds straight along the reversal path CP3 without entering the branch path CP4.

[0046] Figure 4(B) shows the case where the recording medium P1 is transported from the inversion path CP3 through the branch path CP4 and then re-transported to the main path CP2 at the merging point G2. At this time, the flapper 73 of the transport path switching unit 70B is in the 'fourth position'. As a result, the recording medium P1 enters the branch path CP4, which is branched off from the inversion path CP3, at the branching point D2. The recording medium P1 that has entered the branch path CP4 is then re-transported to the main path CP2 at the merging point G2. In other words, the portion of the inversion path CP3 from branching point D1 to branching point D2, and the branch path CP4 (from branching point D2 to merging point G2) form a different inversion path (from branching point D1 to merging point G2) from the inversion path CP3 (from branching point D1 to merging point G1). Hereinafter, the portion of the inversion path CP3 from branching point D1 to branching point D2 and the section formed by the branch path CP4 will be called the branch inversion section SC1.

[0047] (Length of the transport route) In this embodiment, the path length L1 of the inversion path CP3 is formed to be longer than the section length L2 of the branched inversion section SC1. That is, the recording device 1 has multiple inversion paths with different path lengths. This allows the inversion path to be selected according to the length of the transport direction of the recording medium P to be recorded, so that double-sided recording can be performed efficiently.

[0048] In detail, the path length L1 is set to be longer than the length LP1 (for example, the vertical length of an A4 size) of the longest recording medium PL in the transport direction among the recording media on which the recording device 1 can perform double-sided recording. In other words, it is configured so that a recording medium of length LP1 can be kept in the inversion path CP3. Therefore, after recording on the first side of the first recording medium P, while the first recording medium P is being transported to and kept in the inversion path CP3, recording can be performed on the first side of the second recording medium P.

[0049] On the other hand, the section length L2 is set to be shorter than the length LP1 and longer than the length LP2 (for example, the vertical length of A5 size) of the smallest recording medium PS in the transport direction among the recording media on which the recording device 1 can perform double-sided recording. In other words, a recording medium PS of length LP2 can be kept in the branching reversal section SC1. Compared to the case where a small recording medium PS in the transport direction is reversed by the reversal path CP3, the transport distance during reversal can be shortened, thus improving the efficiency of double-sided recording.

[0050] The path length L1 and section length L2 can be set as appropriate. For example, if the recording device 1 is capable of double-sided recording on three different sizes of recording media with varying lengths in the transport direction, the path length L1 may be set to a length that allows the largest size recording media to be stored, and the section length L2 may be set to a length that allows the second largest size recording media to be stored in the transport direction.

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a reversal path CP3 and a branched reversal section SC1 of different lengths are formed as paths for reversing the recording medium P. However, three or more paths of different lengths may be formed as paths for reversing the recording medium P. For example, without changing the positional relationship downstream of the main transport roller 31, the transport path length of the reversal path CP3 can be extended to the rear of the recording device 1 (in the -Y direction in the figure), making it easy to accommodate maximum sizes such as A3. In this case, it is also possible to provide, for example, three merging points to the main path CP2 and set the three reversal paths to lengths suitable for A5, A4, and A3 size recording media, respectively.

[0052] (Operating modes of the switching unit 70) Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the operating modes of the switching unit 70 during recording. In this embodiment, the flapper 71 of the transport path switching unit 70A and the flapper 73 of the transport path switching unit 70B can each be switched between two positions. That is, the switching unit 70 can operate in four operating modes distinguished by the arrangement of the flappers 71 and 73.

[0053] The first mode is a mode in which the flapper 71 is in the "first position" and the flapper 73 is in the "third position". In the first mode, the flapper 71 guides the recording medium P through the branching point D1 along the main path CP2, thereby guiding the recording medium P to the inversion and ejection area of ​​the main path CP2. In this embodiment, the "first position" of the flapper 71 and the "third position" of the flapper 73 are also their respective initial positions. That is, the operation of the recording device 1 when the first mode is executed includes the initial state, ejection of the recording medium PL of the largest size that can be recorded on both sides, and recording on the first side. Note that in this operation mode, it is not expected that the recording medium P will pass through the flapper 73, so the flapper 73 is initially located in the "third position".

[0054] The second mode is a mode in which the flapper 71 is in the 'second position' and the flapper 73 is in the 'third position'. In the second mode, the recording medium P in the inversion / discharge area of ​​the main path CP2 is guided by the flapper 71 from branching point D2 to the inversion path CP3. The recording medium P guided to the inversion path CP3 is then guided by the flapper 73 to branching point D 2 The recording medium P passes along the inversion path CP3. As a result, the recording medium P is re-transported from the confluence point G1 to the upstream side of the recording position 10a on the main path CP2. An example of the operation of the recording device 1 when the second mode is executed is the inversion transport of the recording medium P, which is the largest size capable of double-sided recording.

[0055] The third mode is a mode in which the flapper 71 is in the 'second position' and the flapper 73 is in the 'fourth position'. In the third mode, the recording medium P in the inversion / discharge area of ​​the main path CP2 is guided by the flapper 71 from branching point D2 to the inversion path CP3. The recording medium P guided to the inversion path CP3 is then guided by the flapper 73 to branching point D 2 The recording medium P is then guided to the branch path CP4. As a result, the recording medium P is re-transported from the merging point G2 to the upstream side of the recording position 10a on the main path CP2. An example of the operation of the recording device 1 when the third mode is executed is the inverted transport of the smallest size recording medium P that can be recorded on both sides.

[0056] The fourth mode is a mode in which the flapper 71 is in the 'first position' and the flapper 73 is in the 'fourth position'. In the fourth mode, the recording medium P in the inversion / discharge area of ​​the main path CP2 is guided by the flapper 71 from branching point D2 to the inversion path CP3. The recording medium P guided to the inversion path CP3 is then guided by the flapper 73 to branching point D 2 The user is then guided to branch path CP4. When the fourth mode is executed, the operation of the recording device 1 includes ejecting the smallest size recording medium PS capable of double-sided recording, and recording on the first side. Although the fourth mode can be substituted with the first mode, providing the fourth mode shortens the switching time of the flapper 73 when recording both sides of the recording medium PS.

[0057] (Specific example of double-sided recording operation) The switching of the operating mode of the switching unit 70 during double-sided recording of the recording medium P will be explained in detail.

[0058] First, we will explain the double-sided recording operation of the PL, the largest recording medium capable of double-sided recording. Hereafter, the preceding recording medium will be referred to as recording medium PL1, and the subsequent recording medium as recording medium PL2.

[0059] First, the recording medium PL1 is fed from the paper stacking section 20A to the paper feed path CP1, and while the recording section 10 records onto the first side (front), the switching section 70 is in first mode. After recording onto the first side, the recording medium PL1 is transported further, and when the rear end of the recording medium PL is detected by the sensor 37, the switching section 70 switches to second mode. Subsequently, the recording medium PL1 is transported to the inversion path CP3 by the reversing roller 38.

[0060] When recording medium PL1 is transported to the inversion path CP3, recording is performed on the first surface of the subsequent recording medium PL2. That is, while the preceding recording medium PL1 is still in the inversion path CP3, the switching unit 70 switches to the first mode. Then, recording is performed on the first surface of recording medium PL2. After that, recording medium PL2 is transported further and recording medium PL 2 When the rear end is detected by the sensor 37, the switching unit 70 switches to the second mode. Subsequently, the recording medium PL2 is transported to the inversion path CP3 by the inversion roller 38. Meanwhile, in order to enable recording of the second side of recording medium PL1 following the recording of the first side of recording medium PL2, recording medium PL1 is transported again from the inversion path CP3 to the main path CP2 via the merging point G1. For example, when recording medium PL1 is transported again to the paper feed path CP1 and its leading edge is detected by the sensor 34, it waits until it is ready to record on the second side (it has switched from the second mode to the first mode).

[0061] When the recording medium PL2 is transported to the inversion path CP3, the switching unit 70 switches from the second mode to the first mode. Then, recording is performed on the second side of the recording medium PL1, and the recording medium PL1 is ejected from the main path CP2.

[0062] This operation allows for double-sided recording in the following order: the first side of recording medium PL1, the first side of recording medium PL2, the second side of recording medium PL1, the second side of recording medium PL2, the first side of recording medium PL3, and so on. Therefore, double-sided recording can be performed more efficiently compared to sequentially recording each disc one by one.

[0063] Furthermore, the smallest recording medium capable of double-sided recording, PS, can also be used for double-sided printing through the same operation as the recording medium PL. However, in the double-sided recording operation of the recording medium PS, the fourth mode is executed instead of the first mode in the double-sided recording operation of the recording medium PL, and the third mode is executed instead of the second mode.

[0064] <Control Configuration> Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control system of the recording device 1. The control circuit 100 is a circuit that controls the operation of each mechanical part of the recording device 1. The CPU (Central Processing Unit) 101 controls the entire recording device 1. The controller 102 assists the CPU 101 and controls the drive of various motors 107 and the recording head 12 according to the detection results of various sensors 105. The ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 stores various data and the control program of the CPU 101. The EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) 104 stores various data. Note that other storage devices may be used instead of ROM 103 and EEPROM 104.

[0065] Furthermore, the control circuit 100 is configured to receive recording jobs from external devices such as personal computers via a communication interface (not shown). For example, the control circuit 100 performs switching control of the switching unit 70 based on the recording job information (including, for example, image data, recording medium size, number of records, etc.) received from the external device.

[0066] The driver 108 drives the various motors 107. The various motors 107 include, for example, the aforementioned drive sources 25, 32, 58, 13, 71a, and 73. The driver 106 drives the recording head 12. The various sensors 105 include sensors that detect the position of the carriage 11 and sensors that are arranged in the transport path of the recording medium to detect the leading and trailing ends of the recording medium, specifically sensors 52, 34, 37, and 59.

[0067] <Control Example> (Paper feeding sequence) Figure 7(A) is a flowchart showing the paper feeding sequence of the recording device 1. The processing in this flowchart is realized, for example, by the CPU 101 reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 103. Here, the paper feeding sequence refers to the sequence for the recording unit 10 to feed the recording medium loaded on the paper stacking unit 20A to the recording position 10a. Furthermore, the feeding of the recording medium to the recording position 10a includes feeding the recording medium and feeding recording mediums that have finished recording on the first side and are stuck in the reversal path CP3 or branch reversal section SC1.

[0068] In S02, the CPU 101 checks whether the switching unit 70 and the various sensors 105 are in their initial state. If they are in their initial state, the CPU 101 proceeds to S04; otherwise, it proceeds to S03.

[0069] In S03, the CPU 101 initializes the state of the switching unit 70 and the various sensors 105, sets the mode of the switching unit 70 to the aforementioned "first mode", and proceeds to S04.

[0070] In S04, the CPU 101 checks whether the current paper feed is for single-sided recording. If the current paper feed is for single-sided recording, the CPU 101 proceeds to S11 and starts feeding the paper. In other words, in the case of single-sided recording, the switching unit 70 always operates in 'first mode'.

[0071] In S06, the CPU 101 determines whether the paper feed currently being performed is for recording the first side (front) of a double-sided recorder. If it is for recording the first side of a double-sided recorder, the process proceeds to S08. Otherwise (for example, if it is for recording the second side), the process proceeds to S11.

[0072] In S08, the CPU 101 determines whether the size of the recording medium specified in the recording job is the minimum size that allows double-sided recording. If the size of the recording medium is the minimum size that allows double-sided recording, the CPU 101 proceeds to S10; otherwise, it proceeds to S09.

[0073] If the process proceeds from S08 to S09, the CPU 101 sets the operating mode of the switching unit 70 to "First Mode". However, in reality, it is set to "First Mode" in S02, so "First Mode" is maintained and the switching operation is not performed. After that, the CPU 101 proceeds to S11.

[0074] If the process proceeds from S08 to S10, the operating mode of the switching unit 70 is set to "fourth mode". After that, the CPU 101 proceeds to S11. In other words, the operating mode of the switching unit 70 is set to "fourth mode" when the size of the recording medium is the smallest size that allows double-sided recording.

[0075] In S11, the CPU 101 starts feeding the recording medium. Through this process, the operating mode of the switching unit 70 is set to an appropriate state according to the recording mode (single-sided recording or double-sided recording) and the size of the recording medium, and then paper feeding can be started.

[0076] (Inverted sequence) Figure 7(B) is a flowchart showing the inversion sequence of the recording device 1. The inversion sequence is a sequence for inverting the front and back sides of the recording medium P after the first side has been recorded in double-sided recording. This flowchart is executed, for example, when recording on the first side of the recording medium P by the recording unit 10 is completed during double-sided recording (S20). If recording on the second side of the recording medium P is completed, the recording medium is ejected from the recording device 1 without performing this sequence.

[0077] In S21, the CPU 101 checks whether the rear end of the recording medium P has been detected by the sensor 37 (see Figure 3). If it has been detected, the process proceeds to S23; otherwise, it proceeds to S22. If the sensor 37 has not detected the rear end of the recording medium P (S21: No), it is possible that the recording medium P has not been transported to the sensor 37 at all, or that it has been transported but cannot pass through the sensor 37. In such cases, it is possible that a jam has occurred, or that the size of the recording medium specified in the recording job differs from the size of the recording medium actually fed. Therefore, the CPU 101 performs error processing in S22. For example, the CPU 101 interrupts the inversion sequence, displays an error message on the display device 4 of the recording device 1, or sends a notification that an error has occurred to the external device that sent the recording job.

[0078] In S23, the CPU 101 checks whether the recording medium whose rear end has been detected is the last page. If it is the last page, it proceeds to S24; otherwise, it proceeds to S25.

[0079] In S24, the CPU 101 sets the operating mode of the switching unit 70 to "third mode". Then, the CPU 101 proceeds to S28 and starts reverse transport. In other words, if the target recording medium is the last page, the reverse transport time can be shortened by setting the operating mode of the switching unit 70 to "third mode". Also, even if the target recording medium is not the last page, the reverse transport time can be shortened by setting the operating mode of the switching unit 70 to "third mode" if the subsequent recording medium is not ready for paper feeding.

[0080] If the process proceeds from S23 to S25, the CPU 101 determines whether the size of the preceding recording medium is the minimum size that can be recorded on both sides. If the CPU 101 determines that the preceding recording medium is the minimum size that can be recorded on both sides, it proceeds to S26 to set the operating mode of the switching unit 70 to "third mode", and proceeds to S28 to start reverse transport. On the other hand, if the CPU 101 determines that the preceding recording medium is not the minimum size that can be recorded on both sides, it proceeds to S27 to set the operating mode of the switching unit 70 to "second mode", and proceeds to S28 to start reverse transport. In other words, the CPU 101 selects a reverse path according to the size of the recording medium in the transport direction, and switches the position of the flapper 73 of the switching unit 70 according to the selection result.

[0081] According to the above sequence, when the length of the recording medium in the transport direction is short (for example, the smallest size that allows double-sided recording), the front and back sides of the recording medium can be reversed using a reverse path with a short path length, thus enabling more efficient double-sided recording. Furthermore, even when the length of the recording medium in the transport direction is long, if it is the last page, the front and back sides of the recording medium can be reversed using a reverse path with a short path length, thus enabling more efficient double-sided recording.

[0082] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a branched reversal section SC1 with a different path length from the reversal path CP3 is formed by a branched path CP4 that branches off from the reversal path CP3. In other words, a portion of the multiple reversal paths formed in the recording device 1 are common. This makes it possible to miniaturize the recording device 1 compared to the case where multiple reversal paths are provided independently.

[0083] [Second Embodiment] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a recording device 1b according to one embodiment. The recording device 1b differs from the recording device 1 of the first embodiment in that it has a paper stacking section 20B that corresponds to the smallest size recording medium PS capable of double-sided recording. Hereinafter, components similar to those of the recording device 1 of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

[0084] The paper loading section 20B includes a paper feed cassette 24 for loading recording media PS and a paper feed roller 23b for feeding the recording media PS loaded in the paper feed cassette 24. The paper feed roller 23b may have the same configuration as the paper feed roller 23a of the paper loading section 20A. The recording media PS loaded in the paper feed cassette 24 of the paper loading section 20B is fed to the paper feed path CP1b by the paper feed roller 23b and transported to the branch path CP4 via the branch point D2. At this time, the flapper 73 of the transport path switching section 70B is in the "fourth position". That is, the flapper 73 forms a path for introducing recording media that have entered the reversal path CP3 from the main path CP2 to the branch path CP4, and also forms a path for introducing recording media from the paper feed path CP1b to the branch path CP4.

[0085] In this embodiment, the transport path length from the paper stacking section 20B to the recording section 10 is shorter than the transport path length from the paper stacking section 20A to the recording section 10. Therefore, when recording both sides of the smallest size recording medium PS, the time until recording the first side is performed, and the paper feeding time when recording one side can be shortened. In addition, the flapper 73 can serve both the function of guiding the recording medium PS from the inversion path CP3 to the branch path CP4 and the function of guiding the recording medium PS from the paper stacking section 20B to the branch path CP4.

[0086] [Third Embodiment] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a recording device 1c according to one embodiment. The recording device 1c differs from the recording device 1 of the first embodiment in that the recording medium discharge path branches off from the main path CP2. Hereinafter, components similar to those of the recording device 1 of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and their description is omitted.

[0087] In this embodiment, the branching point between the discharge roller 35 downstream of the recording position 10a and the branching point D1 on the path of the main path CP2 E1 Discharge route CP5 branches off from here. Note that this is the branching point of the main route CP2. E1 Further downstream, the path extends horizontally, and the transport route CP5 is a branching point. E1 They extend upwards from there, but their arrangement can be changed as needed.

[0088] In this embodiment, the function of the two positions of the flapper 71 differs from that of the first embodiment because the path for inverting the recording medium P (downstream from the branching point D2 of the main path CP2) and the transport path CP5 are separated. This will be explained below with reference to Figures 10(A) and 10(B).

[0089] In the first embodiment, the "first mode," which is the operating mode of the switching unit 70, is selected in the initial state, when recording the first side of the largest double-sided recordable recording medium PL, and when ejecting it. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the flapper 71 guides the recording medium PL to the inversion path (downstream from the branching point D2 of the main path CP2) in the "first position" (Figure 10(A)), and guides the recording medium PL to the transport path CP5 in the "second position." Therefore, as shown in Figure 11, the "first mode" is selected only in the initial state and when recording the first side of the largest double-sided recordable recording medium PL. Then, the "second mode" is selected when inverting and ejecting the largest double-sided recordable recording medium PL. Similarly, the "third mode" is selected when ejecting the smallest double-sided recordable recording medium PS.

[0090] [Fourth Embodiment] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the internal configuration of a recording device 1d according to one embodiment. This embodiment combines the configuration of the second embodiment with the addition of a paper stacking section 20B and the configuration of the third embodiment in which the transport path CP5 is branched from the main path CP2. In this way, the configurations of each embodiment can be combined as appropriate.

[0091] As described above, according to the above embodiment, in a recording device that can print on both sides of a recording medium, it is possible to improve double-sided productivity without increasing the size of the recording device, regardless of the size (transport direction length) of the corresponding recording medium.

[0092] [Other embodiments] In the above embodiment, the inversion path is selected based on the length of the recording medium P in the transport direction, but the transport path may be selected based on other conditions. For example, the CPU 101 may select whether to invert the recording medium P using the inversion path CP3 or the branched inversion section SC1, depending on the type of recording medium P. Furthermore, since the branched inversion section SC1 has a shorter path length than the inversion path CP3, the bend in the path may be sharper. Therefore, in the case of a recording medium P that is relatively difficult to bend, the inversion path CP3 may be selected. Specifically, if the recording medium P is plain paper, the branched inversion section SC1 may be selected, and if it is not plain paper, the inversion path CP3 may be selected. Also, the CPU 101 may select the inversion path CP3 if the basis weight of the recording medium P is above a threshold, and select the branched inversion section SC1 if it is below the threshold. By selecting the inversion path according to the type of recording medium P in this way, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of jams, for example, caused by trying to forcibly bend a recording medium P that is difficult to bend.

[0093] Furthermore, the CPU 101 may select a path based on the length of the recording medium P in the transport direction and other conditions (for example, the conditions related to the type of recording medium P mentioned above). Other conditions include the recording duty cycle of the image data received as a recording job, and the inversion path CP3 may be selected if the recording duty cycle for subsequent recording on the recording medium P is greater than or equal to a threshold. In other words, if the recording duty cycle is relatively large, the recording operation takes a relatively long time, so it may not be necessary to shorten the inversion time by using the branch inversion section SC1. In such cases, the main path CP2 may be selected. If the results of these path selections differ, the path selected based on conditions other than the length of the transport direction may be ultimately selected. For example, for recording medium P that is not plain paper or for recording medium P with a basis weight greater than or equal to a threshold, the inversion path CP3 may be selected regardless of the length of the recording medium P in the transport direction. This allows for efficient double-sided recording while suppressing jams and other issues.

[0094] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0095] The disclosure of the present invention includes the following recording device. (Item 1) A recording means for recording on a recording medium that has been transported in the transport direction at the recording position, A first transport path that causes the recording medium to pass through the recording position of the recording means, A second transport path for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium, It includes a third transport path for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium, The second transport path branches off from the first transport path at a first branching point downstream of the recording position in the transport direction and rejoins the first transport path upstream of the recording position. The third transport path branches off from the second branching point on the second transport path and merges with the first transport path upstream of the recording position. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 2) A recording device as described in item 1, A recording medium having a length in the transport direction equal to a first length can be stored on the second transport path, A recording medium having a length in the transport direction of the second length can be stored in the portion of the second transport path from the first branching point to the second branching point and in the section formed by the third transport path. The first length is longer than the length of the section. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 3) A recording device as described in item 2, The first length is the length of the longest recording medium in the transport direction among the recording media capable of performing double-sided recording in the recording device, The second length is the length of the shortest recording medium in the transport direction among the recording media capable of performing double-sided recording in the recording device. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 4) A recording device described in any one of items 2 to 3, A first transport roller is provided upstream of the recording position in the first transport path and transports the recording medium to the recording position, A second transport roller is provided downstream of the first branching point in the first transport path, and is capable of transporting the recording medium in a direction opposite to the direction in which recording is performed by the recording means. The system further includes a first switching member provided between the recording position and the second transport roller, which, at the first branching point, can switch the destination of the recording medium being transported in the opposite direction by the second transport roller to the second transport path, A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 5) A recording device as described in any one of items 1 to 3, At the second branching point, a second switching member is provided that can switch the destination of the recording medium to the third transport path, A selection means for selecting a path when inverting a recording medium, The system further comprises a switching control means for controlling the second switching member based on the result of the route selection by the selection means, A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 6) A recording device as described in item 5, The selection means performs the path selection based on the length of the transport direction of the recording medium to be reversed. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 7) A recording device described in any one of items 5 to 6, The selection means performs the route selection based on the number of remaining recording media to be flipped over. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 8) A recording device described in any one of items 5 through 7, The selection means performs the route selection based on the type of recording medium to be reversed. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 9) A recording device as described in item 5, The selection means performs a first path selection based on a first condition relating to the length in the transport direction of the recording medium to be reversed, and a second path selection based on a second condition other than the first condition relating to the recording medium to be reversed. If the selection results of the first route selection and the second route selection differ, the selection means selects the route selected in the second route selection. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 10) A recording device described in any one of items 1 through 9, A loading means for loading recording media, The system further comprises a feeding means for feeding the recording medium loaded on the loading means to the first transport path. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 11) A recording device as described in item 4, An ejection unit for ejecting the recording medium is provided downstream of the second transport roller in the first transport path. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 12) A recording device as described in item 4, A first loading means for loading recording media having a length in the transport direction of the first length, A first feeding means for feeding the recording medium loaded on the first loading means to the first transport path, A second loading means for loading recording media having a length in the transport direction of the second length, The system further comprises a second feeding means for feeding the recording medium loaded on the second loading means to the first transport path via the third transport path, A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 13) A recording device as described in item 4, The recording medium is discharged from an discharge path that branches off from a third branching point between the recording position and the first branching point. A recording device characterized by the following features. (Item 14) A recording device as described in item 13, The first switching member is switchable between a first position in which the recording medium can pass the first branching point along the first transport path, and a second position in which the recording medium, which is transported in the opposite direction by the second transport roller, can enter the second transport path from the first branching point. When the first switching member is in the second position and the recording medium is transported to the third branching point, the recording medium is discharged via the discharge path. A recording device characterized by the following features.

[0096] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0097] 1: Recording device, 30: Transport unit, 70: Switching unit, CP: Transport path, CP2: Main path, CP3: Reversal path, CP4: Branch path, D1: Branch point, D2: Branch point

Claims

1. A recording means for recording on a recording medium that has been transported in the transport direction at the recording position, A first transport path that causes the recording medium to pass through the recording position of the recording means, A first transport roller is provided upstream of the recording position in the first transport path and transports the recording medium to the recording position, A second transport path branches off from the first transport path at a first branching point downstream of the recording position in the transport direction, and rejoins the first transport path upstream of the recording position, for the purpose of reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium. A third transport path branches off from a second branching point on the second transport path and merges with the first transport path upstream of the recording position, for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium, A second transport roller is provided downstream of the first branching point in the first transport path, and is capable of transporting the recording medium in a direction opposite to the direction in which recording is performed by the recording means. The system includes a first switching member provided between the recording position and the second transport roller, which, at the first branching point, can switch the destination of the recording medium being transported in the opposite direction by the second transport roller to the second transport path, A recording medium having a length in the transport direction equal to a first length can be stored on the second transport path, A recording medium having a length in the transport direction of a second length can be stored in the portion of the second transport path from the first branching point to the second branching point and in the section formed by the third transport path. A recording device characterized by the following features.

2. A recording means for recording on a recording medium that has been transported in the transport direction at the recording position, A first transport path that causes the recording medium to pass through the recording position of the recording means, A second transport path branches off from the first transport path at a first branching point downstream of the recording position in the transport direction, and rejoins the first transport path upstream of the recording position, for the purpose of reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium. A recording device comprising: a third transport path that branches off from a second branching point on the second transport path and merges with the first transport path upstream of the recording position, for reversing the front and back sides of the recording medium; A recording medium having a length in the transport direction equal to a first length can be stored on the second transport path, A recording medium having a length in the transport direction of the second length can be stored in the portion of the second transport path from the first branching point to the second branching point and in the section formed by the third transport path. The first length is the length of the longest recording medium in the transport direction among the recording media capable of performing double-sided recording in the recording device, The second length is the length of the shortest recording medium in the transport direction among the recording media capable of performing double-sided recording in the recording device. A recording device characterized by the following features.

3. A recording device according to claim 1 or 2, The first length is longer than the length of the section. A recording device characterized by the following features.

4. A recording device according to claim 1 or 2, At the second branching point, a second switching member is provided that can switch the destination of the recording medium to the third transport path, A selection means for selecting a path when inverting a recording medium, The system further comprises a switching control means for controlling the second switching member based on the result of the route selection by the selection means, A recording device characterized by the following features.

5. A recording device according to claim 4, The selection means performs the path selection based on the length of the transport direction of the recording medium to be reversed. A recording device characterized by the following features.

6. A recording device according to claim 4, The selection means performs the route selection based on the number of remaining recording media to be flipped over. A recording device characterized by the following features.

7. A recording device according to claim 4, The selection means performs the route selection based on the type of recording medium to be reversed. A recording device characterized by the following features.

8. A recording device according to claim 4, The selection means performs a first path selection based on a first condition relating to the length in the transport direction of the recording medium to be reversed, and a second path selection based on a second condition other than the first condition relating to the recording medium to be reversed. If the selection results of the first route selection and the second route selection differ, the selection means selects the route selected in the second route selection. A recording device characterized by the following features.

9. A recording device according to claim 1 or 2, A loading means for loading recording media, The system further comprises a feeding means for feeding the recording medium loaded on the loading means to the first transport path. A recording device characterized by the following features.

10. A recording device according to claim 1, An ejection unit for ejecting the recording medium is provided downstream of the second transport roller in the first transport path. A recording device characterized by the following features.

11. A recording device according to claim 1, A first loading means for loading recording media having a length in the transport direction of the first length, A first feeding means for feeding the recording medium loaded on the first loading means to the first transport path, A second loading means for loading recording media having a length in the transport direction of the second length, The system further comprises a second feeding means for feeding the recording medium loaded on the second loading means to the first transport path via the third transport path, A recording device characterized by the following features.

12. A recording device according to claim 1, The recording medium is discharged from an discharge path that branches off from a third branching point between the recording position and the first branching point. A recording device characterized by the following features.

13. A recording device according to claim 12, The first switching member is switchable between a first position in which the recording medium can pass the first branching point along the first transport path, and a second position in which the recording medium, which is transported in the opposite direction by the second transport roller, can enter the second transport path from the first branching point. When the first switching member is in the second position and the recording medium is transported to the third branching point, the recording medium is discharged via the discharge path. A recording device characterized by the following features.

Images