Image recording apparatus

• US 20060067659A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Takeshita, Yukitaka
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/36
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/407 for marking on special material
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/44 Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms having dual functions or combined with, or coupled to, apparatus performing other functions
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/52 of the Land type
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72439 for image or video messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00278 with a printing apparatus, e.g. a laser beam printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00625 Removing sheets selectively from the top or bottom of a single stack or tray
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0053 Optical, e.g. using an infrared link
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera

Abstract

The present invention provides an image recording apparatus which has a pack compartment to be loaded with an instant film pack containing multiple instant film sheets stacked together and records images on the instant film sheets contained in the instant film pack loaded into the pack compartment while transporting the instant film sheets. The pack compartment has receiving surfaces projecting into the pack compartment and support the instant film pack loaded into the pack compartment. The receiving surfaces support the instant film pack while keeping the instant film pack tilted by making the respective amounts of projection thereof mutually different.

Claims

1. An image recording apparatus which has a pack compartment to be loaded with an instant film pack containing multiple instant film sheets stacked together and records images on the instant film sheets contained in the instant film pack loaded into the pack compartment while transporting the instant film sheets, each of the instant film sheets having:

an image recording section for recording an image by exposure and spread of a developer; and

a developer pod disposed closer to the front of a transport direction than the image recording section, the image recording apparatus comprising;

a push-out member which is disposed in a position closer to the rear wall and one sidewall of the pack compartment and projects into the pack compartment, the rear wall delimiting the rear ends of the instant film sheets in the transport direction, and which pushes out one of the instant film sheets in the instant film pack loaded in the pack compartment from the instant film pack by engaging the rear end of the one of the instant film sheets,

wherein the pack compartment has a supporting section which supports the instant film pack loaded in the pack compartment while keeping the instant film pack tilted by raising a part, which is closer to the other sidewall facing the one sidewall, of the rear-end face of the instant film pack.

2. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supporting section has a pair of receiving surfaces at each of right and left ends of a wall of the pack compartment excluding a sheet outlet formed in the front of the transport direction, the pair of receiving surfaces projecting into the pack compartment and supporting the front-end face of the instant film pack loaded in the pack compartment, and wherein one receiving surface of the pair of the receiving surfaces, that is disposed closer to the one sidewall near which the push-out member is disposed, projects further than the other receiving surface disposed closer to the other sidewall.

3. The image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supporting section has a plurality of receiving surfaces which project from both sidewalls of the pack compartment running along the transport direction and support both side faces of the instant film pack loaded in the pack compartment, and wherein the plurality of receiving surfaces support the instant film pack while keeping the instant film pack tilted by making the respective amounts of projection thereof mutually different.

4. The image recording apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the supporting section has a plurality of receiving surfaces which project from both sidewalls of the pack compartment running along the transport direction and support both side faces of the instant film pack loaded in the pack compartment, and wherein the plurality of receiving surfaces support the instant film pack while keeping the instant film pack tilted by making the respective amounts of projection thereof mutually different.