Recording apparatus

Claim 2

A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium by using an ink sheet carrying ink, said apparatus comprising: recording means reciprocally movable with respect to said recording medium, said recording means being provided for transferring the ink carried on said ink sheet onto the recording medium; means defining a first transfer position where the ink of said ink sheet may be transferred onto said recording medium; and a second transfer position which is separate from said first transfer position and where the ink may be also transferred onto said recording medium; first holding means for holding the ink sheet for recording; second holding means for holding the ink sheet which has been fed from said first holding means and thereafter used for recording; guide means for guiding the ink sheet fed from said first holding means, to said first transfer position, then to said second transfer position, and thereafter to said second holding means, said guide means guiding the ink sheet to said second transfer position in a direction opposite to the direction of guiding of the ink sheet to said first transfer position; and drive means for driving said ink sheet from said first holding means to said second holding means.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means is movable between said first and said second transfer positions.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means comprises means for forcing said recording means to assume said first and said second transfer positions.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said recording means is provided for each of said transfer positions.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second transfer positions are arranged one above the other.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second transfer positions are vertically spaced from each other by a distance equal to a distance between two successive lines to be recorded.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling said drive means wherein after one line of recording is ended and before the succeeding line recording is started, said ink sheet is driven by a length equal to the ink sheet path length distance between portions opposing the first and the second transfer positions.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second transfer positions are arranged in a direction generally parallel to the recording direction of said recording means.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second holding means are arranged in a direction generally parallel to the recording direction of said recording means.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and said second holding means are arranged one above the other.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ink sheet is driven only in one direction.

Claim 13

An ink sheet cassette provided with an ink sheet carrying ink and operable in conjunction with recording means for transferring ink from the ink sheet to a recording medium, said cassette comprising: a first holding means for holding the ink sheet to be fed therefrom for recording; a second holding means for holding the ink sheet fed from said first holding means; and guide means for guiding the ink sheet fed from said first holding means, to a first position, then to a second position separate from said first position, and thereafter to said second holding means, said guide means guiding the ink sheet to said second position in a direction opposite to a direction of guiding of the ink sheet to said first position; and said recording means being operable to transfer ink to the recording medium from said ink sheet at said first position and said second position.

Claim 14

An ink sheet cassette provided with an ink sheet carrying ink and operable in conjunction with recording means for transferring ink from the ink sheet to a recording medium, said cassette comprising: a first holding means for holding the ink sheet to be fed therefrom for recording; a second holding means for holding the ink sheet fed from said first holding means; and guide means for guiding the ink sheet fed from said first holding means, to a first position, then to a second position separate from said first position, and thereafter to said second holding means, said guide means guiding the ink sheet to said second position in a direction opposite to a direction of guiding of the ink sheet to said first position; and said recording means being operable to transfer ink to the recording medium from said ink sheet at said first position and said second position.

Claim 15

A cassette according to claim 12, wherein said first and said second holding means are arranged in a direction generally parallel to said guiding of the ink sheet by said guide means.

Claim 16

A cassette according to claim 12, wherein said first and said second holding means are arranged one above the other.

Claim 17

A cassette according to claim 12, wherein at said first and said second positions said sheet is exposed to the outside of said cassette.

Claim 18

A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium by using an ink sheet carrying ink, said apparatus comprising: means defining a first transfer position where the ink carried on said ink sheet may be transferred onto said recording medium; and a second transfer position which is separate from said first transfer position and where the ink carried on said ink sheet may be also transferred onto said recording medium; first holding means for holding the ink sheet to be fed therefrom; second holding means for holding the ink sheet which has been fed from said first holding means and thereafter has been used for recording; recording means mounted for reciprocal movement along said recording medium and capable of assuming said first and said second transfer positions, said recording means being provided for transferring the ink carried on said ink sheet onto the recording medium in the form of dot lines; control means for controlling said recording means such that said recording means records dot lines at said second transfer position onto the recording medium between dot lines recorded at said first transfer position; guide means for guiding said ink sheet fed from said first holding means, to said first transfer position, to said second transfer position, and thereafter to said second holding means; and drive means for driving said ink sheet from said first holding means to said second holding means.

Claim 19

A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium by using an ink sheet carrying ink, said apparatus comprising: means defining a first transfer position where the ink carried on said ink sheet may be transferred onto said recording medium; and a second transfer position which is separate from said first transfer position and where the ink carried on said ink sheet may be also transferred onto said recording medium; first holding means for holding the ink sheet to be fed therefrom; second holding means for holding the ink sheet which has been fed from said first holding means and thereafter has been used for recording; recording means mounted for reciprocal movement along said recording medium and capable of assuming said first and said second transfer positions, said recording means being provided for transferring the ink carried on said ink sheet onto the recording medium in the form of dot lines; control means for controlling said recording means such that said recording means records dot lines at said second transfer position onto the recording medium between dot lines recorded at said first transfer position; guide means for guiding said ink sheet fed from said first holding means, to said first transfer position, to said second transfer position, and thereafter to said second holding means; and drive means for driving said ink sheet from said first holding means to said second holding means.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recording means is movable between said first and said second transfer positions.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recording means comprises means for forcing said recording means to assume said first and said second transfer positions.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first and said second transfer positions are arranged one above the other.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first and said second transfer positions are vertically spaced from each other by a distance equal to a distance between two successive lines to be recorded.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein after a line of recording is ended and before the succeeding line recording is started, said ink sheet is fed by a length equal to the ink sheet path length distance between said first and said second transfer positions.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first and said second transfer positions are arranged in a direction generally parallel to a recording direction of said recording means.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said first and said second holding means are arranged in a direction generally parallel to a recording direction of said recording means.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first and said second holding means are arranged one above the other.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said ink sheet is driven by said drive means only in one direction.

Claim 29

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recording means records dots and said apparatus further comprises means for transporting said recording medium, wherein after the first recording by said recording means has been effected, said recording medium is transported by said transporting means by a distance corresponding to a recording pitch and half a dot, and thereafter the second recording is effected.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising means for transporting said recording medium, wherein before a second line of recording by said recording means after a first recording has been effected, said recording medium is transported by said transporting means by a distance corresponding to a recording pitch minus half a line.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said recording means effects each line of recording with an upper printing data pattern and a lower printing data pattern being printed alternately in a normal direction and a reverse direction.

Claim 32

A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a mounting portion; supply means mountable with said mounting portion and having an ink sheet; wind-up means for winding up said ink sheet supplied from said supply means; path means for guiding said ink sheet and comprising means defining a set of upper and lower paths which run in directions opposite to each other between said supply means and said wind-up means; and recording means reciprocally movable along the recording medium between said upper and said lower paths.

Claim 33

A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: a mounting portion; supply means mountable with said mounting portion and having an ink sheet; wind-up means for winding up said ink sheet supplied from said supply means; path means for guiding said ink sheet and comprising means defining a set of upper and lower paths which run in directions opposite to each other between said supply means and said wind-up means; and recording means reciprocally movable along the recording medium between said upper and said lower paths.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said supply means, said wind-up means and said ink sheet are integrally assembled in a cassette.

Claim 35

A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink sheet cassette mounting portion; an ink sheet cassette mountable with said mounting portion, said ink sheet cassette comprising supply means holding an ink sheet, wind-up means for winding-up said ink sheet supplied from said supply means, and path means for guiding the ink sheet fed from said supply means to said wind-up means and having means defining a set of upper and lower paths running in directions opposite to each other; recording means reciprocally movable along said recording medium and comprising a heating portion; and transporting means for transporting said recording medium.

Claim 36

A recording apparatus for recording onto a recording medium, said apparatus comprising: an ink sheet cassette mounting portion; an ink sheet cassette mountable with said mounting portion, said ink sheet cassette comprising supply means holding an ink sheet, wind-up means for winding-up said ink sheet supplied from said supply means, and path means for guiding the ink sheet fed from said supply means to said wind-up means and having means defining a set of upper and lower paths running in directions opposite to each other; recording means reciprocally movable along said recording medium and comprising a heating portion; and transporting means for transporting said recording medium.

Claim 37

A cassette according to claim 31, wherein said ink sheet is fed from said supply means to said wind-up means only in one direction.