Printing apparatus having automatic loading function to avoid print medium corner snagging

Claim 1

A printing apparatus, comprising: a platen on which a printing medium have left and right edges and a tip end is set, said tip end and said left and right edges of said printer medium forming two tip corners; a cartridge which is movable along said platen, said carriage having printing medium guide means for guiding the printing medium to said platen, said guide means having a hole, and a printing head for making a print on the printing medium set on said platen through said hole in said guide means; first driving means for moving said carriage along said platen; second driving means for feeding the printing medium; and control means for controlling said first driving means to move said carriage to a first position while the second drive means feeds the printing medium until the tip end of the printing medium passes between said printing head and said platen and to move said carriage from the first position to a second position after the tip end of the printing medium passes between said printing head and said platen and beyond said hole in said guide means, the first and second positions being mutually different positions, wherein said hole of said guide means is between the two tip corners when said carriage is in said first position and outside the two tip corners when said carriage is in said second position of said printing medium.