Printing apparatus and rewinder system

Abstract

A printing apparatus is provided which can perform skew correction without damaging the print medium when rewinding a print medium into a roll. Therefore, when rewinding of the print medium roll is performed, the two pairs of conveying rollers are employed, and the conveying speed of the conveying roller pair near the print medium roll is set so lower than the conveying speed of the other conveying roller pair located apart from the print medium roll. Further, a guide member for the print medium is provided between the two pairs of the conveying rollers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A printing apparatus comprising:
 a conveying unit for employing a first roller pair and a second roller pair to unwind a roll of print medium, and to convey the print medium;   a printing unit for performing printing on the print medium that has been conveyed by the conveying unit;   a rewinding controller for, when the print medium is to be conveyed in a direction opposite a conveyance direction employed for printing, and to be rewound onto the roll, rewinding the print medium that has been conveyed via the second roller pair and then via the first roller pair;   a guide member arranged between the first roller pair and the second roller pair to perform skew correction for the print medium,   wherein, for performing rewinding, a print medium conveying speed for the first roller pair is set lower than a print medium conveying speed for the second roller pair, so that a loop of the print medium can be formed between the first roller pair and the second roller pair.   
     
     
         2 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of sets for the first roller pairs are provided, and wherein, for the individual sets of the first roller pairs, the print medium conveying speed is set lower as a print medium conveyance path from the second roller pair to the first roller pair is extended. 
     
     
         3 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the conveying unit feeds the print medium from a plurality of rolls of the print medium, which correspond to the plurality of sets for the first roller pairs, and conveys the print medium by employing a plurality of conveyance paths. 
     
     
         4 . The printing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein a guide member for guiding the print medium in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction is located between the first roller pairs and the conveyance paths, downstream of the first roller pair, in the conveyance direction. 
     
     
         5 . A printing apparatus comprising:
 a conveying unit for employing a first roller pair and a second roller pair to unwind a roll of print medium, and to convey the print medium;   a printing unit for performing printing of the print medium that has been conveyed by the conveying unit;   a rewinding controller for, when the print medium is to be conveyed in a direction opposite a conveyance direction employed for printing, and is to be rewound into a roll, rewinding the print medium that has been conveyed via the second roller pair and then via the first roller pair; and   a guide member arranged between the first roller pair and the second roller pair to perform skew correction for the print medium,   wherein, to perform rewinding, a print medium conveying speed for the first roller pair is set lower than a print medium conveying speed for the second roller pair, so that tension applied to the print medium is reduced.   
     
     
         6 . A rewinder system comprising:
 a conveying unit for employing a first roller pair and a second roller pair to unwind a roll of print medium and convey the print medium;   a rewinding controller for, when the print medium is to be conveyed in a direction opposite a conveyance direction and to be rewound into the roll, controlling rewinding of the print medium that has been conveyed via the second roller pair and then via the first roller pair; and   a guide member arranged between the first roller pair and the second roller pair to correct skew of the print medium.   wherein, for performing rewinding, a print medium conveying speed for the first roller pair is set lower than a print medium conveying speed for the second roller pair, so that a loop of the print medium can be formed between the first roller pair and the second roller pair.