EP2754563A1

EP2754563A1 - Recording apparatus and recording method

Info

Publication number: EP2754563A1
Application number: EP14150551.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hirotaka Ishizuka
Original assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
Current assignee: Seiko Epson Corp
Priority date: 2013-01-09
Filing date: 2014-01-09
Publication date: 2014-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 2034-01-09
Also published as: JP2014148155A; EP2754563B1

Abstract

A recording apparatus includes a movable belt that includes thereon a first area, which is an area on which a recording target medium to be transported is placed, along a direction of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area, which is an area on which the recording target medium is placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium; a driving mechanism that drives the movable belt; a recording mechanism that is capable of recording within a range formed by the first area and the second area; a cleaning mechanism that performs cleaning of the first area and the second area on the movable belt; and a controller that, when conducting recording on the recording target medium, performs control of the recording mechanism so as to cause the recording mechanism to record a verification image, which enables verification as to whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, on the second area.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a recording apparatus provided with a transportation mechanism which transports a recording target medium in the state of being placed on a movable belt, as well as a recording method therefor.

2. Related Art

Heretofore, there have been used recording apparatuses each provided with a transportation mechanism which transports a recording target medium in the state of being placed on a movable belt. When recording images on a recording target medium using such a recording apparatus, sometimes there occurs a case where, when carrying out recording onto an edge portion of the recording target medium, ink runs off the edge portion and adheres to the movable belt. Further, when a fabric is used as a recording target medium, sometimes there occurs a case where ink exudes from an image formation face of the fabric to the reverse face thereof and adheres to the movable belt.
For this reason, in JP-A-11-192694 , there has been disclosed a recording apparatus provided with an endless belt which transports a recording target medium, and a cleaning portion being for use in cleaning the endless belt and including a wiper roller whose surrounding face is formed of a porous polymer. In such a recording apparatus provided with a cleaning portion, even when ink adheres to a movable belt, such as an endless belt, it is possible to perform cleaning of the ink.
Further, heretofore, there has been employed a method or the like in which a verification image (a check pattern) for verifying that there occurs no ejection failure of ink is recorded before beginning an operation of recording a desired image. That is, there has been employed a method in which recording is carried out after verification that there occurs no ejection failure of ink.
Further, in recording apparatuses each carrying out recording by ejecting ink onto a recording target medium while causing a recording head to perform reciprocating scanning in a direction intersecting with a direction of transporting the recording target medium, in order to suppress the occurrence of an ejection failure of ink, there has been employed a method of causing an ink ejection operation for refreshing ink remaining in an ink ejection portion (i.e., flushing) to be carried out during a recording operation. For example, in JP-A-5-69559 , there has been disclosed a recording apparatus capable of performing flushing at an appropriate position corresponding to each of a plurality of kinds of recording target media having mutually different widths.
Nevertheless, in conventional recording apparatuses, in order to verify whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink during an operation of recording a desired image, a method of recording a verification image on part of a recording target medium, or the like, has been employed, so that this method has caused a disadvantage in that the part of the recording target medium becomes a waste.
Further, in recording apparatuses each carrying out recording by ejecting ink onto a recording target medium while causing a recording head to perform reciprocating scanning in a direction intersecting with a direction of transporting the recording target medium, in order to detect an ejection failure of ink during a recording operation without wasting the recording target medium, it has been necessary to provide an area dedicated to verification of the ejection failure of ink outside a transportation mechanism for transporting the recording target medium.
Further, this configuration makes a distance of the reciprocating scanning operation of the recording head longer, so that this configuration has caused a disadvantage in that a recording speed is lowered.
In addition, in each of JP-A-11-192694 and JP-A-5-69559 , there is no description that the disclosed recording apparatus is configured to, when detecting an ejection failure of ink during an recording operation, suppress the waste of the part of the recording target medium, and suppress the lowering of the recording speed.

SUMMARY

An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to detect an ejection failure of ink during a recording operation simultaneously with suppressing the waste of part of a recording target medium, and suppressing the lowering of a recording speed.
A recording apparatus according to a first aspect of the invention includes a movable belt that includes thereon a first area, which is an area on which a recording target medium to be transported is placed, along a direction of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area, which is an area on which the recording target medium is placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium; a driving mechanism that drives the movable belt; a recording mechanism that is capable of recording within a range formed by the first area and the second area; and a controller that, when conducting recording on the recording target medium, performs control of the recording mechanism so as to cause the recording mechanism to record a verification image, which enables verification as to whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, on the second area.
Here, the "ejection failure of ink" has a meaning including not only a situation where ink is not ejected, but also a situation where a direction of ejecting ink is out of alignment of a desired direction, a situation where an ejection amount of ink per droplet does not become equal to a desired ejection amount of ink, and the like. Further, the "verification image" means an image (a check pattern) which enables detection of an ejection failure of ink by means of a visual observation, a verification device, or the like, and its pattern is not limited to any particular pattern.
According to this aspect, the recording apparatus includes a movable belt that includes thereon a first area, which is an area on which a recording target medium to be transported is placed, along a direction of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area, which is an area on which the recording target medium is placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium. Further, when carrying out recording on the recording target medium, the recording apparatus records the verification image, which enables verification of an ejection failure of ink, on the second area. Thus, when verifying the ejection failure of ink during a recording operation, it is unnecessary to record the verification image on the recording target medium. Further, it is also unnecessary to provide a dedicated area for verifying the ejection failure of ink outside the transportation mechanism for transporting the recording target medium. That is, it becomes possible to reduce a cost for providing the dedicated area, and suppress the waste of part of the recording target medium.
Further, in this aspect, the "second area" is not limited to an area on which the recording target medium is not placed. This is because, for example, even when the recording target medium is placed on part of the second area, it is possible to cause the controller to perform control so as to record the verification image on the second area while avoiding the part of the second area.
A recording apparatus according to a second aspect of the invention includes a movable belt that includes thereon a first area, which is an area on which a recording target medium to be transported is placed, along a direction of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area, which is an area on which the recording target medium is not placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium; a driving mechanism that drives the movable belt; and a recording mechanism that is capable of recording within a range formed by the first area and the second area.
According to this aspect, the recording target medium is not placed on the second area. Thus, when carrying out recording on the recording target medium, it is possible to record the verification image, which enables verification of an ejection failure of ink, on the second area.
A recording apparatus according to a third aspect of the invention is configured such that, in the first and second aspects, a length of a width direction of the movable belt including the first area and the second area is larger than a maximum width of a recording target medium assumed to be used.
According to this aspect, a length of a width direction of the movable belt is larger than a maximum width of a recording target medium assumed to be used. Thus, when carrying out recording on the recording target medium, it is possible to record the verification image, which enables verification of an ejection failure of ink, on the second area.
A recording apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the invention is configured to, in the second aspect or the third aspect, further include a controller that, when conducting recording on the recording target medium, performs control of the recording mechanism so as to cause the recording mechanism to record a verification image, which enables verification as to whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, on the second area.
According to this aspect, when carrying out recording on the recording target medium, the recording apparatus records the verification image, which enables verification of an ejection failure of ink, on the second area. Thus, when verifying the ejection failure of ink during a recording operation, it is unnecessary to record the verification image on the recording target medium.
A recording apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the invention is configured to, in the first aspect or the fourth aspect, further include an observation portion that observes the verification image; and a determination portion that determines whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, from a result of an observation performed by the observation portion.
According to this aspect, it is possible to automatically detect the ejection failure of ink from the verification image by using the observation portion and the determination portion.
A recording apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the invention is configured such that, in the fifth aspect, when the determination portion determines that the ejection failure of ink exists, the controller performs control of the recording mechanism so as to cause the recording mechanism to bring the recording on the recording target medium to a stop.
According to this aspect, when the determination portion determines that the ejection failure of ink exists, it is possible to automatically bring the recording on the recording target medium to a stop. That is, it is possible to suppress the waste of the recording target medium, which is caused by continuously carrying out recording under the state where the image quality of an image in the state of being recorded is degraded because of the ejection failure of ink.
A recording apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the invention is configured such that, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, a color of the second area is at least any one of white color and a complementary color of the ink.
According to this aspect, a color of the second area is at least any one of white color and a complementary color of the ink, and thus, the accuracy of detecting the ejection failure of ink is improved.
A recording apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the invention is configured such that, in the seventh aspect, the second area is formed of a member whose color is at least any one of white color and a complementary color of the ink.
According to this aspect, a simple configuration makes it possible to improve the accuracy of detecting the ejection failure of ink.
A recording apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the invention is configured such that, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the second area is provided at each of outer sides of the first area.
According to this aspect, the second area is provided at each of outer sides of the first area, and thus, it becomes possible to detect the ejection failure of ink in each of an outward scanning operation and a homeward scanning operation of a reciprocating scanning operation of the recording head. That is, it becomes possible to detect the ejection failure of ink in an earlier stage.
A recording apparatus according to a tenth aspect of the invention is configured such that, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, the recording of the verification image doubles as flushing.
Here, the "flushing" means an ink ejection operation which is carried out to refresh ink remaining in an ejection portion of the recording head for the purpose of suppressing the occurrence of an ejection failure of ink, and which is different from an ink ejection operation for forming an image.
According to this aspect, recording of the verification image doubles as flushing, and thus, it is possible to suppress the lowering of a recording speed caused by performing the flushing independently.
A recording apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of the invention is configured such that, in any one of the first to tenth aspects, the movable belt is a glue belt.
Here, the "glue belt" is a belt resulting from applying an adhesive agent, which peelably adheres to and holds a recording target medium, to a face of the belt on which the recording target medium is placed. According to this aspect, the recording apparatus, which includes the glue belt as the movable belt, makes it possible to stably support the recording target medium, and thus, preferably, the glue belt may be used as the movable belt.
According to this aspect, it becomes possible to stably support the recording target medium, and thus, the image quality of a recorded image can be improved.
A recording method according to a twelfth aspect of the invention is for use in a recording apparatus including a movable belt that includes thereon a first area, which is an area on which a recording target medium to be transported is placed, along a direction of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area, which is an area on which the recording target medium is placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium; a driving mechanism that drives the movable belt; a recording mechanism that is capable of recording within a range formed by the first area and the second area; and a cleaning mechanism that performs cleaning of the first area and the second area on the movable belt. Further, the recording method according to this twelfth aspect includes a process of recording a verification image, which enables verification as to whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, on the second area when recording on the recording target medium is carried out.
According to this aspect, it is possible to detect an ejection failure of ink during a recording operation, simultaneously with suppressing the waste of part of a recording target medium, and suppressing the lowering of a recording speed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like elements.

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating a recording apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the invention.
Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view illustrating a recording apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the invention.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a recording apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the invention.
Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a movable belt of a recording apparatus according to embodiment 2 of the invention.
Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a recording method according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment 1 (Figs. 1 to 3)

Hereinafter, a recording apparatus according to each of embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
First, a recording apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the invention will be described.
Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic side view of a recording apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1 of the invention.
The recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment is provided with a setting portion 2 capable of unreeling a recording target medium P, on which recording is carried out, from a roll R1. Further, the recording apparatus 1 is provided with a transportation mechanism 3 which causes a glue belt 10 functioning as a movable belt to transport the recording target medium P in a transportation direction A. Further, the recording apparatus 1 is provided with a recording mechanism 4 which carries out recording by causing a recording head 7 to perform reciprocating scanning in a scanning direction B intersecting with the transportation direction A in which the recording target medium P is transported. Further, the recording apparatus 1 is provided with a cleaning mechanism 15 for cleaning the glue belt 10. Moreover, the recording apparatus 1 is provided with a reeling mechanism 18 including a reeling shaft 17 for reeling the recording target medium P, and a cutter 16 for cutting the recording target medium P in the state of being already reeled by the reeling shaft 17.
The setting portion 2 is provided with a rotation shaft 5 which doubles as a setting position where the roll R1 of the recording target medium P, on which recording is carried out, is set, and is configured so as to be capable of unreeling the recorded recording medium P from the roll R1 in the state of being set to the rotation shaft 5 towards the transportation mechanism 3 via a driven roller 6. In addition, the rotation shaft 5 rotates in a rotation direction C when unreeling the recording target medium P towards the transportation mechanism 3.
The transportation mechanism 3 is provided with the glue belt 10 which places thereon and transports the recording target medium P having been unreeled from the setting portion 2, as well as a transportation roller 8 and a driven roller 9 which cause the glue belt 10 to move. The recording target medium P is placed on the glue belt 10 by being given a pressure so as to adhere to the recording target medium P by a pressure application roller 12. In addition, the transportation roller 8 rotates in the rotation direction C when transporting the recording target medium P.
The recording mechanism 4 includes the recording head 7, a carriage (not illustrated) on which the recording head 7 is mounted, and a carriage motor 26 (refer to Fig. 3) which causes the carriage to make a reciprocating movement in the scanning direction B. In addition, the scanning direction B is a direction perpendicular to the surface of Fig. 1.
When recording is performed, the recording is carried out by causing the recording head 7 to perform reciprocating scanning, and the transportation mechanism 3 brings the recording target medium P to a halt during a recording scanning operation (i.e., during a period when the recording head 7 is in the state of moving). In other words, when recording is performed, a reciprocating scanning operation of the recording head 7 and a transportation operation of the recording target medium P are alternately carried out. That is, when recording is performed, the transportation mechanism 3 performs intermittent transportation of the recording target medium P in conjunction with the reciprocating scanning of the recording head 7.
The cleaning mechanism 15 for cleaning the glue belt 10 includes a cleaning unit 13 constituted of a plurality of cleaning rollers each being jointed in its rotation shaft direction, and a tray 14 which functions as a cleaning mechanism for the cleaning unit 13 and contains a cleaning agent.
The reeling mechanism 18 is a mechanism for reeling the recording target medium P on which recording has been carried out and which has been transported from the transportation mechanism 3 via a driven roller 11, and is configured so as to be capable of reeling the recording target medium P as a roll R2 for the recording medium P by setting a reeling paper core or the like to the reeling shaft 17 and reeling the recording target medium P around the reeling paper core or the like.
Next, positions of a first area and a second area which are provided on the glue belt 10 and which place the recording target medium P thereon will be described.
Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic plan view of the recording apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1 of the invention. In addition, Fig. 2 illustrates a state where the recording target medium P is removed from the recording apparatus 1.
The glue belt 10 is provided, along the transportation direction A, with a first area T1 on which the recording target medium P in the state of being transported in the transportation direction A is placed, as well as second areas T2. The second areas T2 of this embodiment are formed in white color, and are each provided at a corresponding one of both outer sides of the first area T1. In addition, the length of a width direction (scanning direction B) of the glue belt 10 including the first area T1 and the second areas T2 is larger than a maximum width of the recording target medium P which is assumed to be used.
The second areas T2 of this embodiment are formed in white color, and thus, are preferably configured because the accuracy of detecting an ejection failure of ink becomes higher. Further, it is also preferable from the same reason that the second area T2 is configured to be in a complementary color relationship with a color of an ink mounted in the recording apparatus 1. In this regard, however, the invention is not limited to such configurations as described above. Further, a method for coloring the second area T2 is not limited to a particular method, and may be realized by employing an appropriate method, such as a method of forming the second area T2 by using a material of a desired color, a method of applying a desired color to the second area T2 or a method of applying a glue of a desired color to the second area T2.
The recording mechanism 4 is controlled by a controller 20 (refer to Fig. 3) so as to record a verification image, which enables verification of an ejection failure of ink, on the second areas T2 during an operation of recording a desired image onto the recording target medium P. That is, the recording medium 4 is capable of causing the recording head 7 to make a reciprocating movement within a range formed by the first area T1 and the second area T2. In addition, in the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the recording of the verification image doubles as flushing.
Further, in the recording mechanism 4, at the downstream side of the recording head 7 in the transportation direction A, optical sensors 19, each functioning as an observation portion for observing the verification image, are provided at positions each facing a corresponding one of the second areas T2.
The controller 20 determines whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, from the result of the observations performed by the optical sensors 19 (that is, the controller 20 has a function as a determination portion), and in the case where it is determined that there is an ejection failure of ink, the controller 20 performs control of the recording mechanism 4 so as to cause the recording mechanism 4 to bring the recording onto the recording target medium P to a stop.
In addition, the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes the optical sensors 19 and is configured so as to be automatically capable of determining whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, from the result of observations performed by the optical sensors 19, and bringing the recording onto the recording target medium P to a stop in the case where it is determined that there is an ejection failure of ink. In this regard, however, the invention is not limited to this configuration. That is, a configuration in which a user determines whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink on the basis of his or her visual observation is also included in the scope of the invention.
In addition, in the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the cleaning mechanism 15 is configured so as to be capable of cleaning any of the first area T1 and the second areas T2.
Next, an electrical configuration of the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment.
In the controller 20, a CPU 21 which performs control of the whole of the recording apparatus 1 is provided. The CPU 21 is electrically connected to, via a system bus 22, a ROM 23 for storing therein various control programs executed by the CPU 21, and a RAM 24 capable of temporarily storing data therein. Further, the CPU 21 is electrically connected to, via the system bus 22, a head driving portion 25 for driving the recording head 7.
Further, the CPU 21 is electrically connected to, via the system bus 22, a motor driving portion 32 for driving a carriage motor 26, a transportation motor 27, an unreeling motor 28 and a reeling motor 29.
Here, the carriage motor 26 is a motor for causing a carriage provided with the recording head 7 to move. Further, the transportation motor 27 is a motor for driving the transportation roller 8. Further, the unreeling motor 28 is a rotation mechanism for rotating the rotation shaft 5, and is a motor which drives the rotation shaft 5 in order to unreel the recording target medium P towards the transportation mechanism 3. Further, the reeling motor 29 is a driving motor for rotating the reeling shaft 17.
Further, the CPU 21 is electrically connected to, via the system bus 22, a cutter driving portion 33 which drives the cutter 16 so as to cause the cutter 16 to cut the recording target medium P.
Moreover, the CPU 21 is electrically connected to, via the system bus 22, the optical sensors 19; a monitor 34 and a control panel 35 which are provided in the recording apparatus 1; an interface 31 via which recording data and the like are inputted or the like from an external device, such as a PC; and an input and output portion 30 for transmitting and receiving data and signals.
In addition, although the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment is configured on the assumption that the second areas T2 are areas on which the recording target medium P in the state of being transported is not placed, the recording apparatus 1 is not limited to this configuration. This is because, for example, even when the recording target medium P is placed on part of the second area T2, the controller 20 is capable of performing control of the recording mechanism 4 so as to cause the recording mechanism 4 to record the verification image on each of the second areas T2 while avoiding the relevant part.
In this regard, however, a recording apparatus according to an aspect of the invention may be configured such that the second areas T2 are made areas on each of which the recording target medium P in the state of being transported is not placed, and the verification image is recorded at any position on the second areas T2. A recording apparatus configured in such a way as described above makes it possible to record the verification image on each of the second areas 2 even when such a controller that is included in the recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment is not provided (that is, even when there is no control for avoiding the portion where the recording target medium P is placed) because the recording target medium P is not placed on each of the second areas T2.

Embodiment 2 (Fig. 4)

Next, a recording apparatus according to embodiment 2 of the invention will be described.
Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view illustrating a cross-section of the glue belt 10 of the recording apparatus 1 according to embodiment 2 of the invention along the scanning direction B. In addition, constituent members common to constituent members of embodiment 1 described above are denoted by the same reference symbols as those of the constituent members of embodiment 1 described above, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.
A recording apparatus 1 of this embodiment is different from the recording apparatus 1 of embodiment 1 in that a member of a desired color (a piece of white tape 36) is provided on the glue belt 10 as each of the second areas T2. Although the member in this embodiment is the piece of white tape 36, a member other than a piece of tape may be used, and further, a member of a color in a complementary color relationship with a color of an ink mounted in the recording apparatus 1 may be provided
As shown in Fig. 4, the pieces of white tape 36 forming the second areas T2 are provided at both outer sides of the first area T1 on the glue belt 10 along the transportation direction A.

Embodiment of Recording Method (Fig. 5)

Next, a recording method according to an embodiment of the invention will be described.
Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a recording method according to an embodiment of the invention.
In addition, the recording method of this embodiment is an embodiment embodied by using the above recording apparatus 1.
When recording processing for forming a desired image on the recording target medium P is started, processes of individual steps described below are performed along with the proceeding of the recording processing.
First, in step S110, the recording mechanism 4 records a verification image on each of the second areas T2 in accordance with control performed by the controller 20.
Next, in step S120, each of the optical sensors 19 observes the verification image.
Next, in step S130, the controller 20 determines whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, from the result of the observations performed by the optical sensors 19.
In addition, the processes of steps from S110 to S130 are performed for each scanning operation in the scanning direction B performed by the recording head 7.
In the case where, in step S130, it is determined that there is an ejection failure of ink, the process flow proceeds to step S140, where the recording processing for forming a desired image on the recording target medium P is brought to a stop, and the recording processing of this embodiment is terminated.
In the case where, in step S130, it is determined that there is no ejection failure of ink, the process flow proceeds to step S150, and it is determined whether or not the recording processing for forming a desired image on the recording target medium P has been completed. Specifically, it is determined whether or not the recording processing based on recording data corresponding to the desired image and having been inputted into the controller 20 has been completed. Further, the individual processes from step S110 to step S150 are repeatedly performed until the end of the recording processing for recording a desired image on the recording target medium P as long as it is determined in step S130 that there is no ejection failure of ink.
The foregoing description has been given by way of example only and it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
For example, it is not always necessary to provide the a second area T2 on both sides of the belt 10, or if a second area T2 is provided on both sides it is not necessary to print a verification image on both sides for each scanning operation. In addition, it is not essential to print a verification image for each scanning operation, and instead verification images can be printed only for alternate or smaller numbers of scanning operations.

Claims

A recording apparatus (1) comprising:
a movable belt (10) that includes thereon a first area (T1), which is an area on which a recording target medium (P) to be transported is placed, along a direction (A) of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area (T2), which is an area on which the recording target medium is placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium;

a driving mechanism (3) for driving the movable belt;

a recording mechanism (4) that is capable of recording within a range formed by the first area and the second area; and

a controller (20) that, when conducting recording on the recording target medium, is adapted to perform control of the recording mechanism so as to cause the recording mechanism to record a verification image, which enables verification as to whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, on the second area.
A recording apparatus (1) comprising:
a movable belt (10) that includes thereon a first area (T1), which is an area on which a recording target medium (P) to be transported is placed, along a direction (A) of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area (T2), which is an area on which the recording target medium is not placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium;

a driving mechanism (3) for driving the movable belt; and

a recording mechanism (4) that is capable of recording within a range formed by the first area and the second area.
The recording apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a length of a width direction of the movable belt including the first area and the second area is larger than a maximum width of a recording target medium assumed to be used.
The recording apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a controller (20) that, when conducting recording on the recording target medium (P), is adapted to perform control of the recording mechanism so as to cause the recording mechanism to record a verification image, which enables verification as to whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, on the second area.
The recording apparatus according to any one of the proceeding claims, further comprising:
an observation portion (19) adapted to observe the verification image; and

a determination portion adapted to determine whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, from a result of an observation performed by the observation portion.
The recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, when the determination portion determines that there is an ejection failure of ink, the controller is adapted to perform control of the recording mechanism so as to cause the recording mechanism to bring the recording on the recording target medium to a stop.
The recording apparatus according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein a color of the second area is at least any one of white color and a color complementary color to the ink.
The recording apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second area is formed of a member (36) whose color is at least any one of white color and a color complementary color to the ink.
The recording apparatus according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the second area is provided at each of outer sides of the first area.
The recording apparatus according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the recording of the verification image doubles as flushing.
The recording apparatus according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the movable belt is a glue belt.
A recording method for use in a recording apparatus (1) including a movable belt(10) that includes thereon a first area (T1), which is an area on which a recording target medium (P) to be transported is placed, along a direction (A) of transporting the recording target medium, and that includes thereon a second area (T2), which is an area on which the recording target medium is placed, along the direction of transporting the recording target medium; a driving mechanism (3) that drives the movable belt; a recording mechanism (4) that is capable of recording within a range formed by the first area and the second area; and a cleaning mechanism (15) that performs cleaning of the first area and the second area on the movable belt, the recording method comprising:
(S110) recording a verification image, which enables verification as to whether or not there is any ejection failure of ink, on the second area when recording on the recording target medium is carried out.