Abstract: A melting type thermal transfer recording system capable of providing multi-gradation images of high resolution and high image quality comparable to those of ink jet recording system or sublimation type thermal transfer recording system is disclosed which comprising: a donor film comprising a thin film and a thermal melting type ink layer provided on the thin film, the thermal melting type ink layer having a thickness in a range of 0.5 to 2.5 .mu.m, a surface porous type recording medium comprising a base material and a porous ink receiving layer having numerous minute pores provided on the base material, the ratio of the first total area of aperture portions that are occupied by all the pores to the whole surface area of the porous ink receiving layer being in a range of 10 to 60%, and the ratio of the second total area of aperture portions that are occupied by pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 to 20 .mu.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a porous film having desired average pore diameter and pore density in a multi-printing-adaptive thermal transfer recording medium having a foundation, a heat-meltable ink layer formed on one side of the foundation and the porous film provided in the heat-meltable ink layer at a location proximate to a surface thereof, which method comprises the steps of: coating the heat-meltable ink layer with a W/O emulsion containing as an essential ingredient thereof at least one resin selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, ethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose and ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose; and drying the resultant coating to form a porous film.

Abstract: A thermal transfer material is disclosed which is useful in a method for forming a color image comprising selectively melt-transferring at least one of a yellow heat-meltable ink layer, a magenta heat-meltable ink layer and a cyan heat-meltable ink layer onto a receptor having a multiplicity of micropores in the surface layer thereof to enter each ink in a molten state into the micropores, thereby forming a color image comprising at least one of (A) at least one color region of single color of yellow, magenta and cyan, and (B) at least one color region developed on the basis of subtractive color mixture of at least two of yellow, magenta and cyan. The thermal transfer material comprises at least one of a yellow heat-meltable ink layer, a magenta heat-meltable ink layer and a cyan heat-meltable ink layer provided on a foundation or foundations, each ink layer having a melt viscosity of 20 to 200 cps/90.degree. C. and a coating amount of 0.5 to 2.5 g/m.sup.2, the foundation having a thickness of 1.0 to 4.5 .mu.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printing method including the steps of: forming first an image on an intermediate transfer drum by heating a meltable-type thermal transfer ink sheet with a thermal head; and transferring the image formed on the intermediate transfer drum onto an image receptor, wherein the meltable-type thermal transfer ink sheet and the image receptor are fed at a velocity V.sub.1 and a velocity V.sub.3, respectively and the intermediate transfer drum rotates at a peripheral velocity V.sub.3, the velocities V.sub.1, V.sub.2 and V.sub.3 satisfying the equations (1), (2) and (3): (1) N.sub.1 =V.sub.2 /V.sub.1 =1 to 10, (2) N.sub.2 =V.sub.3 /V.sub.2 =1 to 10, and (3) N.sub.3 =V.sub.3 /V.sub.1 .gtoreq.2. With such a method, the amount of ink sheet to be consumed can be substantially reduced, and the printing velocity can be increased, while at the same time a printing device for use in this method can be scaled down.

Abstract: An ink ribbon for thermal transfer printer comprising a foundation and a thermal transfer layer, said thermal transfer layer comprising a colored layer containing a wax-like substance as a main component of the vehicle thereof, and a thermoplastic adhesive layer having a film-forming property provided on the surface of the colored layer, said thermoplastic adhesive layer having a melt viscosity of 1.times.10.sup.4 to 5.times.10.sup.6 cP at a temperature by 40.degree. C. higher than the softening temperature of the adhesive layer, a softening temperature of 45.degree. to 90.degree. C., a solidifying temperature of 25.degree. to 65.degree. C. and a temperature difference of at least 10.degree. C. between said softening temperature and said solidifying temperature. The thermal transfer ink ribbon provides clear images not only on a smooth paper but also on a rough paper even in a high-speed printing or even on printers with different peeling conditions.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive melt-transfer recording medium comprising a support (1) and a heat-sensitive melt-transfer ink layer (2) provided on one side thereof is disclosed. The above-mentioned heat-sensitive melt-transfer ink layer (2) comprises a colored ink layer (3) and a layer (4) which is formed on the surface of the colored ink layer (3) and which comprises a wax in the form of microcrystals as a main component, for preventing a smudge of a receiving medium is transfer recording and for obtaining a good print with a small printing energy. This recording medium is used for a heat-sensitive melt-transfer recording system using a thermal head.