Abstract: In a combination of a thermal transfer recording apparatus and an ink sheet cassette therefor, a take-up shaft of the ink sheet cassette has an outer diameter smaller than that of a supply shaft. A new ink sheet wound about the supply shaft to a location close to an inner wall surface of a supply shaft housing section of a cassette case is changed to a used ink sheet wrinkled due to heating by a thermal head. The used ink sheet having an increased thickness due to the wrinkles is taken up in the form of a roll about the take-up shaft. The roll of the used ink sheet entirely wound about the take-up shaft has such an outer diameter as to be out of contact with an inner wall surface of a take-up shaft housing section to thereby prevent contact of the take-up shaft with an inner wall surface of the cassette case due to an increase in the diameter of the roll of the used ink sheet wound about the take-up shaft.

Abstract: A thermal ink-transfer printer is disclosed in which an ink donor sheet is wound on a supply reel. The ink donor sheet is drawn out from the supply reel and passes between a rotating drum and a thermal head and is then rolled round a winding reel. Printing paper is moved in a printing-paper transporting path formed between the rotating drum and guide means. The thermal head presses the ink donor sheet against the printing paper and heats the ink donor sheet to transfer the ink on the ink donor sheet to the printing paper. The ink donor sheet after completing the ink transfer is separated from the printing paper and rolled round the winding reel. The printing paper separated from the ink donor sheet is moved in the printing-paper transporting path. When the ink donor sheet during separation from the printing paper is erroneously drawn into a predetermined portion of the printing-paper transporting path, this erroneous operation of the ink donor sheet is detected by jam detecting means.