Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing unit configured to print an image on a print medium, an acquiring unit configured to acquire temperature information of the printing unit, and a control unit configured to control the printing unit so as to start relative scanning in a case where a temperature that is indicated by the temperature information has reached a print permission temperature. The print permission temperature in a first print mode whose speed at a time of a constant speed in relative scanning is a first speed is a first temperature. The print permission temperature in a second print mode whose speed at the time of the constant speed is a second speed that is faster than the first speed is a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a printing unit configured to print an image on a print medium, an acquiring unit configured to acquire temperature information of the printing unit, and a control unit configured to control the printing unit so as to start relative scanning in a case where a temperature that is indicated by the temperature information has reached a print permission temperature. The print permission temperature in a first print mode whose speed at a time of a constant speed in relative scanning is a first speed is a first temperature. The print permission temperature in a second print mode whose speed at the time of the constant speed is a second speed that is faster than the first speed is a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature.

Abstract: According to one or more embodiments, a motor driving device includes a first substrate, a motor drive circuit, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, and a controller. The first substrate is connected to a motor via a first wiring. The motor drive circuit is provided on the first substrate. The first temperature sensor is provided on the first substrate and detects a first temperature of the motor drive circuit. The second temperature sensor detects a second temperature of an ambient environment where the motor is being used. The controller controls the motor drive circuit based on the first temperature from the first temperature sensor and the second temperature from the second temperature sensor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is adapted for controlling energization of a heating element that performs printing. The semiconductor device includes: a strobe signal input unit receiving a printing strobe signal that causes the heating element to generate heat for printing; a preheating strobe generation circuit generating a preheating strobe signal that causes the heating element to preheat by compressing a waveform of the printing strobe signal in a time axis direction; and an output controller outputting a control signal that controls energization of the heating element based on the printing strobe signal and the preheating strobe signal.

Abstract: Provided is a medium processing apparatus, comprising: transport unit configured to transport a medium, a drying device configured to heat the medium, a temperature sensor configured to detect a surface temperature of the medium in a heated area, the heated area being heated by the drying device, and a control unit configured to control the drying device based on the surface temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The control unit start a warm-up operation controlling the heating unit to increase the surface temperature of the medium to a predefined temperature range, and controls transport of the medium during the warm-up operation so that the medium is within a predefined range where the medium is located in a detection area of the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a thermal head and a processor. The thermal head has heat-generating elements and prints on a plurality of lines in a medium in setting periods. The processor sets a second period within each setting period. The second period is a time period for adjusting a temperature change of the heat-generating elements without printing, after a first period for printing. The processor determines a nth line (n: an integer of 1 or greater) among the lines based on printing data for printing the image. The nth line is a line estimated to have a possibility of sticking on the medium by the thermal head. The processor adjusts a temperature change of at least a part of the heat-generating elements in the second periods corresponding to at least the nth line and a (n+1)th line, to suppress the sticking.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for printing a substrate (7) in a printing machine, in which ink is transferred from a flexible carrier (3) to the substrate (7) in accordance with a predefined pattern by energy being introduced into the ink through the flexible carrier (3) by a device for the introduction of energy, some of the ink evaporating in the area of action of the energy and, as a result, a drop of ink (67) being thrown onto the substrate (7) to be printed, this step being repeated at least once, ink being transferred at least partly to the substrate (7) at the same positions in order to intensify the pattern produced. The substrate is transported through the printing machine (1) during the printing and, after the transfer of ink in step (a), the device for the introduction of energy is controlled in such a way that, during the repetition in step (b), the ink is transferred at the same position again as in step (a). The invention further relates to a printing machine for implementing the method.

Abstract: In a printing control apparatus, there are arranged one pulse application period of which from-start-to-end is series of sub-pulse application time, main-pulse application time and non-heating time and other pulse application periods which follow the one pulse application period and of which from-start-to-end is repeated series of main-pulse application times and non-heating times. As temperature is higher, proportion of applied-for-sub-pulse energy amount to total energy amount in one pulse application period is made larger. As temperature is higher, proportion of applied-for-main-pulse energy amount to total energy amount in other pulse application periods that follow one pulse application period is made smaller.

Abstract: A printing apparatus including a printhead for transferring ink from a ribbon to a substrate to be printed, a print roller for guiding the substrate to be printed, a peel-off roller for separating the ribbon from the substrate, downstream of the printhead, wherein a peel-off angle is subtended between a portion of ribbon which, when the printing apparatus is in use, extends between the printhead and the peel-off roller and a tangent to the print roller at a contact point on the circumference of the print roller, and a printhead angle is subtended between a part of the printhead which transfers ink from the ribbon to the substrate and a radius of the print roller at the contact point, and wherein the printhead angle is adjustable in accordance with the speed of the ribbon relative to the printing apparatus.

Abstract: Devices and methods for thermally printing on a thermal image member are disclosed using a thermal print head and a nonrotating platen. The nonrotating platen is adapted to bias the thermal imaging member against the print head. The nonrotating platen includes an elastic member and a mounting means for securing at least one end of the elastic member with respect to the print head. A portion of the thermal imaging member is placed in a printing nip formed between a thermal print head and the nonrotating platen. The print head exerts a torque on the elastic member when the elastic member biases the imaging member against the print head. The thermal imaging member is translated along a transport direction through the printing nip, such that at least one surface of the imaging member slides across the nonrotating platen. The print head forms an image upon the translated thermal imaging member.

Abstract: Apparatus for thermal transfer printing of an image from a thermal retransfer sheet onto an article, includes heating means (40, 42, 44, 46) adapted to supply heated gas at a variable flow rate. Also disclosed is a method of printing an image, and the resulting printed article.

Abstract: Various embodiments relating to preconditioning of a print device are disclosed.

Abstract: A multicolor direct thermal imaging method wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member comprising at least first and second different image-forming compositions and a thermal printer for use in practicing the method. Heat is applied to at least the second image-forming composition while the first image-forming composition is at a first baseline temperature (T1) to form an image in at least the second image-forming composition, and heat is applied to at least the first image-forming composition while it is at a second baseline temperature (T2) to form an image in at least the first image-forming composition, wherein T1 is different from T2.

Abstract: A printing apparatus includes a detection signal receiving device that receives a detection signal from a computer; where a printable condition determining device subsequently determines whether a predetermined printable condition is satisfied; where a power-ON device subsequently turns-ON the main power supply of the printing apparatus; and where a control device subsequently executes print preparation processing; wherein when the power-ON device turns-ON the main power supply of the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus is in sleep mode or energy saving mode in which electric power is supplied only to the control device and the detection signal receiving device; and the printing apparatus includes a power supply portion equipped with a battery, and when a power supply is started, first, the printing apparatus turns into sleep mode or energy saving mode in which electric power is supplied only to the control device and the detection signal receiving device.

Abstract: A print media preheating system and method of preheating print media that includes an upper heating plate that is arranged to heat a pre-printed side of the print media with a pressure of the upper heating plate on the print media being relieved by lifting the upper heating plate away from the print media so as to reduce smudging of ink printed on the pre-printed side of the print media.

Abstract: Apparatus for thermal transfer printing of an image from a thermal retransfer sheet onto an article, includes heating means (40, 42, 44, 46) adapted to supply heated gas at a variable flow rate. Also disclosed is a method of printing an image, and the resulting printed article.

Abstract: A multicolor direct thermal imaging method wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member comprising at least first and second different image-forming compositions and a thermal printer for use in practicing the method. Heat is applied to at least the second image-forming composition while the first image-forming composition is at a first baseline temperature (T1) to form an image in at least the second image-forming composition, and heat is applied to at least the first image-forming composition while it is at a second baseline temperature (T2) to form an image in at least the first image-forming composition, wherein T1 is different from T2.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes: a media sensor that detects a type of a recording paper; a development unit configured to develop an image on the recording paper; a pair of rollers that fixes the image on the recording paper by nipping the recording paper bearing the image developed in the development unit and forcing the recording paper to pass by; a main heater that heats the pair of rollers by passing a current therethrough when the recording paper passes by; and an auxiliary heater that selectively heats at least one of the pair of rollers by passing a current therethrough when the recording paper passes by the pair of rollers in a case where the media sensor detects that the weight per unit of the recording paper or the thickness of the recording paper is equal to or greater than a specific value.

Abstract: This image generating apparatus comprises a control portion printing a print image by predicting an ambient temperature in an apparatus body substantially reaching a constant level after continuously printing the same print image from the data quantity of the print image and adding a heat quantity corresponding to the difference between the predicted ambient temperature in the apparatus body and a printing-time ambient temperature in the apparatus body detected by a second temperature sensor to a heat quantity of a thermal head decided in response to a printing-time temperature of the thermal head detected by a first temperature sensor.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for improving the printing with a thermotransfer print head, an energy value is calculated before the printing process according to different types to be implemented when a dot is to be printed. Energy values also are calculated for the heating elements at the ends of the row of heating elements of the high-resolution thermotransfer print head, so as to activate these heating elements even though in heating phases no dot to be printed at the border external to the barcode image. Additionally, those heating elements that do not lie in the two border regions of the heating element row are also activated for a limited time duration, the aforementioned time duration directly preceding the printing of a barcode image. A microprocessor calculates the energy values and is connected with a pixel energy memory for non-volatile buffering of the data that are transferred into a print data controller and are converted into a print pulse duration.

Abstract: A thermal printer includes a control part; a thermal head that is heated upon a heating instruction from the control part and stops heating upon a heating-ending instruction from the control part; a temperature detector that detects a temperature of the thermal head upon a temperature detection instruction from the control part; and a feed motor that is driven upon a conveyance instruction from the control part and stops the conveyance upon a conveyance-ending instruction from the control part. The control part issues, prior to printing, the heating instruction and the conveyance instruction such that the heating of the thermal head and the conveyance of the paper are performed in parallel. The control part issues the temperature detection instruction as an interrupt every predetermined period of time after the heating instruction is issued, and issues the heating-ending instruction when the temperature of the thermal head reaches a predetermined preheat-ending temperature.

Abstract: A multicolor direct thermal imaging method wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member comprising at least first and second different image-forming compositions and a thermal printer for use in practicing the method. Heat is applied to at least the second image-forming composition while the first image-forming composition is at a first baseline temperature (T1) to form an image in at least the second image-forming composition, and heat is applied to at least the first image-forming composition while it is at a second baseline temperature (T2) to form an image in at least the first image-forming composition, wherein T1 is different from T2.

Abstract: A thermal printer performs printing on a paper based on printing density data input. The thermal printer includes a thermal head having at least one heating element; a temperature detector which detects a temperature of the thermal head; and a control part which is connected to the thermal head and the temperature detector, receives the printing density data, and controls an amount of energy to be supplied to the heating element based on the printing density data. The control part stores therein a printing density-energy supply amount table which sets forth an amount of energy to be supplied to the heating element to perform printing with certain printing densities at certain head temperatures. The printing density-energy supply amount table sets forth that the amount of energy to be supplied is greater than zero at the printing density of zero if the head temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for controlling printing in a thermal printer which includes measuring a temperature of a thermal printhead (TPH), heating the TPH by applying a TPH driving strobe pulse when the temperature of the TPH is lower than a first set temperature, and printing on a thermal reactive paper when the temperature of the TPH is equal to or greater than the first set temperature.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image recording apparatus provided with a transporting unit transporting an image recording material whose shape has at a least one side in a predetermined transporting direction; an image recording position detecting unit detecting a position of the at least one side along the predetermined transporting direction, an image recording position correcting unit correcting the image recording position for the image recording material based on result of detection of the at least one side by said image recording position detecting unit; and an image forming unit forming a predesired image on the image recording material at the corrected image recording position.

Abstract: An arrangement for activation of a thermotransfer print head has a unit to determine a transport delay and a unit to generate supplementary heating pulses to maintain a temperature required for printing at the thermo-printing heating elements. The unit to determine a transport delay is connected with the thermotransfer print head via the unit to generate supplementary heating pulses. A method for activation of a thermotransfer print head includes the steps of determining a transport delay and generating supplementary heating pulses for maintenance of a temperature necessary for printing at the thermo-printing heating elements for which a printing requirement is present.

Abstract: A method for ribbon color thermal printing and encoding cards, particularly pre-paid, smart cards, chip cards, and the like is disclosed. The method includes the steps of detecting the printing ribbon color, controlling the thermal printing energy feed and driving the printing, encoding and detection, in which the encoding is carried out at a location upstream of the thermal printing. The color detection is carried out at a location between the encoding and/or thermal printing, and at the same time as the printing.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a metal substrate; an insulating layer formed on the surface of the metal substrate; a plurality of heating elements disposed on the surface of the insulating layer, the heating elements being arranged with a predetermined pitch along a plurality of lines in a main scanning direction, the plurality of lines being spaced apart from each other in a paper-feeding direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; and a heat radiating element projecting from the surface of the metal substrate to the side where the insulating layer is disposed. Although most of the heat generated by the respective heating elements is transferred to an ink ribbon or print paper, residual partial heat is absorbed by heat radiating means via the insulating layer and radiated into the atmosphere, which suppresses thermal interference among the heating elements.

Abstract: A thermal head is provided with a plurality of heater elements which are arranged in a main scanning direction. The heater elements are selectively energized according to black and white information for the pixels to be formed by the respective heater elements. Each heater element corresponding to a pixel the black and white information for which is white is heated to an auxiliary temperature according to the black and white information for pixels adjacent to the pixel in the main scanning direction.

Abstract: A drive device used for an ink droplet ejecting apparatus prevents an occurrence of a satellite ink droplet and improves printing quality. When ejection of an ink droplet is performed with two pulses and an ambient temperature surrounding a head is between low and medium, a pulse output period between first and second ejection pulses is set to be 5AL (AL=a cycle of a pressure wave in a pressure chamber/2). When ejection of an ink droplet is performed with three pulses and the ambient temperature surrounding the head is between low and medium, the pulse output period between first and second ejection pulses and between second and third pulses is both set to be 5AL.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive stencil master making apparatus for making a stencil master by imagewise perforating thermoplastic film of heat-sensitive stencil master material according to an image on an original includes a thermal head which has an array of a plurality of heater elements and is brought into thermal contact with the thermoplastic film. Heater elements selected from the array of the heater elements according to the image on the original are applied with an electric voltage so that perforations are formed in the parts of the thermoplastic film of the heat-sensitive stencil master material in contact with the selected heater elements.

Abstract: A thermal head includes a metal substrate; an insulating layer formed on the surface of the metal substrate; a plurality of heating elements disposed on the surface of the insulating layer, the heating elements being arranged with a predetermined pitch along a plurality of lines in a main scanning direction, the plurality of lines being spaced from each other in a paper feeding direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction; and a heat radiating element projecting from the surface of the metal substrate to the side where the insulating layer is disposed. In this structure, although most of heat generated by the respective heating elements is transferred to an ink ribbon or print paper, residual partial heat is absorbed by heat radiating means via the insulating layer and radiated into the atmosphere. This suppresses thermal interference among the heating elements. A thermal head controller is provided for controlling the thermal head for use in a printer.

Abstract: A thermally sensitive printing apparatus and method checks the temperature of a recording device after rolling back a recording medium to a ready position. If the temperature is below a first predetermined value, a warm-up operation is performed allowing the recording medium to be fed through the apparatus at normal operating speed. If the temperature is below a second predetermined value, the recording medium is either fed through the apparatus at a reduced speed or more energy is sent to the recording device while feeding recording medium at the normal operating speed.

Abstract: A reversible thermal recording method using a color/non-color type reversible thermosensitive recording material which has a recording layer formed overlying at least one side of a substrate and including an electron donating coloring agent and an electron accepting color developer and which reversibly forms a colored state and a non-colored state by being appropriately heated and cooled. The recording layer having images of the colored state which have been formed in the recording layer is heated to erase the image, and imagewise heated either at substantially the same time as, or after, the image erasing operation to record new images therein, and then relatively rapidly cooled to maintain the new images. A reversible thermal recording apparatus therefor is also provided.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus for performing recording of data on a recording medium by transferring ink of an ink sheet on said recording medium comprises conveying means for conveying said ink sheet and recording medium, recording means for effecting said ink sheet to record image data on said recording medium, and control means for counting time after image recording by said recording means and driving said recording means when the next image recording is not performed in a predetermined time period.

Abstract: In an inventive method of driving a thermal head including heating resistors corresponding to a line of dots, the heating resistors are grouped into blocks consisting of the same number of heating resistors. After producing main printing data for one line of printing, such blocks where the ratio of the number of heating resistors in which the printing data is inputted to the number of all the heating resistors in each block is smaller than a preset ratio, are detected as target blocks. Then, auxiliary printing data for preheating such heating resistors in each target block to which the main printing data is inputted, is produced. When the total number of the heating resistors in all the blocks to which the main printing data is inputted is larger than a preset number, the auxiliary strobe signal is inputted to the heating resistors to preheat the heating resistors in the target blocks. By this preheating, the shortage of energy due to voltage drop of a power source will be compensated.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a thermal printing head, particularly in use for perforating stencil sheets, is provided, which does not require a special stencil sheet nor damage the thermal printing head, but makes it possible to remove deposits as required. The method is a method for cleaning a thermal printing head having a plurality of heating elements arranged transversely to a direction in which an article to be recorded is conveyed, which comprises heating and softening deposits appearing in the vicinity of said heating elements, and conveying a sheet in the above direction while said sheet is kept in contact with said heating elements so that said softened deposits are moved downwardly in the above direction. Said sheet may be a stencil sheet, and preferably the heating elements are all turned on to heat and soften deposits, so as to make perforations for solid printing in said stencil sheet.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording sheet is conveyed relative to a thermal head. To effect thermal recording, the thermal head applies heat energy to the recording sheet. The recording sheet is preheated with preheating energy shortly before recording of the recording sheet with the thermal head. The preheating energy is lower than enough to color the recording sheet, but heightens temperature of the recording sheet upon movement of the recording sheet to the thermal head. The heat energy to be applied by the thermal head is reduced according to the preheating energy.

Abstract: In a thermal head control method for thermally making a stencil master plate from a thermal stencil master plate sheet in the manner of a dot matrix for each line and forming an independent hole for each dot, a physical quantity representing the temperature of the thermal head, such as a time interval Ti for the plate making action by the thermal head for each line and a temperature actually measured from the thermal head, is measured before the plate making action of the next line. The measured temperature is compared with a prescribed value, and if the temperature is lower than the prescribed value, the thermal head is driven (pre-heated) at a power level which is lower than the rated power output and would not affect the thermal stencil master plate sheet. The effective heat emitting property of the thermal head is made uniform without regards to other factors, and a satisfactory perforation is carried out on a thermal stencil master plate sheet at all times.

Abstract: A thermal head has a heating element array with a plurality of heating elements disposed in line and a head driver. The head driver drives the heating elements at the same time in accordance with each set of heating data of 8 bits to record dots of one line on a recording sheet. In printing dots by using heating data of 9 bits, a heating data divider circuit divides the 9-bit heating data into two series of 8-bit converted heating data. By using these two series of the 8-bit converted heating data, two heating sequences are continuously executed. Each heating element is heated by the two heating sequences as many times as that corresponding to the heating data.

Abstract: In a liquid discharging recording head having recording liquid discharging heaters for generating an energy for discharging the recording liquid and a plurality of compensating heaters for heating recording liquid, both of which are disposed on the same substrate, the plurality of compensating heaters are selectively energized in response to an output from a thermistor for sensing a temperature of the recording liquid, the energization of the compensating heaters is interrupted when a temperature of the substrate exceeds a predetermined temperature, thereby attaining temperature compensation of the recording head.

Abstract: A thermal demand printer for printing on media is a novel system which includes a case structure including a hinged cover panel, easily removable guide structures and media hanger, and a single central support wall to which the various components are attached. The printer includes a power supply circuit for receiving power from an external source and conditioning it for operation of the printer. An input device is provided for receiving command signals related to the operation of the printer. A control circuit for processing the command signals and generating corresponding control signals for controlling the operation of the printer and a printhead assembly for processing the control signals and generating corresponding control signals for controlling the operation of the printer are mounted in the case structure and coupled to the input device and the power supply circuit. The printhead assembly includes a printhead support structure which controls the printhead.

Abstract: A print head of this invention has a plurality of heater boards, and each heater board has a plurality of heating resistors, driver circuits corresponding to the heating resistors, one shiftregister for inputting serial data, a data latch circuit for latching print data input from the shift register, a pre-heat data latch circuit for latching selection data of selecting one or several of pre-heat signals input from the shift register, and a pre-heat selection circuit for selecting one or a plurality of pre-heat signals in accordance with the selection data latched in the pre-heat data latch circuit. In a print operation, one or several of the plurality of input pre-heat signals are selected to pre-heat the heating resistors, and when a main heat signal is input thereafter, the heating resistors are driven in accordance with the print data latched by the data latch circuit, thus performing the print operation.

Abstract: Thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording image on the recording medium by transferring ink of the ink sheet on the recording medium characterized by being provided with the ink sheet conveying means, the recording medium conveying means, recording means to record the image on the recording medium by being driven in accordance with the image data and working on the ink sheet and control means to drive the recording means with the energy smaller than that used at the time of ordinary recording utilizing the inverted data of the image data used in the preceding recording, the apparatus providing such advantage as the improvement of image quality, saving of consumption of ink sheet and saving of running cost, etc.

Abstract: The heater chip (1) of an ink jet printer (10) has two substrate-heater resistors (3a and 3b) powered by the same power supply (24) as are the nozzle heaters (5) on the chip. Printhead (12) carries chip (1) and moves across paper (16) alternately left-to-right followed by right-to-left. Operation is during the margin periods when the nozzle heaters are not in operation. The power supply is thereby efficiently utilized.

Abstract: A method for making an image by means of a direct thermal imaging element, comprising on a support a thermosensitive layer incorporating an organic silver salt and a reducing agent contained in said thermosensitive layer and/or in other optional layers. The imaging element is imagewise heated by means of a thermal head having energizable heating elements. The activation of the heating elements is executed duty cycled pulsewise with the steps of preheating each heating element for a preheating time such that a preheat temperature in the imaging element is reached, which is just below the conversion temperature; selecting a pulse duty cycle such that a maximal density on the imaging element will be reached at the end of the maximal writing time; retrieving from a memory for each individual pixel an individual writing time related to a desired density on the imaging element; and energizing the heating elements with the selected pulse duty cycle for a time related to the retrieved individual writing time.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for recording on a recording medium includes plural heat generation-activated recording elements, and a discrimination circuit for discriminating the waiting time between the termination of a first recording operation and beginning of a second recording operation. Control circuitry is provided for varying, in accordance with the waiting time, the number of auxiliary heat generation operations for the recording elements in order to heat the elements to a temperature which is lower than a recording temperature and insufficient to perform recording.

Abstract: In a driving method of a thermal printer, in which method heating elements are driven by strobe pulses consisting of preheat pulses and subsequent drive pulses that depend on a gradation level, the preheat pulse width and the frequency of basic clock pulses that are used to generate the strobe pulses are switched linearly with the temperature of a thermal head unit. In particular, based on data of preheat pulse widths and basic clock pulse frequencies for respective experimental head temperatures, preheat pulse widths and basic clock pulse frequencies for the other temperatures are calculated.

Abstract: A direct color thermal printing method supplements coloring density in a print start area for each color frame of a full-color image to be printed in a three color sequential fashion. A color thermosensitive recording sheet has cyan, magenta and yellow thermosensitive coloring layers formed on a base in this order. The heat sensitivities of the coloring layers become the lower the nearer to the base. Since the coloring density tends to be insufficient in the beginning of printing due to the temperature of the thermal head, supplementary drive pulses for supplementing coloring density is applied to each heating elements in addition to drive pulses for coloring. The supplementary heat energy is predetermined to be lower, the higher the line number from a print start position of the print area, and the higher the heat sensitivities of the thermosensitive coloring layers.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus for image recording on a recording medium by transferring the ink of an ink sheet onto said recording medium, comprises ink sheet transport means for transporting said ink sheet, recording medium transport means for transporting said recording medium, recording means for effecting said ink sheet thereby recording an image on said recording medium, timer means for measuring time after image recording by said recording means, heat generation means for driving said recording means to effect heat generation with same data as in the preceding image recording prior to a next recording operation when a predetermined time is measured by said timer means, and control means adapted, when a time exceeding said predetermined time is measured by said timer means, to control the energy for driving said recording means prior to the next recording operation according to the time measured by said timer means.