Abstract: In a thermal transfer recording apparatus, a recording medium of a continuous web form and an ink sheet are transported with respect to each other. During image recording, the amounts by which the recording medium and ink sheet are transported satisfy a first relationship. After image recording, the recording medium is transported for cutting, and the recording medium and ink sheet are each transported by predetermined amounts which satisfy another relationship different from the first.

Abstract: An ink transfer medium for toner is disclosed, comprising the following layers, in this order: a heat-generating resistive layer heated by input of electrical signal, a conductive layer, and an ink release layer having a toner layer on it, an adhesion from 0.2 g/mm to 40 g/mm as measured by the 90.degree. peeling off method and consisting of a viscoelastomer having a critical surface tension of 35 dyne/cm or less. It can be re-inked by attaching toner to the portions of the ink transfer medium from which the ink has been removed, using toner held in a toner holding means.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal-transfer recording process employing a transfer material and a image-receiving sheet. The transfer material comprises a support film and an image forming layer containing a coloring material and an organic polymer, and the image-receiving sheet comprises a substrate and a photopolymerizable or photosensitive thermal-adhesive layer.

Abstract: In order to permit a printing form to be produced by laser-induced thermotransfer in a simple manner that can be integrated into the printing machine, without the gases which arise during laser imaging detectably disturbing the transfer of material from the transfer foil, i.e., the image quality, a strip-type transfer foil with a strip width that is small relative to the printing form width is used. During imaging, this transfer foil is conveyed continually between the printing form and the laser beam, close to the printing form surface, and is thereby moved simultaneously and synchronously with the movement of the laser beam across the printing form width.

Abstract: An ink sheet (3) is wound around rollers (6), and a recording sheet (4) is placed with a space (d) between the ink sheet (3) and the recording sheet (4) and is advanced. The thickness of the space (d) is a value in the range of 1 to 100 .mu.m. The ink sheet (3) is irradiated with a laser beam (L) emitted by a laser (5) to transfer the dye contained in a dye layer formed on the ink sheet (3) from the ink sheet (3) to the recording sheet (4) for printing. The dye layer of the ink sheet (3) is replenished with the dye (30, 30A) heated and fused by a heater (9) by a dye supply unit (7) at a position other than a position where the ink sheet (3) is irradiated with the laser beam (L). Since the ink sheet and the recording sheet are held with the space (d) having a thickness in the range of 1 to 100 .mu.m, the dye once transferred to the recording sheet is not transferred from the recording sheet to the ink sheet, so that a clear picture having a comparatively high density can be printed.

Abstract: In a thermal transfer recording apparatus, an image is recorded on a recording medium by transferring ink of an ink sheet. The ink sheet is wound onto a wind-up roll from a feed roll against an applied load. During the recording process the ink sheet and recording medium are conveyed in opposite directions. After recording of one page is completed, the recording medium is advanced, cut, and then retracted. During retraction of the recording medium, the ink sheet is conveyed by friction with the recording medium in a direction opposed to the load.

Abstract: In a thermal transfer recording apparatus, an ink sheet and a recording medium are conveyed relative to each other, and an image is recorded by transferring ink from the ink sheet onto the recording medium. The apparatus includes a detector which detects whether the recording is continuous or intermittent, and a controller which changes the amount by which the ink sheet is conveyed in accordance with the detected result.

Abstract: Thermal transfer printing ribbon for printing security bar code symbols wherein the thermal transfer printing ribbon has been overprinted or overcoated in specific predetermined locations with a coating which has magnetic recognition characteristics. The difference in printed bar code symbols is invisible to the human eye and bar-code scanning equipment, but can be readily detected using a device capable of recognizing a magnetic signal.

Abstract: Method and associated apparatus for positioning a thermal donor media, having a plurality of transfer panels, each having a transfer area that is greater than the total area of a number of receiving media, such that a single transfer panel can provide an area of donor exclusively to each of the number of receiving media. The dimensions of unused areas of the thermal donor media are matched with the dimensions of the next to-be-printed image to enable a transfer printing to take place at an area that has dimensions that are equal to or greater than that required for the printed image. When an available area is identified the thermal donor media is moved into alignment and the transfer takes place. In one embodiment of the invention the thermal donor media is in the form of a ribbon that is wound between driven spools to bring unused areas into vertical printing alignment with the receiving media and the receiving media is displaced transverse to the ribbon to provide a horizontal alignment.

Abstract: A thermal recording device suitable for use in an electronic typewriter for printing characters on a printing paper by means of an ink sheet. The device has a thermal recording head adapted to be pressed onto the printing paper through the ink sheet so as to print the characters on the printing paper. The ink sheet is adapted to be fed by a reversible winding device. The recording device further has a first detector for detecting the length of the ink sheet fed by the feeding device in a period between a moment at which the feeding is commenced and a moment at which the thermal recording head reaches the first image recording position, and a second detector for detecting the length of the ink sheet fed by the feeding device in a period between a moment at which the thermal recording head leaves the final image recording position and a moment at which the thermal recording head is stopped.

Abstract: In a recording apparatus, an ink sheet and recording medium are conveyed, the ink sheet is activated to perform image recording on the recording medium, the conveying state of the ink sheet is detected, and the conveying amount of the ink sheet is adjusted in accordance with the detected information regarding the conveying state of the ink sheet. This adjustment prevents the adhesion of the recording medium and ink sheet, thereby eliminating image omissions and density irregularities in the recording. Preventing adhesion of the recording medium and ink sheet results in improved image recording quality, and also helps to reduce trouble resulting from the ink sheet or recording medium being cut off.

Abstract: A fusion-type thermal transfer printing system using an ink ribbon having a thin film and a heat fusible ink applied on the thin film at an ink application rate of 2.5 g/m.sup.2 or less and a porous-surface recording medium having a substrate and a porous-surface layer formed on the substrate, diameters of pores in the porous-surface layer being from 1 to 10 .mu.m. The printing system has a thermal head provided with a plurality of heating resistors formed in a line at regular intervals of 8 dot/mm or less, temperature gradient of each of the heated heating resistors being such that temperature is the highest at a middle portion thereof and changes decreasingly toward ends thereof and a gradation control circuit for controlling ink fusion areas heated by the heating resistors by controlling intensity of current passed through the thermal head.

Abstract: A process for image forming by heat transfer method is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of (1) transferring an ink image from an ink layer of an ink sheet, which comprises a support and an ink layer provided on the support, to a surface of an intermediate image receiving layer of an intermediate image receiving sheet, which comprises a support and an image receiving layer provided on the support, by imagewise heating the ink layer, and (2) re-transferring the ink image transferred on the intermediate image receiving layer to a secondary image receiving sheet,In the above process, the ink layer comprises a coloring material and a homopolymer or a copolymer comprising a repeating unit derived from a monomer represented by the following Formula 1 or a phthalic polyester formed by polymerization of phthalic acid and a polyol; ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms; R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus for transferring an ink contained in an ink sheet onto a recording medium to record an image on the recording medium, includes a take-up roller for taking up the ink sheet, a driving unit for driving the take-up roller to take up the ink sheet, and a control unit for controlling a drive amount of the driving unit to maintain an almost constant conveyance ratio of the ink sheet to the recording medium in correspondence with a change in take-up amount by the take-up roller.

Abstract: In a thermal transfer recording apparatus, an image is recorded on a recording medium by transferring ink of an ink sheet. The ink sheet is wound onto a wind-up roll from a feed roll against an applied load. During the recording process the ink sheet and recording medium are conveyed in opposite directions. After recording of one page is completed, the recording medium is advanced, cut, and then retracted. During advancement of the recording medium to the cutter, the ink sheet is wound onto the wind-up roll at a speed such that the ratio of conveyance speeds of the ink sheet and recording medium is greater than during recording. During retraction of the recording medium, the ink sheet is conveyed by friction with the recording medium in a direction opposed to the load.

Abstract: A color video printer for producing a full-colored image on a dye-absorbing receiver sheet by thermally transferring three different colored dyes of Y, M and C applied to a ribbon in response to video signals.

Abstract: The heat transfer ribbon can be held by a heat transfer ribbon feed roller and a heat transfer ribbon pinch roller and can be fed in the direction opposite to the normal feeding direction for printing and also effectively used even if there appears a large blank space between the printed portions on the paper by returning it by the length corresponding to such a blank space. Furthermore, since the heat transfer ribbon feed roller or the heat transfer ribbon pinch roller is provided with a mechanism for applying turning effort to give directly tension to the heat transfer ribbon, a given tension is always applied to the heat transfer ribbon to thereby prevent the wrinkle from generating thereon even if the outer diameter of the heat transfer ribbon wound around a supply roller is varied. Still furthermore, the heat transfer ribbon pinch roller and the paper pinch roller are integrated with each other to form a pinch roller unit for facilitating the assembly thereof and improving the maintenance thereof.

Abstract: A heat transfer recording device which performs recording by heating a heat transfer medium to transfer the ink possessed by the heat transfer medium onto an image-receiving medium, thereby effecting recording on the image-receiving medium. The device having: a platen; a recording head having a plurality of heat-generating elements capable of heat generating; and a pressing member for pressing the recording head against the platen under a pressing force of 800 gf/cm to 3500 gf/cm.

Abstract: A thermal transfer type image formation device employs a new regeneration method for reconditioning ink sheets employed in the thermal inking process. The ink sheet has a transparent base layer, which also serves as a dielectric layer, an ink layer and a transparent conductive layer, functioning also as an electrode, on a side of the base layer opposite the ink layer. A fixing device is provided for the transfer of photoconductive powder ink to bare areas of the ink sheet to be rejuvenated. A bias voltage is impressed on the photoconductive powder ink, and the photoconductive powder ink which comes in contact with bare areas becomes conductive when exposed with light through the transparent conductive layer and ink adheres to the base layer due to an established electrostatic force between the ink and the conductive layer electrode on the light exposing side of the ink sheet.

Abstract: An ink sheet cartridge mountable on a recording apparatus includes a frame, an ink sheet provided in the frame, a takeup reel for winding the ink sheet, a supply reel for unwinding the ink sheet, and a driving force transmission means for transmitting a driving force to the ink sheet changing a driving speed from the side of the recording apparatus so as to move the ink sheet from the supply reel to the takeup reel with a moving speed corresponding to the kind of the ink sheet, The recording apparatus can mount the ink sheet cartridge.

Abstract: A device for producing a slide by a three-color printing process wherein ink is transferred according to the thermal transfer printing method from a ribbon-type ink carrier onto a record carrier in the form of a transparent sheet, the ribbon-type ink carrier carrying successively arranged magenta, yellow and cyan colored ink fields being slidably guided in a slide mount across the record carrier also arranged in the mount. In the initial position of the ink carrier, the first ink field is positioned opposite the record carrier for the first ink transfer. The further ink fields can be successively aligned with the record carrier for each further ink transfer. The slide mount is loaded with the record carrier and the ink carrier is placed in a holding device of the transfer station of a thermal transfer printing apparatus where the ink is transferred by means of an infrared laser focused in the ink plane of the ink carrier. The ink carrier is transported by means of a motor drive.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer which controls a speed of an ink sheet based on density information of document image data uses a counting part for counting the number of maximum density pixels or gradation pulses in document image data and uses a speed ratio changing part for changing a speed ratio between a feeding speed of a recording medium and a feeding speed of an ink sheet based on the number of maximum density pixels or gradation pulses which have been counted by the counting part.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus that can arbitrarily perform any one of outputting operations of a sublimable dyestuff image, a thermoplastic ink image, and a mixed picture image which combines a sublimable dyestuff image with a thermoplastic ink image, on a plain recording paper is disclosed. The apparatus employs a dyeable layer which is carried on a substrate sheet usually shared by a plurality of sublimable dyestuff-carrying layers. The dyeable layer is first transferred to a first intermediate transfer medium having a certain mold releasing or parting property. Sublimable dyestuffs are then selectively transferred into the dyeable layer to form a sublimable dyestuff image thereon, which thereafter is transferred to the paper.

Abstract: Provided is an image receptor for a thermal transfer ink, including a plastic film, and a coating layer which is formed on the plastic film and composed of a polyester resin of which glass transition point is 40.degree. to 6.0.degree. C., the amount of the coating layer when dried being 0.08 to 0.8 g/m.sup.2. This image receptor is adaptable for a tape printer and assures good fixing property and fastness of a printed image while exhibiting a satisfactory anti-blocking property when stored. Also provided is a thermal transfer ink sheet for forming a printed image on the image receptor, including a sequential lamination of a foundation, a release layer, a barrier layer composed of a polyester resin, and a colored layer containing 40 to 60% by weight of a polyester resin and 30 to 60% by weight of a coloring agent. This thermal transfer ink sheet is advantageously used to form on the above image receptor a printed image of good fixing property and fastness.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording method involving providing a thermal transfer medium having a support and ink layer thereon, the binder being chosen so as to have a melt viscosity which falls within a range that is temperature dependent, contacting the thermal transfer medium with a recording medium, applying energy with a recording head to transfer an image to the recording medium, and moving, in a unit period of time, the thermal transfer material through a distance relative to the recording head that is smaller than the distance through which the recording medium moves in that time.

Abstract: A multiple-use thermal image transfer recording method includes the step of transferring a thermal image transfer ink component a plurality of times to an image-receiving medium from at least an identical portion of a thermal image transfer recording medium composed of a support and a thermal image transfer ink layer formed thereon, with the application of heat thereto. The thermal image transfer ink layer is composed of the thermal image transfer ink component mainly containing a coloring agent and a thermofusible material, and a porous resin component which is not thermally transferable, with both components having mutual releasability. The image-receiving medium has a recording surface, with the product of the absorption coefficient (Ka) of the recording surface measured by the Bristow Method (J. TAPPI. No. 51 - 87) at a pressure of 0.

Abstract: A multi-usable thermal transfer ink sheet wherein on a foundation is provided a thermal transfer ink layer which is tranferable in portions in terms of the thickness thereof. To realize multi-printing even in an indirect thermal transfer method, the multi-usable thermal transfer ink sheet is characterized in that the thermal transfer ink layer contains as main ingredients thereof a wax compound having a polar group, and a pigment.

Abstract: A process of thermal transfer printing which is accomplished in two printing steps. The process utilizes ribbon including a backing layer and an ink donor layer. The ribbon is drawn from a supply spool through a first printing station at which a first portion of the ink is transferred to the backing layer to form a first image thereon. The ribbon continues to and through a second printing station at which the remainder of the ink is transferred to a workpiece in the form of a second image which contrasts with the first image. All that remains of the ribbon as it leaves the second printing station is the backing layer which continues to and through the first printing station once again for the operation already mentioned. Thereupon, the ribbon is drawn onto a take-up spool for eventual disposal. The ink may be fluorescent.