US 12,077,003 B2
Thermal transfer printing apparatus, printed article producing method, and intermediate transfer medium
Yue Yu, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/753,095
Filed by Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Sep. 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/036120
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 18, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/049009, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 18, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0332127 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B41J 2/325 (2006.01)
CPC B41J 2/325 (2013.01) 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A thermal transfer printing apparatus comprising:
a first supply unit supplying an intermediate transfer medium including a receiving layer disposed on one surface of a support member;
a second supply unit supplying a thermal transfer sheet including a colorant layer disposed on one surface of a substrate;
a printing unit heating the thermal transfer sheet based on image data and printing an image by transferring ink from the colorant layer to the receiving layer; and
a transfer unit transferring, onto a transfer-receiving body, at least part of the intermediate transfer medium including the receiving layer having the image printed thereon,
wherein the printing unit prints an image in each corresponding one of a plurality of sub-regions into which the intermediate transfer medium is divided in a transverse direction, and
wherein the transfer unit transfers the entire receiving layer, in the transverse direction of the intermediate transfer medium, to the transfer-receiving body.