JPH085196B2 - Thermal transfer printing method and thermal transfer printing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a thermal transfer printing method and a thermal transfer printing apparatus.

[Prior Art and Problems Thereof] Recently, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a heat-sensitive copying method using a color-sensitive heat-sensitive recording paper by a patent application (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 61-241736, the title of which is "heat-sensitive"). Copying method and apparatus "). According to this method, a manuscript and a color-developing thermosensitive recording paper are set on an appropriate base, and light is irradiated to these under the condition that they are closely overlapped. This irradiation causes the image portion drawn on the document to generate heat, and the heat causes the color-forming layer of the thermosensitive recording paper to undergo a color-forming reaction. The range in which the color development reaction occurs is limited to the area corresponding to the image portion of the document. As a result, an image faithful to the image portion of the document is recorded on the thermosensitive recording paper.

The copying method disclosed in the above-mentioned patent application is the conventional method,
For example, compared to the printing and copying method that uses a heat-sensitive stencil sheet,
It has the advantage of being extremely easy to handle and being able to make copies quickly.

However, there is a problem in terms of cost because a special paper, that is, a heat-sensitive recording paper having a coloring property must be used as the recording paper. Regarding the storability, it is unavoidable that the thermal recording paper undergoes a large or small change in quality depending on the surrounding environment. Therefore, the recorded (copied) thermal recording paper can be kept in good condition for a long period of time. Difficult to keep on.

[Object of the Invention] The present invention is a further improvement of the above-mentioned thermal copying method, and an object thereof is to provide a thermal transfer printing method capable of easily making a copy even on plain paper. The image part of the original is once recorded on the color-developing thermosensitive recording paper by the coloring reaction by light irradiation, and then this recorded thermosensitive recording paper is used as the original.
A thermal transfer ink sheet capable of transferring ink is located on the recording paper such as plain paper as a recording paper, and the irradiation of light to the thermal transfer ink sheet is cut off on the thermal transfer ink sheet, and moreover, it is localized. A sheet of metal foil that can transfer heat is placed, and these sheets of paper are placed so that the recorded thermal recording sheet as a document is placed on this sheet of metal foil. Originally, by driving the light source to make the light incident on the recorded thermal recording paper, the image portion of the thermal recording paper generates heat, and the heat is transmitted to the thermal transfer ink sheet through the metal foil, The main point is that the corresponding ink is fluidized and transferred to the recording paper.

[Structure and operation of the invention] In the case of the present invention, the whole process is roughly divided into a non-transfer heat-sensitive recording process for making a copy on a color-developing heat-sensitive recording paper, and a plain paper based on the copied heat-sensitive recording paper. , A transfer heat-sensitive recording step of making a copy on the recording paper. In the former process, first, the original and the color-developing thermosensitive recording paper are arranged face-to-face. Next, the two are closely overlapped, and the light source is driven under that condition. As a result, light is emitted from the light source, and a part of the light is applied to the document. Here, the image portion of the document absorbs light and heats up to a temperature sufficiently higher than other portions. This thermal energy causes the corresponding color forming layer of the thermal recording paper to undergo a color forming reaction. As a result, an image portion that matches the image portion of the original is formed on the thermal recording paper.

According to the present invention, the recorded thermal recording paper can be reused as a document common to general paper. That is, in that
Any paper that can be printed with ink from a thermal transfer ink sheet (a sheet having properties similar to an ink ribbon used in a thermal transfer printer or the like) can be used as the recording paper. Then, in the step of using the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet, a very desirable result can be obtained by interposing a metal foil (for example, an aluminum foil) between the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet and the recorded heat-sensitive recording paper.

That is, according to the finding of the inventor of the present application, when light is applied to a recorded thermal recording paper with a metal foil interposed at the above position, the thermal recording paper in the ink layer of the thermal transfer ink sheet is exposed. Only the portion corresponding to the image portion of the above reacts effectively, and as a result, the ink can be transferred to the recording paper.

From the results, it is considered that the metal foil has the following actions. That is, due to the thermal and optical characteristics of the metal foil, localized heat is easily transferred from the front surface to the back surface through the thickness of the metal foil. On the other hand, the light incident on the surface of the metal foil is reflected from the surface of the metal foil, and no problematic heat generation occurs. In other words, when light from the light source is applied to the original (recorded thermal recording paper) as the first irradiation surface, heat is generated in the image portion of the thermal recording paper due to light absorption, and the heat passes through the thickness of the metal foil. The thermal transfer ink sheet is transmitted. On the other hand, in areas other than the image area, considerable light is applied to the metal foil through the thickness of the thermal recording paper. Here, it is considered that the metal foil reflects light on the surface thereof and prevents the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet from being irradiated with light.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 1 used in this embodiment. By using this apparatus 1, the original 3 can be copied on the color-sensitive thermosensitive recording paper 4, or the copied thermal recording paper M (see FIGS. 3 and 7) can be used as an original. It is also possible to make a copy on a recording paper C such as paper.
That is, the apparatus 1 presses the apparatus main body 5 against the original 3 and the thermal recording paper 4 set on the base 2 and irradiates the original 3 and the thermal recording paper 4 with a flash light, so that the thermal recording paper 4 is exposed. A copy can be made by causing a color development reaction. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the copied thermal recording paper M is placed on the recording paper C, the thermal transfer sheet B and the metal foil A, and the apparatus body 5 is pressed against them. By irradiating with flash light, the ink corresponding to the image portion m is transferred from the thermal transfer ink sheet B to the recording paper C, so that a copy can be obtained. The former copying is copying by the thermal reaction (color development) of the thermal recording paper, and the latter copying is copying by the ink transfer of the thermal copying ink sheet. Therefore, to be precise, the apparatus 1 should be named a non-transfer type thermal copying / transfer type thermal copying apparatus, but for simplicity, it will be called a thermal transfer printing apparatus.

The structure of this common thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 will be described below with reference to FIG.

That is, as shown in FIG.
Is composed of a housing-shaped outer casing 6 having an opening at one end, and an inner casing 7 that is housed inside the outer casing 6 and is movable up and down. The opening of the inner casing 7 is The light source storage case 8 is integrally attached. In the light source storage case 8, a lamp 9 that emits flash light for a predetermined time is arranged via a lamp mounting plate 10. This light source storage case 8
Protrusions 10 are formed on both side surfaces of the plate for facilitating gripping, and a reflection plate made of aluminum foil or the like is formed on the inner wall thereof in order to increase the efficiency of light irradiation from the lamp 9 to the original 3.
11 is stretched. On the lower surface of the light source housing case 8, a transparent glass plate 12 forming a light transmitting portion is stretched. The glass plate 12 allows the light from the lamp 9 to pass through, and at the same time, the original 3 and the thermal recording paper 4 set on the base 2 are attached to the sponge plate.
It works as a pressing plate that makes a close contact with 13.

On the other hand, a power supply unit 14 used for driving the lamp 9 to be turned on is accommodated in the apparatus main body 5.
The power supply unit 14 is composed of a dry battery or a charger that can be charged by a commercial power supply. Also, the device body 5
At a predetermined position, specifically, the upper position of the inner casing 7,
A pressure sensitive switch mechanism 15 is provided which, when gripping the device body 5 and pressing the device body 5 with a pressing force of a predetermined amount or more, turns on the lamp 9 to drive the lamp 9 by the power supply current from the power supply section 14. ing. The pressure-sensitive switch mechanism 15 includes one spring piece 15a of a pair of spring pieces 15a and 15b formed by forming a substantially U-shaped cut portion 7a on the upper wall portion of the inner casing 7, and A pressure-sensitive switch 15c attached to the inner wall of the inner casing 7 and a pair of contact springs 15d and 15e constituting the pressure-sensitive switch 15c are provided on the inner wall of the outer casing 6 for on / off operation. It is composed of a pressing portion 15f.
The pressing portion 15f is vertically movably inserted into a guide hole 7b formed in the center of the upper wall portion of the inner casing 7, and at its tip, the outer casing 6 is prevented from coming off from the inner casing 7. A stopper 7c for fitting is fitted.

Next, the thermosensitive recording paper 4 used in this embodiment has a two-layer structure composed of a base layer (base paper) 4a and a color forming layer 4b. This base layer 4a is, for example, a transparent or translucent synthetic resin sheet (for example, polyester, vinyl chloride,
A sheet having a glossy surface such as cellophane), transparent or translucent paper, synthetic paper, or a thin sheet of glass or the like is preferable. As the coloring layer 4b, a material that causes a coloring reaction at a relatively low temperature (for example, 70 ° C.) is preferable. The components constituting the color forming layer 4b are a color former, a color developer, a sensitizer and other additives (white laxative etc.). As the color former, leuco dyes, particularly triphenyl metal-based and fluoran-based lactone compounds, and fluoran compounds (a typical compound thereof is 2- (2-chloroanilino)-
6-di-n-propylaminofluorane, 2- (2-chloroanilino) -6-di-n-putylaminofluorane, 2- (2-fluorophenylamino) -6-diethylaminofluorane, 2- ( 2-Fluorophenylamino) -6-di-n-putylaminofluorane etc.) and the like are preferable. As the color developer, acid clay, activated clay, clay minerals such as attabargite kaolin, phenol derivatives, phenol resins, aromatic carboxylic acids or polyvalent metal salts thereof are preferable. Those that lower the melting point related to temperature and completely melt with a small heat capacity are suitable, and for example, an amide system can be used.

In the thermosensitive recording paper 4, the color former and the color developer are separately ground and dispersed in a dispersion medium in which a binder is dissolved to a particle diameter of several microns, and then both are mixed, If necessary, an additive such as a pigment or wax is added, and it is formed by coating on the transparent or semitransparent base layer 4a and then drying.

<Example of Use> Next, a copying process for copying the original 3 onto the thermal recording paper 4 by using the thermal transfer printing apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described.

First, as shown in FIG. 1, the original 3 is set on the sponge plate 13 of the base 2 so that the image portion 3a faces the front,
The image portion 3a is set thereon with the image side 3a facing upward, and the thermal recording paper 4 is superposed thereon.

Thereafter, the main body 5 of the apparatus is gripped, and the original 3 on the base 2 and the heat-sensitive recording paper 4 are brought into pressure contact with each other by pressing the glass plate 12 thereof. When the device body 5 is pressed more than a predetermined amount, the outer casing 6 is lowered while being guided by the side wall surface of the inner casing 7 against the elastic force of the pair of spring pieces 15a and 15b formed on the upper wall portion of the inner casing 7. Move.
Then, as the outer casing 6 moves downward, at the pressing portion 15f formed on the upper wall portion of the outer casing 6, as shown in FIG.
Of the pair of contact springs 15d and 15e, the contact spring 15 in the upper position
Since the tip of e is moved downward, the contact spring 15e and the contact 15d at the lower position come into electrical contact with each other.
As a result, the pressure sensitive switch mechanism 15 is turned on and a trigger signal is applied to the lighting circuit, thereby applying a drive voltage suitable for flash lighting to the lamp 9. As a result, the lamp 9 automatically flashes, and the light passes through the glass plate 12 and the thermosensitive recording paper 4 and is irradiated onto the original 3. By this irradiation,
The image portion 3a drawn on the original 3 heats up to a temperature sufficiently higher than other portions, and due to this heat energy, the thermal recording paper 4
The color-developing layer area corresponding to is discolored. As a result, as shown in the third, a mirror image 4c obtained by copying the image portion 3a of the original 3 is formed on the thermal recording paper 4 (M).

In this case, since the base layer 4a is transparent or semi-transparent, it is possible to visually recognize the normal image 4c in the same direction as the image portion 3a of the document 3 by viewing the base layer 4a as the front side and scanning through the front side. it can.

By the way, in the present embodiment, the outer shape of the apparatus main body 5 is made as small as possible in order to be small and lightweight and convenient for portability. Therefore, although the area which can be thermally copied at one time is small, the apparatus main body 5 is As shown in FIG. 4, while moving from the X position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line to the Y position indicated by the alternate long and two short dashes line, the lamp 9 is repeatedly driven to be lit for a plurality of times, whereby the thermosensitive copying apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. It is possible to perform heat-sensitive copying of a sufficiently large area, compared to the area that can be copied once by. When the apparatus main body 5 is moved and the thermal copying operation is performed a plurality of times while moving the copy position, the thermal recording from the original 3 is performed by moving the apparatus main body 5 accordingly. It is possible that the paper 4 is misaligned. However, this is nothing more than anxiety. In the present embodiment, since the phenomenon that the coloring layer 46 of the thermosensitive recording paper 4 causes a coloring reaction due to the thermal energy generated in the image portion 3a on the original 3, the lamp 9 is once driven to be lit and the thermosensing is performed. Immediately after the copying is completed, due to the heat energy, the original 3 and the thermal recording paper 4 are held in a close contact state as if they were adhered by an adhesive. Therefore, the original 3 and the thermal recording paper 4 can be continuously copied to the original 3 and the thermal recording paper 4 without being displaced from each other. Further, even when duplicate copying is performed at the same copy position, a state in which only the duplicately copied portion is different from the other once copied portion is not duplicated. There is no variation in the shading of the copy depending on whether or not the copy portion exists. This has been confirmed by experiments.

According to the present invention, the thermosensitive recording paper M copied as described above can be used as an original when copying on a recording paper such as plain paper.

Here, the principle of thermal transfer printing (transfer thermal recording) according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5 (A), the support B on which the ink layer B-2 of the thermal transfer ink sheet B is located on one surface of the recording paper C such as plain paper and the ink layer B-2 is not present. Between the surface on the -1 side and the recorded thermal recording paper M which is the original, a metal foil A
Is intervening.

In the state where these papers C, B, A, and M are closely overlapped with each other, light rays, here infrared rays, are applied to the image portion m as indicated by an arrow.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 1 (B), the thermal recording paper M
A considerable amount of light is absorbed at the image portion m, and heat is generated.
This heat is transmitted to the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet B below through the thickness of the metal foil A having good heat conductivity, as shown by the dashed arrow, and the ink layer B-2 corresponding to the image portion m is heated. , The transfer of ink occurs, and it is printed on the recording paper C below. On the other hand, a part of the light incident on a transparent place other than the image portion m is absorbed in the thermal recording paper M, but most of it is
As indicated by the solid arrow, it is reflected by the surface of the metal foil A.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 1 (C), the thermal recording paper M
Ink corresponding to the image portion m of the thermal transfer ink sheet B
Is released (defect portion b), and that portion is transferred and formed on the recording paper C as the recording portion a.

The action of the metal foil A in the above steps is great. That is, in the case where the metal foil A is not provided, the entire surface of the thermal transfer ink sheet B reacts due to the irradiation of infrared rays, and the entire area of the recording portion c is covered with the ink, which is not useful for copying. It is believed that this is because a considerable amount of light is incident on the entire surface of the thermal transfer ink sheet B and absorbs the light. By interposing the metal foil A, this cause can be effectively removed. In fact, the ink transferred to the recording paper C is transferred to the thermal recording paper M.
Can be limited to the range corresponding to the image portion m of.

FIG. 6 shows that, according to the above-mentioned principle, the recording paper C, in this case, a postcard is used for address printing, etc., using the copied thermal recording paper M shown in FIG. 3 as an original.

Such printing (thermal transfer printing) is performed in the steps shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

First, as shown in FIG. 7, the recording paper C and the ink layer B-2 of the thermal transfer ink sheet B are placed facing each other on the base, and the metal foil A is placed on the base. A transparent (recorded) transparent heat-sensitive recording paper M, which is a document, is set on the upper surface of the metal foil A so that the image portion m thereof is in contact with the surface.

Thereafter, the main body 5 of the apparatus is gripped, and the glass plate 12 thereof is pressed to hold the recorded thermal recording paper M (hereinafter referred to as the original M) on the base metal foil A, the thermal transfer ink sheet B,
The recording paper C is pressed. When the device main body 5 is pressed with a predetermined force or more, a pair of spring pieces 15 formed on the upper wall of the inner casing 7
The outer casing 6 moves downward while being guided by the side wall surface of the inner casing 7 against the elastic forces of a and 15b. Then, with the downward movement of the outer casing 6,
At the pressing portion 15f formed on the upper wall of the outer casing 6,
As shown in FIG. 8, of the pair of contact springs 15d and 15e,
Since the tip of the contact spring 15e in the upper position is moved downward, the contact spring 15e and the contact 15d in the lower position come into electrical contact with each other. As a result, the pressure sensitive switch mechanism 15 is turned on and a trigger signal is applied to the lighting circuit, thereby applying a drive voltage suitable for flash lighting to the lamp 9. As a result, the lamp 9 automatically flashes, and the light is transmitted through the glass plate 12 and applied to the document M. By this irradiation, only the image portion m is heated to a temperature sufficiently higher than the other portions, and this thermal energy causes the normal image portion C ₁ corresponding to the image portion m of the original M to move to the ninth portion in accordance with the above-described operating principle.
As shown in the figure, by transferring the thermal ink onto the recording paper C,
Will be copied.

Regarding the positional relationship between the sheets, in FIG. 1, the light from the lamp 9 first passes through the thermosensitive recording sheet 4 and then is applied to the original 3, but the relationship may be reversed. Also,
The individual sheets 3 and 4 may be arranged face down. Similarly, in FIGS. 7 and 8, the surface of the thermal recording paper M on which the image portion m is formed is in contact with the surface of the metal foil A. M may be turned inside out. However, the former arrangement is more advantageous in terms of energy efficiency, fidelity of copied image, etc., because the heat generated in the image portion m is directly transmitted to the metal foil.

As for the color-developing heat-sensitive recording paper, in addition to a transparent substrate, a semi-transparent or inner thin heat-sensitive recording paper can be used.

Further, as the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet B, those having various ink layers of red, blue, etc. have been put to practical use in addition to those having a black ink layer, and an original (recorded heat-sensitive recording paper M) is used. When used in combination with the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet B of each color, multicolor printing can be performed very easily and printing can be performed clearly, and a good printed matter can be obtained.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the light source, the power source unit, and the pressure sensitive switch mechanism of the portable thermal transfer printing apparatus 1 are provided, the pressure sensitive switch mechanism is turned on by a simple operation of pressing the apparatus body. Based on this ON operation, it is possible to supply power source current from the power source to the light source,
Thermal transfer printing can be performed easily and quickly.

Further, according to the present embodiment, by using the small-sized thermal transfer printing apparatus 1, the apparatus body 5 is simply pressed against the original 3 and the color-developing thermal recording paper 4, and the flash of infrared rays or the like is generated. The papers 3 and 4 are irradiated, and a copy can be taken on the thermal recording paper 4 in an instant. In order to overcome the disadvantage that only the thermal recording paper 4 can be copied, a copying method is provided in which the recorded thermal recording paper M can be used as a document. That is, in this copying, any paper that can be copied with the ink from the thermal copying ink sheet B can be used as the recording paper. Further, in order to effectively prevent the entire surface of the thermal copying ink sheet B from being irradiated with light or heat, the metal foil A is interposed between the recorded thermal recording paper M (original) and the thermal transfer ink sheet B. . The recording paper C, the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet B, the metal foil A, and the recorded heat-sensitive recording paper M are set, and when these are pressed by the apparatus main body 5, light is emitted, which corresponds to the image portion m of the heat-sensitive recording paper M. The printing ink is transferred and printed on the recording paper C. Therefore,
The normal image portion C ₁ corresponding to the image portion m is transferred and printed. Therefore, this thermal transfer printing step can be speedily performed without taking time, and moreover, the hand and clothes can be handled without being contaminated. Cheap.

Therefore, after once making a copy on the thermal recording paper M, the thermal recording M can be easily copied on any paper (for example, plain paper) as many as an original.

In the above embodiment, the lamp 9 in the apparatus main body 5 is used to transfer and print the predetermined image portion C ₁ on the recording paper C in each step of the non-transfer thermal recording and the transfer thermal recording. The light sources used in each step may be different light sources.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the original and the color-developing thermosensitive recording paper are set, and by irradiating light from the light source on these closely stacked papers. ,
Duplicate the image part of the original image on the thermal recording paper,
The thermal recording paper recorded in this way is used as an original, and the thermal transfer ink sheet is set on the recording paper to be recorded with the metal foil interposed between the thermal transfer recording ink sheet and the recorded thermal recording paper. By irradiating the recorded thermal recording paper with light from the light source in a closely contacted state, an image portion faithful to the image portion of the thermal recording paper is transferred and reproduced on the recording paper. Therefore, there is an advantage that any paper (including plain paper) to which the ink of the thermal transfer ink sheet can be transferred can be used as the recording paper to be finally recorded. Further, since light irradiation from the light source may be a flash of light for a relatively short time, efficient copying is possible. Further, since no wet ink is used, there is no problem in handling. Furthermore, since the copy is finally made on a sheet such as plain paper, the copy can be easily stored.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a thermal transfer printing apparatus used for carrying out the method according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing an original and a thermal recording paper set for the thermal transfer printing apparatus. Fig. 2 and Fig. 2 are cross-sectional views showing that the apparatus is pressed against the heat-sensitive recording paper and the original that have been set, and the original is copied to the heat-sensitive recording paper by light irradiation. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing that a large-area original can be copied onto a thermal recording paper, and Fig. 5 is a recorded thermal recording paper as an original, and a thermal recording is made from this original onto recording paper such as plain paper. FIG. 6 is a principle view for explaining that ink transfer is performed, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing how an image part such as an address on a recorded thermal recording paper is printed on a postcard by using an apparatus. The illustration shows the recorded thermal recording paper, metal foil, Ink sheet, cross-sectional view showing the state of setting of recording paper such as plain paper, FIG. 8 is 7
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing that the image area of the recorded thermal recording paper, which is printed by closely overlapping the sheets, is irradiated with light, and the ink is transferred onto the recording paper. Figure 9 shows a postcard as the recording paper. It is a perspective view showing a state in which a predetermined character is transferred and printed. 1 ... Thermal transfer printing device, 3 ... Original, 4 ... Thermal recording paper, 5 ... Device body, 9 ... Lamp, M ... Prerecorded thermal recording paper, A ... Metal foil, B ... Thermal transfer ink sheet, C ... Recording paper to be recorded (eg plain paper), m, C ₁
…… Image section.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A step of arranging the original and the thermosensitive recording sheet with respect to a light source so that the original on which the image portion is formed and the color forming thermosensitive recording sheet face each other. ) Under the condition that the original and the thermal recording sheet are closely overlapped with each other, by driving the light source to irradiate light, the image portion of the original generates heat, and the heat causes the thermal recording. When the sheet is colored and the image portion is recorded, and the recorded thermal recording sheet obtained in the above step (c) is used as an original, the thermal transfer ink sheet faces the recording medium to be recorded. The heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet is substantially cut off from the irradiation light and a light reflector capable of locally transmitting heat is faced, and the recorded heat-sensitive recording sheet is faced to the light-reflector and the recorded heat-sensitive From the above light source on the recording sheet As such, the recording material but becomes capable of emitting relationship,
A step of disposing the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet, the light reflector and the recorded heat-sensitive recording sheet with respect to the light source; and (d) the recording body, the heat-transfer ink sheet, the light reflector and the original. By driving the light source and irradiating the recorded thermal recording sheet with light in a state of being closely overlapped with each other, the image portion of the thermal recording sheet generates heat, and the heat generates the light. A thermal transfer printing method comprising: a step of being transferred to the thermal copying ink sheet via a reflector, whereby the corresponding ink of the thermal transfer ink sheet is transferred to the recording medium. 2. A light source for irradiating a light beam, a light reflector for reflecting the light beam radiated from the light source, a color-developing thermosensitive recording sheet arranged at an upper position of an original having an image portion on the surface, and an ink layer. And a heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet having an ink support, wherein the heat-sensitive ink corresponding to the image area on the original is generated by the heat energy generated by the light beam emitted from the light source toward the heat-sensitive recording sheet. A portion of the recording sheet is color-developed to form a color image portion, and then the light reflector is provided at a lower position of the heat-sensitive recording sheet, the heat-sensitive transfer ink sheet is further provided at a lower position of the light-reflecting body, and further The recording materials are placed in close contact with each other at the lower position of the thermal transfer ink sheet, and under the condition, a light beam is emitted from the light source toward the thermal recording sheet and is generated by the light beam. A thermal transfer printing apparatus, characterized in that the ink layer portion corresponding to the color image portion is heated and melted by thermal energy to thermally transfer the ink layer portion onto the recording medium.