Nisca Corporation

Masao Watanabe

Hiroshi Mochizuki

Wataru Tsuruta

Transports cards to an image forming portion, and turns cards over after forming images on one side of cards at the image forming portion. Transports an intermediate transfer sheet to an image forming portion, forms images on the intermediate transfer sheet at the image forming portion and transports cards to the transfer portion along with transporting the intermediate transfer sheet to the transfer portion, and transfers images formed on the intermediate transfer sheet at the image forming portion to the other side of cards at the transfer portion. Switching between a direct transfer method and an indirect transfer method makes either transfer method applicable thereby improving printer user convenience, enables the forming of images to a recording medium using the optimum image forming method and reduces running costs. After direct transfer, indirect transfer is consecutively executed without discharging the card from the image forming apparatus thereby protecting the security of personal information and ensuring the security of personal information even when discharging cards printed on one side is unavoidable from the image forming apparatus when printing to both sides is incomplete.

Image forming method

A printing apparatus includes an image forming portion for selectively forming images to a card and to an intermediate transfer sheet, and a transfer portion for transferring images formed onto an intermediate transfer medium to a card. The image forming portion and transfer portion are opposingly arranged to a card transport path and are arranged offset along the card transport path. This allows the shared use of members for direct transfer and indirect transfer to enable smooth printing. The apparatus switches between the direct transfer method and the indirect transfer method to print to the card and enables lower costs and improved printing speed.

Growing community of inventors

Yamanashi-ken, Japan

Masao Watanabe