Thermal ink-transfer printing apparatus

Abstract

In a thermal ink-transfer printing apparatus, a recording sheet to which a picture is to be transferred and an ink film having an ink layer are passed between a thermal head and a platen roller so that ink of the ink film is transferred to the recording sheet in accordance with a picture pattern. The thermal head is provided with heating resistors which are arranged in a line and which selectively generate heat in response to picture signals. Thus, the ink of the ink film is selectively heated and softened or melted to be transferred to the recording sheet. The ink film and the recording sheet pass through a gap between the platen roller and the thermal head in such a manner that the ink layer of the ink film is in contact with the recording sheet. In the ink transfer, the platen roller can rotate while pressing the ink film and the recording sheet on the heating resistor array of the thermal head. A restricting roller rolling on the platen roller is disposed upstream of the heating resistor array with respect to the travelling direction of the ink film. The ink film passes through a gap between the restricting roller and the platen roller to be guided in a specific path.