Method of making thermal transfer type multicolor printing

Abstract

A method for making a thermal transfer type multicolor printing. An ink ribbon is set over a platen roller with a printing paper being interposed between them, the ink ribbon having at predetermined intervals a plurality of ink zones each carrying one of heat-dissolving inks of different colors. Then, one of the ink zones is positioned at a printing position on the platen roller, the one ink zone being of a predetermined color. A thermal head is placed at the printing position against the positioned one ink zone, and drived for transferring a first dot line of the ink of the one ink zone to the printing paper so that one picture component, for the predetermined color, of a picture to be printed is reproduced by the use of the ink of the one ink zone. Thereafter, the printing paper and the ink ribbon are advanced for a subsequent printing when unreproduced portion of the picture component exists. The procedures of the driving of the thermal head and the advancing of the printing paper and the ink ribbon are repeated until the whole picture component for the predetermined color is reproduced on the printing paper. Then, the procedures after the setting of the ink ribbon are repeated with respect to the other ink zones of different colors for reproducing the remaining picture components of the different colors on the printing paper, so that a multicolor picture is reproduced on the printing paper.