Thermal transfer printing method and image-forming layer transfer medium

Abstract

A thermal transfer printing method, in a combination of a transfer medium including a support on which at least a dyeing layer and a dye anti-diffusion layer (and a protecting layer) are provided separately from color layers, an intermediate medium, and an image-receiving medium, comprising steps of: transferring at least the dye anti-diffusion layer and the dyeing layer (and the protecting layer) onto the intermediate medium, thereby forming a sequential laminate on the intermediate medium; printing a thermal transfer image in the dyeing layer of the laminate formed on the intermediate medium; and transferring the laminate carrying the thermal transfer image thereon from the intermediate medium onto the image-receiving medium (and fixing it simultaneously, or after transferring), thereby finally forming a print image on the image-receiving medium. A novel image-forming layer transfer medium used in the above thermal transfer printing method, has various properties in area of each layer, thermal characteristics, arrangement of respective layers etc. According to the printing method and the image-forming layer transfer medium, the print image obtained causes no contamination by dyestuff and print density is not lowered by the loss of dyestuff, bringing high-temperature stability in maintaining the transfer medium in a wound condition, and/or realizing a low-temperature transfer operation of the image-forming layer onto the image-receiving medium.