Thermal transfer recording method and apparatus utilizing intermediate

Abstract

A thermal transfer recording system, there is prepared a thermal transfer sheet such as a sublimation or heat fusion thermal transfer sheet, and also prepared an intermediate transfer recording medium comprising a substrate sheet and a receptor layer disposed on the substrate sheet so as to be transferable; the thus prepared thermal transfer sheet is disposed together with the intermediate transfer recording medium between a heating device such as a thermal head and a platen roller; the thermal head is heated in accordance with an image information to be printed to thereby form the image in the receptor layer of the intermediate transfer recording medium; and thereafter, the image is transferred together with the receptor layer to a transfer-receiving material. When the image is formed to the intermediate transfer recording medium, the intermediate transfer recording medium is pressed at least at one area thereof from front surface side and back surface side thereof so as to fix a relative positional relationship between both ends in a width direction of the intermediate transfer recording medium, to thereby prevent shrinkage of the intermediate transfer recording medium in the width direction thereof.