Thermal transfer sheet

Abstract

The present invention is first directed to a thermal transfer sheet which is not high in cost for obtaining a substrate, does not involve a problem of blocking or the like at the time of winding after coating of a backside layer onto the substrate, can eliminate the need to provide a release layer on the protective layer region, and further can enhance glossiness of a print with a protective layer. The thermal transfer sheet comprises a substrate, a dye layer of at least one color and a thermally transferable protective layer provided in a face serial manner on one side of the substrate, a protective layer provided on a part of one side of the substrate, an easy-adhesion layer provided on the whole surface of the protective layer and the substrate, the dye layer being provided on the easy-adhesion layer in its region where the protective layer is not located on the underside of the easy-adhesion layer. The second invention is directed to a thermal transfer sheet which can cope with increased printing speed in the thermal transfer, can meet demands for the provision of thermally transferred images having high density and high quality, can prevent the occurrence of abnormal transfer, cockles, etc., and can improve sensitivity in transfer at the time of printing. The thermal transfer sheet according to the second invention comprises a substrate, a heat-resistant slip layer provided on one side of the substrate, and an adhesive layer and a dye layer provided in that order on the other side of the substrate, the adhesive layer comprising a polyvinylpyrrolidone resin. By virtue of this construction, the sensitivity in transfer can be significantly improved at the time of thermal transfer, and a high-density thermally transferred image can be provided without applying high energy.