Patent ID: 6561645
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An image forming process comprising:(i) preparing an image receiving sheet, an image transfer material and at least two latent image-forming solutions, the image receiving sheet comprising an image receiving layer which contains a binder resin, the image transfer material comprising, on a support, a transfer recording layer which comprises a thermal transfer material, the latent image-forming solutions respectively comprising at least one of an adhesive material and a transfer-promoting material which is capable of lowering a transfer temperature of the thermal transfer material, one of the latent image-forming solutions having a lower concentration of the at least one of an adhesive material and a transfer-promoting material than another of the latent image-forming solutions; (ii) forming a latent image by imagewisely applying the latent image-forming solutions from a plurality of nozzles to at least one of a transfer recording layer surface of the image transfer material and an image receiving layer surface of the image receiving sheet; and (iii) transferring the portion of the transfer recording layer that corresponds to the latent image to the image receiving sheet, by contacting and heating the transfer recording layer surface with the image receiving layer surface.