Patent ID: 6222568
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus, comprising:a head, having a plurality of heating elements arranged in line, for forming an image on an image forming medium by transmitting ink, which an ink ribbon has, to said image forming medium;a scanning means for moving said head in relation to said image forming medium;an input means for inputting image data wherein said image data includes data corresponding to an image;a searcher means for searching split lines of said image, according to said image data, so that a space between an edge portion of said image and a discontinued image portion on said image or between a discontinued image portion and its adjoining discontinued image portion is not more than a width of said ink ribbon; anda control means for controlling said head and said scanning means so that a portion of said image in said space, between an edge portion of said image and a discontinued image portion on said image or between a discontinued image portion and its adjoining discontinued image portion, is formed by one scanning path of said head.