Patent ID: 6380964
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising:a thermal head; a platen roller opposed to the thermal head, the thermal transfer recording apparatus carrying out printing on a sheet by causing a printing ink such as a wax or a sublimation dye, applied on an ink sheet, to melt or sublime by the heat of the thermal head, the ink sheet being transported between the thermal head and the platen roller; and a head frame containing the thermal head, a portion of the head frame itself applying friction to a portion of the ink sheet which lies downstream of the thermal head as viewed along a direction of ink sheet travel, a center portion of said head frame portion having a coefficient of friction that is higher than a coefficient of friction at both end portions of said head frame portion, whereby a tensile force is applied to the ink sheet that is greater at both edges of the ink sheet than at the center thereof.