Patent ID: 6714227
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus comprising:a mechanism configured to supply and drive a long film-like ink ribbon having an ink layer that performs thermal transfer recording; a mechanism configured to supply and drive a long film-like transferring medium having an image-forming layer, which allows thermal transfer recording to be performed, using the ink ribbon, and is separable from a substrate; a platen configured to support the transferring medium when thermal transfer recording is performed on the image-forming layer, using the ink ribbon; a thermal head configured to selectively heat the ink layer of the ink ribbon in a state where the transferring medium and the ink ribbon are put one on the other on the platen, thereby selectively transferring a thermal transfer recording material onto the image-forming layer to form a record-image on the image-forming layer; and a heating and pressing mechanism configured to apply heat and pressure to the transferring medium having the record-image and a target object, in a state where the transferring medium and the target object are put one on the other, thereby transferring the record-image along with the image-forming layer from the transferring medium to the target object, wherein the transferring medium is accommodated in a first cassette detachably mounted in the apparatus, and the transferring medium is used to form the record-image while being fed from the first cassette mounted in the apparatus, and the platen is movable between a first operation position and a first retreat position which are located to sandwich a mounting position of the first cassette, such that the platen is placed at the first retreat position before the first cassette is mounted in the apparatus and the platen is placed at the first operation position while pushing the transferring medium out of the first cassette through an opening in the first cassette after the cassette is mounted in the apparatus.