Patent ID: 6121987
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
A thermal transfer recording apparatus for holding a transfer ribbon and a recording sheet between a thermal head having a heat generating element and a platen roller so that information is recorded on said recording sheet through said transfer ribbon by an output signal to said heat generating element, comprising:a transfer ribbon including a plurality of color ink resin layer sections sequentially arranged in a longitudinal direction to record a visual image on said recording sheet by heating and a mark section including a discrimination mark for discriminating a head color of said color ink resin layer sections and a marking section for recording information of a used section or unused section in said color ink resin layer sections, said mark section extending widthwise across said transfer rn ribbonmeans for detecting the used section or unused section in said color ink resin layer sections; anddata processing means for outputting recording instruction of said information related to said color ink resin layer sections to the marking section,said unused section being used to perform the heat transfer recording on the basis of information from said detection means.