Patent ID: 7425363

Claim:
A laminate film, for protecting a printed image formed on a recording medium having a porous ink receiving layer by an ink-jet recording system, the laminate film comprising: a heat-resistant substrate, having formed thereon: a surface layer; an intermediate layer; and a penetrative layer, in that order; wherein the surface layer and the intermediate layer have a thermally softening property that causes the surface layer and the intermediate layer to soften upon application of heat; wherein the intermediate layer has a glass transition temperature lower than that of the surface layer; wherein the penetrative layer has a thermally melting property that causes the penetrative layer to melt into a recording medium when a recording medium is placed in contact with the penetrative layer and said heat is applied; wherein the penetrative layer is comprised of molten property materials that have a viscosity within a range between 500 mPa·sec and 1200 mPa·sec at a temperature not lower than 100° C. and not higher than 150° C.; and wherein the surface layer acts as a protection layer to protect a printed image formed on a recording medium upon removal of the heat-resistant substrate.