JPH0781109A - Thermal transfer recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an excellent image quality to be obtained when ink is transferred onto an image receiving layer by enabling the image receiving layer to be transferred to recording paper in a thermal transfer recorder wherein the image receiving layer is preliminarily transferred to the recording paper, and sublimable ink is recorded by transferring thereafter. CONSTITUTION:An image receiving layer transfer area 37 which transfers an image receiving layer 22 being a substrate of an ink applied layer 23 is made broader than an ink transfer area 39 which transfers ink on the basis of an input image signal. Further, by transferring by increasing driving power of the image receiving layer 22, the image receiving layer 22 is made easily separable from an ink sheet for an outer peripheral area 38 of the ink transfer area 39.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording in which an image is transferred onto a plain paper by a thermal head using an ink sheet coated with an image receiving layer which is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness and an ink having a sublimation property. It relates to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various companies have commercialized thermal transfer recording apparatuses for transferring and recording images on recording paper coated with a color-developing image-receiving layer using an ink sheet coated with a sublimable ink and a thermal head. ing. On the other hand, by using an ink sheet coated with a sublimable ink and an image receiving layer that is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness, plain paper,
That is, a thermal transfer recording apparatus for recording an image by previously transferring an image receiving layer onto a recording paper based on a pulp paper having no image receiving layer and then transferring a sublimable ink to the image is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-24901. Has been done.

An example of a conventional thermal transfer recording device will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus. In FIG. 6, the thermal heads 1 and 2 are heads in which a large number of dot-shaped heat generating resistors are arranged in a row, and heat the sheet 3 and the ink sheet 4 in dot units, respectively.
The sheet 3 is a sheet coated with an image receiving layer which is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness. The ink sheet 4 is an ink sheet coated with three primary color inks that are sublimated and transferred by heat. The recording paper 5 is plain paper based on pulp paper having no image receiving layer. The recording paper 5 and the ink sheet 4 are brought into contact with each other by the thermal head 1 and are conveyed by the platen roller 6. The recording paper 5 and the sheet 3 are brought into contact with each other by the thermal head 2 and are conveyed by the platen roller 7.

The thermal head 1 is opposed to the platen roller 6 via the ink sheet 4 and the recording paper 5 so that the ink applied to the ink sheet 4 is transferred to the recording paper 5. The thermal head 2 is opposed to the platen roller 7 via the sheet 3 and the recording paper 5 so that the image receiving layer applied to the sheet 3 is transferred to the recording paper 5. The guide roller 8 guides the sheet 3, the guide roller 9 guides the ink sheet 4, and the guide rollers 10 and 11 guide the recording paper 5.

The operation of the conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, the sheet 3 and the recording paper 5 are sandwiched between the thermal head 2 and the platen roller 7, and are transported in the directions of arrows A and B, respectively. At this time, when the image receiving layer of the sheet 3 is heated by the thermal head 2, the image receiving layer is thermally transferred to a predetermined area of the recording paper 5. Next, the ink sheet 4 and the recording paper 5 are nipped by the thermal head 1 and the platen roller 6 and transported in the directions of arrows C and D. At this time, the sublimable ink applied to the ink sheet 4 is heated by the thermal head 1, and a pigment or dye of a predetermined color is transferred and recorded on the image receiving layer already transferred to the recording paper 5 by the thermal head 2. As described above, an image can be recorded using a sublimable ink even on a recording paper based on a pulp paper that does not have a special image receiving layer.

[0006]

In the conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus, the area for transferring the image receiving layer and the area for transferring and recording the sublimable ink have the same area so that the image receiving layer and the ink overlap each other. Therefore, when the image receiving layer is transferred to the recording paper 5, the outer peripheral portion of the image receiving layer is not linear, and the cutting becomes poor, for example, sawtooth. When the ink is transferred on the image receiving layer based on the image signal as described above, there is a portion where the sublimable ink is not transferred at the edge (outer peripheral portion) of the print area, and a sawtooth-like cut is noticeable in the image, which adversely affects the image quality. There was a problem of giving.

Further, when the image receiving layer is transferred to the recording paper 5, the electric power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head 2 is increased in order to improve the sharpness, so that the image receiving layer is softened. Are more likely to enter the pulp fibers of the recording paper 5. As a result, the apparent thickness of the image receiving layer becomes thin, and the surface elasticity (cushioning property) of the recording paper 5 decreases. Therefore, when transferring and recording sublimable ink,
There is a problem that the contact between the ink sheet 4 and the surface of the recording paper is deteriorated and stable image quality cannot be obtained. On the contrary, when the electric power applied to the heating element of the thermal head 2 is reduced, the cut of the image receiving layer transferred to the recording paper 5 becomes worse, and the sawtooth-like cut becomes more conspicuous. For this reason, reducing the power of the thermal head 2 also has a drawback that it adversely affects the image quality.

The present invention has been made in view of such conventional problems, and improves the breakage of the image receiving layer transferred to a recording paper based on pulp paper, and also transfers sublimable ink. An object of the present invention is to obtain a stable image quality by ensuring a sufficient thickness of the image receiving layer in the region to maintain cushioning properties and making good contact with the ink sheet. Another object of the present invention is to realize a thermal transfer recording apparatus which does not adversely affect the image quality when a sublimable ink is transferred onto a recording paper even if the image receiving layer is slightly sawtoothed.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal head having a large number of minute heating resistors arranged linearly, an image receiving layer which is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness, and an ink. Based on the ink sheet applied to different sections, the platen roller that holds the ink sheet and the recording sheet between the thermal head, and the transfer signal of the image receiving layer and the ink transfer signal according to the input image signal, the thermal head And a thermal head driving unit for driving the recording sheet and the ink sheet in the forward direction when the image receiving layer is transferred, the recording sheet in the reverse direction when recording an image, and the recording sheet and the ink sheet in the forward direction. The thermal head driving means has at least one heating resistor on the left and right with respect to the arrangement direction of the heating resistors in the transfer area of the image receiving layer, compared to the transfer area of the ink. And with respect to the direction to send the recording paper it is characterized in that for driving the thermal head so as to increase at least about one or more lines.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a thermal head in which a large number of minute heating resistors are linearly arranged, an ink receiving layer which is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness, and an ink are applied in different sections. A platen roller that holds the ink sheet and the recording paper between the sheet and the thermal head;
Based on the transfer signal of the image receiving layer and the transfer signal of the ink corresponding to the input image signal, the thermal head driving means for driving the thermal head, and when the image receiving layer is transferred, the recording paper and the ink sheet are conveyed in the forward direction, When recording an image, the recording paper is in the reverse direction, and a conveying unit that conveys the recording paper and the ink sheet in the forward direction is provided. The thermal head driving unit sets the transfer area of the image receiving layer to the ink transfer area of the ink sheet. The thermal head has a wider width, and at least one heat generating resistor on the left and right with respect to the arrangement direction of the heat generating resistors, and at least one line on the front and rear sides with respect to the recording paper feeding direction. The thermal head is driven so that the electric power applied to the heating resistor is increased more than in the other area where the image receiving layer is transferred.

The invention of claim 3 of the present application is characterized in that the area for increasing the electric power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is at least outside the area of the ink sheet on which the ink is transferred and recorded. It is a thing.

[0012]

According to the invention of claim 1 of the present application having such a feature, when the image receiving layer of the ink sheet is transferred to the recording sheet by the thermal head, the image receiving layer of the ink sheet is first used as the heating resistor of the thermal head. The recording sheet and the ink sheet are conveyed in opposition to each other by the conveying means. At this time, at least one left / right heat generating resistor is arranged in the arrangement direction of the heat generating resistors, and at least one front / rear line is more than one line in the feeding direction of the recording paper so that the area is wider than the ink transfer area. A transfer signal of the image receiving layer is applied from the thermal head driving means to the thermal head to transfer the image receiving layer onto the recording paper.
Next, the conveying means reverses the conveying direction to return the recording paper to the print start position. Next, the input image signal is applied to the thermal head driving means to transfer the ink to a region slightly narrower than the image receiving layer to print an image. By doing so, the image quality of the edge portion in the print area of the image does not deteriorate.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the image receiving layer of the ink sheet is transferred to the recording paper by the thermal head, first, the image receiving layer of the ink sheet is opposed to the heating resistor of the thermal head and is conveyed. The recording paper and the ink sheet are conveyed by the means. At this time, at least one left and right heat generating resistors or more in the arrangement direction of the heat generating resistors and at least one front and rear direction with respect to the recording paper feeding direction.
The power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is increased by a line equal to or more than the line, as compared with the transfer area of the other image receiving layer. In this case, the image receiving layer at the edge portion of the print area of the input image signal is softened more easily and easily penetrates into the recording paper. Therefore, the image receiving layer is more easily separated from the ink sheet. Moreover, the image receiving layer surrounded by the portion where the power is increased has a sufficient thickness to obtain stable image quality when the ink of the ink sheet is transferred.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3 of the present application, since the electric power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is at least outside the ink transfer area, when the ink is transferred onto the recording paper. The underlying image receiving layer has a sufficient thickness and width to obtain a stable image, and the image receiving layer is well separated from the ink sheet.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A thermal transfer recording apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of this embodiment. Figure 1
Unlike the conventional example, the thermal transfer recording apparatus is provided with the thermal head 20 at one location as shown in FIG. The thermal head 20 is a head in which a large number of minute heating resistors are arranged in a straight line. The ink sheet 21 is conveyed so as to come into contact with the thermal head 20.

FIG. 2 is a development view showing the structure of the ink sheet 21. The ink sheet 21 is a tape-shaped sheet as shown in FIG. The ink sheet 21 is divided into a plurality of sections, and a certain section is coated with an image receiving layer 22 that is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness. In addition, ink coating layers 23 of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C), which are sublimated by heating, are sequentially applied to the following three sections. As described above, the ink sheet 21 is provided with the image receiving layer 22 and the three ink coating layers 23 at a pitch of 4 sections.

In the recording mechanism section shown in FIG. 1, the ink sheet 21 is conveyed from the supply reel 24 side to the take-up reel 25 side. The recording paper 26 is also conveyed so as to be in close contact with the ink sheet 21 at the thermal head 20. Chart paper 2
Similar to the conventional example, 6 is a pulp paper-based plain paper having no image receiving layer, and is held in a portion not shown. The capstan 27 and the pinch roller 28 sandwich the recording paper 26 and convey it in the arrow A or B direction.

A platen roller 29 is provided at a position facing the thermal head 20. Platen roller 29
Is a roller that presses the ink sheet 21 and the recording paper 26 against the thermal head 20 so that the image receiving layer 22 and the ink coating layer 23 applied to the ink sheet 21 are transferred to the recording paper 26.

As shown in FIG. 1, a recording circuit section is provided in addition to the recording mechanism section. The pattern generating means 30 is a signal generating circuit for designating a print area of the recording paper 26, and outputs a transfer pulse to the transfer area of the image receiving layer 22. The video signal processing means 31 is a circuit for converting an input image signal into pulse data. Pattern generation means 30
The output of the video signal processing means 31 is given to the line memory 32. The line memory 32 is the pattern generating means 30.
Is a circuit for storing pulse data from the video signal processing means 31 or the pulse data from the video signal processing means 31 and outputting a pulse train converted into a predetermined pulse width for each line.

The temperature detector 33 is an element for detecting the temperature of the thermal head 20, and a thermistor is attached to the substrate of the thermal head 20, for example. The temperature detecting means 34 is a circuit for outputting a signal for temperature compensation from the output of the temperature detecting portion 33 to the thermal head 20 to the thermal head driving means 35. The outputs of the line memory 32 and the temperature detecting means 34 are given to the thermal head driving means 35. The thermal head drive means 35 is a circuit that modulates the pulse width in accordance with the data of the temperature detection means 34 and the output of the line memory 32 and outputs an image signal or a print area signal to the heating resistor of the thermal head 20.

A recording paper conveying circuit 36 is used as a drive source for the capstan 27, the pinch roller 28 and the platen roller 29.
a is connected. The recording paper transport circuit 36a is used for the recording paper 2
6 and the control signal for transporting the ink sheet 21 are output. When the image receiving layer 22 is transferred, the control signal for transporting the recording paper 26 and the ink sheet 21 in the direction of arrow A is output.
When transferring the ink coating layer 23, the recording paper conveying circuit 36a
Causes the pinch roller 28 and the capstan 27 to reversibly rotate, and the Y, M, and C ink coating layers 2 are formed in the same print area.
A control signal for positioning the recording paper 26 so that the number 3 is transferred is output. Here, the recording paper conveying circuit 36a, the capstan 27, the pinch roller 28, and the platen roller 29 convey the recording paper and the ink sheet in the forward direction at the time of transferring the image receiving layer, and the recording paper in the reverse direction at the time of recording an image. Conveying means 36 for conveying the paper and the ink sheet in the forward direction is configured.

The operation of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of this embodiment constructed as described above will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the ink sheet 21 and the recording paper 26 are nipped by the thermal head 20 and the platen roller 29, and are conveyed in the arrow A direction.
First, as shown in FIG. 2, the coated section of the image receiving layer 22 is conveyed to a position where it comes into contact with the heating resistor of the thermal head 20. FIG. 3A is an explanatory view showing the print area of the recording paper 26, and FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged view thereof. The image receiving layer transfer area 37 shown in FIG. 3A is a transfer area of the image receiving layer 22, and for example, if the recording paper 26 includes a standard size of A6 size, it is an area slightly larger than the effective print area of A6 size. become.

The pattern generating means 30 outputs a signal for the print area. That is, the pattern generating means 30 generates a pattern that widens vertically and horizontally by an amount corresponding to two heating resistors of the thermal head 20, and a signal having a pulse width necessary for transferring the image receiving layer 22 is a line memory. Stored in 32. Next, from the recording paper conveying circuit 36a to the capstan 27, the pinch roller 28, the platen roller 2
A signal is given to each drive source of No. 9 and the conveyance of the ink sheet 21 and the recording paper 26 is started. Then, based on the output of the line memory 32, the thermal head driving means 35 gives a driving pulse to the heating resistor of the thermal head 20. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the drive pulse applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head 20 has a wide energization width with respect to the frame-shaped outer peripheral region 38 shown in FIG. The drive power of the head 20 is increased. Ink coating layer 2
As shown in FIG. 5B, a drive pulse having a narrow energization width is applied to the third transfer ink transfer area 39 to reduce the drive power.

In this manner, the image receiving layer 22 is transferred to the image receiving layer transfer area 37 of the recording paper 26 by the thermal head 20. At this time, if the portion where the image signal is recorded is the ink transfer area 39 as shown in FIG. 3, the image receiving layer transfer area 37 of the recording paper 26 has a pitch corresponding to two heating resistors of the thermal head 20, for example. The image receiving layer 22 is transferred so that only the outer peripheral region 38 is widened. As a result, the image receiving layer 22 becomes softer in the outer peripheral area 38 and penetrates more into the recording paper 26. In this case, the image receiving layer 22 is better separated from the ink sheet 21, and the ink coating layer 23 is stably transferred to the ink transfer area 39.

The temperature detecting means 3 is connected via the temperature detecting section 33.
At 4, the temperature of the thermal head 20 is detected. Then, the thermal head driving means 35 controls the electric power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head 20, and always transfers the image receiving layer 22 to the recording paper 26 in the same state.

When the image receiving layer 22 is transferred to the entire surface of the image receiving layer transfer area 37 of the recording paper 26 as described above, the thermal head 20 is separated from the platen roller 29. The recording paper transport circuit 36a is connected to the capstan 27 and the pinch roller 2
A control signal in the reverse direction is applied to the drive source of No. 8 and the recording paper 26 is conveyed in the direction of arrow B and returned to the paper feed start position. At this time, the ink sheet 21 is taken up by the take-up reel 25 by a drive source (not shown), and as shown in FIG.
The first color yellow is conveyed to the recording start position. Then, by pressing the thermal head 20 against the platen roller 29, the ink sheet 21 and the recording paper 26 are brought into pressure contact with each other.

Next, the video signal processing means 31 stores the signal of one line of the input image in the line memory 32. In this case as well, the temperature detection unit 33 detects the temperature of the thermal head 20. Next, in accordance with the data of the temperature detecting means 33 and the output of the line memory 32, the thermal head driving means 34
Applies a pulse-width-modulated drive pulse to the heating resistor of the thermal head 20. At this time, the recording paper 26 is nipped by the capstan 27 and the pinch roller 28, and is sequentially fed in the direction of arrow A by the control signal of the recording paper transport circuit 36a, and the ink sheet 21 is also sequentially wound. The image receiving layer 22 transferred onto the recording paper 26 and the ink coating layer 23 transferred onto the image receiving layer 22 have a positional relationship as shown in FIG. The rectangular portion shown by the chain double-dashed line is a region where the ink coating layer 23 for one heating resistor of the thermal head 20 is transferred. In this way, the ink coating layer 23 is stably transferred to the inside of the outer peripheral region 38 without any break in the edge.

In this way, the first color yellow is the image receiving layer 22.
Then, the thermal head 20 is separated from the platen roller 29 again. Then, the recording paper 26 is conveyed in the direction of arrow B by the capstan 27 and the pinch roller 28 and returned to the recording start position. At this time, the ink sheet 21 is also wound, and the magenta of the second color of the ink coating layer 23 shown in FIG. 2 is conveyed to the recording start position. The thermal head 20 again presses the recording paper 26 against the platen roller 29 via the ink sheet 21 to transfer and record the magenta of the second color of the ink coating layer 23 onto the image receiving layer 22. Similarly, the third color cyan of the ink coating layer 23 is transferred to the image receiving layer 22, and the recording on the recording paper 26 is completed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the image receiving layer transfer area 37 wider than the ink transfer area 39 is formed on the recording paper 26.
You can get on automatically. As a result, when the image receiving layer 22 is transferred to the recording paper 26, even if the end surface of the image receiving layer 22 is not sharply cut and the periphery of the image receiving layer transfer area 37 has a sawtooth shape, there is a portion where the ink coating layer 23 is difficult to transfer. It does not occur and the image quality is not adversely affected.

In addition, the thermal head 20 uses the ink sheet 2
3 when the image receiving layer 22 of No. 1 is transferred to the recording paper 26.
For the outer peripheral area 38 of (a), the electric power applied to the heat generating resistor of the thermal head 20 is further increased as compared with the internal ink transfer area 39. Therefore, the image receiving layer 22 is more easily softened in the outer peripheral area 38, and the recording paper 26
Penetrates better. Therefore, the image receiving layer 22 is better separated from the ink sheet 21. Moreover, the ink transfer area 39 has a stable thickness of the image receiving layer 22, and a good image quality can be obtained when the ink coating layer 23 of the ink sheet 21 is transferred. That is, the image receiving layer transfer area 37 of the image receiving layer 22 having good sharpness is obtained, and at the same time, the transferability of the ink coating layer 23 is improved.

[0031]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the image receiving layer of the ink sheet is transferred to the recording sheet by the thermal head, the transfer area of the image receiving layer is arranged in the arrangement direction of the heating resistors. That is, at least one heating element on the left and right sides and at least one line on the front and back sides in the feeding direction of the recording paper are wider than the ink transfer area. Therefore, when the ink is transferred to the recording paper based on the input image signal, the peripheral portion of the print area does not cause the transfer failure of the ink, and a good image is thermally transferred and recorded even on the plain paper having a rough surface. be able to.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the electric power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is increased for the transfer area of the image receiving layer located on the outer peripheral portion of the ink transfer area. Therefore, when the image receiving layer of the ink sheet is transferred to the recording paper in advance by the thermal head, the image receiving layer at the outer peripheral portion becomes softer and penetrates better into the recording paper. Moreover, the area of the image receiving layer surrounded by the area where the power is increased has a sufficient thickness to obtain a stable image quality when the ink is transferred. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention of claim 1, the image receiving layer is better separated from the ink sheet.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3 of the present application, the increase region of the electric power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is
At least outside the ink transfer area. Therefore, the ink transfer area of the image receiving layer transferred to the recording paper has a sufficient thickness and width to obtain a stable image quality, and a good image quality can always be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a thermal transfer recording apparatus in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a development view of an ink sheet used in the thermal transfer recording apparatus of this embodiment.

3A is a plan view showing a transfer area of a recording sheet used in the thermal transfer recording apparatus of the present embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a partially enlarged plan view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a transfer area of a recording sheet used in the thermal transfer recording apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of drive pulses applied to a thermal head of the thermal transfer recording apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a conventional thermal transfer recording apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21 ink sheet 22 image receiving layer 23 ink coating layer 24 supply reel 25 take-up reel 26 recording paper 27 capstan 28 pinch roller 29 platen roller 30 pattern generating means 31 image signal processing means 32 line memory 33 temperature detecting section 34 temperature detecting means 35 Thermal head driving means 36 Recording paper conveying means 37 Image receiving layer transfer area 38 Outer peripheral area 39 Ink transfer area

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Taiichi Koyama 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Eiko Tanaka, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A thermal head in which a large number of minute heating resistors are linearly arranged, an ink sheet in which an image receiving layer which is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness and ink are applied to different sections, and the thermal head A platen roller that holds the ink sheet and the recording paper between them, and a thermal head drive unit that drives the thermal head based on a transfer signal of the image receiving layer and an ink transfer signal according to an input image signal, When transferring the image receiving layer, the recording paper and the ink sheet are conveyed in the forward direction, and when the image is recorded, the recording paper is moved in the reverse direction.
A transport unit that transports the recording paper and the ink sheet in the forward direction, and the thermal head driving unit has a transfer area of the image receiving layer, which is more than a transfer area of the ink,
The thermal transfer is characterized in that the thermal head is driven so that at least one left and right heating resistors are widened with respect to the arrangement direction of the heating resistors and at least one front and rear line is widened with respect to the recording paper feeding direction. Recording device. 2. A thermal head in which a large number of minute heating resistors are linearly arranged, an ink sheet in which an image receiving layer which is softened by heating and exhibits adhesiveness and ink are applied to different sections, and the thermal head A platen roller that holds the ink sheet and the recording paper between them, and a thermal head drive unit that drives the thermal head based on a transfer signal of the image receiving layer and an ink transfer signal according to an input image signal, When transferring the image receiving layer, the recording paper and the ink sheet are conveyed in the forward direction, and when the image is recorded, the recording paper is moved in the reverse direction.
The thermal head drive means has a transfer area of the image receiving layer wider than an ink transfer area of the ink sheet, and a transfer means that transfers the recording paper and the ink sheet in a forward direction. At least one heat generating resistor on the left and right with respect to the arrangement direction of the heat generating resistors, and at least one line on the front and rear sides with respect to the feeding direction of the recording paper, at least one heat generating resistor of the thermal head. A thermal transfer recording apparatus, characterized in that the thermal head is driven so that the electric power applied to the image receiving layer is increased more than in other areas where the image receiving layer is transferred. 3. The area for increasing the power applied to the heating resistor of the thermal head is at least outside the area of the ink sheet on which the ink is transferred and recorded. Thermal transfer recording device.