Thermal transfer printing method and apparatus

摘要

Thermal transfer printing method and apparatus are provided to make initial character image data left on a spent ink ribbon illegible. In the method, after forming an initial character image FGi₁ on an ink layer 11 b in black of the ink ribbon 11, a forefront position S 1 of the ink layer 11 b is aligned with a forefront position S 2 of an intermediate transfer film 25 . Then, overwrite character image data UGD₁ is applied on a thermal head 19 to produce a first superimpose character image KG 1 i₁ on the ribbon 11 and a first superimpose character image KG 1 m₁ on the film 25. After that, the forefront position S 1 of the ink layer 11 b is shifted from the forefront position S 2 of the film 25 by a predetermined distance and further, the overwrite character image data UGD₁ is applied on the thermal head 19 to produce a second superimpose character image KG 2 i₁ on the ribbon 11 and a second superimpose character image KG 2 m₁ on the film 25 . In this way, the initial character image data left on the ribbon 11 and the film 25 can be together brought into illegible condition.