Ink-transfer-type printer

摘要

An ink transfer type printer employs an ink holding member constituted by a porous body which contains ink therein and a film member made of a shape-memory resin which covers the porous body. The film member is provided with a plurality of through-holes. A film deforming member compresses the film member to collapse the through-holes and cools down the film member to the temperature lower than a glass transition temperature. A first heating member heats the selected parts of the deformed film member to the temperature higher than the glass transition temperature so as to restore the shape of the respective through-holes of the selected parts, and ink is transferred onto the recording sheet via the through-holes of the selected parts. Thereafter, a second heating member heats the overall parts of the deformed film member to the temperature higher than the glass transition temperature so as to totally restore the shape of the film member.