Importance

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Abstract

A thermal transfer printer including a printhead having a plurality of individually energizable thermal elements arranged in a primary scanning direction, wherein a carrier sheet bearing a plurality of different color record-forming materials arranged on discrete surface portions located in end-to-end relation in a subsidiary scanning direction and a record medium are pressed together and moved across the printhead in the subsidiary scanning direction in timed relation. The thermal elements are selectively energized to transfer spots of one color record-forming material after another from the carrier sheet to the record medium by repeatedly performing a thermal transfer printing operation. A heating roller and a pressing roller are brought into contact with the record medium after spots of one color record-forming material are transferred, to remove irregularities from the surface of the record medium before transferring thereto spots of another color. Minuscule irregularities may be formed on the surface of the pressing roller to form irregularities on the transferred spots to facilitate adhesion thereto of spots of another color.

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First Claim