Foil transfer device

A foil transfer device for transferring foil onto a sheet laid on a foil film containing the foil, the foil transfer device comprising:

• a heating roller configured to heat the foil film and the sheet;
• a pressure roller configured to rotate, with the foil film and the sheet being nipped between the heating roller and the pressure roller, to thereby cause the sheet to move forward together with the foil film;
• a nip/release mechanism configured to move a first roller that is one of the heating roller and the pressure roller, relative to a second roller that is another of the heating roller and the pressure roller, between a nipping position in which the first roller is pressed against the second roller, and a separate position in which the first roller is located apart from the second roller;
• a conveyor roller configured to convey the sheet to a transfer position in which the foil film and the sheet are to be nipped between the heating roller and the pressure roller to transfer foil onto the sheet;
• and
• a controller configured to exercise control over the nip/release mechanism and the conveyor roller, and capable of executing a foil transfer process in a foil save mode in which foil is transferred partially on a surface of the sheet by causing the foil film to be pressed against a confined surface region that is part of an entire area of the surface of the sheet as defined by front and rear boundaries thereof on the sheet in a direction of conveyance of the sheet,
• wherein when the nip/release mechanism is caused to move the first roller and starts causing the foil film to be pressed against the confined surface region of the sheet, of which the front boundary is located apart from a leading edge of the sheet, the controller executes:
• a first process of causing the conveyor roller to start conveyance of the sheet, while the first roller is positioned in the separate position;
• a second process of causing the conveyor roller to stop conveyance of the sheet before a foil transfer area defined on the surface of the sheet as an area onto which foil is to be transferred reaches the transfer position;
• a third process of causing the nip/release mechanism to start moving the first roller from the separate position to the nipping position while the conveyance of the sheet is stopped;
• and
• a fourth process of causing the conveyor roller to restart conveyance of the sheet before the first roller reaches the nipping position.