Thermal transfer recording apparatus, thermal transfer recording process and ink sheet

A thermal transfer recording apparatus, comprising arranging means for arranging a surface for thermal transfer treatment of an ink sheet in opposed relation to a recording region of an image-receiving paper sheet, which has a transparent portion that allows viewing an image formed from a backside thereof, and a recording section having heating means, wherein

• the surface for thermal transfer treatment of the ink sheet arranged in opposed relation to the image-receiving paper sheet has a first and second ink layer regions each provided with a thermal transfer type ink layer and a light-shielding-layer-forming region provided with a thermal transfer type light-shielding-layer-forming layer, and
• the recording apparatus has control means for conducting thermal transfer recording with the first ink layer region, thermally transferring the light-shielding-layer-forming layer from the light-shielding-layer-forming region and then conducting thermal transfer recording with the second ink layer region to the same recording region of the image-receiving paper sheet.

A thermal transfer recording process for recording an image in a recording region of an image-recording paper sheet by heating a surface for thermal transfer treatment of an ink sheet on the basis of recording information by means of heating means provided in a recording section of a recording apparatus under such a condition that the surface is arranged opposite to the recording region of the image-receiving paper sheet, which has a transparent portion that allows viewing an image formed from a backside thereof, wherein

• the surface for thermal transfer treatment of the ink sheet arranged opposite to the image-receiving paper sheet has a first and second ink layer regions each provided with a thermal transfer type ink layer and a light-shielding-layer-forming region provided with a thermal transfer type light-shielding-layer-forming layer,
• the process comprising the steps of conducting thermal transfer recording with the first ink layer region, forming a light-shielding layer by thermal transfer of the light-shielding-layer-forming layer and then conducting thermal transfer recording on the light-shielding layer with the second ink layer region to the same recording region of the image-receiving paper sheet.