Heat transfer ink sheet having a precoating layer which is thermally transferred prior to sublimation of an ink dye

An ink sheet for printing a colored image on a recording sheet, which comprises:

• a base sheet;
• an ink layer region containing a sublimable or vaporizable dye, formed on the base sheet;
• a precoating layer region for a precoating layer, formed on the base sheet in the precoating layer region being formed adjacent to the ink layer region and being made of an organic material having at least one of an ester and an amide bond and being capable of being easily dyed with the dye in the ink layer region;
• a first silicone resin layer formed on said ink layer region;
• and
• a second silicone resin layer formed between said precoating layer region and said base sheet for facilitating separation of said precoating layer region from said base sheet.

A process for printing a colored image on a recording sheet, which comprises the steps of:

• preparing an ink sheet which is provided with on one surface thereon an ink layer region containing a sublimable or vaporizable dye and a region for a precoating layer, only the surface of the ink layer region being covered with an adhesion preventing layer, the precoating layer region being adjacent to the ink layer region and both regions being arranged alternately, the precoating layer region being made of an organic material having at least one of an ester bond and an amide bond and being capable of being easily dyed with the dye in the ink layer region;
• bringing the precoating layer region of the ink sheet into contact with the surface of the recording sheet;
• heating the precoating layer region by a thermal head controlled by a controlling means so as to effect transfer of the precoating layer region to the surface of the recording sheets;
• bringing the ink layer region of the ink sheet into contact with the surface of the transferred precoating layer through the adhesion preventing layer;
• and
• effecting sublimation or vaporization of the dye in the ink layer region by heat from the thermal head so as to transfer the dye into the transferred precoating layer, while the adhesion preventing layer prevents adhering of the ink layer remaining on the ink sheet to the precoating layer.

An ink sheet for printing a colored image on a recording sheet, which comprises, a base sheet;

• ink layer regions each containing a sublimable or vaporizable dye, formed on the base sheet;
• precoating layer regions formed on the base sheet;
• and an adhesion preventing layer for preventing adhering of the ink layer remaining on the ink sheet to the precoating layer transferred onto the recording sheet, formed on the surface of the ink layer;
• wherein the precoating layer region is formed adjacent to the ink layer region, the precoating layer is made of an organic material having at least one of an ester bond and an amide bond and being capable of being easily dyed with the dye in the ink layer region.