Image transfer sheet, preparation method thereof and image formation method and image transfer method using the image transfer sheet

A method of preparing an image transfer sheet, comprising a support having water permeability, a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive material, and an image transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, the adhesive layer having a surface covering area ratio of about 90 to 94.4% with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom;

• said method comprising providing said adhesive layer on said releasing layer using a coating liquid in the form of a solvent solution for the formation of said adhesive layer.

A method of preparing an image transfer sheet, comprising a support having water permeability, a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive material, and an image transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, the adhesive layer having a surface covering area ratio of about 90 to 94.4% with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom, said method comprising providing said adhesive layer on said releasing layer using a coating liquid with a viscosity of 50×10−3 Pa·s or more for the formation of said adhesive layer.

A method of forming a toner image on an image transfer sheet serving as an image receiving material by electrophotography, which comprises forming said toner image, and fixing said tomer image to said image transfer sheet with the application of heat of pressure or both thereto, said image transfer sheet comprising a support having water permeability, a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and an image transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, the adhesive layer having a surface covering area ratio of about 90 to 94.4% with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom.

An image formation method of forming an image on an image transfer sheet serving as an image receiving material by an ink jet printing method using an aqueous ink or thermofusible ink, said image transfer sheet comprising a support having a water permeability, a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive and an image transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, the adhesive layer having a surface covering area ratio of about 90 to 94.4% with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom.

The image formation method of forming an image transfer sheet serving as an image receiving material by transferring a thermofusible ink layer or a sublimable dye imagewise to said image transfer sheet with the application of heat thereto, said image transfer sheet comprising a support having water permeability, and a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, the adhesive layer having a surface covering area ratio of about 90% to 94.4% with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom.

An image transfer method of transferring to an image receiving material, a toner image which is formed by electrophotography on an image transfer sheet and fixed thereto with the application of heat or pressure or both thereto, said image transfer sheet comprising a support having water permeability, and a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and an image transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, with said adhesive layer having a surface covering area ratio of about 90 to 94.4% with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom.

An image transfer method of transferring an image formed on an image transfer sheet to an image receiving material, said image being formed on said image transfer sheet by transferring a thermofusible ink layer or a sublimable dye imagewise to said image transfer sheet with the application of heat thereto, said image transfer sheet comprising a support having water permeability, a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and an image transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, the adhesive layer having a surface covering area ratio of about 90 to 94.4% with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer layer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom.

An image transfer method of transferring an image formed on an image transfer sheet to an image receiving material, said image being formed on said image transfer sheet by an ink jet printing method using an aqueous ink or a thermofusible ink, said image transfer sheet comprising a support having water permeability, a releasing layer, an adhesive layer comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive, and an image transfer layer which are successively overlaid in this order on said support, the adhesive layer having a surface covering area ration of about 90 to 94.4%, with respect to a surface area of said image transfer layer when said image transfer sheet is immersed in water and said support is peeled away therefrom.