Card-making method and system as well as heat treatment mechanism for cards and image-forming apparatus incorporating the same

A card-making system for making an authentication card from a raw card having a readable and writable information-storing portion formed therein, by forming an image on at least one of a front surface and a back surface of the raw card and writing individual authentication information in the information-storing portion,

• the card-making system comprising:
• processing information-writing means for writing processing information of the raw card in the information-storing portion;
• processing information readout means for reading out the processing information from the information-storing portion;
• image forming means for forming the image on the raw card;
• image-forming control means for controlling said processing information readout means and said image forming means;
• and
• authentication information-writing means for writing individual authentication information of the authentication card in the information-storing portion,
• wherein said image-forming control means controls an image forming process carried out by said image forming means for forming the image, based on the processing information read from the information-storing portion.

An image-forming apparatus for forming an image on a card having an information-storing portion arranged in part of a surface of a card body of the card, the image-forming apparatus comprising:

• a printer mechanism for printing the image on an ink image-receiving sheet by using an sublimable dye ink;
• and
• a heat treatment mechanism for applying heat treatment to the card body and the ink image-receiving sheet printed with the image which are overlaid to each other, by using a light source as a heating source, to thereby fix the image printed on the image-receiving sheet to the card,
• the heat treatment mechanism including a light-blocking plate which is arranged such that the light-blocking plate is positioned between the card and the light source to block irradiated light to the information-storing portion.