Image recording apparatus using thermal transfer ink sheet

TLDR: In this article, the authors proposed a test printing method to prevent the consumption of an ink sheet and recording paper in large quantities by test printing by performing the heating due to the second heating means corresponding to a part of signal data selected by a signal selection means in the test recording of an image.

Abstract: PURPOSE:To prevent the consumption of an ink sheet and recording paper in large quantities by test printing by performing the heating due to the second heating means corresponding to a part of signal data selected by a signal selection means in the test recording of an image. CONSTITUTION:A large-sized printer 100 and a small-sized printer 200 are respectively loaded with ink sheets 30, 230 and recording papers 32, 232 are also set to the respective printers. When an image NTSC signal is inputted from a terminal 10, the image signal is converted to an RGB signal by a decoder 14 and an image is displayed on a CRT 46 through a frame memory 18, a D/A converter 43 and an encoder 44. When test printing indication is inputted from an input operation part 36 by an operator, a switch 54 is changed over to the small-sized printer 200 and the data of the RGB signal is successively read to form a signal for printing a small image through a color correction circuit 20 and a gradation control part 24 and respective color inks are superposed by a thermal head 228 to form a test image. Therefore, when a large size print is obtained, it can be prevented that the ink sheet and the recording paper are used in large quantities by test printing.