(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image transfer sheet.
(ii) Related Art
Development of the image forming technology in recent years has lead to emergence of various types of printing methods, such as intaglio printing, relief printing, planographic printing, gravure printing, and screen printing, that are capable of massively producing images at lower cost without degrading the quality of the images. These printing methods are frequently used in producing information recording media, such as IC cards, magnetic cards, optical cards, and cards with any of these combinations, that store preliminarily determined data and that are capable of communicating with external devices in a contact or noncontact manner.
The mainstream image forming method for printing personal data for individuals, such as personal identification data (facial portrait, name, address, birth date, and various licenses) is an image forming method that uses a dye sublimation printer that uses ink ribbons or the like or a fusion thermal transfer printer.
In contrast, an electrophotographic image forming (printing) method includes charging a surface of an image-bearing member, exposing the surface of the image-bearing member in accordance to an image signal to form an electrostatic latent image by the potential difference between exposed portions and unexposed portions, and electrostatically developing the latent image with a color powder (image-forming material) called toner that has a polarity opposite to (or the same as) the potential of charging so as to form a visible image (toner image) on the surface of the image-bearing member. In the cases where a color image is to be formed, either this process is repeated several times or plural image forming devices are arranged side-by-side to form color visible images and these color visible images are transferred and fixed to an image recording member (immobilization: melting the color powder mainly by heat and solidifying the color powder by cooling).