THERMAL TRANSFER SYSTEM AND THERMAL TRANSFER METHOD

To provide a thermal transfer system which can adequately prevent leakage of information that should be kept secret, and a thermal transfer method.SOLUTION: A thermal transfer system comprises: a first heating body 22 which repeats transferring an ink of an ink layer of an ink ribbon 13 to a transfer object 14 in a first pattern from a support layer 11 side thereof on a downstream side of a delivery part 16; a winding part 20 which winds the ink ribbon on a downstream side of the first heating body so that the support layer is positioned on an outer side with respect to the ink layer and temporarily stops the ink ribbon, and repeats stopping each time when winding the ink ribbon by a winding amount equivalent to a prescribed delivery amount; a second heating body 21 which presses the ink ribbon wound by the winding part from the support layer side and heats the same in a second pattern different from the first pattern each time when stopping the winding part, and transfers or deposits the support layer of the ink ribbon to an inside support layer; and an adjustment part which adjusts a length of the ink ribbon from the first heating body to the pressing position according to a change in the pressing position of the second heating body in association with a change in a wound diameter of the ink ribbon wound by the winding part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1 【課題】秘匿すべき情報の漏洩を適切に防止することができる熱転写システムおよび熱転写方法を提供する。【解決手段】送出部１６の下流において支持層１１側からインクリボン１３を被転写体１４に第１パターンでインク層のインクを転写を繰り返す第１加熱体２２と、第１加熱体の下流においてインクリボンを支持層がインク層より外側に位置するように巻き取って一時的に停止し、所定送り出し量に相当する巻き取り量のインクリボンを巻き取る度に停止を繰り返す巻取部２０と、巻取部の停止時毎に、巻取部で巻き取られたインクリボンを支持層側から押圧して第１パターンと異なる第２パターンで加熱し、インクリボンの支持層を内側の支持層に転写、または溶着させる第２加熱体２１と、巻取部で巻き取られたインクリボンの巻き径の変化にともなう第２加熱体の押圧位置の変化に応じて、第１加熱体から押圧位置までのインクリボンの長さを調整する調整部と、を備える。【選択図】図１