Intermediate transfer recording medium, print, and method for image formation thereby
There is provided a print which has been produced by providing an intermediate transfer recording medium comprising a substrate film and a transfer portion, comprising at least a receptive layer, provided separably on the substrate film, forming a thermal transfer image onto the transfer portion, and retransferring the transfer portion onto an object while accurately and stably forming a non-transferred portion onto a part of the object and, in addition, does not increase a production cost for providing a final print. The intermediate transfer recording medium comprises a substrate film and a transfer portion comprising at least a receptive layer, the transfer portion being provided separably on the substrate film. The print has on its at least one side a transfer portion-non-retransferred portion.
1. An intermediate transfer recording medium, comprising:
a substrate film; and
a transfer portion provided separably on the substrate film, the transfer portion comprising a receptive layer and
at least one partial masking layer;
wherein when the transfer portion is retransferred onto an object, a receptive region and a void region are formed on the object, the void region being substantially free of the receptive layer and having a location corresponding to a location during retransfer of the partial masking layer.
2. The intermediate transfer recording medium according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one detection mark provided on the intermediate transfer recording medium at a predetermined distance from the at least one partial masking layer.
3. The intermediate transfer recording medium according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one first side region for forming an image on a first side of an object;
at least one second side region for forming an image on a second side of the object; and
at least one detection mark separating the at least one first side region from the at least one second side region;
wherein:
the partial masking layer is provided in at least one of the first side region and the second side region; and
when forming an image on both sides of the object, a void region is formed on at least one side of the object, the void region being substantially free of the receptive layer and having a location corresponding to a location during retransfer of the partial masking layer.
4. A method for image formation, comprising forming the void region on a part of the object using the intermediate transfer recording medium according to claim 1 .
5. An intermediate transfer recording medium, comprising:
a substrate film;
a stripping layer provided on the substrate film; and
a receptive layer provided on the stripping layer;
wherein:
at least a portion of the substrate film is not provided with the stripping layer; and
when the receptive layer is retransferred onto an object, a void region is formed on the object, the void region being substantially free of the receptive layer and having a location corresponding to a location during retransfer of the portion of the substrate film not provided with the stripping layer.
6. The intermediate transfer recording medium according to claim 5 , further comprising a detection mark provided on the intermediate transfer recording medium at a predetermined distance from the portion of the substrate film is not provided with the stripping layer.
7. A method for image formation, comprising forming the void region on a part of the object using the intermediate transfer recording medium according to any one of claims 5 and 6 .
8. A method for image formation using an intermediate transfer recording medium, comprising:
providing an intermediate transfer recording medium comprising a substrate film, a stripping layer provided on the substrate film and a receptive layer provided on the stripping layer;
providing a thermal transfer sheet comprising a thermally transferable masking layer;
transferring the masking layer onto the receptive layer by heating means; and
retransferring the receptive layer through the masking layer onto an object to form a receptive region and a void region on the object, the void region being substantially free of the receptive layer.