(57) An image recording apparatus includes a printing unit (100, 500) for making ink adhere
to a recording medium (RM) without contact therewith to form an image on the recording
medium (RM), and a dye receiving layer coating unit (200, 201, 202, 510) for coating
an image formation surface of the recording medium (RM) with a dye receiving layer
before the recording medium (RM) is transported to the printing unit (100, 500). The
printing unit (100, 500) forms an image by vaporizing powdery sublimation dye ink
and intermittently ejecting the vaporized ink in accordance with image data. The dye
receiving layer coating unit (200, 201, 202, 510) makes dye receptor particles adhere
to the recording medium (RM) electrostatically, or liquid dye receptor adhere to the
recording medium (RM) by ejection, and thereafter fixes the dye receptor particles
or the liquid dye receptor adhering on the recording medium (RM). A common fixing
unit (14) may be used for the dye receiving layer coating unit (510) and the printing
unit (500). In addition, a sensor (20) for deciding whether the recording medium (RM)
is of specific paper with a preapplied dye receiving layer or of plain paper may be
provided so as to operate the dye receiving layer coating unit (200, 201, 202, 510)
only when the plain paper is detected.
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