US Patent 7259775 Image recording apparatus

A small-size color printer which can perform printing while generation of wrinkles is prevented in an ink ribbon to suppress decrease in print quality caused by the wrinkles of the ink ribbon is provided. A status of image data in a print area is determined, and print pulses are also applied to white portions in which energy is not applied in the conventional method. The print pulse has the highest energy in which coloring is not generated. Therefore, distortion caused by the thermal difference in the ink ribbon is reduced in the print area, which allows the decrease in print quality caused by the wrinkles of the ink ribbon to be suppressed.