Abstract: A computerized chart recorder is revealed, comprises a signal conversion unit, an operation control unit, a printing control unit, and a database. A signal conversion unit receives measurement signals of a measurement instrument, and converts the measurement signals to signal conversion data. A operation control unit receives the signal conversion data required for printing, produces corresponding chart data, and prints the curve of signal variations, which can be also displayed on a human-machine interface unit. Whether to store the data or to print can be determined. Besides, the data can be also transmitted to a printing control unit. When the printing control unit is activated, it can receive the chart data and the quality assurance data, and control a printing unit to emulate the chart recorder for executing chart recording. In addition, the quality assurance data can be printed as well for complying with the requirements of the quality-assurance operations.

Abstract: A thermal recording material of the invention contains, as a storability improver, tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenyl)butane trapping and containing water and/or methanol and having a crystal structure that shows a maximum X-ray diffraction peak at a diffraction angle 2? of 6.58° according to X-ray diffraction measurement using an X ray having a wavelength of a Cu—K? line. The recording material has improved heat resistance in non-printing sections while maintaining the moisture-and-heat resistance in printing sections. The thermal recording material of the invention has a thermal-recording layer that contains the tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenyl)butane in an amount of preferably 0.1 to 15% by mass with respect to the thermal-recording layer. The amount of the water and/or methanol trapped and contained in the tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-t-butylphenyl)butane is preferably 0.1 to 10% by mass in total.

Abstract: A method for forming micropatterns includes forming a thin film consisting of a single layer or of plural layers on a substrate, irradiating an energy beam to the thin film to elevate the temperature of a region to a predetermined temperature or higher to thereby modify the region of the thin film, and patterning the thin film at least in such a manner to leave over the modified region.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive recording material, comprising a layer support, on whose front face a heat-sensitive recording layer is arranged, containing a colorant precursor and a colorant acceptor which undergoes a colorant formation reaction when it comes into contact with the colorant precursor, an intermediate layer arranged between the layer support and heat-sensitive recording layer, a protective layer that is free from compounds containing silicone, is hardened by actinic radiation and covers the heat-sensitive recording layer and a self-adhesive layer arranged on the back of the layer support, is used as a label material which can be wound on a roll and printed by the offset or flexographic printing process and in which the self-adhesive layer is in contact with the protective layer in the roll.

Abstract: The apparatus and method control preheating temperature of equipment having a device to be preheated and a preheating device for start-up which includes a heat source and a heat source control device which has a plurality of heating patterns to control said heat source. The apparatus includes a temperature measuring device for measuring current temperature of the device to be preheated within the equipment, a computing device for calculating a predicted time that is required by the preheating device to preheat the device from the current temperature to a preset temperature, a comparison device by which the predicted time as calculated by the computing device is compared with a specified start-up time and a selecting device for selecting from the plurality of heating patterns within the heat source control device a heating pattern that makes the predicted time shorter than the start-up time.

Abstract: There is described a thermal recording system which utilizes a donor element comprising a substrate and a thermal transfer material layer having a dye-containing phase which is amorphous and wherein the dye or dyes present in the amorphous phase form a continuous film. Imagewise heating of the medium transfers portions of the transfer layer to a receiver sheet, thus forming an image. The transfer layer may also include a non-dye phase comprising a thermal solvent. During the heating of the donor element, the crystalline thermal solvent melts and dissolves or liquefies at least a portion of the dye-containing phase, thereby lowering the temperature at which transfer of the transfer layer occurs.

Abstract: Using a thermal writing device, an image is drawn on an image-forming sheet that includes a base and a layer of microcapsules, coated over the base, containing microcapsules filled with a dye. The microcapsules are squashed under a predetermined pressure at a temperature falling in a predetermined temperature range. The device includes an elongated body, having a tip-end, designed to be grasped by a user's hand, a heater movably provided on the tip-end of the body, and a spring provided in the tip-end of the body. The spring is associated with the heater to be elastically biased such that, when the tip-end of the body is pressed against the sheet, the heater is depressed against an elastic-force of the spring, thereby exerting the predetermined pressure on the sheet. An electrical driver that electrically energizes the heater to heat to a temperature falling in the predetermined temperature range is also provided.

Abstract: A rewriteable image-recording substrate has a base sheet, and an image-developing layer coated over a surface of the base sheet. The image-developing layer is composed of a plurality of split-tube elements formed of a shape memory resin exhibiting a predetermined glass-transition temperature. Each of the split-tube elements has a split formed along a central axis thereof, and is securely adhered to the surface of the base sheet such that the split of each split-tube element is oriented away from the surface of the base sheet. An outer peripheral surface of each split-tube element is colored with, for example, white, and an inner cylindrical surface thereof is colored with, for example, black.

Abstract: Printed markers for identifying electrical cables are formed by winding an elongate plastics strip or flattened length of plastics tubing 19 onto a reel 30, which is then mounted for rotation to a thermal transfer printer 25. The printer then prints markings 14 onto the strip or tubing 19 as it advances past a print head 36 of the printer 25. The strip or tubing 19 may be formed with transverse lines of weakness at intervals along its length, to define successive markers. The thermal transfer printer 25 comprises a transfer ribbon 38 carrying a releasable printing composition, which print composition comprises a first pigmentation material capable of penetrating into the plastics of the strip or tubing 19, and a second pigmentation material capable of adhering to the surface of the plastics of the strip or tubing 19.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for thermally transferring an ink pattern to a recording medium, comprising the steps of preparing an ink sheet provided with a hot-melt and/or hot-sublimable ink layer and a transparent material sheet provided with a transparent hot-melt material layer, thermally producing an ink pattern on the transparent material layer of the transparent material sheet by heating the ink sheet with thermal head, and thermally transferring the ink pattern to the recording medium together with the transparent hot-melt material layer.