Abstract: A method for creating color images is provided. This method includes providing at least one color precursor, wherein the color precursor is contained within microcapsules of predetermined sizes or variable sizes; providing a substrate, wherein the substrate is coated with at least one-color-triggering developer; depositing the microcapsules on the surface of the substrate; and creating an image on the substrate by applying pressure to the microcapsules in a controlled manner, wherein the pressure is sufficient to rupture the microcapsules, wherein rupturing the microcapsules releases the color precursor for reacting with the color-triggering developer, and wherein the reaction of the color precursor with the color-triggering developer creates color on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermosensitive recording medium including a white plastic support, a thermosensitive recording layer containing a binder resin as a binding agent, a colorless or pale color leuco dye and a color developer for heat-developing the leuco dye, a protective layer, and a back layer containing an electron-conductive needle filler and an ion-conductive polymer, wherein the thermosensitive recording layer is disposed on the white plastic support, the protective layer is disposed on the thermosensitive recording layer, and the back layer is disposed on a side of the white plastic support opposite to the side where the thermosensitive recording layer is disposed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an image recording material exhibiting an excellent exposure visualization property as well as an image formation process employing the image recording material, and further to provide not only a printing plate material exhibiting excellent on-press developability and printing durability, but also an image formation process employing the printing plate material, accompanied with an excellent exposure visualization property. Also disclosed is an image recording material possessing a support and provided thereon, a thermosensitive image formation layer, wherein the thermosensitive image formation layer contains thermoplastic spherical particles having an average particle diameter of 100-500 nm, and exhibits a structural color originated with the thermoplastic spherical particles.

Abstract: A multilayer article is provided comprising a metallic nanoparticle layer and a reflective film layer. The article may be marked on exposure to incident light.

Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a semiconductor laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.20?I1/I2?1.29 ??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 95% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.

Abstract: An erasable image forming material includes a color former containing crystal violet lactone, a developer, a first binder resin of styrene-butadiene copolymer and a second binder resin of a styrene-based resin containing ?-methylstyrene, the first and second binder resins being in a compatible state.

Abstract: Record material imageable with a laser beam. The material is a substrate such as paper or polyolefin film having provided on at least one surface thereof a coating containing a solvent-soluble or disperse-type dye suitable for coloring plastics or polymers. Typical solvent-soluble and disperse-type dye include monoazo dyes, diazo dyes, anthraquinone dyes, coumarin dyes, quinoline dyes, xanthene dyes, and naphthalimide dyes. The record material does not show visible dye specks in the coating layer on the substrate because the dye has a very small average particle size—less than 50 microns. No more than 1% of the dye particles are larger than 100 microns. Also, method for imaging a substrate using heat energy by applying heat energy to the described record material to bring about a temperature in the coating greater than the melting temperature of the dye, causing color to become visible in the record material.

Abstract: The presently described embodiments comprise a system that includes a color changing medium, an erasing device using heat or long wavelength infrared light as the erasing source, a writing device that can imagewise apply a UV light to write the image on the media, and a transport to transport the media along a paper path to be seen by the erasing device and the writing device. The system could also function in an alternative way. The image could be “erased” to the all dark state using light (e.g. ultraviolet light) and then heated or illuminated using, for example, infrared light in imagewise fashion to produce the image.

Abstract: To provide a thermal recording medium, which can realize easy maintenance, does not produce wastes such as cartridges, and can realize easy control of recording sheets, and an apparatus and method for image formation. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS]A high-temperature color development capsule (23), a low-temperature color development capsule (27), and a low-temperature color development suppression capsule (28) are incorporated in a recording sheet (10). In a printer, the low-temperature color development capsule (27) is subjected to low-temperature color development and is then pressed to break the low-temperature color development suppression capsule (28), whereby low-temperature color development is fixed. Thereafter, the high-temperature color development capsule (23) is subjected to high-temperature color development.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reversible thermosensitive recording medium including a support and a thermosensitive recording layer thereon, in which the thermosensitive recording layer contains an electron-donating coloring compound and an electron-accepting compound, and the thermosensitive recording layer is capable of forming a relatively developed condition and a relatively erased condition depending on at least one of the difference of heating temperatures and the difference of cooling rates following to heating, and in which the electron-accepting compound contains a phenol compound expressed by General Formula (1): where, in the General Formula (1), “l” represents an integer of 1 to 3 and “m” represents an integer of 23 or more.

Abstract: A dual-sided two-ply direct thermal image element is provided. In one embodiment, the dual-sided two-ply direct thermal image element comprises a first substrate having a first side and a second side, and a second substrate having a first side and a second side, wherein both the first substrate and the second substrate include a thermally sensitive coating on at least a first side thereof, and wherein the second side of the first substrate is releasably attached to the second side of the second substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides compositions derived from a polycarboxylic acid, a polyhydroxy compound, a dye and a basic crosslinking agent. The compositions can be used to prepare cross-linked films that exhibit low solvent-swell characteristics. The cross-linked films can be used to prepare color filter elements via thermal transfer processes.

Abstract: There are described novel rhodamine color-forming compounds. The rhodamine color-forming compounds exhibit a first color when in a crystalline form and a second color, different from the first color, when in an amorphous form. Thermal imaging members containing these color-formers are also described.

Abstract: A thermochromic reimageable recording medium comprises a substrate and thermochromic composition comprising a photochromic material, a transition metal salt and a binder. The thermochromic composition changes color from a colorless state to a colored state upon application of heat. The thermochromic recording medium may be used to display a viewable image by applying heat to selected areas of the medium to form a desired image. The colored state is changeable or erasable back to the colorless state by exposure to visible light.

Abstract: A penetrant transfer printing method includes the step of: providing an object with a printing layer thereon, and then providing a colorless surface material on the printing layer of the object for baking to form a protective film on the printing layer of the object, and then attaching a transfer paper on the printing layer of the object for hot pressing the transfer paper. The protective film will form pores therein because of expansion of a molecule structure, and a printing ink of a pattern on the transfer paper will be molten and penetrate into the pores of the protective film to transfer the pattern of the transfer paper to the printing layer of the object. Last step of the present is peeling the transfer paper off and clearing the object.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an external light blocking film for a display device is provided. The method includes a step of applying a curable resin in which a photochromic colorant is mixed on a backing of a transparent resin; a step of disposing a photo-mask having a predetermined pattern on the curable resin and then irradiating the photochromic colorant through the photo-mask with light having a first wavelength which makes the photochromic colorant color-changed; a step of removing the photo-mask and then curing the curable resin. The method can improve fabrication efficiency.

Abstract: To provide an image processing method including at least one of recording an image onto a thermoreversible recording medium in which transparency or color tone reversibly changes depending upon temperature, by applying a laser beam with the use of a CO2 laser device so as to heat the thermoreversible recording medium, and erasing an image recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, by heating the thermoreversible recording medium, wherein an intensity distribution of the laser beam applied in the image recording step satisfies the relationship represented by Expression 1 shown below, 1.59<I1/I2?2.00 ??Expression 1 where I1 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam in a central position of the applied laser beam, and I2 denotes an irradiation intensity of the applied laser beam on a plane corresponding to 80% of the total irradiation energy of the applied laser beam.

Abstract: There are disclosed imaging members wherein a chemical compound in a crystalline form is converted, at least partially, and preferably substantially completely or completely, to a liquid in the amorphous form, the liquid having intrinsically a different color from the crystalline form. Also described are imaging methods utilizing the imaging members. The conversion of the compound from the crystalline form to the liquid form can be effected by the application of thermal energy or by other imaging techniques.

Abstract: To improve defective coloring at the time of forming an image as well as defective color erasing at the time of erasing an image, reducing damages of an information processing unit, the present invention provides a reversible thermosensitive recording medium which includes a support having flexibility, a reversible thermosensitive recording layer, an information processing unit having an information recording element, and a buffer layer, in which the information processing unit and the buffer layer are disposed on the opposite surface of the support on which the reversible thermosensitive recording layer is disposed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reversible thermosensitive recording medium including: a support, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer laid on the support, the recording layer containing a reversible thermosensitive composition, wherein the reversible thermosensitive composition forms a relatively color-developed state and a colorless state depending on a difference in a heating temperature and/or a cooling rate after heating by the use of an electron-donating color-forming compound and an electron-accepting compound; a resin component contained in the reversible thermosensitive recording layer is a resin in which a polyol resin having a hydroxyl value within the range of 100 KOHmg/g to 250 KOHmg/g is crosslinked; and as the electron-accepting compound, a urea compound represented by the following General Formula (1) is used, where “n” is an integer of 23 or greater.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an optical information recording medium by which the getting thereof in and out of a reproducing apparatus and the reproducing of recoding data can be stably and reliably performed and the recording content can be visually confirmed, and which has the reversible display function of performing at least one of the recording, erasing and rewriting of the display which is excellent in the uniformity of the image, easily, with a good appearance and without damaging the optical information recording medium; a manufacturing method of the above-noted optical information recording medium; and an image processing method using the above-noted optical information recording medium.

Abstract: A thermochromic ink composition comprises at least one thermochromic optical-state change material, at least one thermally responsive pH modifier, at least one solvent, and at least one binder material, wherein the thermochromic ink composition has a viscosity between about 0.1 centipoise (cPs) and about 10,000 cps, and a maximum optical absorbance in a range from about 200 nm (nanometers) to about 800 nm, and wherein the thermochromic ink composition is capable of transforming from a first optical state to a second optical state upon exposure to a thermal stimulus. The thermochromic ink composition may be used to deposit a thermochromic coating composition which may be used as part of an anti-theft system for optical articles. Methods for thermal activation of the compositions are also provided.

Abstract: A colourless or transparent composition comprises a charge-delocalisation compound and a photoacid, wherein the photoacid generates an acid on irradiation or heating, thereby forming a coloured change-transfer complex with said compound.

Abstract: Transfer printing system include a transfer substrate provided of a transfer side thereof with a preformed design area intended to be completed by the user with selected decorative materials to generate a personalized image. When the image is completed and ready for transfer, the substrate is pressed onto a surface whereby the transfer of the image is effected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for image formation, that can yield thermally transferred images which are excellent in various fastness properties even under severe service conditions, and an intermediate transfer recording medium for use in the method for image formation. The method for image formation comprises the steps of: providing an intermediate transfer recording medium comprising a substrate film and a transfer portion provided separably on the substrate film; forming an image on the intermediate transfer recording medium in its transfer portion; transferring the transfer portion onto an object; and, thereafter, again transferring the intermediate transfer recording medium in its next transfer portion once or more onto the object with the image formed thereon. In this case, in the intermediate transfer recording medium, a hologram image is set every at least second image plane, and an image can be formed on the transfer portion having the hologram image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, method, and composition for a thermochromatic, color indicative sheet or device that is bonded to an article such as a concrete or asphalt surface, a traffic sign, a plate of a guidepost and on which is indicated a surface temperature near or below the freezing point of water. The invention can also utilize an adhesive system including a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) and/or thermal sensitive adhesive sheet for adhering sheets of preformed thermoplastic with the thermochromatic color indicative sheet to concrete, asphalt, wood or composite material surfaces. The invention includes methods of applying the product allowing for immediate use in a traffic area upon completion of the application to any appropriate outdoor surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reversible thermosensitive recording medium including a support and a thermosensitive recording layer thereon, in which the thermosensitive recording layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound and an electron-accepting compound, and the thermosensitive recording layer is capable of forming a relatively developed condition and a relatively erased condition depending on at least one of the difference of heating temperatures and the difference of cooling rates following to heating, and in which the electron-accepting compound comprises a phenol compound represented by the General Formula (1): where, in the General Formula (1) “l” represents an integer of 1 to 3, “m” represents an integer of 1 or more, and “n” represents an integer of 7 or more.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer sheet that is used in an image-forming method using a heat-sensitive transfer system, which method comprises the steps of superposing the heat-sensitive transfer sheet having at least one yellow heat transfer layer, at least one magenta heat transfer layer, and at least one cyan heat transfer layer on a support, and a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet having at least one dye receptor layer on a support, and then transferring at least three kinds of heat transferable dyes to the dye receptor layer sequentially, which heat-sensitive transfer sheet satisfies the following Formula (1): ?1>?2>?3, ??Formula (1) where ?1 is a coefficient of static friction between a first color heat transfer layer and the image-receiving sheet having a value in a range from 0.4 to 1.0, and ?2 is a coefficient of static friction between a second color heat transfer layer and a first color solid print image-receiving sheet having a value in a range from 0.2 to 0.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording medium including a substrate, and a thermosensitive layer including an electron donating coloring compound, an electron accepting compound, and a phenol anti-oxidation agent containing one or more sulfur atoms having an alkyl group on one side. In addition, the thermosensitive layer reversibly changes its color tone depending on temperature to reversibly record and erase an image thereon.

Abstract: Provided are a thermosensitive transfer ink sheet making it possible to overcome blocking and sticking and further giving a print having a high Dmax and a high image quality; and an image forming process using the same. The sheet is a thermosensitive transfer ink sheet including a base film which has, over one surface thereof, at least a thermal transfer layer containing a thermally transferable dye and a binder resin, and has, over the other surface thereof, a heat-resistant lubricant layer, wherein the thermal transfer layer comprises a polycondensed aromatic compound having 4 or more rings; and the above-mentioned process is an image forming process using the sheet.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer sheet, comprising a base film, at least three heat-sensitive transfer layers containing heat-sensitively transferable dyes and a resin, and a heat-resistant slipping layer, in which the at least three heat-sensitive transfer layers contains two or more dyes different from each other; the heat-sensitive transfer layers are provided on one face of the base film so as not to be superposed on one another; the heat-sensitive transfer layers contains, as the resin, at least one of a polyvinylbutyral resin and a polyvinyl acetacetal resin, each having a polymerization degree of 200 to 1,000; and at least one of the heat-sensitive transfer layers contains the polyvinylbutyral resin as described above and the polyvinyl acetacetal resin described above, and has a ratio of the polyvinylbutyral to the polyvinyl acetacetal different from those in the other heat-sensitive transfer layers.

Abstract: A cardboard cylinder for winding a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet having a receptive layer on one surface of a support around the cardboard cylinder, wherein an innermost surface of the cardboard cylinder is composed of a layer containing a polyolefin resin having a number average molecular weight of 12,000 or more in a proportion of at least 80% by mass based on the layer.

Abstract: An heat-sensitive transfer image-forming method which uses a heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet and a heat-sensitive transfer sheet, in which the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet includes at least one receptor layer; and the heat-sensitive transfer sheet includes at least one yellow dye layer, at least one magenta dye layer, and at least one cyan dye layer: the method including superposing the heat-sensitive transfer sheet on the heat-sensitive transfer image-receiving sheet, and then heating to form an image on the receptor layer; and controlling the maximum value of E value represented by formula (1) having the range from 52 to 72, based on a* value and b* value in the region of L* value of the formed magenta monochromatic image ranging from 45 to 90: Formula (1) E=?(a*2+b*2).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a unique dual color security paper authentication system. The authenticating system comprises the combination of a security paper together with a coordinated applicator. The paper contains a starch, an iodide salt and an acidic developer resin. The applicator of the system comprises two authenticating solutions. The first authenticating solution comprises one or more of a sulfonamide and a copper salt dispersed in a solvent. The second authenticating solution comprises one or more of a leuco and fluoran dye precursor dispersed in a solvent. On applying the authenticating solutions to authentic security paper, a first color of a starch iodine is expressed and a second color of a leuco or fluoran dye is expressed.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer sheet having on a support at least one thermal transfer layer of a yellow color, at least one thermal transfer layer of a magenta color, at least one thermal transfer layer of a cyan color and at least one releasable, thermally-transferable protective layer, wherein the thermal transfer layer of each color contains a release agent and contents of the release agent in the thermal transfer layers are reduced in a frame-sequential mode.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording medium including a substrate, a reversible thermosensitive recording layer and an intermediate layer. The reversible thermosensitive recording layer is configured to reversibly record and erase an image therein and disposed overlying the substrate and includes a binder resin and a reversible thermosensitive coloring composition. The reversible thermosensitive coloring composition includes an electron donating coloring compound and an electron accepting compound. The intermediate layer includes another binder resin and a content of hollow particles having a hollow ratio not less than 70% and a ratio of a maximum particle diameter thereof to a 50% cumulative particle diameter of from 2.0 to 3.0. The reversible thermosensitive recording layer achieves a colored state when heated to a temperature not lower than a melting point thereof, and achieves a discolorization state when heated to a temperature lower than the melting point.

Abstract: A thermal transfer ink sheet comprising, as formed on a support, a dye layer containing a thermal transferable dye in a resin binder, wherein the dye layer contains a polyvinyl acetal modified with at least one compound of the following formula [1]: wherein one of R1 and R2 is a branched hydrocarbon group and the other is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, or R1 and R2 are groups that bond to each other to form a cyclic hydrocarbon.

Abstract: An indaniline dye represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 represent an unsubstituted linear or branched alkyl group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms; R3 represents an unsubstituted linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; provided that the total number of the carbon atoms of R1, R2 and R3 is 6 or 7.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording ink sheet comprising a substrate sheet and a color-carrying layer, wherein the dye-carrying layer comprises an anthraquinone dye of the following formula (1) to (4) and an azo dye of the following formula (5): wherein R1—R3, R5, R7, R8 represents alkyl etc. R4 represents cyano etc., R6 represents tert-butyl etc., Y is —S— etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reversible thermosensitive recording medium including a support and a thermosensitive recording layer thereon, in which the thermosensitive recording layer contains an electron-donating coloring compound and an electron-accepting compound, and the thermosensitive recording layer is capable of forming a relatively developed condition and a relatively erased condition depending on at least one of the difference of heating temperatures and the difference of cooling rates following to heating, and in which the electron-accepting compound contains a phenol compound expressed by General Formula (1): where, in the General Formula (1), “l” represents an integer of 1 to 3 and “m” represents an integer of 23 or more.

Abstract: A system of printing borderless images on printable media includes at least one sheet of printable media including an imaging surface and a non-imaging surface. The system further includes a removable extension strip having a front surface with an adhesive zone and a non-adhesive zone, a non-adhesive back surface, and a straight line of demarkation between the adhesive and non-adhesive zones. The adhesive zone is configured to removably adhere to the non-imaging surface, and the straight line of demarkation is configured as a placement guide for adhering the adhesive zone of the extension strip to the media. An associated method includes adhering an adhesive portion of removable extension strip to a non-imaging surface proximate a trailing edge of the media, and ink-jet printing an image on an imaging surface of the media using an ink-jet printer. The strip is used by rollers in the printer to advance the media.

Abstract: There is provided a reversible thermosensitive recording medium including a support, an intermediate layer, and a thermosensitive recording layer which reversibly changes a color thereof depending on a temperature, wherein the thermosensitive recording layer contains an electron-donating coloring compound, and an electron-accepting compound represented by the following general formula 1: where, n is an integer of 23 or more, and wherein the intermediate layer is disposed between the support and the thermosensitive recording layer, and contains hollow particles having a void ratio of 70% or more, a maximum diameter D100 of 5.0 ?m to 10.0 ?m, and a ratio D100/D50 of 2.0 to 3.0 where the ratio D100/D50 is a ratio of the maximum diameter D100 to a 50% cumulative particle diameter D50 of the hollow particles.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing method which includes at least any one of image recording and image erasing, wherein a light irradiation intensity at a center position of the laser beam irradiated in the image recording is controlled; in the image recording, a first auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from a start point of each of image lines constituting an image in the opposite direction from the scanning direction and a second auxiliary line extended by a predetermined distance from an end point of each of the image lines in the scanning direction are prepared, and when the first and second auxiliary lines including an image line are continuously scanned, the image line is scanned with irradiating the laser beam, and the first and the second auxiliary lines are scanned without irradiating the laser beam to thereby record the image.

Abstract: A light activated imaging medium comprises a substrate and an imaging composition disposed on the substrate, the composition comprising a matrix and a color-forming agent within the matrix and an alloy of at least two leuco dyes, the leuco dyes having at least first and second melting points, respectively, and the alloy having a melting point between at least two of the melting points.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive coloring material which can reversibly achieve a relatively colored state and a relatively discolored state depending on a temperature to which the coloring material is heated or a cooling speed at which the coloring material is cooled after heated. The coloring material including an electron donating coloring agent; an electron accepting color developer configured to color the coloring agent; and a compound having a Zwitter ion in which a total of charges in a molecule of the compound is zero. A reversible thermosensitive recording material including a substrate and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer, which is located overlying the substrate and which includes the reversible thermosensitive coloring material.

Abstract: The present invention provides coating compositions for marking substrates, which comprise a colour former in an amount of from 0.01 to 50%, a metal salt of a carboxylic acid in an amount of from 0.01 to 50%, a binder in an amount of from 1 to 80% and an organic solvent in an amount of from 1 to 99%, wherein each amount is by weight based on the weight of the composition. The present invention also provides a process for the preparation of the composition of the present invention, substrates coated with these compositions and a process for preparing a marked substrate using these compositions.

Abstract: A laser recording thermally sensitive recording medium comprising, at least a photo absorbing material which absorbs laser ray and covert the laser ray to heat, colorless or pale colored basic leuco dye and organic color developing agent on a substrate as main components, wherein said photo absorbing material is a compound represented by general formula (1), wherein, n indicates an integer of from 1 to 4, and structural formula of Xn, Yn and Zn? are indicated in Table 1.

Abstract: To provide a thermosensitive recording material that is superior in uniformity, makes it possible to obtain images with high glossiness and has less curl, in which a synthetic paper having a multilayer structure serves as a support. Specifically, there is a thermosensitive recording material including: a support, and a thermosensitive recording layer containing a leuco dye and a color developer on the support, wherein the support is a synthetic paper having a multilayer structure, and an inorganic pigment is contained only in a base layer of the synthetic paper; also, two layers which are formed solely of polypropylene and which contain no inorganic pigment are laid one on top of the other on the base layer containing an inorganic pigment; further, all layers are biaxially stretched.

Abstract: A wireless information recording medium including a reversible thermal recording medium, a cushioning material layer provided on the reversible thermal recording medium, an information recording section including an information recording element and an antenna circuit configured to receive and transmit information for the information recording element, and a support layer configured to support the information recording section, and provided on the cushioning material layer. The support layer is stacked on the cushioning material layer and the cushioning material is stacked on the reversible thermal recording medium in a step-wise configuration.

Abstract: A composition which comprises a light absorbing layer adhered to an underlying layer containing a photo-chromic colorant, which photo-chromic colorant has been activated by exposure to UV light to undergo a reversible color change, and wherein the rate of color reversion is dependent on temperature, is provided. The ultraviolet light and/or visible light absorbing layer may also contain components which reflect rather than absorb light and can be conveniently applied via thermal transfer or ink jet to a substrate comprising the photo-chromic colorant to protect it from unwanted exposure to UV and/or certain wavelengths visible light. The composition is conveniently employed in a temperature time indicator (TTI).