Abstract: There is disclosed a method of printing onto the surface of a substrate, which method comprises i) coating a donor surface with a monolayer of particles, ii) treating the substrate surface to render at least selected regions tacky, and iii) contacting the substrate surface with the donor surface to cause particles to transfer from the donor surface only to the tacky regions of the substrate surface. After printing on a substrate, the donor surface returns to the coating station where the continuity of the monolayer is restored by recovering with fresh particles the regions of the donor surface exposed by the transfer of particles to the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid.

Abstract: There is disclosed a print construction comprising: (a) a printing substrate having an image-receiving surface; (b) a receptive layer, at least partially covering said image-receiving surface, and having a particle reception surface distally disposed to said image-receiving surface, said receptive layer optionally having a thickness of at least 1000 nanometer (nm); and (c) a plurality of individual particles adhered to said particle reception surface, and forming a monolayer thereon, the features of which are described herein.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of printing onto the surface of a substrate, which method comprises i) coating a donor surface with a monolayer of particles, ii) treating the substrate surface to render at least selected regions tacky, and iii) contacting the substrate surface with the donor surface to cause particles to transfer from the donor surface only to the tacky regions of the substrate surface. After printing on a substrate, the donor surface returns to the coating station where the continuity of the monolayer is restored by recovering with fresh particles the regions of the donor surface exposed by the transfer of particles to the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating a donor surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises an application device to apply to the donor surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounds the application device forming an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing prevents egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum excess fluid and particles. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the donor surface, leaving substantially a single particle layer adhering to the donor surface upon exiting the apparatus.