Abstract: There are provided printed matter whose image surface has uniform gloss and whose image formed of ink is of high quality, has enhanced appearance, does not have its left and right sides reversed, and is easy to see; a printing method which allows the printed matter to be easily obtained, and a printer which makes it possible to easily realize the printing method. The image which is a mirror image formed with ink is formed within an image-formation area of a surface of a print medium which is a transparent member. Then, a surface of the image and at least a blank space section within the image-formation area of the print medium are covered with an underlying layer 8 formed with underlying layer ink, after which a surface of the underlying layer is covered with a light-shielding layer formed with light-shielding layer ink.

Abstract: An ink image-receiving sheet for use in a method of forming an image, comprising an ink-receiving layer having a porous structure formed according to a wet-solidification method, the ink-receiving layer comprising a binder resin and aragonite-type calcium carbonate as main components, and a method of forming an image using the ink image-receiving sheet.

Abstract: A heat meltable ink image-receiving sheet used in a melting type thermal transfer method, comprising a sheet substrate and a porous ink-receiving layer comprising a resin formed on at least one side of the sheet substrate, the porous ink-receiving layer having a thickness of 3 to 50 &mgr;m and a water vapor permeability (JIS L 1099) of not less than 300 g/(m2·hour) and less than 1,000 g/(m2·hour).

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a support, and at least a heat-meltable release layer and a colored ink layer capable of being softened with heat stacked in this order on the support, the release layer comprising a wax as a main ingredient, and the release layer having a melting point of not less than 85° C., a heat of fusion of not more than 140 mJ/mg, and a melt viscosity of not more than 50 cps/120° C.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium for forming a color image by superimposingly transferring plural different color inks, comprising a foundation and a first and second color ink layer provided on the foundation, and a first and second release layer comprising a wax interposed between the foundation and the respective color ink layers, wherein the heat of fusion C1 of the release layer for a first color and the heat of fusion C2 of the release layer for a second color satisfy the relationship represented by formula (I): C1<C2  (I).

Abstract: In a coating film transfer tool in which a transferable film is carried by a tape base, tape breakage and non-uniform film application due to twisting are avoided by providing the tape supply and take-up reels in a cassette which also includes a fixed transfer head and mounting shafts. The cassette is disposed in a casing with its transfer head protruding out of the casing, and with its mounting shafts supported in bearings in the casing so that the cassette and transfer head can rotate relative to the casing. Since the tape cassette is rotatable integrally with the tape and the transfer head, when the transfer head is rotated to follow a tape-receiving surface, the tape does not become twisted.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium for forming a color image by superimposingly transferring plural different color inks, comprising a foundation and a color ink layer provided on the foundation, and a release layer comprising a wax interposed between the foundation and the color ink layer, wherein the thickness d1 of the release layer for a first color and the thickness d2 of the release layer for a second color satisfy the relationship represented by formula (I): d1<d2<2.0 d1.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer recording medium comprising a substrate and a heat-sensitive transfer ink layer provided on the substrate, the heat-sensitive transfer ink layer being a coating of a hot-melt ink containing no solvent therein, the heat-sensitive transfer ink layer containing carbon black having a DBP oil absorption of 100 to 200 ml/100 g and a BET specific surface area of 100 m2/g or less, and the heat-sensitive transfer ink layer having a surface resistivity of not more than 1013 &OHgr;/□.

Abstract: An ink ribbon take-up assembly for winding individual narrow ink ribbons produced in a slitting apparatus by slitting a wide ribbon, comprises a mounting shaft with a longitudinal groove, and ribbon cores and separators mounted alternately on the shaft. Each ribbon core has a longitudinally elongated projection on its inner surface, which is complementary to, and in engagement with, the groove in the shaft. The separators can be simple cylindrical tubes. This structure obviates cooperating notches and tabs at ends of the ribbon cores and separators, and makes it possible to achieve miniaturization by minimizing the wall thickness of the ribbon cores.

Abstract: A multi-gradation recording method comprising the steps of: providing a thermal transfer recording medium comprising a substrate, and a release layer, a first ink layer and a second ink layer provided in this order on the substrate, and carrying out a gradation recording using the thermal transfer recording medium, the step of carrying out a gradation recording comprising: (a) in case of recording in a middle density/high density region, carrying out a gradation expression based on an area gradation expression by transferring the first ink layer and the second ink layer together, and (b) in case of recording in a low density region, carrying out a gradation expression by transferring only the second ink layer by causing a cohesive failure in the second ink layer, thereby changing the area of transferred ink per one dot and the thickness of transferred ink dots.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium for forming a color image by superimposingly transferring plural different color inks, comprising a foundation and a color ink layer provided on the foundation, and a release layer comprising a wax interposed between the foundation and the color ink layer, wherein the heat of fusion C1 of the release layer for a first color and the heat of fusion C2 of the release layer for a second color satisfy the relationship represented by formula (I):

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a multi-layer ink ribbon having a long printing life and a substantial freedom from causing unevenness of prints and a process for manufacturing the above ink ribbon. In accordance with the invention, a plurality of webs each constructed by using multifilament yarns for both warp and weft are superposed and fuse-cut to the width of a ribbon. At least one of the webs is compressed by hot pressing in advance and assembled with at least one web either not hot-pressed or hot-pressed to a degree of compression different from the first-mentioned hot-pressed web. The resulting assembly is fuse-cut under pressure to the width of a ribbon and the ribbon thus obtained is inked.

Abstract: A thermal transfer sheet for transferring a protective layer on an image formed on a receiving body by a thermal transfer method, comprising a substrate and a thermally transferable protective layer provided on the substrate, the protective layer comprising an inorganic stratified compound component and a binder component, the inorganic stratified compound component being contained in an amount of 3 to 150 parts by weight relative to 100 parts by weight of the binder component, wherein the inorganic stratified compound component comprises 2 or more groups of laminas of at least one inorganic stratified compound, the respective groups having different average particle sizes with each other.

Abstract: A coating film transfer tool has a T-shaped transfer head with a pressing transfer part on the tip end thereof which protrudes from the main body and which is integrally formed with a pivot shaft that is rotatably mounted in the main body of the tool. Tape controlling members are formed on both lateral sides of the pressing transfer part along the edges of the tape only on the return side of the pressing transfer part, which is the side that the tape base material runs over after the coating film is transferred from it. The tape controlling members control the lateral movement of the tape base material, and do not interfere with the transfer tape upstream on the application side of the pressing transfer part, where the base material is coated with the coating film.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium for forming a printed image with metallic luster of high level with superior transferability according to a thermal transfer mechanism is disclosed which comprises a foundation, and provided on one side of the foundation, a laminate transfer layer comprising at least a release layer, a heat-resistant layer for metal deposition, a metal deposition layer and an adhesive layer in this order from the foundation side, the release layer having a thickness of 0.05 to 0.50 &mgr;m and a softening point not lower than 100° C., the release layer being a substantially transparent layer consisting essentially of a resin, and the peel strength of the laminate transfer layer from the foundation according to T-mode peeling being not larger than 50 gf/12.7 mm.

Abstract: A thermal transfer image forming method comprising the steps of: using a preprint ribbon comprising, on its substrate, at least a first ink layer and a second ink layer in this order from the side of the substrate, and an ink ribbon comprising, on its substrate, at least a color ink layer and an adhesive layer in this order from the side of the substrate; first conducting a thermal transfer using the preprint ribbon onto a receptor to form a preprint image whose topmost layer is composed of the first ink layer; and subsequently conducting a thermal transfer using the ink ribbon onto the preprint image to form an ink image, wherein the first ink layer of the preprint ribbon and the adhesive layer of the ink ribbon comprise the same kind of material as respective main components.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive correction tape is provided which comprises a foundation, a masking layer and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer stacked on the foundation in this order, the masking layer comprising a masking agent, a polymer having rubber elasticity and an ester compound which is liquid at ordinary temperature and has a boiling point of not less than 130° C. at ordinary pressure.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium is disclosed which comprises a foundation, and an ink layer and an adhesive layer provided on one side of the foundation in this order, the adhesive layer comprising a binder comprising a thermoplastic resin (A) and particles comprising a thermoplastic resin (B) dispersed in the binder, the adhesive layer having an uneven surface resulting from the particles, the thermoplastic resin (A) and the thermoplastic resin (B) being different from each other and the same at least in their main constitutional units.

Abstract: A multi-gradation recording method wherein the recording energy in high density region can be reduced, and the rough appearance in low density region or high density region and notchy appearance in profile or line of the image can be reduced while maintaining the level of reproduction of intermediate tones obtained by the conventional recording method using the zigzag pattern or the stripe pattern is provided which comprises: using a printer of the type wherein each one pixel is formed by using each one recording element and the optical density of the pixel formed is represented by the magnitude of the area of the pixel, dividing input data into two or more groups with respect to the data corresponding to pixels to be arranged in principal scanning direction, correcting the data of each group on the basis of the corresponding &ggr; correction data, the &ggr; correction data for the respective groups being different from each other, and performing recording on the basis of the corrected data wherein the pixels