Abstract: A ribbon for smoothing a print image is disclosed which is used in a method which comprises bringing the ribbon into contact with a print image formed on a receptor by thermal transfer and heating the print image from the opposite side of the ribbon with respect to the side contacting the print image under pressure by means of a thermal head, thereby smoothing the print image. The ribbon has a kinetic friction coefficient, &mgr;A, on the side A thereof contacting the thermal head and a kinetic friction coefficient, &mgr;B, on the side B thereof contacting the print image, the values &mgr;A and &mgr;B satisfying the following equations: &mgr;B>1.67 &mgr;A 0.10<&mgr;B<0.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium for forming printed images with high metallic luster is disclosed which comprises a foundation, and provided on one side of the foundation in order from the foundation side, at least a release layer, an anchor layer for metal deposition, a metal deposition layer and an adhesive layer, the anchor layer containing 0.1 to 3% by weight of particles having an average particle size more than the thickness of the anchor layer.

Abstract: A melting type thermal transfer recording system capable of providing multi-gradation images of high resolution and high image quality comparable to those of ink jet recording system or sublimation type thermal transfer recording system is disclosed which comprising: a donor film comprising a thin film and a thermal melting type ink layer provided on the thin film, the thermal melting type ink layer having a thickness in a range of 0.5 to 2.5 .mu.m, a surface porous type recording medium comprising a base material and a porous ink receiving layer having numerous minute pores provided on the base material, the ratio of the first total area of aperture portions that are occupied by all the pores to the whole surface area of the porous ink receiving layer being in a range of 10 to 60%, and the ratio of the second total area of aperture portions that are occupied by pores having a pore diameter of 0.5 to 20 .mu.

Abstract: A pressure-sensitive magnetic transfer recording medium comprising a support and a pressure-sensitive transferable magnetic ink layer provided on the support, the pressure-sensitive transferable magnetic ink layer comprising a particulate magnetic substance, a resin and an oily substance, the resin comprising a cellulose acetate butyrate resin having a number average molecular weight of 2.0.times.10.sup.4 to 5.0.times.10.sup.4 and a glass transition point of 100.degree. to 140.degree. C., the oily substance being compatible with the cellulose acetate butyrate resin, and the mixing ratio of the cellulose acetate butyrate to the oily substance being from 3:10 to 7:5 by weight, wherein the oily substance is at least one member selected from the group consisting of an adipic acid ester, a sebacic acid ester, an azelaic acid ester and a trimethylolpropane fatty acid triester.

Abstract: A thermal transfer material favorably used for forming images or patterns by means of thermal transfer, especially a spacer for liquid crystal display panels and a dot spacer for switching devices such as touch panel is disclosed which comprises a foundation and a heat-sensitive transferable layer provided on the foundation, the heat-sensitive transferable layer comprising an acrylic copolymer containing at least recurring units derived from glycidyl (meth)acrylate and/or an epoxy resin containing two or more epoxy groups in one molecule, and a curing agent containing carboxyl group.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium providing clear printed images with a metallic luster without causing blocking is disclosed which comprises a foundation, and provided on one side of the foundation in order from the foundation side, at least a colored ink layer or a substantially colorless transparent layer with no coloring agent, a metal deposition layer and an adhesive layer, and a heat-resistant layer provided between the metal deposition layer and the adhesive layer and comprising as the main component a resin having a glass transition temperature of not lower than 65.degree. C. and a melt viscosity of not higher than 1.times.10.sup.3 cps at 160.degree. C.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a seamless ink ribbon which makes it possible to markedly prolong the printing life, even with rather rough-faced printing paper such as paper made in China as well as a method of manufacturing the same.The seamless ink ribbon of the invention comprises a statically hot-pressed seamless woven fabric with multifilament yarn as warp and as weft. This ribbon is manufactured by subjecting a seamless woven fabric obtained by double weaving using multifilament yarn as warp and as weft to static hot pressing, without applying any shearing force, to thereby reduce the thickness of the fabric by 15 to 50% as compared with the thickness before pressing. The seamless fabric is fuse-cut to the ribbon width either before or after hot pressing.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer type thermal transfer recording method comprising the steps of: forming first an image on an intermediate transfer medium by heating a melt-type thermal transfer recording medium with a heating head, and transferring the image formed on the intermediate transfer medium onto an image receptor pressed against the intermediate transfer medium, wherein an image of a heat-meltable colored ink is formed on an image receptor by said intermediate transfer type thermal transfer recording method and a transparent heat-meltable ink is then transferred on the image receptor to cover a region thereof including the image of the colored ink by said intermediate transfer type thermal transfer recording method. The method provides a lustrous image on a paper sheet and an image with high light transmittance on an OHP sheet.

Abstract: A process for producing a thermal transfer recording medium having a near end mark, which comprises: applying a near end mark ink onto the uppermost het-meltable layer of a thermal transfer recording medium and drying the resultant to form a near end mark,the near end mark ink being a white ink comprising a white pigment, a resin, a wax and a solvent, the white pigment comprising 40 to 60% by weight of the total amount of solid matters of the ink, the resin comprising at least one resin selected from the group consisting of terpene.phenol copolymer resin, phenol resin and polyethylene glycol resin, the wax comprising a particulate wax having an ester group and a melting point of not lower than 75.degree. C., the solvent being capable of dissolving the resin and incapable of dissolving the particulate wax.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a foundation, and a release layer, a protective layer and a colored ink layer provided on the foundation in this order, the protective layer comprising an acrylic resin and a diallyl phthalate resin.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording material comprising a foundation and a heat-meltable ink layer provided on the foundation, the heat-meltable ink layer comprising a heat-meltable vehicle and a coloring agent, the heat-meltable vehicle comprising at least one epoxy resin selected from the group consisting of tetraphenolethane tetraglycidyl ether, cresol novolac polyglycidyl ether, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and bisphenol F diglycidyl ether, and a low melt viscosity substance, the epoxy resin and the low melt viscosity substance accounting for 50 to 95% by weight and 5 to 50% by weight, respectively, of the overall heat-meltable vehicle. The recording material exhibits satisfactory transferability and gives printed images having excellent scratch resistance.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive transfer recording medium is disclosed which comprises a support having thereon a first ink layer and a second ink layer provided on the first ink layer, the first ink layer comprising a coloring agent and an epoxy resin, the second ink layer comprising a coloring agent and a polyester resin. The heat-sensitive transfer recording medium is advantageously used to form a printed image excellent in both scratch resistance and alcohol resistance on an image receptor comprising a polyester film or an image receptor comprising a substrate having thereon an image-receiving layer comprising a polyester resin.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording material is provided which comprises a foundation and, provided thereon, a heat-meltable ink layer comprising a coloring agent, a heat-meltable binder material and a particulate wax, the heat-meltable binder material comprising 30 to 90% by weight of an epoxy resin and 10 to 70% by weight of a copolymer resin comprising vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, the particulate wax having an average particle diameter of 0.05 to 15 .mu.m.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording material comprising a foundation and a heat-meltable ink layer comprising a vehicle and a pigment provided on the foundation, the vehicle comprising not less than 85% by weight of an epoxy resin, the epoxy resin comprising not less than 50% by weight of at least one of tetraphenolethane tetraglycidyl ether and a bromide thereof, cresol novolac polyglycidyl ether and a bromide thereof, and bisphenol F diglycidyl ether and a bromide thereof. The recording material has excellent transferability and gives printed images excellent heat resistance, solvent resistance and scratch resistance.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium is provided which comprises: a foundation; a release layer; a fine-particle-containing layer containing a binder comprising a heat-meltable resin as a principal component thereof and fine particles dispersed therein; and a color ink layer containing a binder comprising a heat-meltable resin as a principal component thereof; the release layer, the fine-particle-containing layer and the color ink layer being provided on one side of the foundation in this order.

Abstract: A label printing apparatus includes a printing unit for printing an image on a front surface of a label tape having a back surface bearing an adhesive layer via an ink ribbon having a back surface bearing a removal layer. The apparatus further includes a superposed-travelling guiding mechanism for guiding traveling of the label tape and the used label tape together, with the removal layer of the ink ribbon being contacted with and superposed on the adhesive layer of the label tape.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium comprising a foundation, a heat-meltable ink layer comprising a coloring agent and a heat-meltable vehicle disposed on one side of the foundation, and a back layer comprising a heat-resistant resin disposed on the other side of the foundation, the ink layer containing a surface active agent, the back layer containing a surface active agent, the ink layer and the back layer satisfying the following relations:A.gtoreq.3, B.gtoreq.3, C.gtoreq.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium for forming a multi-color or full-color image including at least one region wherein different color ink dots are superimposed one on another to develop a color by virtue of subtractive color mixture, comprising a foundation, and a yellow heat-meltable ink layer, a magenta heat-meltable ink layer and a cyan heat-meltable ink layer disposed on the foundation in a side-by-side relation in a predetermined order, and respective release layers each comprising a wax interposed between the foundation and the respective color ink layers, the melt viscosities at a predetermined temperature of the respective release layers corresponding to the respective color ink layers being stepwise decreased in the order in which the respective color ink layers are transferred. A thermal transfer recording medium wherein the respective color ink layers are provided on separate foundations is included.

Abstract: A thermal transfer sheet providing printed images less susceptible to deterioration over time of their gloss is provided comprising a foundation, and at least a release layer containing a paraffin wax as a principal component thereof, an intermediate layer containing a wax and a heat-meltable color ink layer which are stacked on the foundation in this order, the intermediate layer containing an isoparaffin wax and/or transparent inorganic particles.