Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal transfer printing method, an intermediate medium and a transfer medium therefor, which make it possible to obtain printed image having deep color and high light resistance without back diffusion of dye.The method of the present invention comprises:transferring each color image by a printing head from a transfer medium A onto an intermediate medium wherein said transfer medium A has at least one color ink block consisting of color ink layers each of which contains different color ink, said intermediate medium has image receiving layers, whereby each image receiving layer on the intermediate medium contains one color image, andtransferring each color image receiving layer onto an imaging sheet from the intermediate medium, so that a same image receive portion of the imaging sheet contains the image receiving layers corresponding to one color ink block.

Abstract: Thermal dye transfer printing systems which are adapted For multiple-use printing modes wherein one dye transfer sheet is repeatedly used and which comprise a dye transfer sheet having, on a substrate, a dye transfer layer containing a sublimable dye and a binder resin and a dye receiving sheet having a dye receiving layer which has a diffusion rate of the dye smaller than the dye transfer layer. This is effective in suppressing a lowering of printing density owing to the increase in number of printing cycles using one dye transfer sheet. Alternatively, the dye transfer sheet is constituted such that the dye transfer layer is made of a plurality of sub-layers in which the concentration of the dye decreases from the sub-layer formed directly on the substrate toward the surface side of the dye transfer layer. The dye is invariably supplied from the higher concentration sub-layers to ensure full color printing with a remarkably increasing number of multiple-use printing cycles.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a thermal transfer printing process comprising:heating a thermal ink film with a printing head to print dye transferring images onto an intermediate sheet which comprises a substrate and a printing layer thereon,heaping an image receive sheet on said printing layer, andtransferring said printing layer onto an image receive sheet by pressure or heat;The improvement residing in that said printing layer is formed from polyvinyl acetal.The present invention also provides an intermediate sheet for the above thermal transfer printing process comprising a substrate and a printing layer on said substrate wherein said printing layer is formed from polyvinyl acetal.

Abstract: A dye transfer thermal printing sheet which can give a color record image excellent in color reproducibility and weather resistance with middle shade including black and sufficiently saturated density. This printing sheet includes a substrate on which are arranged, in face-sequence, coloring material layers which are different in hue and contain at least one dye represented by the formula (I), at least one dye represented by the formula (II) and at least one dye represented by the formula (III).

Abstract: A thermal transfer printing method which employs a dyeing layer transfer member having at least a dyeing layer on a base material, an ink transfer member having at least an ink layer containing a subliming dye on a base material, recording intermediate member having at least a base material, and an image-receptor. The thermal transfer printing method includes the steps of thermally transferring the dyeing layer of the dyeing layer transfer member onto the recording intermediate member, thermally transferring and recording ink of the ink transfer member onto the transferred dyeing layer according to image signals, and further thermally transferring the recorded dyeing layer onto the image-receptor. The disclosure also relates to printing media employed for effecting the method. It may be so arranged to preliminarily form the dyeing layer on the recording intermediate member, and in this case, the dyeing layer transfer member and the process for its thermal transfer may be dispensed with.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal printing method using a sublimable dye, which is capable of faithfully printing on any kind of substrates, including plain paper without the tack sheets which make the process complicated. The method of the present invention comprises forming an image into a printing layer by heating a color layer with a printing head and then transferring the printing layer onto an image receive sheet by pressure or heat; wherein the color layer and printing layer are respectively formed on one substrate in a certain interval of distance without putting one upon another, the surface of the color layer is placed on the surface of the printing layer and heat is applied to the color layer from the substrate side with a printing head to form an image into a printing layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dye transfer type thermal printing sheet which can give a color record image excellent in color reproducibility and weather resistance with middle shade including black and sufficiently saturated density. This printing sheet comprising a substrate on which are arranged, in face-sequence, coloring material layers which are different in hue and contain either of at least one dye represented by the formula (I), at least one dye represented by the formula (II) and at least one dye represented by the formulas (III)-(VI).

Abstract: A method of resistive sheet transfer recording is disclosed, in which the thermal diffusion coefficient of a resistive sheet (1) in the range of 1 to 100.times.10.sup.-6 m.sup.2 /s is combined with that of an electrode head (2) in the range of 0.1 to 50.times.10.sup.6 m.sup.2 /s, thereby making it possible to form a high-quality image at high sensitivity and high speed.

Abstract: It can be obtained a receiving sheet for a dye transfer type thermal printing which is improved in a curing speed, image reliability, recording sensitivity, and dot reproducibility, and useful for high speed and/or relative-speeds printing by arranging a polymer layer on a substrate and then a cured resin layer of a moisture-curable resin on the polymer layer.

Abstract: Thermal dye transfer printing systems which are adapted for multiple-use printing modes wherein one dye transfer sheet is repeatedly used and which comprise a dye transfer sheet having, on a substrate, a dye transfer layer containing a sublimable dye and a binder resin and a dye receiving sheet having a dye receiving layer which has a diffusion rate of the dye smaller than the dye transfer layer. This is effective in suppressing a lowering of printing density owing to the increase in number of printing cycles using one dye transfer sheet. Alternatively, the dye transfer sheet is constituted such that the dye transfer layer is made of a plurality of sub-layers in which the concentration of the dye decreases from the sub-layer formed directly on the substrate toward the surface side of the dye transfer layer. The dye is invariably supplied from the higher concentration sub-layers to ensure full color printing with a remarkably increasing number of multiple-use printing cycles.

Abstract: A dye transfer sheet consisting of a transfer substrate and a coloring material layer comprising a high concentration layer which comprises a dye and is formed on the transfer substrate and a low concentration layer which comprises a water soluble resin or water dispersible resin having a polydimethylsiloxane structure and has a lower dye concentration than the high concentration layer and is formed on the high concentration layer. A dye transfer sheet consisting of a transfer substrate and a coloring material layer comprising a high concentration layer which comprises a dye and a binder polymer cross-linked with a cross-linking agent and is formed on the transfer substrate and a low concentration layer which comprises a water soluble resin or water dispersible resin and has a lower dye concentration than the high concentration layer and is formed on the high concentration layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of resistive sheet transfer recording using a recording member and an electrode head comprising oppositely aligned electrode pair trains embedded in the insulating support member and also relates to an electrode head use therefor, wherein abrasive wear of the electrode pair by sliding contact of the recording member is optimized in a manner that the resistive sheet usually contacts to a fresh surface of the electrode pair train.The present invention make it possible to give a high quality image with high recording speed and high sensitivity.

Abstract: The dye transfer type thermal printing sheet of the present invention comprises(a) a substrate, and(b) a lamina comprisinga dye andeither a cured product of a moisture curing type resin or a reaction-cured product of a moisture curing type resin and a reactive silicone oil,on at least one side of the substrate.According to the present invention, a surface release property and surface lubricity can easily be imparted to the color material layer or to the surface layer. Further, since no crosslinking agent is required to cure the resin, curing at low temperature becomes possible. The dye transfer type thermal printing sheet of the present invention can provide a printing sheet useful for high speed recording and/or relative speed recording.

Abstract: When a dyeable layer comprises cured product of at least one moisture-curable type resin, it can have a high image reliability, permit easy control of the printing sensitivity and serve for both low-speed printing and high-speed printing. A receiving sheet having a dyeable layer excellent in surface slipperiness which is useful for high-speed printing and/or relative-speeds printing, can be obtained when the dyeable layer comprises cured product of a moisture-curable type resin, or reaction cured product of a moisture-curable type resin with a reactive silicone oil.

Abstract: A thermal yellow-dye transfer sheet that comprises a base film having thereon a dye layer comprising a yellow-dye dispersed in a binder which comprises at least one dye represented by the general formula (I) and at least one dye represented by the general formula (II): ##STR1## where X is hydrogen or halogen and Y is hydrogen, COOR.sup.3 or CONR.sup.4 R.sup.5 (where R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 each represents hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, allyl or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl). ##STR2## where Z is hydrogen, chlorine or a lower alkyl, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, allyl, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl.

Abstract: The present invention provides a dye transfer type thermal printing sheet which can give a color record image excellent in color reproducibility and weather resistance with middle shade including black and sufficiently saturated density. This printing sheet comprising a substrate on which are arranged, in face-sequence, coloring material layers which are different in hue and contain either of at least one dye represented by the formula (I), at least one dye represented by the formual (II) and at least one dye represented by the formulas (III)-(VI).

Abstract: A thermal transfer printing system comprising a dye transfer sheet having a dye carrier layer containing at least one sublimable dye and a dye acceptor sheet having a dye-receiving layer with good affinity for the sublimable dye. The two sheets are arranged during printing operations in such a way that they are facing through a slippage means which is in the form of a layer of particles of lubricating or thermally releasable materials. This system is adapted for a printing process in which a relative speed of the dye transfer sheet to a thermal printing head is smaller than a relative speed of the dye acceptor sheet under which the dye transfer sheet is heated in an imagewise pattern to permit the sublimable dye to deposit on the dye-receiving layer according to the imagewise pattern. The dye transfer sheet and the dye acceptor sheet most suitable for use in the system are also described.

Abstract: A thermal magenta-dye transfer sheet that comprises a base film having thereon a dye layer comprising a magenta-dye dispersed in a binder which is mixture of two dyes represented by the general formulas (I) and (II): ##STR1## (where X is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxy group, a formylamino group, a lower alkylcarbonylamino group, a lower alkylsulfonylamino group or a lower alkoxy-carbonylamino group; Y is a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a lower alkoxy group or a halogen atom; and R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 each represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an allyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group); and ##STR2## Z is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 each represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an allyl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and R.sup.

Abstract: A dye-receiving sheet comprising a substrate and a dye-receiving layer formed on one side of the substrate, the substrate being made of an extruded, biaxially stretched sheet of a mixture of white fine particles and a polyester resin. The extruded, stretched sheet has a specific gravity of from 1.0 to 1.38. A layer of polymer having a thermal deformation temperature or softening point lower than that of the extruded, stretched sheet may be formed on the extruded, stretched sheet. The dye-receiving sheet has high brightness and good flexibility with high printing sensitivity.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printing system comprising a dye transfer sheet having a dye carrier layer containing at least one sublimable dye and a dye acceptor sheet having a dye-receiving layer with good affinity for the sublimable dye. The two sheets are arranged during printing operations in such a way that they are facing through a slippage means which is in the form of a layer or particles of lubricating or thermally releasable materials. This system is adapted for a printing process in which a relative speed of the dye transfer sheet to a thermal printing head is smaller than a relative speed of the dye acceptor sheet under which the dye transfer sheet is heated in an imagewise pattern to permit the sublimable dye to deposit on the dye-receiving layer according to the imagewise pattern. The dye transfer sheet and the dye acceptor sheet most suitable for use in the system are also described.