Abstract: The present invention provides a security element which is low in cost, is difficult to forge or alter, and can be applied to objects where a high level of security is required. The security element comprises at least a substrate and a fluorescent colorant layer provided on the substrate, wherein the fluorescent colorant layer comprises N species of fluorescent colorants Fn, wherein N is an integer of 2 or more and n is an integer of not less than one and not more than N, in the same layer, and the fluorescent colorant Fn absorbs light with a wavelength of ?n and emits fluorescence with a wavelength of ?n+1.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fluorescent image formation which can form a highly scratch-resistant fluorescent full-color image using a colorless fluorescent agent and can freely regulate the tone of color mixture of a combination of two or more fluorescent colors in order to impart, to articles, a higher level of forgery preventive function than a prior art technique and a print having a high level of forgery preventive function. The invention characterized in that fluorescent inks are provided that are substantially colorless upon visible light irradiation and contain organic fluorescent agents which, upon ultraviolet light irradiation, emit fluorescences in a visible region, and that two or more fluorescent inks, which emit fluorescences having mutually different color tones, are deposited on a printing face in its image formation region according to information on an image to be printed in a dot matrix manner so that dots of one color do not overlap with dots of another color.

Abstract: The invention provides a carrier device for a thermal transfer medium comprising a spool for winding and supporting a thermal transfer sheet or a thermal transfer receiving sheet, wherein a mark containing a coloring material which absorbs an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined wavelength ?1 and emitting an electromagnetic wave of a wavelength ?2 different from the wavelength ?1 is provided on a region in a surface of the carrier device capable of being irradiated with an electromagnetic wave. The invention provides a discrimination method and a printer each of which utilizes such a carrier device capable of executing at least one process among the kind identification, the fake goods determination and the use amount calculation for the thermal transfer sheet or the thermal transfer receiving sheet based on a detection of the mark.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fluorescent image formation which can form a highly scratch-resistant fluorescent full-color image using a colorless fluorescent agent and can freely regulate the tone of color mixture of a combination of two or more fluorescent colors in order to impart, to articles, a higher level of forgery preventive function than a prior art technique and a print having a high level of forgery preventive function. The invention characterized in that fluorescent inks are provided that are substantially colorless upon visible light irradiation and contain organic fluorescent agents which, upon ultraviolet light irradiation, emit fluorescences in a visible region, and that two or more fluorescent inks, which emit fluorescences having mutually different color tones, are deposited on a printing face in its image formation region according to information on an image to be printed in a dot matrix manner so that dots of one color do not overlap with dots of another color.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive belt carried by a driver device, for forming a toner image thereon; an internal transcription belt for transcribing the toner image; and a transcription portion for transcribing the toner image, which is transcribed on the internal transcription belt, onto a recording medium. A transcription side roller is suspended with the internal transcription belt thereon, and disposed on a side of a photosensitive belt side roller. Detectors detect a first cycle of the internal transcription belt, and a second cycle, which starts measurement delaying by ½ cycle of the photosensitive belt side roller from the first cycle measurement start. A controller conducts speed compensation of the photosensitive belt by referring to the first cycle and the second cycle, wherein the internal transcription belt is in contact with the photosensitive belt, so that it is carried following thereafter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is able to form steady test-pattern toner images for calibration of reflection density detection characteristics with ample toner. The operation consists of forming a test-pattern toner image for calibration of the reflection density detection characteristics, which is formed of a plurality of toner images of different colors aside from a reference test-pattern toner image for controlling image forming conditions, detecting the detection characteristics of a reflection density sensor from the result of detection of the quantity of toner attached to the test-pattern toner image for calibration of the reflection density detection characteristics, and calibrating the output characteristics of the reflection density sensor.

Abstract: There is provided a printing method that can provide an image formed object which can suppress a change in density of a visible dye image and a lowering in fluorescence intensity and, at the same time, is free from concave/convex of the image surface and has a latent image invisible even under visible light. The printing method comprises a first step of forming a latent image of a fluorescent dye by thermal diffusion transfer; and a second step of providing a visible dye on the latent image by thermal diffusion transfer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for image formation which can improve adhesion, transferability, and print quality. The method for image formation comprises the steps of: providing an intermediate transfer recording medium comprising a separable receptive layer provided on at least one side of a substrate sheet; forming a first image on the receptive layer by using a thermal transfer sheet comprising a dye layer; forming a transparent adhesive layer on the receptive layer with the first image provided thereon by using a thermal transfer sheet comprising a transparent adhesive layer; forming a second image on the transparent adhesive layer by using a thermal transfer sheet comprising a heat-fusion ink layer; and transferring the processed receptive layer from the intermediate transfer recording medium to an object to form an image on the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet for forming an image having an identifying mark, an image forming method, and an image forming apparatus using the same, wherein the identifying mark is useful to identify various information concerning the sheet. The sheet for forming an image is provided with two or more image-formative layers which are defined by frame respectively and arranged in a longitudinal direction of the sheet.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, comprising: a photosensitive belt being carried by a driver device, for forming a toner image thereon; an internal transcription belt for transcribing the toner image thereon, which is formed on said photosensitive belt; and a transcription portion for transcribing the toner image, which is transcribed on said internal transcription belt, onto a recording medium, further comprising: a transcription side roller, being suspended with said internal transcription belt thereon, and disposed on a side of a photosensitive belt side roller, which is disposed on a side of said photosensitive belt, and a transcription side roller, which is disposed on a side of said transcription side; means for detecting a first cycle of said internal transcription belt; and means for detecting a second cycle, which starts measurement delaying by ½ cycle of said photosensitive belt side roller from the first cycle measurement start; a controller means for conducting speed compensation of said photose

Abstract: A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet is provided which can realize composite recording on both sides of the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet by image formation respectively by means of a sublimation dye thermal transfer method and, in addition, by printing means different from the sublimation dye thermal transfer method. The thermal transfer image-receiving sheet comprises: a substrate; a first recording layer provided on one side of the substrate, an image being formable on the first recording layer by a sublimation dye thermal transfer method; and a second recording layer provided on the other side of the substrate and comprising a combination of two or more layers, the second recording layer permitting recording to be made by printing means other than the sublimation dye thermal transfer method, whereby composite recording can be made on both sides of the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet respectively by a plurality of types of image forming means.

Abstract: There is provided an image forming sheet with a mark which can reliably identify the presence or absence of the image forming sheet and/or the type of the image forming sheet without sacrificing the design and a visual texture of the sheet. In the image forming sheet 1, an identification mark 2, which is less likely to be visually perceived from the external appearance of the sheet 1, is provided within the sheet 1. The image forming sheet 1 may have a laminate structure of a plurality of substrate sheets 3 between which the identification mark 2 is provided. The identification mark 2 absorbs an electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength &lgr;1 and emits an electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength &lgr;2 different from the wavelength &lgr;1 and can reliably identify the presence or absence of the image forming sheet and/or the type of the image forming sheet without sacrificing the appearance and design of the sheet.

Abstract: The invention provides a carrier device for a thermal transfer medium comprising a spool for winding and supporting a thermal transfer sheet or a thermal transfer receiving sheet, wherein a mark containing a coloring material which absorbs an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined wavelength &lgr;1 and emitting an electromagnetic wave of a wavelength &lgr;2 different from the wavelength &lgr;1 is provided on a region in a surface of the carrier device capable of being irradiated with an electromagnetic wave. The invention provides a discrimination method and a printer each of which utilizes such a carrier device capable of executing at least one process among the kind identification, the fake goods determination and the use amount calculation for the thermal transfer sheet or the thermal transfer receiving sheet based on a detection of the mark.

Abstract: The present invention provides a security element which is low in cost, is difficult to forge or alter, and can be applied to objects where a high level of security is required. The security element comprises at least a substrate and a fluorescent colorant layer provided on the substrate, wherein the fluorescent colorant layer comprises N species of fluorescent colorants Fn, wherein N is an integer of 2 or more and n is an integer of not less than one and not more than N, in the same layer, and the fluorescent colorant Fn absorbs light with a wavelength of &lgr;n and emits fluorescence with a wavelength of &lgr;n+1.

Abstract: The rotating speed of a photosensitive body is reduced for preventing deterioration thereof due to ozone in an electrophotographic device which comprises the photosensitive body, a charger which uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive body, and a motor control unit which performs drive control for a motor which drives the photosensitive body. The motor control unit provides a plurality of speed levels including a first speed level for rotating the photosensitive body during printing and another speed level for rotating the photosensitive body at a reduced speed lower than the speed used during printing. The speed is changed-over between the plurality of speed levels depending on the operating condition. Thereby, deterioration of the photosensitive body due to ozone generated from the charger is prevented, and additional deterioration of the photosensitive body due to rotation thereof other than during a printing operation is also prevented.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of preventing with certainty the loading of a developing device an incorrect loading portion from being operated. The image forming apparatus includes a latent image holding body forming an electrostatic latent image, a developing device developing the electrostatic latent image to form a visible toner image, the developing device being detachably loaded in the image forming apparatus, a transfer device transferring the developed image onto a printing medium and a fixing device for fixing the transferred image. The image forming device can prevent an incorrect developing device loading in the image forming apparatus from being placed in a development enabled condition and can detect an active state of prevention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fluorescent image formation which can form a highly scratch-resistant fluorescent full-color image using a colorless fluorescent agent and can freely regulate the tone of color mixture of a combination of two or more fluorescent colors in order to impart, to articles, a higher level of forgery preventive function than a prior art technique and a print having a high level of forgery preventive function. The invention characterized in that fluorescent inks are provided that are substantially colorless upon visible light irradiation and contain organic fluorescent agents which, upon ultraviolet light irradiation, emit fluorescences in a visible region, and that two or more fluorescent inks, which emit fluorescences having mutually different color tones, are deposited on a printing face in its image formation region according to information on an image to be printed in a dot matrix manner so that dots of one color do not overlap with dots of another color.

Abstract: A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet is provided which can realize composite recording on both sides of the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet by image formation respectively by means of a sublimation dye thermal transfer method and, in addition, by printing means different from the sublimation dye thermal transfer method. The thermal transfer image-receiving sheet comprises: a substrate; a first recording layer provided on one side of the substrate, an image being formable on the first recording layer by a sublimation dye thermal transfer method; and a second recording layer provided on the other side of the substrate and comprising a combination of two or more layers, the second recording layer permitting recording to be made by printing means other than the sublimation dye thermal transfer method, whereby composite recording can be made on both sides of the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet respectively by a plurality of types of image forming means.

Abstract: Rotating speed of a photosensitive body is reduced, when rotating the same for preventing deterioration due to ozone. In that an electrophotographic device which comprises the photosensitive body; a charger which uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive body; and a motor control unit which performs drive control for a motor which causes to rotate and stop the photosensitive body, wherein the motor control unit includes a plurality of speed levels of a speed level for rotating the photosensitive body during printing and another speed level for rotating the photosensitive body which is reduced lower than the speed during the printing, and is provided with a speed change-over means which changes over the plurality of speed levels depending on the operating condition thereof.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming device on which toner images are formed; a transfer device for transferring the toner images onto a record medium; a voltage-application unit for applying a transfer voltage to the transfer device; a current-detection unit for detecting current flowing between the image forming device and the transfer device; a storage unit for storing a first current value detected at a non-operation position of the transfer device, and a second current value detected at an operation position of the transfer device; and a transfer device state-determination unit for determining the presence of the transfer device and the occurrence of an anomaly in a contact operation of the transfer device with the image forming device and a shunt operation in which the transfer device is moved away from the image forming device.