Abstract: An expansion apparatus includes: a first expander for irradiating with electromagnetic waves emitted from a lamp a thermal conversion layer for conversion of the electromagnetic waves to heat, to cause at least a portion of a thermal expansion layer to expand, the thermal conversion layer being laminated to a molding sheet including a base and the thermal expansion layer laminated to a first main surface of the base; and a second expander for causing expansion of a region (C) of the thermal expansion layer that is smaller in size than a region (B) of the thermal expansion layer expanded by the first expander.

Abstract: A method of securing a printhead assembly in a printing position relative to a media feed path. The method includes the steps of: lowering the printhead assembly towards datum surfaces, each datum surface having a fixed position relative to the media feed path; and magnetically attracting portions of the printhead assembly towards the datum surfaces so as to secure the printhead assembly in the printing position.

Abstract: A DMD cooling apparatus and method includes a DMD chip configured on a substrate, and a heatsink located within and integrated into the substrate upon which the DMD is configured. A plurality of micro-channels can be formed on a backside of the substrate. The micro-channels are fabricated via microlithography in association with a fabrication of the DMD chip such that the heatsink integrated into the silicon substrate allows for direct heat removal from the substrate.

Abstract: A textured heat transfer label includes a textured portion formed from a highly cross-linked UV ink and a thermoplastic background ink. The textured heat transferable label can also include metalized portions.

Abstract: Thermal media comprises a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The thermal media also comprises a thermally-sensitive coating disposed on the front side of the substrate. The thermal media further comprises a cleaner material disposed on a portion of the thermally-sensitive coating. The cleaner material is integrated into the thermally-sensitive coating to perform cleaning of a thermal print head when the cleaner coating moves past the thermal print head.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a printer for an automatic packing machine, which employs a ribbon cartridge to facilitate replacement of a ribbon tape and allows a thermal print head to be lifted or lowered to further facilitate replacement of the ribbon tape. The present disclosure also provides an automatic packing machine including the same. The printer is configured to print medicine data on a surface of a wrapping paper using a thermal print head and a ribbon tape. The printer includes a stationary plate secured to a lower portion of a body of the automatic packing machine, a movable plate disposed to be movable with respect to the stationary plate, and a ribbon cartridge receiving a ribbon tape and detachably mounted to the movable plate.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cartridge includes an ink ribbon onto which decolorizable ink is applied, a transfer unit configured to thermally transfer the decolorizable ink on the ink ribbon to a recording medium such that an image is formed on the recording medium as the ink ribbon is conveyed, and a heating unit configured to heat a portion of the ink ribbon that has passed the transfer unit when the image was formed on the recording medium, at a temperature at which the decolorizable ink is decolorized.

Abstract: An inkjet printer having a print region, the inkjet printer includes an inkjet printhead; a media advance system for advancing recording medium through the printing region; a carriage for moving the printhead back and forth in a carriage scan direction across the print region, the carriage including a first magnetic element; and a platform that is movable along the carriage scan direction, the platform including: an optical sensor for receiving light from the recording medium to determine a type of recording medium; and a second magnetic element for selectively coupling to the first magnetic element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for printing a substrate (7) in a printing machine, in which ink is transferred from a flexible carrier (3) to the substrate (7) in accordance with a predefined pattern by energy being introduced into the ink through the flexible carrier (3) by a device for the introduction of energy, some of the ink evaporating in the area of action of the energy and, as a result, a drop of ink (67) being thrown onto the substrate (7) to be printed, this step being repeated at least once, ink being transferred at least partly to the substrate (7) at the same positions in order to intensify the pattern produced. The substrate is transported through the printing machine (1) during the printing and, after the transfer of ink in step (a), the device for the introduction of energy is controlled in such a way that, during the repetition in step (b), the ink is transferred at the same position again as in step (a). The invention further relates to a printing machine for implementing the method.

Abstract: To perform preheating on a recording medium before transfer with an inexpensive configuration to reduce a transfer failure due to a change in temperature of a transfer film and further reduce thermal damage to the transfer film, in a transfer apparatus for nipping a transfer film and recording medium with a transfer roller and transfer platen, preheating treatment of the recording medium is performed by heat of the transfer roller before transfer processing. When the preheating treatment is performed using the transfer roller, the transfer film exists between the transport roller and the recording medium, and by shifting the position of the transfer film during the preheating treatment, it is possible to suppress thermal damage to the transfer film without applying heat of the transfer roller to only a part of the transfer film excessively.

Abstract: A thermal printer comprises a print unit which prints an image and forms a protection coat layer on a printed image, a designation unit which designates a glossy print mode or a matte print mode, and a control unit which controls the print unit, when the designation unit designates the glossy print mode, the control unit controls the print unit to execute printing of the protection coat layer without performing any preheating process, and when the designation unit designates the matte print mode, the control unit controls the print unit to perform the preheating process, and to then execute printing of the protection coat layer.

Abstract: A thermal printer comprises a print unit which prints an image and forms a protection coat layer on a printed image, a designation unit which designates a glossy print mode or a matte print mode, and a control unit which controls the print unit, when the designation unit designates the glossy print mode, the control unit controls the print unit to execute printing of the protection coat layer without performing any preheating process, and when the designation unit designates the matte print mode, the control unit controls the print unit to perform the preheating process, and to then execute printing of the protection coat layer.

Abstract: Devices and methods for thermally printing on a thermal image member are disclosed using a thermal print head and a nonrotating platen. The nonrotating platen is adapted to bias the thermal imaging member against the print head. The nonrotating platen includes an elastic member and a mounting means for securing at least one end of the elastic member with respect to the print head. A portion of the thermal imaging member is placed in a printing nip formed between a thermal print head and the nonrotating platen. The print head exerts a torque on the elastic member when the elastic member biases the imaging member against the print head. The thermal imaging member is translated along a transport direction through the printing nip, such that at least one surface of the imaging member slides across the nonrotating platen. The print head forms an image upon the translated thermal imaging member.

Abstract: A thermal printer detects an environmental temperature, and directly or indirectly detects a change in tension of an ink ribbon R. A correction value is read or calculated according to at least one of the detected environmental temperature and the detected change in the tension of the ink ribbon R. Thermal energy of each heating element in the thermal head is controlled based on the correction value so as to adjustably increase or reduce number of print lines on a print medium in a sub-scanning direction.

Abstract: Thermal transfer printing method and apparatus are provided to make initial character image data left on a spent ink ribbon illegible. In the method, after forming an initial character image FGi1 on an ink layer 11b in black of the ink ribbon 11, a forefront position S1 of the ink layer 11b is aligned with a forefront position S2 of an intermediate transfer film 25. Then, overwrite character image data UGD1 is applied on a thermal head 19 to produce a first superimpose character image KG1i1 on the ribbon 11 and a first superimpose character image KG1m1 on the film 25. After that, the forefront position S1 of the ink layer 11b is shifted from the forefront position S2 of the film 25 by a predetermined distance and further, the overwrite character image data UGD1 is applied on the thermal head 19 to produce a second superimpose character image KG2i1 on the ribbon 11 and a second superimpose character image KG2m1 on the film 25.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for forming a PVC article having a weatherable coating by applying by in-line spray, roll-coat, brush-coat, gravure print, flexographic print, thermal transfer coat or inkjet a polymeric solution onto extruded PVC as it is being extruded. The invention also relates to rigid PVC articles coated by the process. A polyvinylidene fluoride coating can be applied to PVC to form an article having improved gloss, good weatherability, good color retention and stain resistance.

Abstract: A multicolor direct thermal imaging method wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member comprising at least first and second different image-forming compositions and a thermal printer for use in practicing the method. Heat is applied to at least the second image-forming composition while the first image-forming composition is at a first baseline temperature (T1) to form an image in at least the second image-forming composition, and heat is applied to at least the first image-forming composition while it is at a second baseline temperature (T2) to form an image in at least the first image-forming composition, wherein T1 is different from T2.

Abstract: An apparatus for vacuum bonding a liquid crystal display device includes a unitary vacuum processing chamber, upper and lower stages provided at upper and lower spaces within the vacuum processing chamber for receiving first and second substrates, and at least one first substrate receiving system provided within the vacuum chamber to contact dummy areas between cell areas of one of the first and second substrates.

Abstract: A print media preheating system and method of preheating print media that includes an upper heating plate that is arranged to heat a pre-printed side of the print media with a pressure of the upper heating plate on the print media being relieved by lifting the upper heating plate away from the print media so as to reduce smudging of ink printed on the pre-printed side of the print media.

Abstract: A multicolor direct thermal imaging method wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member comprising at least first and second different image-forming compositions and a thermal printer for use in practicing the method. Heat is applied to at least the second image-forming composition while the first image-forming composition is at a first baseline temperature (T1) to form an image in at least the second image-forming composition, and heat is applied to at least the first image-forming composition while it is at a second baseline temperature (T2) to form an image in at least the first image-forming composition, wherein T1 is different from T2.

Abstract: A recording apparatus is advantageous in miniaturization even though a mechanism for adjusting a head gap is included. The recording apparatus includes a carriage for detachably holding a cartridge, a platen for supporting one surface of a recording medium, and a conveying roller and an eject roller for conveying the recording medium. The platen is constructed so that it is rockable with an axis of the eject roller as a rotation center and is switchable between at least two positions.

Abstract: A thermal transfer device used for forming a display device includes a donor layer capable of modulating light by application of external energy, a print heat for conducting thermal energy to the donor layer, at least one donor element formed by the donor layer absorbing the thermal energy and a substrate receiving the at least one donor element forming at least one light modulation unit thereon. First pixel electrodes can be first formed on a surface of the substrate contacting the light modulation units and then second pixel electrodes are formed on the light modulation units. A basic display unit therefore can be made.

Abstract: A bonded-substrate fabricating apparatus capable of reducing defective bonded substrates fabricated. A transfer robot sucks the outer edge area of the bottom surface of a substrate and spouts gas toward the bottom surface of the substrate to carry the substrate into a vacuum process chamber of a press machine while keeping the substrate horizontally. A press plate holds the substrate, which is held by the transfer robot, by suction.

Abstract: A device (1) suitable for marking a laboratory sample cassette (2) has a platen (6) with an aperture (7) and a cassette (2) is positioned so that a marking surface (3) of the cassette is aligned with the aperture (7). The device (1) also has a plurality of wires (9) with each wire (9) connected to a solenoid (11). An end (10) of each of the wires (9) is heated by a ceramic guide (12a) and selected ones of the heated wires (9) are oscillated once in a first direction (25) by their respective solenoids (11) to and from the aperture (7) to mark the marking surface (3). All the wires are then moved in a second direction transversely relative to the first direction (25) and selected wires are then oscillated once to mark the marking surface (3). This process is repeated until the required marking of the cassette marking surface (3) is completed.

Abstract: An apparatus for marking a document includes a housing configured to be handheld having a display. The housing has an input element in communication with the display through which information to be marked on the document is entered and which appears on the display. The housing has a clock which keeps time and date. The housing has a stamp. The housing has an activation element which when activated causes the stamp to mark the time and date and information on the document. A method, for marking a document includes the steps of entering information into an input element of a housing configured to be handheld. There is the step of displaying the information on a display of the housing in communication with the input element. There is the step of keeping track of time and date with a clock of the housing. There is the step of activating an activation element of the housing which causes a stamp to mark the time and date and information on the document.

Abstract: A thermal type image forming apparatus is provided for printing images on both sides of a medium, which are a first surface and a second surface of the medium. A thermal print head (TPH) is rotated about a platen roller to a first position facing the first surface of the medium and to a second position facing the second surface of the medium. The thermal type image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit for transferring the medium in a first direction to supply the medium to a space between the platen roller and the thermal print head and in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction to perform printing. A control member controls motion of the platen roller in the second direction to align a printing nip formed by the platen roller and the TPH with a heating line of the thermal print head. The platen roller is elastically biased in a direction to contact the control member.

Abstract: A thermal type image forming apparatus has a rotating cam which moves a thermal print head to a contact location. The rotating cam moves the thermal print head to contact locations so that the thermal print head contacts a platen roller at a first open location where the thermal print head is a first gap apart from the platen roller, and a second open location where the thermal print head is apart from the platen roller by a second gap which is greater than the first gap. In a method for removing jammed medium using the thermal type image forming apparatus, the thermal print head is placed at the first open location, and a transfer unit is driven to remove the jammed medium. If the removal of the jammed medium fails, the thermal print head is placed at the second open location.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image recording apparatus provided with a transporting unit transporting an image recording material whose shape has at a least one side in a predetermined transporting direction; an image recording position detecting unit detecting a position of the at least one side along the predetermined transporting direction, an image recording position correcting unit correcting the image recording position for the image recording material based on result of detection of the at least one side by said image recording position detecting unit; and an image forming unit forming a predesired image on the image recording material at the corrected image recording position.

Abstract: A thermal printer and method for operating a thermal printer are provided. The thermal printer has a receiver medium path leading past a print nip between a print head and platen. A processor causes an urge roller to move the receiver medium in the forward direction until a trailing edge of the receiver medium is moved to a point where reverse movement of the receiver medium causes the receiver medium to located against a stop surface. The processor then enables the receiver medium to travel in the reverse direction to engage the stop surface wherein the receiver medium path guides the receiver medium along a path of known length from the stop surface to a print line at the print nip.

Abstract: A thermal activation apparatus has a casing which houses a drawing roller that draws a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet through an insertion port and transports the sheet through the casing. A cutter unit cuts the sheet to a predetermined length, a thermal activation unit thermally activates a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the cut sheet, and a discharge roller discharges the thermally-activated sheet through a discharge port. A CPU controls the cutter unit and the thermal activation unit based on various factors so that the heat-sensitive adhesive layer is thermally activated only when needed.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing halftone recipe color images which comprises a printhead (500). The printhead (500) prints a first color (800) at a first intensity. The printhead (500) prints a second color (802) at a second intensity. The first and second colors (800, 802) are superimposed and coextensive.

Abstract: The invention provides a transfer ribbon having a layered structure in which a substrate, a relief layer and a reflection layer are laminated in this order, wherein the relief layer comprises an ionizing radiation-cured resin. The transfer ribbon can precisely transfer fine dots and/and dots placed close to each other with a low energy and at a high speed without any of burrs, chippings or lacks by means of a thermal head. Also, the invention provides an image expressing medium, which can be produced using the transfer ribbon described above, and comprises a support, a color layer and plural dots of relief hologram and/or diffraction grating. In the medium: the color layer and the dots are disposed on the same surface of the support; and the each dot has an area in a range from 0.0001 to 0.09 mm2; the each dots has a diffraction direction different from that of at least one of adjacent dots, or the dot has two or more sections each of which has a diffraction direction different from each other.

Abstract: A thermal recording material comprising, on a substrate, a thermal recording layer which includes an electron-donating dye precursor and an electron-accepting compound, wherein at least one kind of the electron-donating dye precursor is an indolylphthalide compound represented by general formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or the like, provided that R1 and R2 do not represent a hydrogen atom at the same time, and R1 and R2 may form a bond therebetween to collectively represent a single cycloamino structure; R3 represents an alkyl group or the like; R4 and R5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group; X1, X2, X3 and X4 each independently represent N or CH; and Y represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom.

Abstract: A multicolor image forming material comprising: an image receiving sheet comprising a substrate and an image receiving layer; and at least four heat transfer sheets each comprising a substrate and an image forming layer, each of the heat transfer sheets being adapted to be superposed on the image receiving sheet with the image forming layer facing the image receiving layer and irradiated with laser light to transfer the irradiated area of the image forming layer to the image receiving layer to form an image on the image receiving sheet, wherein the at least four heat transfer sheets comprise a heat transfer sheet (X) of which the image forming layer has a hue selected from the group defined herein and an absolute difference ?D between an optical density of the image forming layer of each of the at least four heat transfer sheets and a corresponding target optical density is equal to or smaller than 0.2.

Abstract: A thermal activation apparatus has a casing which houses a drawing roller that draws a heat-sensitive adhesive sheet through an insertion port and transports the sheet through the casing. A cutter unit cuts the sheet to a predetermined length, a thermal activation unit thermally activates a heat-sensitive adhesive layer of the cut sheet, and a discharge roller discharges the thermally-activated sheet through a discharge port. A CPU controls the cutter unit and the thermal activation unit based on various factors so that the heat-sensitive adhesive layer is thermally activated only when needed.

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: A thermally imageable element having a thermally imageable layer, wherein the thermally imageable layer has a thermal amplification additive and a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of phenolic type compounds and amine type compounds. These stabilizers present in thermally imageable layers maintain NIR stability during manufacture, and when the thermally imageable elements containing them are used in thermal imaging processes.

Abstract: A thermal recording system for recording an image on a thermo-sensitive recording medium using a laser beam under a preheated condition of the thermo-sensitive recording medium. In the thermal recording system, a preheating device preheats the thermo-sensitive recording medium which has leuco dyes, a developer and light-absorbing dyes all provided on a support, and which develops color in a continuous tone at a density corresponding to the energy of the applied heat, to a predetermined temperature less than a color-developing temperature. A heating-beam generating device allows a laser beam to scan the thermo-sensitive recording medium so as to heat the thermo-sensitive recording medium to a predetermined color-developing temperature. Thus, the heating-beam generating device can control the laser beam in a sufficient control range, thereby making it possible to record an image on the thermo-sensitive recording medium with high accuracy.

Abstract: A thermal printer in which color thermosensitive recording material is used is provided. A thermal head records an image to the recording material by applying heat thereto. One or two photo fixing xenon flash lamps apply electromagnetic rays to the recording material, to fix the image. The electromagnetic rays are emitted in the first and second wavelength ranges, and are ultraviolet or visible. A controller changes over electromagnetic rays received by the recording material from the xenon flash lamps. The controller, when in a first step, sets the electromagnetic rays in the first wavelength range by means of a UV absorbing filter, to fix a first coloring layer for yellow. In a second step next to the first, the electromagnetic rays are set in the second wavelength range, to fix a second coloring layer for magenta.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for sequentially superimposes images formed by a plurality of image forming stations for forming images of different colors, respectively, on a transferring material born and transported by a transferring material transporting member, which forms a misregister detection mark on the transferring material transporting member, illuminates to read the mark, calculates a misregister amount of the read misregister detection mark, and corrects the misregister of an image based on calculated results, wherein the apparatus adjusts an illuminating light amount according to a color of a misregister detection mark.

Abstract: A radiation-curable ink, a method of making the ink, a thermal transfer printer ribbon having a radiation-curable ink layer, and a thermal transfer printer with an actinic energy source are provided. A method of thermal transfer printing using an ink ribbon having radiation-curable components is also provided. The radiation curable components of the ink can be thermally dried and are cured after printing of an image on a receiving article.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for image formation using an intermediate transfer recording medium. An object of the present invention is to provide an intermediate transfer recording medium and a method for image formation which can yield a thermally transferred image possessing excellent various fastness properties even under severe service conditions, can transfer a protective layer onto an image on the object without transfer failure in an accurate and simple manner, and, in addition, can yield a highly lightfast image which is not deteriorated upon exposure to ultraviolet light. The intermediate transfer recording medium comprises: a sheet substrate provided with a resin layer; and a transparent sheet provided with a receptive layer, the sheet substrate provided with the resin layer having been put on top of the transparent sheet provided with the receptive layer so that the transfer sheet faces the resin layer.

Abstract: An image forming device in which a plurality of image frames are exposed onto a photosensitive material at an exposure device, and the photosensitive material is superposed with image receiving materials of same sizes as the image frames on a heat drum, such that a plurality of image frames can be heat transferred all at once onto the image receiving materials. Image receiving materials of different sizes are readied in a plurality of magazines, and an image receiving material (magazine) of an appropriate size is selected in accordance with an exposure pattern and sizes of the image frames. Various types of prints can be formed by merely setting one photosensitive material. Further, because the plurality of image frames are heat transferred onto the image receiving materials all at once, printing processing efficiency can be improved.

Abstract: In a card-making method and system, an authentication card is made from a raw card having a readable and writable information-storing portion formed therein, by forming the image on the front surface and/or back surface of the raw card and writing individual authentication information in the information-storing portion. Processing information of the raw card is written in the information-storing portion. The image is formed based on the processing information read from the information-storing portion. Individual authentication information of the authentication card is written in the information-storing portion after forming the image. In a heat treatment mechanism for cards, heat treatment is applied to a card having an information-storing portion arranged in part of a surface of a card body of a card, by using a light source as a heating source, to thereby fix an image to the card.

Abstract: An image-forming system has an image-forming sheet, and a printer for forming an image on the sheet. The sheet has a sheet of paper, and a layer of microcapsule, coated over the paper sheet, that contains a plurality of microcapsules filled with a dye. A shell wall of each microcapsule is composed of a resin exhibiting a pressure/temperature characteristic such that, when each microcapsule is squashed under a predetermined pressure at a predetermined temperature, the dye seeps from the squashed microcapsule. The microcapsules are covered with an infrared absorbent coating that absorbs infrared rays having a specific wavelength. The printer has a transparent glass plate, and a roller platen elastically pressed against the plate at the predetermined pressure, with the sheet being interposed between the plate and the platen.

Abstract: An image forming system and method form temporarily attached color particles corresponding to an image on an intermediate image transfer device. The color particles are temporarily attached to the intermediate image transfer device by supplying energy, such as optical or thermal energy, corresponding to image signals, where the source of energy is located on the reverse side of the intermediate image transfer device from the side on which the particles are temporarily attached. Finally, an adhesion device transfers the color particles corresponding to the image from the intermediate image transfer device to a printing sheet and fuses the image into the printing sheet.

Abstract: An imaging forming device using a platen, an upper peel roller, a lower peel roller movably positioned under and parallel to the upper peel roller, a diverter bar rotatably positioned underneath the platen and near the upper and lower peel rollers and adapted to guide a printable medium backing to move between the platen and the upper peel roller to between the upper and lower peel rollers, a peel bar rotatably positioned over the upper peel roller, a pair of lever cams rotatably positioned respectively at opposite ends of the upper and lower peel rollers, the lever cams are adapted to push the lower peel roller to press the printable medium backing against the upper peel roller during operation for moving the printable medium backing through the imaging forming device and to allow the lower peel roller to separate apart from the upper peel roller when the imaging forming device is open for loading the printable medium backing in between the upper and lower rollers.

Abstract: A system and method of preparing artwork for a laser foil die implement prism lines designed to interact with the diffraction grating on a layer of laser hot foil. Artwork may be selectively segmented into discrete regions; prism lines may be created by assigning a halftone value, a frequency value, and an angle for each region of the artwork. A system and method of creating a laser foil die transfer such artwork and prism lines to a blank die; when created in accordance with the present invention, a die may transfer prism lines to a layer of laser foil applied to a substrate.

Abstract: There is provided a thermal recording apparatus which includes a pre-heating section for heating a thermal recording material to a temperature 6 to 20° C. lower than a color forming temperature; a heat recording section for recording an image by heating the pre-heated thermal recording material imagewise; and a post-heating section for heating the thermal recording material to a temperature lower than the color forming temperature. The thermal recording apparatus uses the thermal recording material having a thermal image forming layer that includes a heat-reducing metallic compound, and optionally at least one of a reducing agent of the heat-reducing metallic compound, a dye for infrared absorption and a toner. This apparatus is capable of performing highly sensitive image recording using a thermal recording material having an image forming layer in which an image is formed with a heat-reducing metallic compound. Furthermore, black tone images can be formed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for writing on thermographic material (5). The inventive device (1) comprises a heater (20) with which the thermographic material (5) is preheated to a temperature, which is lower than a writing temperature. The thermographic material (5) can be written on with a writing instrument (10) which is distanced from the thermographic material (5) after input of an information signal (s(t)). The writing instrument (10) has a plurality of individually controllable point sources (30-33; 51-53). The thermographic material (5) can be written on in a point-by-point manner with said point sources (30-33; 51-53).