Abstract: Two-sided thermal media comprising thermal transfer receptive and/or direct thermal thermally sensitive coatings on one or both of a first and a second side thereof are provided. In one embodiment, two-sided thermal media comprising a substrate having a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, and a first and a second thermal transfer receptive coating supported on the respective first and second substrate sides is provided. In another embodiment, two-sided thermal media comprising a substrate having a thermal transfer receptive coating on a first side thereof, and a direct thermal thermally sensitive coating on a second side thereof, is provided. In some embodiments, a direct thermal thermally sensitive coating provided on one or both sides of two-sided thermal media is adapted to image at a temperature different than a temperature at which thermal transfer printing has or can occur.

Abstract: To provide a protective layer thermal transfer film which can form a protective layer that is superior in the water based ink fixing property, solvent-resistant property and, in particular, water-resistant property and also has a superior peeling property. The present invention relates to: a protective layer thermal transfer film, comprising: a thermally transferable protective layer on or over at least one part of one surface of a substrate film, wherein the protective layer is formed on or over the substrate by laminating at least a peeling layer serving as an outermost surface layer after transfer; and the peeling layer containing at least polyvinyl pyrrolidone, and a printed article with the protective layer transferred onto an image on the printed article.

Abstract: The present invention was directed to a unique heat transfer material for use in transferring an image-bearing coating onto a substrate, such as an article of clothing. The heat transfer material of the present invention may be used in cold peel transfer processes, resulting in an image-bearing coating having superior washability, compared to conventional image-bearing coatings. Additionally, the materials may be used on dark colored fabrics without graying of the opaque background or dulling of colored images typically associated with printing on darker fabrics. The heat transfer material of the present invention produces superior results due to the addition of crosslinking agents to the coatings.

Abstract: A heat-transfer label assembly and method of using the same. In one embodiment, the assembly is particularly well-suited for decorating flexible plastic articles and comprises a paper substrate overcoated with a layer of polyethylene, a skim coat of wax overcoated onto the polyethylene layer, and one or more spaced apart, heat-transfer labels printed onto the skim coat. Each label is bondable to the article when activated by heat and consists of one or more ink design layers, each ink design layer comprising a mixture of polyester resins, a pigment, a cross-linking resin and a catalyst. When initiated by label transfer, the catalyst causes the cross-linking resin to partially cross-link the polyester resin to an extent that the label is endowed with protective properties while still retaining sufficient flexibility to avoid cracking when the article is flexed.

Abstract: A substrate supporting frame, a substrate supporting frame assembly including the frame, a method of framing a substrate using the frame, a method of fabricating a donor substrate using the substrate supporting frame assembly, and a method of fabricating an Organic Light Emitting Display (OLED) using the donor substrate each include a substrate supporting frame having a main body having an opening, a plurality of pins protruding from at least two sides of a top surface of the main body, and outer pressing units for respectively pressing the plurality of pins outward from the main body.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-layer laser transfer film for the permanent labeling of components, comprising at least one support layer, whereby a first adhesive layer is at least partly provided on the underside of the support layer, characterised in that on the side of the support layer for the laser transfer film on which the first adhesive layer is provided, at least two pigment layers containing a laser-sensitive pigment are at least partly provided, whereby the concentration of the laser-sensitive pigment in the pigment layers varies.

Abstract: A donor substrate for laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) and a method of fabricating an organic light emitting display (OLED) using the donor substrate are provided. A conductive frame is disposed on and connected to an anti-static layer of the donor substrate and frames the periphery of the donor substrate. The conductive frame is connected to a grounded stage. An organic layer is formed using LITI, and the generation of static electricity is controlled.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a unique heat transfer material for use in transferring a discontinuous coating onto a substrate, such as an article of clothing. The heat transfer material of the present invention may be used cold peel transfer processes, resulting in an image-bearing coating having superior crack resistance, washability, and breathability compared to conventional image-bearing coatings. Additionally, the materials may be used on dark colored fabrics without washed-out appearance typically associated with printing on darker fabrics. The heat transfer material of the present invention produces superior results due to the use of discontinuous coatings.

Abstract: Processes for effecting thermal transfer of electroactive organic material are disclosed wherein unwanted portions of a layer of electroactive organic material supported by a donor element are removed or transferred from the layer by thermal transfer, particularly laser-induced thermal transfer, leaving a desired pattern of the electroactive organic material on the donor element. The electroactive organic material may be an organic material exhibiting electroluminescence, charge transport, charge injection, electrical conductivity, semiconductivity and/or exciton blocking. The layer of electroactive organic material may comprise more than one layer of different types of electroactive organic material. The exposure pattern is a negative image of the desired pattern. The electroactive organic material of the desired pattern is not, therefore, exposed to the heat which can cause decomposition.

Abstract: A substrate supporting frame, a substrate supporting frame assembly including the frame, a method of framing a substrate using the frame, a method of fabricating a donor substrate using the substrate supporting frame assembly, and a method of fabricating an Organic Light Emitting Display (OLED) using the donor substrate each include a substrate supporting frame having a main body having an opening, a plurality of pins protruding from at least two sides of a top surface of the main body, and outer pressing units for respectively pressing the plurality of pins outward from the main body.

Abstract: A donor element for transferring organic material to form an OLED device includes a transparent support, a first metallic layer responsive to radiation which passes through the transparent support to produce heat, a second metallic layer that is reactive to moisture or oxygen or both provided over the first metallic layer, and an organic layer having transferable organic material disposed over the second metallic layer which, in response to radiation absorbed by the first metallic layer, will cause the organic material to be transferred to an OLED device.

Abstract: A multicolor image forming material comprising: an image receiving sheet comprising an image receiving layer; and at least five heat transfer sheets different in color each comprising a substrate, a light-heat conversion layer 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 record an image on the image receiving sheet, wherein an area of the recording has a size of 515 mm by 728 mm or larger, the image forming layer of at least one of the heat transfer sheets has a thickness of 0.6 ?m or greater, and the at least one of the heat transfer sheets has an adhesive strength of 8 g/cm or higher between the light-heat conversion layer and the image forming layer in a non-irradiated area thereof.

Abstract: A donor substrate for a laser induced thermal imaging method and an organic light emitting display (OLED) fabricated using the donor substrate are provided. There is also provided a method of fabricating an OLED capable of controlling static electricity when an organic layer is formed using an laser induced thermal imaging method, since the donor substrate having a conductive layer is electrically connected to an earthed stage.

Abstract: A protecting film for covering a recording face of a recording medium includes a support, a first protective layer formed of thermoplastic resin and formed on the support, and a second protective layer formed of thermoplastic resin, and laminated on the first protective layer. An image is formed on the recording face by a thermal transfer type overcoat process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protective layer transfer sheet, which has excellent folding resistance, plasticizer resistance, scratch resistance, transparency, layer transferability and other properties, and a print using the same. The protective layer transfer sheet comprises: a substrate sheet; and a thermally transferable resin layer provided separably on at least a part of one side of the substrate sheet. The thermally transferable resin layer comprises at least a thermally transferable protective layer and a heat-sensitive adhesive resin layer stacked in that order from the substrate sheet side. The thermally transferable protective layer comprises a layer comprising submicron particles of a layered inorganic material dispersed in a binder resin. The print is formed using the thermally transferable protective layer.

Abstract: A heat transfer recording sheet comprising a support layer; an adhesive layer; and at least one ink receiving layer comprising a microporous polymeric film including at least one thermoplastic polymer. The thermoplastic polymer may be blended with a hydrophilic melt additive prior to extrusion and stretching or an already extruded and stretched microporous polymeric film may be coated with an additional layer of inorganic pigment and binder. The recording sheet containing a printed image is transferred onto target substrates such as paper and textiles.

Abstract: A color image is digitally printed onto an intermediate transfer medium. The image is subsequently transferred from the intermediate transfer medium to a final substrate, which may be a cellulosic textile, such as cotton. Bonding of the color images is provided by the reaction between compounds selected from each of two chemical groups contained in the intermediate transfer medium. The first groups comprises compounds with functional groups capable of reacting with active hydrogen, such as isocyanate or epoxy groups. The second group comprises compounds with functional groups containing active hydrogen, or compounds with functional groups containing active hydrogen after a conversion process. The functional groups of one or both reactive chemical groups may be protected either by blocking with internal or external blocking agents or by a physical barrier such as encapsulating agents.

Abstract: There is provided a protective layer thermal transfer sheet which can impart an excellent matte tone to an image, produced by a sublimation dye thermal transfer method, without the need to additionally provide any special step and without deteriorating high definition and high sharpness of images inherent in sublimation dye transferred images. There are also provided a protective layer thermal transfer sheet for controlling the gloss of an image, and a matted print produced using the protective layer thermal transfer sheet. The protective layer thermal transfer sheet comprises a substrate sheet and, stacked on at least a part of one side of the substrate sheet in the following order, a release layer, a protective layer and optionally an adhesive layer. The release layer contains a filler and has a roughened surface.

Abstract: A printing foil for foil printing a region of an image comprising: a substrate; a layer of foil bonded to the substrate; and a layer covering the foil which layer is formed from a material chosen from the group of materials consisting of methacrylic copolymer resin, polyester, polycarbonate and polyvinyl chloride.

Abstract: A roll stock of a graphic transfer strip for use in making a high visibility safety garment for wearing by an individual exposed to a higher than normal risk of injury from vehicular traffic. The safety garment complies with the visibility requirements of a published standard such as the American National Standards Institute for High Visibility Safety Apparel. The safety garment has one or more high visibility safety stripes that encircle the torso. The safety stripe is formed of a plurality of separate but closely spaced stripe segments in a generally repetitive pattern that is substantially continuous for the length of the stripe. The stripe segments are formed of a retroreflective material. The stripe segments occupy a portion of the total area of the stripe sufficient to impart to the stripe a coefficient of retroreflectivity that meets or exceeds that required by the standard being addressed for the safety garment.

Abstract: A method of forming sheet rolls made of a heat transfer recording sheet having a transfer ink layer on a surface of a base by winding the recording sheet around the outer peripheries of a plurality of cores. The method includes supplying a web heat transfer recording sheet, cutting a portion thereof corresponding to a region between two adjacent sheet rolls to form cut ends; placing a non-adhesive waste sheet and a pair of adhesive tapes attached to the waste sheet ends between the transfer recording sheet, the tapes having an adhesive portion, an outside-exposed portion, and a portion attached to a cut end of the recording sheet, winding the sheet around a core outer periphery, positioning the waste sheet between winding apparatus and a discharging portion, and cutting the waste sheet so positioned.

Abstract: A transfer sheet for an ink jet printer comprises a support, and a transfer layer which is capable of separating from the support and contains a hot-melt adhesive particle, and the hot-melt adhesive particle comprises a first porous hot-melt adhesive fine particle having an oil absorption of not less than 50 ml/100 g. The transfer layer may further comprise a second hot-melt adhesive fine particle having an oil absorption of less than 50 ml/100 g, a film-forming resin component, and a dye fixing agent. The hot-melt adhesive fine particle may comprise a nylon fine particle, and the average particle size thereof may be 1 to 100 mm.

Abstract: The present invention is first directed to a thermal transfer sheet which is not high in cost for obtaining a substrate, does not involve a problem of blocking or the like at the time of winding after coating of a backside layer onto the substrate, can eliminate the need to provide a release layer on the protective layer region, and further can enhance glossiness of a print with a protective layer. The thermal transfer sheet comprises a substrate, a dye layer of at least one color and a thermally transferable protective layer provided in a face serial manner on one side of the substrate, a protective layer provided on a part of one side of the substrate, an easy-adhesion layer provided on the whole surface of the protective layer and the substrate, the dye layer being provided on the easy-adhesion layer in its region where the protective layer is not located on the underside of the easy-adhesion layer.

Abstract: A donor element is described for use in a thermal imaging process. The donor element includes a support: a heating layer; a colorant containing transfer layer; and an overcoat layer comprising a wax having a melting point ranging from about 30° C. to about 350° C. Typically the wax is a natural vegetable wax, a mineral wax or a synthetic wax.

Abstract: A method of producing a transfer sheet containing an image for transfer to a final surface by heat and pressure, the method including: providing a transfer sheet; providing an image, for example a liquid toner image; and transferring an image to the transfer sheet, using heat and pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an imaging element having long term stability comprising at least one imaging layer and a support, wherein the support comprises at least one layer comprising polylactic acid.

Abstract: An object is to provide a fluorescent latent image transfer film which makes it possible to form a fluorescent latent image excellent in transferability and gradiation-property; a fluorescent latent image transfer method using the same; and a security pattern formed matter.

Abstract: Decorative transfers that can be directly applied to a mold surface during the molding process are created. The decorative transfers include an uppermost intermediate layer that includes a tacky resin. The decorative transfers also include inks that specify a desired image. Tacky inks and/or tack-free inks are used in the decorative transfers. Preferred decorative transfers include crosslinkable polymers in all of the intermediate layers.

Abstract: There are provided a method for image formation which can produce an image formed object possessing excellent fastness or resistance properties such as excellent abrasion resistance, lightfastness, and alteration preventive properties, is less likely to cause damage to an object, is free from a deterioration in image quality, and does not incur an increase in production cost, and an image formed object. In the method for image formation, an intermediate transfer recording medium comprising a substrate and a light transparent protective layer provided on the substrate, and a first thermal transfer recording medium comprising a substrate and a light transparent ink layer provided on the substrate are first provided. The intermediate transfer recording medium and the first thermal transfer recording medium are put on top of each other. The assembly is imagewise heated to form a light transparent image on the light transparent protective layer in the intermediate transfer recording medium.

Abstract: A multi-color image-forming material is disclosed comprising image-receiving sheets each having an image-receiving layer and heat transfer sheets for at least four colors, including yellow, magenta, cyan and black, each having at least a light-to-heat conversion layer and an image-forming layer on a support, the heat transfer sheets and the image-receiving sheets being respectively laminated such that the image-forming layer of the heat transfer sheet and the image-receiving layer of the image-receiving sheet are opposed to each other, whereby the irradiation with laser beam causes the area irradiated with laser beam on the image-forming layer to be transferred onto the image-forming layer in the image-receiving sheet to effect image recording, wherein the thickness of the image-forming layer in the heat transfer sheets is from 0.01 &mgr;m to 1.5 &mgr;m and the width of lines in laser-transferred image is from 0.8 to 2.0 times a half of the half-width (i.e.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multicolor heat-sensitive recording material at least having a yellow-forming heat-sensitive recording material, a cyan-forming heat-sensitive recording material, and a magenta-forming heat-sensitive recording material disposed on a support, characterized in that, if laminates are made of a transparent support, a single layer of these heat-sensitive recording layers, and a protective layer in the order listed, the haze values of the laminates are all not greater than 40.

Abstract: A thermal transfer ribbon with an effective contrast ratio of at least about 87 percent and a brightness of at least about 70. The ribbon contains a flexible substrate and, disposed over the substrate, at least one coating containing from about 45 to about 90 weight percent of titanium dioxide and from about 0.05 to about 20 weight percent of glass particles. This coating has a coat weight from about 3 to about 20 grams per square meter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal transfer sheet, which comprises a substrate film and a metallic layer disposed on one side of the substrate film, the metallic layer being comprising leaf-shaped aluminum powder. The preferable leaf-shaped aluminum powder is obtainable via a process in which an aluminum film is formed by a vapor deposition on a peelability facilitating surface of a carrier sheet, the aluminum film is peeled off the carrier sheet and finely divided. Using the thermal transfer sheet, it is possible to produce a printed product having a high metallic luster and hiding property and excellent in qualities including design, appearance or decoration. Furthermore, it is not expensive to produce the thermal transfer sheet of the present invention.