Abstract: A protective layer transfer sheet comprising a thermally transferable protective layer releasably provided on a substrate sheet is provided which, when a protective layer is formed by thermal transfer onto an image-receiving sheet with an image formed thereon, can prevent carrying troubles, such as meandering or cockling, within a printer. In a protective layer transfer sheet 10 comprising a substrate sheet 1, a heat-resistant slip layer 3 provided on one side of the substrate sheet 1, and a thermally transferable protective layer 2 releasably provided on at least a part of the surface of the substrate sheet 1 remote from the heat-resistant slip layer 3, bringing the coefficient of friction between the surface of the protective layer and the surface of the image-receiving sheet before thermal transfer to 0.05 to 0.5 in terms of ?0 (coefficient of static friction) and ? (coefficient of dynamic friction) with the value of ?0/? being 1.0 to 1.

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 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: The present invention provides an article with an image contained in an image-receptive layer that is bonded to the surface of the article with a size coat. A carrier film, which has been coated with a polymeric resin image-receptive layer and a size coat, forms a wrap that is used to receive the image. Use of the wrap in a method for imparting a design on an untreated article begins by covering the article in the area to receive printing with the wrap being positioned with the size coat adjacent to the article. Heat and pressure are used to treat the wrap while in contact with the article for sufficient time to bond the size coat to the article. The carrier film is removed from the article, leaving the size coat and the receptive layer bonded to the article. A transfer sheet, that includes an image to be transferred, is placed against the article with the image being placed in contact with the receptive layer.

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: The present invention provides a protective layer thermal transfer sheet in which: a protective layer having a thermal transferring property is placed on at least one portion of one of the faces of a substrate sheet and the protective layer is formed by successively laminating at least a peeling layer, a plasticizer resistant layer and a heat adhesive resin layer on the substrate sheet, and in this structure, the heat adhesive resin layer is made from a polyester-urethane resin; and a printed article with the protective layer transferred thereto.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermal transfer paper comprising a metal layer and capable of partially dissolving the metal layer, which comprises a dissolving function formed of at least one resin selected from the group consisting emulsion resins, water-soluble acryl resins, water-soluble polybutyral resins, alcohol-soluble polybutyral resins, water-soluble vinyl resins and alcohol-soluble vinyl resins, water or an alcohol solvent, and sodium hydroxide or an acid on the metal layer. The thermal transfer paper according to the present invention is provided with a dissolving function layer 30 able to dissolve a part of a metal layer 20, preferably an aluminum deposition layer 21 to form a dissolved part according to a desired design or pattern. Therefore, it is possible to produce unique color and texture, unlike a metal layer pattern formed by oxidation of a part on the metal 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: 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: The present invention provides a laminating film which has a thin base material processable with a low energy and a protection layer capable of giving a high optical density and a high glossiness to a printed image by lamination, and to provide a process for lamination with the laminating film. The laminating film of the present invention comprises a base material, and an image protection layer formed on the base material and having at least an adhesion layer capable of adhering to an image surface, wherein the base material has a thickness ranging from 1.5 to 6.0 &mgr;m and has an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of not more than 50 nm and a ten point height of roughness profile (Rz) ranging from 1200 nm to 2000 nm according to JIS B0601.

Abstract: An image formation method and a thermal transfer sheet for use in the image formation method are provided. According to the image formation method and the thermal transfer sheet, an intermediate transfer recording medium comprising a substrate film and a transfer part, comprising at least a receptive layer, provided separably on the substrate film is used, and, at the time of the transfer of the transfer part in the intermediate transfer recording medium onto an object, the transfer of the transfer part onto the object in its nontransfer region, onto which the transfer part should not be transferred, can be avoided without installing any special ancillary tool on an image forming apparatus. In the method for image formation, a thermal transfer sheet comprising a substrate and at least a peel-off layer provided on the substrate is provided.

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 dry-transfer appliqué is provided for wall decoration. The appliqué has at least three bleed-resistant color pigments, including a bleed-resistant magenta pigment, that will not bleed or show through a coat of paint once the appliqué is painted over for redecorating. The appliqué has an as-applied thickness of 1.3-8 mils so that it will not be visible through a coat of paint. A plurality of dry-transfer appliqués are also provided having designs corresponding to a common design theme. The appliqués can be placed by the consumer to provide a custom design suited to that consumer's personal taste.

Abstract: A heat transfer white-image-printing sheet comprising a substrate film, and a white ink layer comprising a resin as a main component of the binder thereof and fine hollow particles, provided on one surface of the substrate film. This printing sheet can produce, with high sensitivity, an image having sufficiently high white-color density and hiding power, and excellent abrasion resistance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protective layer transfer sheet which, when used to thermally transfer a protective layer onto an image-receiving sheet with an image formed thereon, provides a print that does not cause cracking of the protective layer and, even when housed and stored in a vinyl chloride case containing a plasticizer or the like, does not cause the migration of a dye constituting the image to the case, that is, has excellent fastness properties. In a protective layer transfer sheet 7 comprising a substrate sheet 1, a heat-resistant slip layer 3 provided on one side of the substrate sheet 1, and a thermally transferable protective layer 2 releasably provided on at least a part of the surface of the substrate sheet 1 remote from the heat-resistant slip layer 3, the thermally transferable protective layer 2 contains an epoxy resin and, in addition, contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of a butyral resin, an acrylic resin, and an ultraviolet absorber.