Abstract: A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet having a substrate composed of paper or a paper-containing laminate is free from surface undulations or irregularities extending over several millimeters or more related to appearance and quality, has excellent printability, and gives high smoothness and a quality appearance. Concretely, a substrate 1 is composed of paper with an average area per flock of 6 mm.sup.2 or less, and a coloring material receptive layer 2 is formed on the substrate to constitute a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet 10. A resin layer 4 having fine voids inside is provided at least on the surface of the substrate 1 on the side where the coloring material receptive layer 2 is laminated.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording medium where a fusion thermal ink layer is formed on one side of a support and a heat-resistant sliding layer is formed on the other side of the support. The heat-resistant sliding layer is comprised of silicone copolymer having functional groups and isocyanate compound, and the ratio of the silicone copolymer having functional groups to isocyanate compound is within a range of 70:30 to 50:50 by weight. It is preferred that the functional groups include carboxyl groups and the silicone copolymer include polyorganosiloxane graft polymer whose main chain is vinyl copolymer. In addition, the amount of silicon in the silicone copolymer is within a range of 30 to 50%, the acid value of the silicone copolymer is within a range of 50 to 70 mg/KOH. On the other hand, polyisocyanate having three or more functional groups is used for the isocyanate compound; for example, an adduct of xylylene di-isocyanate having two functional groups and trimethylolpropane is used.

Abstract: A dye-receiving element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon, in order, a subbing layer and a dye image-receiving layer containing a thermally-transferred dye image, wherein the subbing layer contains an iono-conductive material.

Abstract: A polymeric imaging medium comprising a receptor layer and a polycarbonate backing layer particularly useful in electrophotographic printing processes with liquid toners comprising thermoplastic toner particles in a liquid carrier that is not a solvent for the particles at a first temperature and that is a solvent for the particles at a second temperature or with dry toner, making the imaging medium in the substantial absence of ultraviolet radiation, method of imaging, and such an imaged medium which contains ultraviolet light stabilizers.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process of preparing a dye-receiving element for thermal dye transfer comprising:a) applying to a support on the front side thereof a dye image-receiving layer;b) laminating to the back side of the support a polyolefin layer; andc) subjecting the polyolefin layer to a corona discharge treatment and not applying any subsequent layers thereover.

Abstract: An image-receiving sheet for thermal transfer printing, comprises a substrate and a receptor layer provided on at least one surface of the substrate. The receptor layer is formed by applying a receptor layer forming composition comprising (a) at least one kind of thermoplastic resin and (b) at least one kind of release agent selected from silicone compounds expressed by the following formula (1):R.sub.1 --Si--(NCO).sub.4-1 (1)?in the formula (1), "1" indicates an integer of from 0 to 3, and "R" indicates an alkyl group, an aryl group or a vinyl group!,to the at least one surface of the substrate, and drying the thus applied composition by heat.

Abstract: There is provided a heat transfer image-receiving sheet comprising: a substrate sheet, end a dye-receiving layer provided at least on one surface of the substrate sheet, comprising a thermoplastic resin and at least two types of cured products of modified silicones whose curing mechanisms are different.There is also provided a heat transfer image-receiving sheet comprising: a substrate sheet, a dye-receiving layer provided at least on one surface of the substrate sheet, comprising a thermoplastic resin, and a releasing layer provided on the dye-receiving layer, comprising at least two types of cured products of modified silicones whose curing mechanisms are different.

Abstract: A thermal transfer sheet including: a substrate film, and a release layer, a thermal transfer ink layer, and an adhesive layer provided in that order on one side of the substrate film, the release layer being composed mainly of resin particles which, upon thermal transfer of the ink layer, are fused into a film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a document with counterfeit- and forgery-preventing means particularly for valued papers and the like, which comprise a sheet-like element having, on at least one face, a graphic marking that is visible in reflected light. The particularity of the invention resides in the fact that it comprises at least one variation in the thickness of said sheet-like element which provides a graphic representation that can be viewed against the light and is complementary with respect to the at least one graphic marking.

Abstract: A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet which has excellent printability such as high printing sensitivity and which is not curled greatly when stored even in a high-temperature and/or high-humidity environment.In the thermal transfer image-receiving sheet in which at least a coloring-material-receptive layer 2 (which will be the face of the image-receiving sheet), a resin layer 3 having minute voids, a support 4, and a backing layer 5 useful for preventing curling are successively laminated in the mentioned order, the backing layer is formed as a laminate of at least two layers 5a and 5b made from different resins.

Abstract: A method for transferring colorant from a donor element to a dye receiving layer to form a desired label includes providing an embossed surface on the dye receiving layer having desired spacing to minimize mottling; positioning the embossed surface of the dye receiving layer in the focal plane of a focused laser beam with a colorant donor element being positioned in transferable relationship with the dye receiving element; and focusing a laser beam on the colorant donor element to heat the donor element to a sufficient temperature to transfer colorant to the dye receiving element to thereby effect the transfer of colorant from the donor element to the dye receiving layer.

Abstract: In a thermal ink-transfer recording material comprising a base material, and a release layer and a thermal transferable ink layer which are superposingly formed thereon in this order, the release layer contains a wax, a rubber elastomer and a caprolactone oligomer, and the caprolactone oligomer is contained in the release layer in an amount of from 5% by weight to 25% by weight.

Abstract: The present invention provides a receiving paper for melt-type heat transfer recording suitable for use in, for example, a copying machine, a printer and a fascimile machine employing heat transfer recording system using heat meltable ink, which paper is excellent in ink receptivity and dot reproducibility and high in performance and quality in recorded image. The receiving paper of the present invention for melt-type heat transfer recording comprises a base paper and an image receiving layer thereon, the receiving layer containing a binder and a pigment and receiving a heat-meltable ink, wherein the receiving layer contains spherical precipitated calcium carbonate having an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 10 .mu.m as a pigment, and wherein the surface of the receiving layer has a surface roughness (Rmax) of 0 to 15 .mu.m as measured according to JIS K 0601, a pore open area ratio of 30 to 85% and an average pore open area of 0.5 to 20.0 .mu.m.sup.2.

Abstract: A dry transfer decal is formed when a lithographic image is printed onto a transparent UV-dipped base sheet. Additionally, the decal includes opaque layers, a removable adhesive, and a release liner with a backing sheet. The lithographic decal provides an art-quality image, in a large format, which has vivid colors and precise graphic detail. The opaque background layers increase the brightness of the image colors and covers over any underlying logos when affixed to a display surface. The UV absorbing base layer reduces the strength of UV rays reaching the transfer image thus the decal resists fading even after prolonged exposure to sunlight. The base layer also prevents abrasion and scratching which is prone to occur in active environments.

Abstract: The invention provides a light-transmitting cover foil intended to be arranged adheringly to a surface, for instance the surface of a carrier plate, optionally bearing information such as letters, numbers, images or the like, which foil consists of a laminate comprising: a first layer plastically deformable only at a relatively high first temperature, for instance in the range of 120.degree. C.-200.degree. C.

Abstract: An identification card stock comprising a polymeric core substrate having an oriented polymeric film laminated on at least one side thereof, said card stock also having an image-receiving layer located on the outermost surface of at least one side of said card stock, and process of using same.

Abstract: A transfer support and a method for fusing a transferable toner image to a face of a digital disc. In the method, a transferable toner image is electrophotographically printed onto a transfer layer. The transfer layer has a surface energy insufficient to retain the transferable toner image against a peel force of greater than about 550 Newtons/meter. The transferable image is registered against the face of the digital disc to provide a transfer support-digital disc pair. The transferable image is fused to the face of the digital disc. Registry of the transferable image and the face of the digital disc is maintained during fusing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat transfer recording method that utilizes an indirect transfer medium with deformable layer deforming under heat and/or pressure and image-receiving layer having adhesiveness to the image formed by fusion type heat transfer recording of hot peeling mode and allowing to retransfer the formed image alone onto image receiver provided on a supporter in this order. In this indirect transfer medium, the constituting material of that deformable layer comprises a substance with softening temperature of not higher than 90.degree. C. and stretch at breaking point of not less than 400%, and further the constituting material of the image-receiving layer contains a substance, in which the major component is acrylic resin comprising methyl methacrylate or/and hydroxyethyl methacrylate and this is graft copolymerized with hydroxyethyl methacrylate or/and N-methylol acrylamide.

Abstract: There is provided by the present invention a coating formulation and thermal transfer ribbons which provide printed images which are readable by magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) devices. These formulations and ribbons minimize the use of organic solvents in employing wax, binder resin and an aqueous based ferrofluid with magnetic pigment particles. MICR readable printed images are also provided as are thermal printers which employ the ribbons.

Abstract: The release liner of a paper label laminate is made with a porous, inexpensive, low weight paper substrate. The paper substrate is selected to substantially match the label facestock in terms of hysterisis curves. In addition, chemical techniques rather than supercalendering or heavy clay coating are relied on for achieving the desired silicone holdout and silicone cure properties of the paper substrate.

Abstract: A reusable image recording medium having improved capability of formation and removal of images such as toner images. The medium comprises a substrate and a coating formed on a surface of the substrate and having a recording surface with image forming material-peelability, wherein the recording surface has a surface smoothness of 200 seconds or lower as measured by a Bekk smoothness tester.

Abstract: An image forming method, including the steps of: forming a toner image with a toner having toner particles and an external additive on a surface of a first image-carrying member which includes a support and a lamination layer disposed thereon containing a peeling layer, fixing the toner image on the surface of the peeling layer of the first image-carrying member to form a fixed image, peeling the peeling layer having the fixed image from the first image-carrying member, and transferring the fixed image on the peeling layer onto a second image-carrying member while swelling the peeling layer, wherein the lamination layer has at least the peeling layer and an adhesive layer, the peeling layer at least including a transfer layer and having an area expansion ratio of 102-106%. The transfer layer may preferably be a composition containing a high-saponified polyvinyl alcohol having a saponification degree of at least 90% and a low-saponified polyvinyl alcohol having a saponification degree of below 90%.

Abstract: A thermal transfer material and an image-forming method using the same are provided which can form a sublimation-transferred image, on a contemplated object, having neither dropouts nor unevenness, free from bleeding, and excellent in stabilities, that is, light fastness and fixability. The thermal transfer material comprises: a substrate; and a receptive layer separably provided on one surface of the substrate, the receptive layer containing a metal ion-containing compound.

Abstract: A thermal transfer sheet is provided which can thermally transfer an excellent image capable of maintaining various types of durability, various types of fastness, particularly weather resistance and the like for a long period of time. The thermal transfer sheet comprises: a substrate film; a sublimable black dye layer and a transferable protective layer provided on the substrate film in a face serial manner, the sublimable black dye layer comprising a mixture of particular yellow, magenta, and cyan dyes. A thermal transfer method using such a thermal transfer sheet is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thermal transfer sheet including: a substrate and a hot-melt ink layer provided on one side of the substrate. The hot-melt ink layer including a colorant, a binder resin, a dispersing agent containing a phytosterol component, and a wax.

Abstract: There is provided a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet comprising: a substrate sheet; and a receptive layer provided on at least one side of the substrate sheet, the receptive layer being formed of a receptive layer-constituting resin containing an ethylene terpolymer selected from an ethylene/vinyl acetate/polar group-containing monomer terpolymer and an ethylene/acrylic ester/polar group-containing monomer terpolymer.

Abstract: A dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support having on one side thereof, in order, a subbing layer and a dye layer, and wherein the subbing layer comprises a glycidyl-containing polymer or copolymer having the following recurring monomer units: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 is H or methyl;L is a linking group, such as --COO-- or --CONH--;D is an alkylene group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms; andx represents from about 10 to about 100 weight percent.

Abstract: A sublimation thermal transfer receiving material having an image receiving layer is provided for sublimation thermal transfer recording, wherein the image receiving layer including a resin having activated hydrogen, an isocyanate compound and a catalyst promoting the crosslinking reaction of said resin and said isocyanate compound, and wherein a degree of gelation of the image receiving layer is about 70 to 99% and the isocyanate compound includes one of a xylylene diisocyanate compound and an aliphatic isocyanate compound excepting an adduct of hexamethylene diisocyanate. The receiving material is preferably subjected to a heat treatment after being formed an image thereon.

Abstract: A sublimation thermal image transfer recording medium has a substrate, a dye-containing layer formed on the substrate, containing a sublimable dye, and a top layer formed on the dye-containing layer, with the softening temperature of the top layer being at least 200.degree. C. which is measured in accordance with Japanese Industrial Standards JIS-K7196, and the coefficient of friction thereof being 0.2 or less which is measured in accordance with ASTM-D1894. In addition, there is provided a sublimation thermal image transfer recording method which includes the step of superimposing an image receiving sheet having a dye image receiving layer on the above-mentioned sublimation thermal image transfer recording medium, with imagewise application of heat thereto, with the dyeability of the top layer of the recording medium being controlled to be lower than that of the dye image receiving layer of the image receiving sheet.

Abstract: An apparatus 100 is provided with: a supply section 1 for supplying a paper base material P; a storage section 21 for storing a white fine particles coating; a development section 2 having a sleeve 22 for holding the white fine particles coating from the storage section 21, a blade 23 for controlling a thickness of the white fine particles coating held by the sleeve 22, and a charge drum 24 for absorbing the white fine particles coating from the sleeve 22; a transfer section 3 for electrostatically transferring the white fine particles coating absorbed by the charge drum 24 onto the paper base material P; a fixing section 4 having a heat roller 41 and a press roller 42, and for fixing the white fine particles coating on the paper base material P; and a ejection section 5 for ejecting the paper base material P fixed the white fine particles coating by the fixing section 4. By using the apparatus 100, the thermal transfer image receiving sheet S on which a high quality image can be formed, is produced easily.

Abstract: This invention relates to a dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye in a polymeric binder, and wherein the dye layer also contains a plasticizer comprising a chlorinated paraffin.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermo-transfer ribbon with a customary carrier, with a wax-based layer of a thermo-transfer color formed on one side of the carrier and an additional layer located between the carrier and the wax-based layer. This thermo-transfer ribbon distinguishes itself in that the additional layer is a wax-based separation layer A) for the wax-based layer B) of the thermo-transfer color wherein the waxes of the wax-based layer have a melting point of approximately 70.degree. C. to 110.degree. C., and wherein in both layers A) and B) a wax-soluble polymer is finely dispersed. The advantages of this thermo-transfer ribbon include the fact that there is no need for development of a topcoat of a dual-layer thermo-transfer color, and that satisfactory prints are obtained with the thermo-printing process.

Abstract: A transfer foil which makes it possible, starting from one foil, both to transfer hot stamping decorative elements on to a substrate and also individually to identify the substrate by a thermotransfer printing procedure, for which purpose the transfer foil includes on the one hand decorative layer arrangements known from hot stamping foils and on the other hand a thermotransfer layer, which are arranged in separate areas on the carrier film.

Abstract: A composition for use in forming an adhesive layer and a heat-transfer label including such an adhesive layer. In one embodiment, the label is designed for use on silane-treated glass containers of the type that are subjected to pasteurization conditions. The label includes a support portion and a transfer portion, the transfer portion being positioned over the support portion. The support portion includes a sheet of paper overcoated with a release layer of polyethylene. The transfer portion includes an organic solvent-soluble phenoxy protective lacquer layer, an organic solvent-soluble polyester ink layer over the protective lacquer layer, and an acrylic adhesive layer over the ink layer. The adhesive layer is formed by depositing onto the ink layer, e.g., by gravure printing, a composition comprising a water-based acrylic resin dispersion or emulsion, isopropyl alcohol and water, and then evaporating the volatile components of the composition to leave an acrylic film.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member for a thermal transfer printer adapted to an intermediate transfer method and comprising: an intermediate transfer member, which has a transfer layer, and on which an ink image is written by thermal transfer; and a printing medium onto which the ink image written on the intermediate transfer member is again transferred, wherein material of at least a surface layer of the transfer layer is silicon rubber containing: (a) alkenyl-group-containing organopolysiloxane; (b) organohydrogenpolysiloxane (c) non-reactive organopolysiloxane expressed by the following formula (1): ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group having no aliphatic unsaturated group or a hydroxyl group, R.sup.2 are the same or different groups, such as methyl groups and phenyl groups, and 1 mol % to 30 mol % of all of R.sup.2 in each molecule are phenyl groups; and (d) a hydrosilylated reactive catalyst, the silicon rubber containing no inorganic filler.

Abstract: A thermal transfer medium is provided which is sufficiently opaque to be sensed by optical sensing means, yet forms images which can be transparent or semi-transparent (or opaque). The thermal transfer medium comprises a transparent substrate and multi-layer structure of a thin first coat and a thick second coating. The coatings are formulated such that only the second coating transfers to a receiving substrate upon exposure to a print head of a thermal printer leaving the first coat positioned on the transparent substrate. Separation of the two coatings allows the transparency/opacity of the image to be independent of the transparency/opacity of the first coats and the thermal transfer medium.

Abstract: There is provided a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet comprising: a substrate sheet; and an image-receiving layer provided on one side of the substrate sheet, the image-receiving layer comprising a copolymer, having an average degree of polymerization of 800 to 2000, of at least vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate as main comonomers.

Abstract: There is disclosed a composite label web and methods of making and using same. The composite label web has a carrier web and a label material web releasably adhered thereto by pressure sensitive adhesive. The label material web is butt cut laterally at equally longitudinally spaced intervals. The carrier web is perforation cut laterally at equally longitudinally spaced intervals. The butt cuts and the perforation cuts are longitudinally offset to provide a tab. The invention provides the cost and manufacturing advantages of a butt composite label web plus the feature of ease of separation of the leading label from the carrier web.

Abstract: Ever more stringent environmental restrictions make it ever more challenging to apply coatings by conventional processes like spray painting because of the volatile solvents and hazardous pigments. The present invention is an alternative for applying a coating precisely on a surface. In the method of the invention, we apply appliques of constant Gaussian curvature to the corresponding areas of comparable curvature. We make the appliques on a family of molds of different Gaussian curvature and thereby avoid making a "splash" mold of the surface of interest to create the appliques or encountering the ridges, creases, or gaps that otherwise occur with attempts to cover the surface with flat (planar) appliques.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for imprinting duplicate copies of a credit card receipt using a single-ply roll of paper. The paper can be either coated on a first side with a carbonless coating that contains rupturable microcapsules, each filled with reactive, colorless dyes, and coated on a second side with a resin adapted to react with the colorless dyes, or coated on a single side with self-contained microencapsulated colorless dyes and reactive resins. To include transaction information printed on the credit card receipt as well as information written on the receipt by the customer (such as a signature and an indication of the amount of any gratuity), the transaction information is substantially duplicated in two separate fields each on a separate portion of the credit card receipt. At least part of the two separate portions are then aligned and presented to the customer for completion.

Abstract: A thermal transfer recording material is disclosed, comprising an azomethine dye represented by the following formula and a metal ion-containing compound.

Abstract: A pressure sensitive dry transfer article comprising a backing film, a release coating applied to a first face of the backing film, a continuous film of brittle polymeric compound applied to the release coating, and a pigmented pressure sensitive adhesive coating applied in imagewise fashion to said polymeric film to form a graphic pattern. On application of the article to the bonding substrate by pressure applied to the areas defined by the graphic pattern, the pigmented pressure sensitive adhesive is transferred to the bonding substrate and, after peeling the article away from the bonding substrate, the polymeric film fractures along the borders defining the graphic pattern such that the polymeric film in union with the graphic pattern is transferred with the pressure sensitive adhesive to the bonding substrate and the polymeric film not in union with the graphic pattern remains with the release coating.

Abstract: An image-receiving sheet comprising a base sheet and a receiving layer, provided on one surface of said base sheet, for receiving a dye or a pigment migrating from a heat transfer sheet, said base sheet comprising one or two or more layers, at least one layer of said base sheet having a porous structure or a foamed structure.

Abstract: A thermal dye transfer assemblage comprising:(a) a dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising a dye dispersed in a polymeric binder, the dye being:I) an electrically neutral, deprotonated, delocalized cationic dye precursor;II) a pendant basic dye of the formula D-(L-E).sub.

Abstract: A self-adhesive label comprising a self-adhesive base having a rear self-adhesive surface, a multipage booklet in an unfolded configuration disposed over a front surface of the base, a cover sheet disposed over the booklet and a self-adhesive laminar material having a rear self-adhesive surface which is adhered over the cover sheet and to a portion of the front surface of the base, the booklet being temporarily attached to the cover sheet whereby when the laminar material and the cover sheet are pulled away from the base thereby to reveal the booklet, the booklet is detachable from the cover sheet.

Abstract: A thermal transfer sheet is provided which can provide a sharp image having a satisfactory density and excellent various types of fastness, particularly excellent light fastness.The thermal transfer sheet comprises a substrate sheet and a dye layer provided on one surface of the substrate sheet.

Abstract: This invention relates to a dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising an image dye in a polymeric binder, and wherein the dye layer also containing a release agent comprising a copolymer having the following formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 each independently represents hydrogen or methyl;R.sup.2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms;R.sup.4 represents a divalent bridging group having from 1 to about 16 carbon atoms;R.sup.5 represents a haloalkyl group having from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, wherein the halogen consists essentially of fluorine;x represents 25-95 weight percent; andy represents 5-75 weight percent.

Abstract: A heat-transfer label including a phenoxy lacquer layer. In one embodiment, the label is designed for use on silane-treated glass containers of the type that are subjected to pasteurization conditions. The label includes a support portion and a transfer portion, the transfer portion being positioned over the support portion. The support portion includes a sheet of paper overcoated with a release layer of polyethylene. The transfer portion includes an organic solvent-soluble phenoxy protective lacquer layer, an organic solvent-soluble polyester ink layer over the protective lacquer layer, and a water-dispersible acrylic adhesive layer over the ink layer.

Abstract: A thermal image transfer recording medium includes a heat resistant substrate; an intermediate layer with a voidage of 20% or less, which includes a granular thermofusible material and a thermoplastic resin, formed on the heat resistant substrate; and a thermal image transfer ink layer containing a coloring agent, formed on the intermediate layer.

Abstract: A double-blinded label and a method for double-blind labelling a container are provided. The double-blind label comprises a multilayer identification and a multilayer double-blinded label. The double-blind label may include a tab extending beyond an edge of the label to secure the label when placed on a container. The double-blind label may also include a protective layer on one portion of the label to allow easy removal of that portion from the container while another portion of the label remains adhered to the container. The method comprises first printing on the identification label, attaching the blinding label then placing the label on a container. In a preferred embodiment, the method is continuous.