Abstract: The object of this invention is to transfer, fix and polish images produced by: toner laser printers or inkjet printers, flexographic technology, silkscreen technology, offset technology, printed on reel support (A), on the plastic or metal surface of three-dimensional objects (16), thanks to which it is possible to detach images from the reel support (A) and subsequently transfer them to the surface of said plastic or metal objects (16) by a thermomechanical (1, 10) action.

Abstract: A label sheet assembly and method is disclosed for improving the process of feeding label sheets through a printer. The label sheet assembly may include a facestock layer and a liner sheet. The facestock layer may include an adhesive layer along at least a portion of a first side and include a label surface along at least a portion of the second side opposite the adhesive layer. The liner sheet layer may include at least one surface feature provided along a back side of the liner sheet. In another embodiment, the facestock layer may include at least one surface feature provided along the front of the facestock layer. The surface features may create a zone of increased friction or increase tactile sensitivity along the various surfaces of the label sheet assembly to improve printer processing.

Abstract: Various variable gloss reduction techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a gloss reduction technique is disclosed using a textured roller and a wiper impregnated with fuser oil to create a differential gloss pattern that reduces the gloss of an image printed on a substrate. In one embodiment, a gloss reduction technique is disclosed using a combination of heat and pressure to create a differential gloss pattern that reduces the gloss in specific regions of an image printed on a substrate. In one embodiment, a gloss reduction technique is disclosed using a differential gloss pattern to generate a security mark on a printed image to prevent against copying or fraudulent misrepresentation of the image.

Abstract: Various variable gloss reduction techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a gloss reduction technique is disclosed using a textured roller and a wiper impregnated with fuser oil to create a differential gloss pattern that reduces the gloss of an image printed on a substrate. In one embodiment, a gloss reduction technique is disclosed using a combination of heat and pressure to create a differential gloss pattern that reduces the gloss in specific regions of an image printed on a substrate. In one embodiment, a gloss reduction technique is disclosed using a differential gloss pattern to generate a security mark on a printed image to prevent against copying or fraudulent misrepresentation of the image.

Abstract: A toner for electrostatic image development includes: a binder resin; and a coloring agent. When an image with a toner mass per unit area of 4.0 g/m2 is formed using the toner, the image has a color that satisfies the following conditions (A), (B), and (C): (A) L* is from 37 to 50 inclusive; (B) a* is from ?12 to 8 inclusive; and (C) b* is from ?49 to ?40 inclusive.

Abstract: In an image forming method according to the present invention, an image is formed by removing residual charge from the image on an image recording medium. The image forming method includes formation of an image for forming a toner image by fixing a toner on the image recording medium and application of voltage from a voltage applier, the voltage having a polarity reverse to a polarity of a surface potential of the toner image. The toner includes toner base particles and an external additive. The toner base particles include a crystalline polyester resin.

Abstract: When forming a gloss layer, an UV curable ink in a semi-cured state is cured when spread more than when forming matte layers, whereby a surface smoothness of the gloss layer becomes higher than the matte layers, and on the other hand, the matte layers can be formed thick. Therefore, a braille body having the necessary height and the smooth tactual sense while having a layered structure can be formed.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system comprising a transfer medium configured to receive the layers from a imaging engine, a heater configured to heat the layers on the transfer medium, and a layer transfusion assembly that includes a build platform, and is configured to transfuse the heated layers onto the build platform in a layer-by-layer manner to print a three-dimensional part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device for heating and pressing a toner image on a recording medium, a non-contact heating device arranged downstream of the fixing device for heating the toner image without coming into contact with the toner image, and a pressure contact device arranged downstream of the non-contact heating device and having a smooth surface. The pressure contact device has first and second arrangement states switched according to the kind of the recording medium. In the first arrangement state, the pressure contact device is arranged so as to make pressure contact with the toner image. In the second arrangement state, the pressure contact device is arranged so as not to make pressure contact with the toner image.

Abstract: A method of creating a scratch-off document, the method includes the steps of providing a substrate; applying an image toner on the substrate; heating the image toner which causes the image toner to fix to the substrate and causes low surface energy component in the image toner to migrate to a surface of a formed image; applying a non-image toner on the surface of the formed image and the substrate; fusing the non-image toner which fuses the non-image toner to the surface of the formed image and the substrate, which causes the fused non-image toner to fuse to a level that permits scratch-off of a scratch-off portion of the fused non-image toner.

Abstract: A method of printing and embossing a receiver is disclosed. The method includes depositing a pattern of image toner on a side of an image bearing receiver, the image toner including toner particles; fixing the pattern of image toner onto the receiver; depositing an embossing pattern of embossing particles on a face of an embossing sheet or web, the embossing pattern having an embossing-pattern thickness corresponding to a fixed stack height of at least 30% of the thickness of the receiver. The embossed particles have an average diameter greater than diameters of the toner particles. Pressing the image bearing receiver and the embossing sheet or web together in a compliant nip, the first side of the receiver facing the face of the embossing sheet or web, the pressure selected so that with a large enough load so that the embossing pattern permanently deforms the receiver.

Abstract: A baroplastic includes a first resin with a first Tg; and a second resin with a second Tg that is lower than the first Tg by 20° C. or more, and has a photoreactive group.

Abstract: A color image forming method, including: forming electrostatic latent image on electrostatic latent image bearing member; developing the image to form visible image with at least two toners containing releasing agent and selected from black, magenta, cyan and yellow toners; transferring the visible image to recording medium; fixing the transferred image thereon with fixing member having no releasing agent on surface thereof; and forming overcoat layer on the fixed image by polymerizing overcoat composition, wherein when lightness-L1, chromaticity-a1 and so chromaticity-b1 according to L*a*b* color system of the fixed image formed with the at least two toners and lightness-L2, chromaticity-a2 and chromaticity-b2 of the fixed image after the overcoat composition is dropped at 0.4 mg/cm2 from height of 10 mm above the fixed image and the overcoat composition is removed after 10 seconds have passed are applied to the following formula (1), color difference ?E* is 3.0 to 30.

Abstract: A toner includes a resin having an unsaturated double bond, a thiol compound having a bi- or more-functional thiol group, and a polymerization initiator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method producing printed electronic circuits using electrophotography.

Abstract: An image forming method comprising the step of: forming a toner image employing toner particles containing at least a resin on an image supporting substrate having thereon a toner holding layer via a toner image holding process to form an image print, the toner image being held in the toner holding layer in the toner image holding process, wherein at least the toner particles or the image supporting substrate is separated from the image print via a separation process; and at least the separated toner particles or the separated image supporting substrate is recyclable as an image forming material.

Abstract: A method of recycling an image forming material comprising the steps of holding a toner image formed by employing toner particles in a toner holding layer formed on an image supporting substrate to form a first generation image print, separating the toner particles from the first generation image print; and recycling the separated toner particles to form a second generation image print by holding a toner image formed by employing the separated toner particles in a toner holding layer formed on an image supporting substrate, provided that the image forming material comprises at least toner particles, wherein Condition (1) 0.9?B/A?0.1 and Condition (2) 1?C/A?0.9 are satisfied, A, B and C representing particle shape factors of original toner particles, toner particles held in the image holding layer of the first generation image print; and separated toner particles, respectively.

Abstract: An electrostatic charge image developing toner includes: a polyester resin that has a glass transition temperature of about 45° C. or higher and in which a proportion of repeating units derived from fumaric acid in repeating units derived from acid components is 10 mol % or greater and a proportion of repeating units derived from alkenylsuccinic acid in the repeating units derived from acid components is 10 mol % or greater; and a photopolymerization initiator, wherein a content of the photopolymerization initiator is from about 0.5% by weight to about 10% by weight.

Abstract: A method of applying a protective coating over ink printed media in a digital printing engine whereby horizontally discharging ink jet nozzles arranged in a vertical array, discharging a protective coating onto the marked surface of media disposed on a belt in vertical disposition. The coated media is then transported vertically to an adjacent source of ultraviolet radiation for curing the protective coating.

Abstract: A foil transferring method employing an electrophotography is disclosed, in which a toner used for forming a foil transferring layer contains at least a vinyl based resin and a polyester based resin as a binder resin and an amount of the vinyl based resin is 50 to 95% by weight based on the total amount of the binder resin.

Abstract: A receiver having an image side and a non-image side bent in a bend area including a bend axis. Toner is deposited on the image side of the receiver in the bend area using an electrophotographic print engine. The deposited toner is fused to the receiver. During or after fusing, the fused toner is heated to a selected fusing temperature greater than or equal to the Tg of the toner. A heat-shrinkable film is affixed to the heated toner after heating the toner, wherein the Tg of the film is greater than the Tg of the toner. The toner is cooled below its Tg after affixing the film. The bend area of the receiver is reheated after cooling the toner, so that the temperature of the heat-shrinkable film rises above its Tg, the heat-shrinkable film contracts, and the receiver bends at the bend axis.

Abstract: A receiver having an image side and a non-image side bent in a bend area including a bend axis. Toner is deposited on the image side of the receiver in the bend area using an electrophotographic print engine. The deposited toner is fused to the receiver. During or after fusing, the fused toner is heated to a selected fusing temperature greater than or equal to the Tg of the toner. A heat-shrinkable film is affixed to the heated toner after heating the toner, wherein the Tg of the film is greater than the Tg of the toner. The toner is cooled below its Tg after affixing the film. The bend area of the receiver is reheated after cooling the toner, so that the temperature of the heat-shrinkable film rises above its Tg, the heat-shrinkable film contracts, and the receiver bends at the bend axis.

Abstract: A toner including: toner particles which include: a colorant, a releasing agent, and a binder resin. The number average particle diameter of the toner particles is in the range of from 3.5 ?m to 6.5 ?m, wherein the number average particle diameter is determined by the Coulter method, the variation coefficient of the number distribution of the toner particles is in the range of 22.0 to 35.0, wherein the variation coefficient is found by dividing the standard deviation of the number distribution by the number average particle diameter, and 40% by number to 59% by number of the toner particles are 4.0 ?m to 8.0 ?m in diameter.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including toner image forming means for forming a having chromatic toner image a transparent toner image; fixing means for heating and fixing the non-transparent toner image and the transparent toner image on recording material; glossiness detecting means for detecting a glossiness of an area in which the non-transparent toner image and the transparent toner image are overlaid and fixed; control means for controlling an amount of the transparent toner, per unit area, on the recording material on the basis of a result of detection by the detecting means.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a xerographic print comprising a substrate having a printed image thereon comprising a low melt temperature toner, and a polyolefin wax coating formed over the printed image having a dry thickness in the range of about 0.5 to about 5 microns. The wax coating substantially prevents toner offset at temperatures up to at least 70° C. A printing system and coating method also are disclosed. The prints, printing system and method are useful for making brochures and books that will be subjected to high temperatures, pressures, and/or humidity levels, such as manuals stored in automobile glove compartments.

Abstract: A method of reusing a sheet includes receiving a sheet having a printed image, scanning a new image, determining whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, covering at least one portion of the printed image on the sheet with a white-out toner via a white-out unit, fusing the white-out toner to the at least one portion of the sheet, printing a new image onto the sheet, and performing the receiving, scanning, determining, covering, fusing and printing operations on the sheet a plurality of times. A printing device for covering and printing over a printed image includes a receiving subsystem configured to receive a sheet, a processing module configured to determine whether the sheet is acceptable for reuse, and a fuser module configured to fuse a white-out toner.

Abstract: A method of transferring a foil comprising: forming a foil transferring face on a photoreceptor employing a foil transferring face forming toner; transferring the foil transferring face onto a base substance, followed by fixing the foil transferring face; supplying a transfer foil having at least a foil and an adhesive layer on the base substance having the fixed foil transferring face, heating the transfer foil and the foil transferring face while the adhesive layer of the transfer foil is in contact with the foil transferring face to adhere the foil onto the foil transferring face; removing the transfer foil from the base substance while leaving the foil adhered onto the foil transferring face, wherein the foil transferring face forming toner comprises at least a binder resin, wherein the binder resin comprises a polymer formed by using a vinyl monomer comprising at least a carboxyl group.

Abstract: A gloss-imparting method that includes (a) applying heat and pressure to one side of a recording material having an image of toner formed on both sides, and fixing the image to the one side of the recording material; (b) cooling the one side of the recording material; (c) applying heat and pressure to the other side of the recording material, and fixing the image to the other side of the recording material; and (d) cooling the other side of the recording material, in the step (a), the fixing being performed such that a value of exp(?T·tan ?0) will be approximately 0.85 or less, where tan ?0 is a loss tangent of the toner when measured by dynamic viscoelastic measurement at a frequency of approximately 1 rad/sec at approximately the same temperature as a fixing temperature of the step (a), and T is a fixing time in the step (a).

Abstract: An erasable toner is prepared by mixing colored particles containing at least a color former compound, a color developer agent and a binder resin with de-coloring particles having a melting point higher than the fixing temperature of the colored particles. By using this toner, a colored image is formed by electrostatically transferring a toner image onto a medium, and heating the toner image at a temperature lower than the melting point of the de-coloring particles to form a fixed toner image in a color developed state, and the color of the fixed image is erased by heating the image to a temperature not lower than the melting point of the de-coloring particles. In this toner, the color developing function and the color erasing function are assigned to different particles so that the functions are separated from each other, and therefore, the formation of an image in a color developed state and the erasure thereof can be reliably and promptly achieved.

Abstract: A baroplastic includes a first resin with a first Tg; and a second resin with a second Tg that is lower than the first Tg by 20° C. or more, and has a photoreactive group.

Abstract: An image forming device is disclosed that is able to superpose a smooth sheet on a toner image on a recording sheet after common thermal fusing, perform re-melting and solidification, and then separate the smooth sheet, thereby, forming a high-gloss image easily. The image forming device includes a first fusing unit for the common thermal fusing, and a second fusing unit for fusing the toner image on a recording sheet after the common thermal fusing with a gloss application sheet superposed on the toner image, and a separation unit for separating the gloss application sheet from the recording sheet. The gloss application sheet is superposed on the recording sheet with a side of the gloss application sheet projecting out beyond a side of the recording sheet on a downstream side in the conveyance direction, and the gloss application sheet and the recording sheet are directed into the separation unit while being superposed.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus comprises: an image carrier; a charging unit; a latent image forming unit; a developing unit that uses a toner maintaining a non-color-developing state when provided with coloring information through exposure to light; a coloring information providing unit that provides the toner image with coloring information by exposing the toner image to light having a predetermined wavelength determined depending on the color not to be developed based on color component information of image data; a transfer unit; a fixing unit; a color-developing unit that develops a color of the toner image provided with the coloring information; and a control unit that controls the coloring information providing unit to expose a background region on the image carrier to light having a predetermined wavelength for preventing color development of the toner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for permanently affixing high-quality images onto glossy substrates. Using off-the-shelf supplies and equipment, a user may print or copy any image to an imaging device utilizing toner with iron oxide to imprint the image onto a film covered transfer agent. The transfer agent is moistened, separated and the image is applied to a glossy substrate without requiring an additional cover coat. It is then fired in a kiln where the surface of the glossy substrate softens and the film of the transfer agent melts or evaporates away leaving the iron oxide pigmented image permanently fused to the glossy substrate.

Abstract: A toner including: toner particles which include: a colorant, a releasing agent, and a binder resin. The number average particle diameter of the toner particles is in the range of from 3.5 ?m to 6.5 ?m, wherein the number average particle diameter is determined by the Coulter method, the variation coefficient of the number distribution of the toner particles is in the range of 22.0 to 35.0, wherein the variation coefficient is found by dividing the standard deviation of the number distribution by the number average particle diameter, and 40% by number to 59% by number of the toner particles are 4.0 ?m to 8.0 ?m in diameter.

Abstract: A toner including a binder resin, a coloring agent, an infrared absorbing agent having at least a maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of from 700 to 1,100 nm, and a fixed surface protective agent, wherein, for a cross section observation of the toner, the infrared absorbing agent which exists in the vicinity of the fixed surface protective agent occupies at least 60% by area based on the entire area of the infrared absorbing agent and is present inside the toner closer to the surface of the toner than to the center area thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a support for image recording material etc. that can record high-quality images far from occurrences of blister, uneven recording or uneven fixing. In order to attain the object, a support for image recording material is provided that comprises a raw paper, and at least one polyolefin resin layer on both sides of the raw paper, wherein two or more polyolefin resin layers are disposed at the front side where an image recording layer is to be disposed, polypropylene resin is included within at least one polyolefin resin layer at the front side other than the outermost polyolefin resin layer at the front side, and the content A (% by mass) of polypropylene resin within the at least one polyolefin resin layer at the front side other than the outermost polyolefin resin layer is higher than the content B (% by mass) of polypropylene resin within the outermost polyolefin resin layer at the front side.

Abstract: A system and method to control image gloss in an electrophotographic system or the like using hot air convective heating of the toner image on a recording medium.

Abstract: A recording material has toner reception layers on both surfaces of a base. The toner reception layers have glass transition temperatures in the range of 40 to 80° C. One of the toner reception layers that is to be smoothed prior to the other toner reception layer has a higher glass transition temperature than the other toner reception layer. The toner reception layer having a lower glass transition temperature is smoothed at a higher speed than the other toner reception layer.

Abstract: A method for smoothing areas of a structure made of a first material having a predetermined first glass transition temperature on a carrier includes the steps of: (1) applying a second material having a predetermined second glass transition temperature, so that the surface of the structure of the first material is at least partially covered by the second material; (2) increasing the temperature of the first material to a first predeterminable temperature, which is greater than the first glass transition temperature; and (3) lowering the temperature of the first material below the first glass transition temperature of the first material.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image supporting material for fixably supporting a color toner image, the material including a base material, a light scattering layer provided on the base material and containing a white pigment and a thermoplastic resin, and a color toner receptive layer provided on the light scattering layer and containing at least a thermoplastic resin, wherein the thermoplastic resin in the light scattering layer is constituted of a polyolefin or a polyolefinic copolymer having a temperature, at which viscosity becomes 5×103 Pa·s, of 100° C. or higher, and the thermoplastic resin in the color toner receptive layer is constituted of a resin obtained by melt mixing of a crystalline polyester resin and an amorphous resin and having a temperature, at which viscosity becomes 103 Pa·s, equal to or higher than 65° C. but lower than 80° C.