Abstract: To provide a method for cleaning a reversible thermosensitive recording medium containing cleaning a reversible thermosensitive recording medium with a cleaning solution which contains at least one of an anionic surfactant and a nonionic surfactant, wherein the reversible thermosensitive recording medium contains an electron-donating coloring compound and an electron-accepting compound and reversibly changes any one of transparency and color tone depending on temperature.

Abstract: An image element having an imperceptible message that becomes readily apparent when the image element is exposed to an excessive amount of heat and/or UV radiation is provided. The image element may be associated with a material such that, upon becoming readily apparent, the imperceptible message provides a warning that the material has been exposed to excessive heat and/or UV radiation.

Abstract: One or more arrays of heating elements are configured with insulating regions to prevent the dissipation of heat to unintended regions of a thermochromic substrate. Methods include printing and arranging impressions on a two-sided substrate avoiding bleeding and other problems more-commonly associated with traditional two-sided thermal printing techniques. A simple and reliable thermal printing system is provided for use in ballot marking, including several mechanisms for receiving and detecting the orientation of a substrate within a thermal printing apparatus.

Abstract: A label, method of printing and method of manufacture that includes a label comprising a transparent protective layer, a thermosensitive image-forming adhesive layer and a release liner. The transparent protective layer is of a thickness and weight, which permits sufficient heat to be conducted through it to the thermosensitive image-forming adhesive layer to cause thermally active dye in the thermosensitive image-forming adhesive layer to change color in the area where the heat is conducted.

Abstract: The present invention provides coating compositions for marking substrates, which comprises a color former, an amine salt of an organic metal compound, a binder, a solvent, and optionally additional components, wherein the amine salt of the organic metal compound is of formula (I) in which X is silicon or boron, and E and F are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h in which R6 and R7 are the same or different are hydrogen, C1-4-alkyl, C1-4-alkoxy, halogen, amino or carboxy, and for X=silicon o=1 and p=0, and R1 is aryl, aralkyl or C1-4-alkyl, or o=1 and p=1, and R1 and R2 together form a one residue selected from the group consisting of a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h, and for X=boron o=0 and p=0, and R3, R4 and R5 are the same or different and are hydrogen, C1-12-alkyl, C1-6-hydroxyalkyl, allyl, aralkyl or arylsulfonyl, in which aralkyl or arylsulfonyl can be substituted with C1-4-alkyl, or R3 and R4 together with the nitrogen to which they are attached form a m

Abstract: The present invention provides coating compositions for marking substrates, which comprise a colour former in an amount of from 0.01 to 50%, a metal salt of a carboxylic acid in an amount of from 0.01 to 50%, a binder in an amount of from 1 to 80% and an organic solvent in an amount of from 1 to 99%, wherein each amount is by weight based on the weight of the composition. The present invention also provides a process for the preparation of the composition of the present invention, substrates coated with these compositions and a process for preparing a marked substrate using these compositions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reversible thermosensitive recording medium including: a support, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer laid on the support, the recording layer containing a reversible thermosensitive composition, wherein the reversible thermosensitive composition forms a relatively color-developed state and a colorless state depending on a difference in a heating temperature and/or a cooling rate after heating by the use of an electron-donating color-forming compound and an electron-accepting compound; a resin component contained in the reversible thermosensitive recording layer is a resin in which a polyol resin having a hydroxyl value within the range of 100 KOHmg/g to 250 KOHmg/g is crosslinked; and as the electron-accepting compound, a urea compound represented by the following General Formula (1) is used, where “n” is an integer of 23 or greater.

Abstract: A system of printing borderless images on printable media includes at least one sheet of printable media including an imaging surface and a non-imaging surface. The system further includes a removable extension strip having a front surface with an adhesive zone and a non-adhesive zone, a non-adhesive back surface, and a straight line of demarkation between the adhesive and non-adhesive zones. The adhesive zone is configured to removably adhere to the non-imaging surface, and the straight line of demarkation is configured as a placement guide for adhering the adhesive zone of the extension strip to the media. An associated method includes adhering an adhesive portion of removable extension strip to a non-imaging surface proximate a trailing edge of the media, and ink-jet printing an image on an imaging surface of the media using an ink-jet printer. The strip is used by rollers in the printer to advance the media.

Abstract: To provide a thermosensitive recording medium including: a support; an image recording layer on the support; and an inorganic material in particle form as a light-heat conversion material, wherein the inorganic material has a ratio of Y to X, represented by Y/X, of 2 or greater, where X denotes an average value of absorption intensities with respect to light having wavelengths in the range of 400 nm to 700 nm, and Y denotes a maximum value among absorption intensities with respect to light having wavelengths greater than 700 nm but smaller than or equal to 1,200 nm.

Abstract: A colorless or transparent composition comprises a charge-delocalization compound and a photoacid, wherein the photoacid generates an acid on irradiation or heating, thereby forming a colored change-transfer complex with said compound.

Abstract: To provide a thermosensitive recording material that is superior in uniformity, makes it possible to obtain images with high glossiness and has less curl, in which a synthetic paper having a multilayer structure serves as a support. Specifically, there is a thermosensitive recording material including: a support, and a thermosensitive recording layer containing a leuco dye and a color developer on the support, wherein the support is a synthetic paper having a multilayer structure, and an inorganic pigment is contained only in a base layer of the synthetic paper; also, two layers which are formed solely of polypropylene and which contain no inorganic pigment are laid one on top of the other on the base layer containing an inorganic pigment; further, all layers are biaxially stretched.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording material including: a support; an undercoat layer containing at least a water-soluble resin; a thermosensitive coloring layer containing a leuco dye and a developer; and a protective layer containing a water-soluble resin and a fluorescent whitening agent, wherein the undercoat layer, the thermosensitive coloring layer, and the protective layer are formed in this order over the support, wherein the undercoat layer has a single layer structure or a multilayer structure, and the protective layer has a single layer structure or a multilayer structure, and wherein the undercoat layer has an air permeance of 150 mL/min or less.

Abstract: A recording material including a certain support and disposed thereon at least one layer including certain core/shell polymeric particles, the particles having, when dry, at least one void is provided. A method for providing an image using the recording sheet is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is a direct thermal media containing a regular repeating pattern of color-forming thermally-imageable stripes printed parallel to the print head element line and a system for using such direct thermal media in color direct thermal printers including an optical registration system optimized for use with this media and an image processing unit that monitors the position of the stripe pattern relative to the print head and synchronizes the start of the printing process. This direct thermal media together with the optical registration system and image processing unit comprise an operative system in that the design of the thermal media, the optical registration system and image processing unit used to control printing are optimized for use with each other. This system may be utilized, for example, in color thermal printers for documents, receipts, tags, tickets or labels.

Abstract: In a process for recording into a rewritable recording medium of a non-contact type, when adjacent lines or adjacent overlapping lines are drawn by scanning the medium having a reversible heat sensitive color developing layer on a substrate with laser light and a second line 2 is drawn after a first line 1 is drawn, the time between the start of drawing 1 and the end of drawing 2 and/or the width of the overlapped portion r is controlled as the means for suppressing discoloration of the recorded lines by interference between heat remaining after 1 has been drawn and heat generated while 2 is drawn. When characters, bar codes, solid images or figures are drawn into a rewritable recording medium of the non-contact type by scanning with laser light, excellent readability and visibility of the bar codes can be obtained in recording a plurality of line elements.

Abstract: A multi-layer laminate media is provided on which information may be applied in machine or human readable form on a visible front surface by the output of one or more lasers, or other high intensity light source. In a preferred embodiment, the media has three layers including preferably transparent substrate, a thermochromic layer and a light absorbent layer located intermediate the media substrate and the thermochromic layer. The light absorbent layer is adapted to absorb light from the light source and convert the absorbed light into heat. The heat is immediately conducted into selected portions of the thermochromic layer which is in thermal contact with the light absorbent layer, causing portions of the thermochromic layer to change visual appearance such as color to create the desired mark. The media optimally includes obscuration materials to reduce the visibility of the light absorbent layer to the naked eye.

Abstract: A print media representing a label is constructed having two components. A first component is capable of being thermally imaged on both a front and back side of the print media. The second component is affixed to the first component but capable of being separated there from. Also, the second component includes adhesive material along a portion of its backside to adhere the print media to an object.

Abstract: A system for recording and/or transmitting optical data or visual images includes an optical data or visual image recording medium and a light and/or heat source. The medium includes a markable coating established on a substrate. The markable coating includes a leuco dye and a developer precursor including a compound that undergoes rearrangement in response to a stimulus, thereby forming a developer that reacts with the leuco dye. The light/heat source is positioned so as to illuminate and/or heat the medium in a predetermined manner to i) cause photochemical and/or photothermal rearrangement of the developer precursor to form the developer which reacts with the leuco dye to form an optically detectable mark, or ii) cause at least one optically detectable mark previously formed on the markable coating to produce at least one readable pattern.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermoreversible recording medium which includes a support, a thermoreversible recording layer which comprises a thermoreversible composition containing an electron-donating color-forming compound and an electron-accepting compound, a metal compound-containing layer which includes a resin, an organic metal compound, and an inorganic layer compound, in which the resin is at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol polymers, and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and the organic metal compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of an organic titanium compound and an organic zirconium compound, and a protective layer which protects the metal compound-containing layer, wherein the support, the thermoreversible recording layer, the metal compound-containing layer and the protective layer are laminated in this order.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide compositions and methods for an erasable medium that can include a photochromic composite containing a photochromic polymer dispersed in a polymer binder, a similar type polymer of a backbone portion of the photochromic polymer.

Abstract: A structure formed of a resin material with a built-in recording medium comprising at least a means for rewriting visible information with a laser light in a non-contact manner; a laminate comprising the structure and a method for recording in the non-contact manner using the structure or the laminate are disclosed. The recording and erasing of information in the recording medium can be conducted by irradiation with a laser light from outside. The laser light transmittance in a used wave length range and the visible light transmittance through a portion of the structure from a surface on which the laser light is irradiated to the recording medium are in a specified range. Surface destruction of the recording medium due to laser light on rewriting visible information, decrease in durability during cleaning, damages on the recording medium during transportation and deterioration in the color developing property due to light can be overcome.

Abstract: The present invention presents a thermosensitive recording medium having an excellent color developing property, water resistance and preservation properties (such as anti-self-color-development) and is harmless to the environment. The present invention is a thermosensitive recording medium having a thermosensitive recording layer comprising a colorless or pale colored basic leuco dye and an electron accepting developing agent on a substrate, wherein the thermosensitive recording layer further comprises a resin containing a carboxyl group, an epichlorohydrin resin and a modified polyamine/amide resin. This thermosensitive recording medium is suitable for recording with a low applied energy.

Abstract: The present teachings provide thermosensitive recording compositions which are useful for preparing thermosensitive recording media for displaying images. The thermosensitive recording media can include a substrate, a thermosensitive recording composition, and a topcoat. Methods of preparing and using the thermosensitive recording media also are disclosed.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide compositions and methods for making and using an erasable medium that can contain oligomeric photochromic materials such as spiropyran oligomers, wherein the oligomeric photochromic material can include a plurality of photochromic groups such as spiropyrans covalently connected together by one or more linkers.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments provide compositions and methods for making and using an erasable medium that can include a photochromic layer disposed over a substrate. The photochromic layer can include one or more photochromic molecule-polymer systems, wherein each of the one or more photochromic molecule-polymer systems can include a photochromic molecule covalently bonded within a polymer main chain, the photochromic molecule including one or more photochromic moieties (PM) linked together via a linker.

Abstract: The present invention relates to chromogenic material that may respond and shift in color due to environmental conditions such as heat, light or humidity. The light may include both visible and non-visible light, such as ultraviolet light. The chromogenic material may therefore provide a method to independently develop a latent image on a given substrate, and in particular, to a substrate that includes conventional thermosensitive image forming media.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image decoloring apparatus including a plurality of, at least three, sheet load portions, each of the portions being able to be loaded with a sheet, an decoloring portion which performs decoloring an image on a sheet formed with the decolorable colorant, a first sheet transfer portion which transfers the sheet loaded in each of the plurality of sheet load portions to the decoloring portion, and a second sheet transfer portion which transfers the sheet after the decoloring is performed thereto by the decoloring portion to each of the plurality of sheet load portions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein in a preferred embodiment is a recording material comprising a substrate and a coating comprising at least 3 plies, wherein the outermost ply contains nanoparticles and the inner plies together contain at least one color former, at least one color developer, at least one absorber and at least one solubilizer, and no ply contains both a color former and a color developer. Also disclosed is a process for producing the recording material of the invention and also to a laser marking process wherein the recording material is irradiated with a laser.

Abstract: A latent image developing system, methods for imaging and developing images, and systems and methods for blocking or erasing latent images. The latent image developing system includes a substrate containing a colorless image deposited thereon. A developer instrument is used to provide a visible image. The developer instrument includes a developer composition reactive with the colorless image. An image blocking instrument is provided for concealing at least a portion of the visible image. The image blocking instrument is provided by a blocking composition applicator and an aqueous mixture of blocking composition and water.

Abstract: A method of printing a time limited document is disclosed. The method includes the steps of selecting an ink having a fading time, and printing the time limited document using the selected ink. A printer and associated cartridge are also disclosed.

Abstract: If an ultraviolet curing resin is colored by contamination by another substance, there have been issues regarding increased cost and the environmental burden of treating the waste solution due to an inability to recycle the resin as it is. The ultraviolet curing resin that is in a colored, uncured state is decolored in the present invention by irradiation of light having a wavelength in the vicinity of the maximum absorption wavelength of the coloring material, and then recycled. As a result, it is possible to reduce costs and contribute to the protection of the environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laser-sensitive recording material, which comprises a substrate being coated with a recording layer and an undercoating layer, wherein the recording layer undergoes a colour change upon heat treatment produced by laser irradiation and wherein the undercoating layer comprises a pigment with the proviso that the system of the recording layer that undergoes a colour change upon heat treatment produced by laser irradiation does not comprise an organic leuco dye and an organic colour developer, a process for its preparation, a process for marking the laser-sensitive recording material and the marked laser-sensitive recording material.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is providing autonomous timing labels for indicating the aging and expiration of a time period of products through gradual changing of their color. The color change can be coded to run, for example, from blue for newly produced products to red with product aging thus allowing easy monitoring, quick identification, and visual warning when the elapsed time approaches and reaches the recommended or safe use time. Said labels comprise thin films of photonic bandgap materials such as cholesteric liquid crystals containing photoisomerizable molecules that are transformed into the state of isomers possessing with finite lifetime with the aid of exposure of the material to UV light. The change of the reflection wavelength of the photonic bandgap material takes place according to changing concentration of said isomers as a result of spontaneous relaxation to their equilibrium state. Said labels can be reused by UV light exposure.

Abstract: A device for obscuring printed indicia includes a printable substrate, an indicia printed on a first surface of the substrate, an irreversible thermochromic material operably associated with the printable substrate which does not affect readability of the indicia when not subjected to a predetermined critical temperature and when subjected to the predetermined critical temperature renders the indicia unreadable by virtue of a color change surrounding the indicia. The indicia can be a barcode. Methods of obscuring and use include the device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a reusable and reimageable medium including a substrate coated with a photochromic polymer. The photochromic polymer has a glass transition temperature ranging from 30° C. to 150° C., such as from about 30° C. to about 100° C., and the coated substrate converts to a colored state when both UV light and temperatures ranging from 30° C. up to 100° C. are applied to the coated substrate. The present disclosure also provides a method for producing and using the reusable and reimageable medium.

Abstract: An image-forming medium and methods for forming and imaging the medium are provided. The disclosed medium can be strongly colored under room illumination (or deliberate UV) and can be selectively discolored at an appropriate light wavelength to form an image. In one embodiment, the image-forming medium can include a substrate (e.g., a sheet of paper), a photochromic material incorporated with the substrate, and a photo-absorbing material incorporated with the photochromic material. Exemplary methods for using the image-forming medium to make a transient image can include first forming the image-forming medium by applying a coating solution containing photochromic material to the substrate or paper. The image-forming medium can have a medium color and can then be selectively exposed to a radiation through a mask to convert the photochromic material from a colored form to a colorless form and thus to form an image having a color contrast with its background.

Abstract: A writing kit including a plastic sheet, a binding and a case with a closing element to hold the plastic sheet in the case. The case has at least one hole at a center portion of the case and the sheet has at least one hole in the sheet. A binding comprising a flexible cord is laced through the hole in the sheet and the case and a clasp slidingly engages the cord.

Abstract: A thermosensitive recording medium including a support; a layer containing a photothermal conversion material, formed over a surface of the support; and an oxygen blocking layer formed over a surface of the layer opposite to a surface thereof over which the support is formed, wherein the layer further contains a resin, which is in a cross-linked state, and the photothermal conversion material absorbs a light having a specific wavelength and converts the light into heat, and wherein the oxygen blocking layer has an oxygen permeability of 0.5 mL/(m2·24 hr·atm) or less at 25° C. and 80% RH.

Abstract: To provide a reversible thermosensitive recording medium comprising a support, a thermosensitive recording layer formed on the support, and a protective layer formed on the thermosensitive recording layer, wherein the thermosensitive recording layer contains an electron donative coloring compound and an electron acceptive compound, and the color tone reversibly changes depending on the temperature, and the protective layer contains a polymer of a composition containing two kinds of acrylate compounds selected from an acrylate compound having a pentaerythritol group and an acrylate compound having a dipentaerythritol group.

Abstract: A label, method of printing and method of manufacture that includes a label comprising a transparent protective layer, a thermosensitive image-forming adhesive layer and a release liner. The transparent protective layer is of a thickness and weight, which permits sufficient heat to be conducted through it to the thermosensitive image-forming adhesive layer to cause thermally active dye in the thermosensitive image-forming adhesive layer to change color in the area where the heat is conducted.

Abstract: An ink formulation comprises a marking component and a metal salt that absorbs laser irradiation at 700-2000 mn and thereby causes the marking component to change colour. A copper salt in particular allows effective marking with a diode or CO2 laser.

Abstract: A method for erasing an image including irradiating an image formed on a thermoreversible recording medium with a laser light having a wavelength of 700 nm to 1,500 nm so as to erase the image, wherein an energy density of the laser light is in a range of the energy density which can erase the image and more than a center value of the range, wherein the thermoreversible recording medium includes a support, and a thermoreversible recording layer on the support, and wherein the thermoreversible recording layer contains a leuco dye serving as an electron-donating color-forming compound and a reversible developer serving as an electron-accepting compound, in which color tone reversibly changes by heat, and at least one of the thermoreversible recording layer and a layer adjacent to the thermoreversible recording layer contains a photothermal conversion material, which absorbs the light and converts the light into heat.

Abstract: A method for erasing an image including irradiating an image formed on a thermoreversible recording medium with a laser light having a wavelength of 700 nm to 1,500 nm so as to erase the image, wherein an energy density of the laser light is in a range of the energy density which can erase the image and a center value or less of the range, wherein the thermoreversible recording medium includes a support, and a thermoreversible recording layer on the support, and wherein the thermoreversible recording layer contains a leuco dye serving as an electron-donating color-forming compound and a reversible developer serving as an electron-accepting compound, in which color tone reversibly changes by heat, and at least one of the thermoreversible recording layer and a layer adjacent to the thermoreversible recording layer contains a photothermal conversion material, which absorbs the light and converts the light into heat.

Abstract: A process to produce novelty fabric decorations comprising of thermochromic (heat-activated) disappearing fabric ink, that is screen printed onto a fabric in predetermined patterns, whereby allowing a fabric decoration to perform a dramatic transformation or allowing a hidden image or a hidden message printed with standard fabric inks to remain concealed, until such time that the thermochromic disappearing ink begins a transition to transparent, causing the decoration to dramatically transform or reveal the hidden graphic or the hidden message resulting in an interactive, ever-changing article of clothing.

Abstract: The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to image forming mediums useful for reimageable and transient documents. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to an image forming medium comprising thermally gated photochromic materials comprising diarylethene (DAE) photochromes which avoid problems with unwanted reduction in color contrast due to background coloration.

Abstract: An ink formulation comprises a marking component, e.g. ammonium octamolybdate, and a metal salt that absorbs laser irradiation at 780-2500 nm, e.g. reduced indium tin oxide, and thereby causes the marking component to change colour.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a unique dual color security paper authentication system. The authenticating system comprises the combination of a security paper together with a coordinated applicator. The paper contains a starch, an iodide salt and an acidic developer resin. The applicator of the system comprises two authenticating solutions. The first authenticating solution comprises one or more of a sulfonamide and a copper salt dispersed in a solvent. The second authenticating solution comprises one or more of a leuco and fluoran dye precursor dispersed in a solvent. On applying the authenticating solutions to authentic security paper, a first color of a starch iodine is expressed and a second color of a leuco or fluoran dye is expressed.

Abstract: The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to image forming mediums useful for reimageable and transient documents. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to an image forming medium comprising photochromic materials comprising unsymmetrical dithienylethene (DTE) photochromes which provide longer image lifetimes and “erase-on-demand” capability.

Abstract: The reversible thermosensitive recording medium according to the present invention comprises a support, a thermosensitive layer and a protective layer in order, the thermosensitive layer comprises an electron-donating coloring compound and an electron-accepting compound and reversibly changes the color depending on temperatures, and the protective layer comprises a reactive heterocyclic compound, and inorganic fine particles of which surface is at least partially treated into hydrophobic, alternatively the protective layer comprises inorganic fine particles of which number-average particle size is 100 nm or less and of which surface is at least partially coated with organic silane compounds.

Abstract: The present application relates to a hand held device (1) for emitting a laser beam (8), the device comprising a laser source (2) having a power rating of at least 10 mW, an internal power supply (3) adapted to supply power to the laser source, and at least one optical element (7) for manipulating, in use, a beam (3) produced by the laser source.