Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Akzo Nobel Coatings International B.v.

Keith W. Nash & Co.

Richard A Hann

Nicholas C Beck

Barry Pack

Peter A Gemmell

Gary W Morrison

Paul A Edwards

Roy Bradbury

John A Pope

Kenneth West Hutt

Dean Thetford

Nigel Hall

Paul F Gordon

Margaret L Steel

Philip Norton-Berry

Simon Allen

John W Smith

Kazuhiko Sakata

Ha Cong Tran

David R Holmes

Alan John Harry

John E Gillett

John Isherwood

Warren T Smith

Peter Gregory

Alan James Butters

Andrew Trevithick Slark

Dafydd G Davies

Anthony J Nelson

Roger N Barker

Kelvin P Adkins

Laurence John Robinson

Jeffrey Michael Howell

Ian Richard Stephenson

Terence J Burch

Mark Pett

Paul David Pester

Ian Stephenson

Godfrey William Moore

Gary J Jenno

Anthony Joseph Martino

Jeffrey B Orton

Kenneth A Mcallister

A retransfer intermediate sheet for receiving an image to be printed onto an article by thermal retrasfer comprises a substrate which is preferably heat-deformable; and an image-receiving coating on one side of the substrate, comprising an image-receiving layer for receiving an image by printing, preferably inkjet printing, of dye-containing ink, the image-receiving layer comprising amorphous porous silica, a first, non-dye absorbing polymeric binder and a second, flexible polymeric binder. The sheet is particularly useful for printing on three dimensional articles, e.g. being heated and vacuum formed to conform to an article. The invention also coven a method of printing and an article bearing a printed image.

Thermal transfer printing

A method of printing a fluorescent image on a surface of a receiver medium comprises forming on the surface by a thermal dye transfer printing process a first image of a first fluorescent dye; and forming on the first image by a thermal dye transfer printing process a superimposed second image of a second fluorescent dye, the first and second dyes having different emission maxima. The method thus enables production of a non-monochrome fluorescent image (that can be substantially invisible in daylight but that is revealed on irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light) that can be of substantially better quality than those produced by mass transfer printing processes. The method preferably involves the use of three different fluorescent dyes, for improved color image quality. The invention also provides thermal transfer media suitable for use in the method and the resulting printed material bearing a fluorescent image.

A receiver medium for inkjet printing includes a porous substrate, having on at least one surface thereof a porous ink-absorbent coating having a colloidal particulate material, a water-insoluble liner binder polymer, and optionally a film forming polymer dispersion. On printing, the medium rapidly absorbs ink to give a touch-dry surface. The receiver medium can also have a satin finish surface. Also disclosed is a method of making the receiver medium.

Inkjet receiver media

The present invention relates to a coating material for producing a porous ink-absorbent coating on a substrate to be used in ink-jet printers, comprising radiation curable material and particulate material in a liquid carrier, wherein the weight ratio of particulate material to radiation curable material is greater than 1:1. Also disclosed is a process for preparing a coated substrate using such a coating material. Advantageously, the coating material of the present invention does not crack upon curing, and conveniently forms a porous coating having a glossy surface, while retaining a porous structure for ink-absorption.

Coated substrate for use in ink-jet printers

A thermal transfer printer includes three light emitting diodes ( ) emitting red, green and blue light respectively, and respective detectors ( ) mounted on the opposite side of a dyesheet ( ) passing through the printer. The detectors ( ) detect the light absorption ratios of three colour print panels (Y, M and C) of the dyesheet, and these detected ratios are compared with acceptable ranges of light absorption ratios. If the detected light absorption ratio for any colour falls outside the corresponding range, use or further use of the dyesheet in the printer is prevented, for example by disabling an essential function of the printer or ejecting the dyesheet from the printer.

Thermal transfer printer, dyesheet and method of operation

A transparent receiver sheet adapted to receive a color toner image by an electrophotographic or electrostatic process and suitable for use in an overhead projector, comprises a toner acceptance layer that comprises a resin condensation product of toluene sulphonamide. The resin is conveniently a condensation product of toluene sulphonamide and formaldehyde. One or more secondary polymers are preferably included in an amount in the range 0-60% weight.

Receiver sheet

Secure cards consisting essentially of a card base having an overlying thermally transferred topcoat, with a thermal transfer image in a dye-receptive surface of the card base and the topcoat typically of a polymethyl methacrylate composition, frequently show severe image fading after relative short periods of time when kept and carried in normal PVC pouches. To improve protection against such fading, the present topcoat comprises at least one barrier layer which is formed of a polymer composition having a Tg>70&deg; C., and which is resistant to the formation of microscopic cracks in the topcoat under tensile bending that is insufficient to cause macroscopic permanent deformation.

Cards

A dye ribbon cassette for thermal transfer printing comprising a casing containing bearing means having rotatably mounted thereon a cylindrical member having on its periphery a mark carrying information capable of being detected by a sensor on rotation of the member and means operatively engageable with a drive source which is disposed outside of the casing to cause rotation of the member. The cassette may include a pair of identical, spaced apart, shafts rigidly mounted at one end of the casing, one of the shafts forming the bearing means for the cylindrical member, the shafts forming respectively mounting points for a feed spool and a take up spool.

Cassette casing for thermal transfer printing dye ribbon

Dye diffusion thermal transfer printing

Laser dye thermal transfer printing

Printing methods and apparatus for thermal transferring dye from a dye donor to a dye receiver wherein electromagnetic radiation such as a laser beam is applied through the dye receiver to effect dye transfer. Either or both of the dye donor and the dye receiver used with such printing methods and apparatus can be in the form of individual sheets or continuous ribbons and may be either stationary or moving. In various embodiments, the dye receiver is held between a convex surface of a rigid support plate and the dye donor during thermal transfer of dye. A variety of methods and devices for providing electromagnetic radiation and for transporting dye donors and dye receivers during printing are also disclosed.

Printing method and apparatus

Thermal transfer printing dye sheet

Thermal transfer printing dyesheet

A thermal transfer printing receiver sheet for use in security laminates, comprises a substrate supporting a receiver coat of a dye-receptive composition on one side and a backcoat on the other, wherein the backcoat comprises a thermoplastic polymer having a Tg less than 130.degree. C., and dispersed therein a particulate solid material in amount 1-24% by weight of the thermoplastic polymer and an average particle size of 0.3-10 .mu.m. The security laminates are prpared after printing the receiver with an image, by bonding a first cover sheet of plastics material to the printed receiver coat so as to overlie the image, and a second cover sheet of plastics material can be bonded to the present backcoat more readily than to a highly crosslinked backcoat, using common adhesives. For greater security, thicker than normal backcoats are used.

Thermal transfer printing receiver

A receiver sheet for thermal transfer printing comprises a sheet-like substrate supporting a backcoat comprising a cross-linked organic polymer which is a reaction product of a polyalkylene glycol and a polyfunctional organic cross-linking agent reactive with the terminal hydroxyl groups of the polyalkylene glycol. This provides a surface which may be written on using aqueous inks, and to which water-activated adhesives may adhere. Suitable cross-linking agents are hexamethoxymethylmelamines or oligomers thereof. The backcoat is free from alkali metal salts to avoid retransfer problems, and may also be textured by particulate material embedded in the cross-linked polymer, to improve handling properties.

Growing community of inventors

Ipswich, United Kingdom

Richard A Hann