Electrophotographic method for producing an opaque print

Abstract

An opaque reflective print copy is produced by transferring via heat and pressure, an electrophotographically formed toner image to a presoftened transparent thermoplastic thin layer carried bonded to an opaque substrate. The print is formed of at least one generally planar toner image layer embedded in the plastic layer near the outer surface thereof whereby light illuminating the print enters the thin layer and is reflected from the interface between said layer and said substrate, passing through the toner particles as well as being reflected from the toner particles themselves, whereby to provide an image having greater depth intensity and contrast than can be obtained using silver halide photographic film, all without distortion of the image, loss in density or loss in resolution. The substrate may have smooth or roughened surface, and may be selected from plain or coated paper, metal, stone, stretchable and/or inflatable media as well as irregularly shaped objects. Successive toner images may be applied superimposed one on the other in layers and in registry by softening the thermoplastic layer after transfer thereto of one toner image and applying the next toner image thereto. The intermediate heating embeds the toner image and readies the receptor to receive the next toner image.