An image forming apparatus includes a sheet separation device, a first sheet feeder, a second sheet feeder, an image forming device, a heat source, and a circuitry. The sheet separation device is configured to separate a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end as a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The first sheet feeder is configured to feed the two-ply sheet. The second sheet feeder is configured to feed an inner sheet to be inserted between the two sheets. The image forming device is configured to form an image on the inner sheet fed from the second sheet feeder. The heat source is disposed upstream from the sheet separation device in the sheet conveyance direction. The circuitry is configured to cause the two-ply sheet fed from the first sheet feeder, to detour the heat source to the sheet separation device.

An image forming apparatus includes a sheet separation device, a first sheet feeder, a second sheet feeder, an image forming device, a heat source, and a circuitry. The sheet separation device is configured to separate a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are overlapped and bonded together at one end as a bonding portion of the two-ply sheet. The first sheet feeder is configured to feed the two-ply sheet. The second sheet feeder is configured to feed an inner sheet to be inserted between the two sheets. The image forming device is configured to form an image on the inner sheet fed from the second sheet feeder. The heat source is disposed upstream from the sheet separation device in the sheet conveyance direction. The circuitry is configured to cause the two-ply sheet fed from the first sheet feeder, to detour the heat source to the sheet separation device.

The present invention is directed to detect gloss of a toner image from which the influence of heat applied to a sheet by a fixing unit is eliminated. An image forming device according to an aspect of the invention includes: a gloss sensor irradiating a recording medium on which a toner image is formed and fixed with light, measuring reflectance of reflection light from the recording medium, and measuring gloss of the toner image on the basis of the reflectance; and a gloss correcting unit correcting the gloss of the toner image measured by the gloss sensor in a situation that the temperature of the toner image fixed on the recording medium is assumed to be higher than a predetermined threshold temperature or in the case where it is determined that the temperature of the toner image is higher than the predetermined threshold temperature.

A sheet processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to acquire a size of a two-ply sheet, in which two sheets are bonded together at one end, and a size of an insertion sheet; and control a sheet processing operation based on the size of the two-ply sheet and the size of the insertion sheet. The sheet processing operation includes inserting the insertion sheet in the two-ply sheet.

A liquid electrophotographic (LEP) printing device that includes a photo-imaging plate (PIP) to receive a liquid printing fluid, the liquid printing fluid including a pigment incorporated into a resin, a charge conductor, and a carrier liquid, and a transfer roller to transfer the liquid printing fluid from the PIP to a fabric substrate while wet.

An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance unit, an irradiation unit, an image capturing unit configured to capture a plurality of times the light radiated by the irradiation unit and reflected on the recording material as surface images, an image formation unit, and a control unit, wherein the conveyance unit accelerates or decelerates a conveyance speed of the recording material in at least a part of an image capturing period during which the image capturing unit captures the surface images the plurality of times, and wherein the control unit obtains a feature quantity from a plurality of surface images captured by the image capturing unit and controls the image forming condition based on the obtained feature quantity and a threshold value set according to the conveyance speed of the recording material in the image capturing period.

An apparatus and methods of decorating a metallic container are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to provide a decoration or indicia on a predetermined portion of an outer surface of a metallic container body. The decorator includes at least one digital print unit, a transfer blanket, and a support element. The digital print unit transfers a decorating material to the transfer blanket to form a decoration on the transfer blanket. The support element then moves a metallic container into contact with the transfer blanket. In this manner, the decorating material is transferred to an exterior surface portion of the metallic container to decorate the metallic container. In one embodiment, the digital print unit is an electrophotographic system which transfers a toner material to the transfer blanket. In another embodiment, the digital print unit includes an inkjet print head which transfers an ink to the transfer blanket. Optionally, the decorator may include two or more support elements.

Described herein is process for heat transfer printing, the process comprising: liquid electrostatically printing a liquid electrostatic ink composition on a polyether-based thermoplastic polyurethane film to form a printed film; and contacting the printed film with a target substrate under conditions such that the printed film adheres to the target substrate. Also described herein is a process for printing a heat transferable printed image and a heat transferable printed image.

Described herein is a process for heat transfer printing, the process comprising: electrostatically printing a transparent release composition onto a transfer material to form a release layer disposed on the transfer material; electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink composition on the release layer to form an image layer disposed on the release layer; contacting a thermoplastic film with the image layer; contacting the thermoplastic film with a target substrate under conditions such that the thermoplastic film adheres to the target substrate and the release layer is softened; and separating the target substrate and the transfer material such that the thermoplastic film, image layer and release layer are transferred to the target substrate. A heat transferrable printed image is also

According to one embodiment, an image forming apparatus includes a reading unit, a heating unit, and an updating unit. The reading unit reads area designation information for designating an area to be decolored in areas of a sheet on which an image that can be decolored by heating is formed and history information for indicating the number of times of performing decoloration in the past for each area of the sheet from a wireless tag attached to the sheet. The heating unit heats the area based on the area designation information read by the reading unit. The updating unit updates the history information stored in the wireless tag which corresponds to the area heated by the heating unit.