The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.

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 described herein.

A vertical column printing device may include a print engine formed within a base housing of the vertical column printing device; a door biased by a spring away from the print engine to be selectively opened to expose the print engine; and a geared platen formed on the door to interface with the print engine to drive a roll of paper past the print engine when the door is engaged with the based housing.

A thermal printer comprises a base part, a platen roller and a thermal head oppositely arranged, a pickup roller, and a gear set connecting the platen roller and the pickup roller. The base part is provided with a printing paper accommodating cavity and a pickup roller mounting frame, a plurality of printing paper sheets are disposed in the printing paper accommodating cavity, and a clutch mechanism is further provided. The clutch mechanism comprises a driving portion driven by the gear set and a driven portion for driving the pickup roller to rotate. The driving portion is disposed outside the pickup roller mounting frame, such that the impact force, which is generated by the remaining printing paper sheet that falls down when the printing paper sheet departs from the pickup roller and which is transmitted to the platen roller, can be reduced. The thermal printer is capable of providing smooth printing.

The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.

A method for forming a printed material includes forming an image on a recording medium; applying particles to a surface of the recording medium, the surface having the image formed thereon; heating the particles applied to the recording medium; and pressurizing, in a thickness direction, a multilayer body obtained by folding the recording medium so that the heated particles are sandwiched between flaps of the recording medium or a multilayer body obtained by placing another medium on top of the recording medium with the heated particles therebetween. The particles contain a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin. The (meth)acrylic acid ester resin contains two (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units relative to a total of polymerization components is 90 mass % or more.

A method for forming a printed material includes forming an image on a recording medium; applying particles to a surface of the recording medium, the surface having the image formed thereon; heating the particles applied to the recording medium; and pressurizing, in a thickness direction, a multilayer body obtained by folding the recording medium so that the heated particles are sandwiched between flaps of the recording medium or a multilayer body obtained by placing another medium on top of the recording medium with the heated particles therebetween. The particles contain a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin. The (meth)acrylic acid ester resin contains two (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid ester monomer units relative to a total of polymerization components is 90 mass % or more.

A thermal contact device may include a thermal contact die embedded in a moldable material. The thermal contact die may include a number of resistors integrated into the thermal contact die, and a number of heater drivers integrated into the thermal contact die and electronically coupled to the resistors. The moldable material is coplanar with a thermal contact side of the thermal contact device. Further, the moldable material includes at least one gradient edge along a medium feed path.

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