A printing apparatus comprises a depositing device and a sublimation device. The depositing device may deposit a print fluid on a first surface of a print medium. The print fluid comprises a sublimation agent to sublimate at a sublimation temperature. The sublimation device may sublimate the sublimation agent deposited on the print medium by generating heat radiation in a direction from a second surface of the print medium towards the first surface, the second surface being opposite to the first surface.

An illustrative dye sublimation apparatus may include a texture sheet with a pattern to be applied to a substrate. More specifically, the texture sheet is pressed into the substrate during the dye sublimation process in order to apply the pattern from the texture sheet while the substrate is heated and simultaneously being infused with an image from a printed sheet. The pressure applied to the texture sheet can vary, for example based on the temperature. Compared to the conventional systems in which substrates are pre-textured, the embodiments disclosed herein describe a process for simultaneous image-infusion and texture-application, which results in a substrate that is both infused and textured.

An illustrative dye sublimation apparatus may include a pair of printed sheets placed on either side of a substrate that allows for image infusion on both sides of the substrate. A second heat source, such as a heated plate, is included in order to heat the second printed sheet. Compared to the conventional systems in which a single heat source heats a single printed, the embodiments disclosed herein describe a process for simultaneous double-sided image infusion, which results in a substrate with sublimated images on both sides.

The present invention further relates a sublimation printing process of a multilayer system comprising a polyester top layer and at least one heat sensitive polymer layer whereby a temperature gradient is applied during sublimation printing such that the heat sensitive polymer layer is maintained at a temperature below its melting temperature and the polyester top layer is maintained at a temperature above its glass transition temperature to allow diffusion of a sublimation dye into the polyester top layer. The temperature gradient is maintained by using a heat sink element beneath the heat sensitive polymer layer. The temperature gradient can also be maintained by cooling the heat sink element. The cooling preferably occurs with a circulating coolant. The heat sink element comprises a polymer, a ceramic or a metal. The invention further relates to a sublimation printed multilayer system comprising a polyester top layer and at least one heat sensitive polymer layer. The present invention also relates to the multilayer system in the manufacturing of textile, tents, outdoor gear, apparel, clothing, bags, jackets, gloves.

A thermal transfer sheet includes a dye layer disposed on a first surface of a substrate film. The dye layer includes a decolorizable dye. The decolorizable dye has a color difference ΔE*ab between a color A and a color B of 10 or less, where the color A is a color of a transfer-receiving body before the decolorizable dye is transferred to the transfer-receiving body, the color B is a color of a portion of the transfer-receiving body with the decolorizable dye having been transferred thereto, and the color of the portion is a color after the portion is irradiated by a xenon lamp at an irradiation intensity of 1.2 (W/m.sup.2) for 50 hours, the portion having a reflection density of 0.5 or greater before being irradiated by the xenon lamp.

A thermal transfer sheet that yields three-color black printed matter having an extremely high density, and a method for producing printed matter using the thermal transfer sheet are provided. The thermal transfer sheet includes a substrate film and a dye layer containing a magenta dye disposed on one surface of the substrate film, and the magenta dye includes at least one of an anthraquinone-based dye represented by general formula (1) below and an anthraquinone-based dye represented by general formula (2) below. An image is formed by a thermal transfer method using the thermal transfer sheet. (In general formula (1), R.sup.1 is a phenyl group which may have a substituent. In general formula (2), R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. R.sup.a and R.sup.b are each independently a hydrogen atom or a nitro group.)

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A thermal transfer image receiving sheet includes: a substrate made of paper; a polyolefin resin layer formed on a first surface of the substrate; an adhesive layer formed on a second surface of the substrate facing away from the first surface; a porous layer formed on the adhesive layer; a foundation layer formed on the porous layer; and an image receiving layer formed on the foundation layer. A surface of the substrate, as defined in JIS B 0601:2001, has a maximum valley (undulation) depth Wv of 2.00 μm or less and a root mean square slope for the waviness WΔq of 0.013 or less. The porous layer has a thickness of 25 μm or more, and a thickness of the polyolefin resin layer is 0.2 to 3.0 times the thickness of the porous layer.

A visual security feature is provided that is disposed on a target. The visual security feature includes two substantially transparent layers. At least one of the two substantially transparent layers is present in an image-wise pattern.

A recording medium includes a support substrate and a recording layer provided on the support substrate. The recording layer contains a color-exhibiting compound having an electron-donating property, a color-developing agent having an electron-accepting property, and a matrix polymer. The color-developing agent contains a compound represented by a specific formula. The matrix polymer contains a polycarbonate resin.

A thermal transfer sheet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a substrate and a transfer layer disposed on one surface side of the substrate, in which the transfer layer includes at least a discoloration- or decolorization-imparting layer, and the discoloration- or decolorization-imparting layer contains a compound responsible for discoloration or decolorization.