An image formation apparatus according to an embodiment may include: a first image formation section configured to form a first image of a developer containing a lustrous pigment; a second image formation section configured to form a second image of a dyeing developer; and a transfer section configured to transfer the first image and the second image on a medium such that the first image and the second image are stacked to each other on the medium.

There is provided a thermal transfer sheet having satisfactory peelability when a transfer layer is peeled off without being affected by a peeling environment when the transfer layer is peeled off. A thermal transfer sheet 100 includes a substrate 1 and a transfer layer 10 provided on one surface of the substrate 1, in which the peeling force in a stable period is in the range of 4.6 g/cm or more and 23 g/cm or less when the transfer layer 10 is peeled off at a peeling temperature in the range of 30° C. or more and 70° C. or less and at a peeling angle of 90° while the surface of the transfer layer 10 on the side opposite to the substrate 1 is made to serve as a peeling interface.

Provided is a releasing member-integrated transfer sheet capable of improving both the conveyability on forming an image on a transfer layer and the transferability on transferring the transfer layer onto a transfer receiving article. A releasing member-integrated transfer sheet includes a releasing member including a first support and an adhesive layer provided on the first support, and a transfer sheet including a second support and a transfer layer provided on the second support, the transfer sheet being integrated with the releasing member such that the adhesive layer is opposed to the second support. The transfer layer is peelable from the second support, and the adhesive force between the second support and the adhesive layer is smaller than the adhesive force between the first support and the adhesive layer to thereby make the releasing member separable from the transfer sheet.

An apparatus and methods of monitoring and adjusting a decorator for metallic containers are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to provide a decoration on a predetermined portion of a metallic container body. The decorator includes a sensor that senses decorations on metallic containers. A control system receives information related to the sensed decorations from the sensor and then determines if the decorations at least meet predetermined color, density, thickness, orientation, and consistency targets. The control system can optionally automatically adjust elements of the decorator to correct a deficient decoration. In one embodiment, the control system can automatically send a signal to the decorator to adjust the color, density, orientation, positioning, and consistency of decorations transferred to the metallic containers. In another embodiment, the control system can send a signal to adjust a position of an inking assembly, an ink roller, a ductor roller a plate cylinder, a printing plate, a blanket cylinder, and a transfer blanket of the decorator.

A sublimation transfer sheet assembly including a first layer and an dye or ink layer positioned on a first side of the first layer. The first layer and the dye or ink layer being positioned such that when the sublimation transfer sheet assembly is wrapped about an object with the dye or ink layer facing the object, a first edge portion of the sublimation transfer sheet assembly is overlapped by a second edge portion of the sublimation transfer sheet assembly, and the first edge portion is interposed between the second edge portion and the object.

A method and apparatus for thermal transfer printing onto selected regions of a substrate are disclosed. The method comprises: a) providing a transfer member having an imaging surface; b) coating the imaging surface with particles formed of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer; c) removing substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the imaging surface to leave a uniform monolayer particle coating on the imaging surface; d) applying energy to selected regions of the imaging surface to heat and render tacky particles of corresponding regions of the monolayer coating; and e) pressing at least portions of the imaging surface and the substrate surface against one another, either during and/or after application of energy, to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of the particles of the corresponding regions that have been rendered tacky. The monolayer coating can be replenished with new particles and the cycle repeated.

A printed material of the present invention is a printed material including a recording medium, a color material layer, and a fine irregular layer functioning as an outermost layer in this order; the color material layer contains a pigment; the fine irregular layer contains spherical particles having a specific average particle diameter; the spherical particles are present in a thickness direction of the fine irregular layer; and the surface of the fine irregular layer has convex portions having an average height of 0.04 to 0.15 m and an image definition C(2) is 50% or more.

There is disclosed a layered article that can be used in indirect printing, in analog or digital processes. The layered article, when configured as a transfer member, may serve to receive an ink in any form, allow the ink to be treated so as to form an ink image, and permit the application of the ink image on a substrate. The transfer member comprises a support layer and an imaging layer, which may be formed of a silicon matrix including dispersed carbon black particles. Methods for preparing the same are also disclosed.

An object of the present invention is to provide an intermediate transfer medium having high durability, as well as high smudge resistance and image stability. The intermediate transfer medium of the present invention includes: a substrate, and a transfer layer including a first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer and a receiving layer; in which the first intermediate layer contains a (meth)acrylic polyol resin with a glass transition temperature of 80 C. or higher; in which the second intermediate layer contains a polyester with a glass transition temperature of 45 C. or higher and a filler with a mean particle diameter of 2 m or more and 5 m or less; and in which the content of the filler in the second intermediate layer is 0.5% by mass or more and 5% by mass or less.

A printing system is disclosed for thermal transfer printing onto a surface of a substrate. The system comprises a transfer member having opposite front and rear sides with an imaging surface on the front side, a coating station at which a monolayer of particles made of, or coated with, a thermoplastic polymer is applied to the imaging surface, an imaging station at which energy is applied by a thermal print head via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the imaging surface to render particles coating the selected regions tacky, and a transfer station at which the imaging surface of the transfer member and the substrate surface are pressed against each other to cause transfer to the surface of the substrate of the particles that have been rendered tacky.