A pressure-printed material preparing apparatus includes an attachment unit that attaches, powder which exhibits adhesiveness when pressure is applied, to a surface to be bonded of a recording medium; a fixation unit that applies pressure to the recording medium to which the powder is attached to fix the powder to the recording medium as an adhesive layer; a folding unit that folds the recording medium of which the adhesive layer is formed on the surface to be bonded, such that two portions of the surface to be bonded are opposed to each other; and an application unit that applies pressure to the recording medium in which the surfaces to be bonded are opposed to each other, to thereby bond the adhesive layer on one surface and the adhesive layer on the other surface.

A pressure-printed material preparing apparatus includes an attachment unit that attaches, powder which exhibits adhesiveness when pressure is applied, to a surface to be bonded of a recording medium; a fixation unit that applies pressure to the recording medium to which the powder is attached to fix the powder to the recording medium as an adhesive layer; a folding unit that folds the recording medium of which the adhesive layer is formed on the surface to be bonded, such that two portions of the surface to be bonded are opposed to each other; and an application unit that applies pressure to the recording medium in which the surfaces to be bonded are opposed to each other, to thereby bond the adhesive layer on one surface and the adhesive layer on the other surface.

An apparatus, method and system for use in the shipment, delivery, and display of flowers. The apparatus comprises a preferably translucent enclosure with a lid, housing a removable tray assembly. The removable trays have aligned openings for the insertion of flower stems. The enclosure itself is configured to be stacked conveniently on a pallet for bulk shipment and delivery. The system and method comprise providing an interface for users to order flowers contained in the enclosure and delivering the enclosure with a customized multimedia electronic greeting.

An apparatus, method and system for use in the shipment, delivery, and display of flowers. The apparatus comprises a preferably translucent enclosure with a lid, housing a removable tray assembly. The removable trays have aligned openings for the insertion of flower stems. The enclosure itself is configured to be stacked conveniently on a pallet for bulk shipment and delivery. The system and method comprise providing an interface for users to order flowers contained in the enclosure and delivering the enclosure with a customized multimedia electronic greeting.

A gift card presentation device that is operative to receive a gift card (or gift card holder) therein. The gift card presentation device contains a spring-loaded lever panel which is operative to move an internal spring (or springs) between a compressed and uncompressed states. The spring controls movement of a gift card or gift card holder placed into an opening on the gift card presentation device. When the lever moves the spring from the compressed state to the uncompressed state, the gift card is completely ejected from the gift card holder presentation device.

In one embodiment, a secure substrate provides a print-ready surface for printing scratch-off products and eliminates the need to print lower security layers for protecting against attempts to view hidden indicia information. In one embodiment, a secure substrate comprises applying microperforations to a dyed substrate that meets a predefined transmission optical density to resist an attempt to reduce the opacity of the dyed substrate by delamination. In another embodiment, a secure substrate comprises applying a lower opacity layer and a lower background layer on a substrate to provide a secure substrate that meets a predefined transmission optical density. In another embodiment, a secure substrate comprises applying a lower opacity layer on a substrate, applying a reflective coating, and applying a lower background layer over the reflective coating to provide a secure substrate that meets a predefined transmission optical density.

A gift card presentation device that is operative to receive a gift card (or gift card holder) therein. The gift card presentation device contains a spring-loaded lever panel which is operative to move an internal spring (or springs) between a compressed and uncompressed states. The spring controls movement of a gift card or gift card holder placed into an opening on the gift card presentation device. When the lever moves the spring from the compressed state to the uncompressed state, the gift card is completely ejected from the gift card holder presentation device.

The present invention enables information associated with a person who provided a business card to be acquired when a user stores the business card in a business card case. A business card management system according to an aspect of the present invention includes a business card case, and a business card management apparatus, wherein the business card case includes an accommodation part that is capable of accommodating a plurality of business cards in a stacked manner, and a reading part that reads an image of a business card accommodated in the accommodation part, and the business card management apparatus causes a display to display additional information related to character information acquired from the image of the business card read by the reading part.

A redundantly printed security-enhanced document, printing method and system ensure the meaning of the information imparted by variable indicia printed by redundant printing on the document with removable scratch-off coatings. By printing the variable indicia with multiple colors, redundancy and integrity of the intended indicia is achieved. Additionally, inverted color indicia countermeasures to pinprick attacks are also disclosed. The redundantly printed document, methods and systems enhance the overall appearance of the redundantly printed document, and reduce possible consequences resulting from misprinted variable indicia. The resultant printed process color indicia maintains a grayscale equivalent level of a process color greater than or equal to the measured grayscale equivalent level of the substrate surface plus an additional contrast delta of 15%.

The invention provides flash imaging devices that include an optical change component that undergoes a change in response to an applied stimulus, a substrate and a stimulus element. Also provided are articles that include the subject devices, as well as methods of making and using the same.