A thermal transfer ribbon includes a carrier layer, a release layer, and a thermally transferable ink layer. The ink layer includes an active ink having a chemistry that is configured, responsive to the occurrence of an environmental, physical or biological condition, to undergo a chemical or physical state change causing a change in the color state of the active ink.

A thermal transfer recording medium that is capable of dealing with the requirement for an increase in thermal transfer printing speed, and high density and high quality of a thermally transferred image, capable of preventing the occurrence of abnormal transfer at high temperature and high humidity, and capable of improving transfer sensitivity in printing. A thermal transfer recording medium includes a heat-resistant lubricating layer on one surface of a base material, and an undercoat layer and a dye layer in that order on the other surface of the base material. The undercoat layer includes a copolymer of a polyester having a sulfonic acid group and an acrylic polymer having at least one of a glycidyl group and a carboxyl group, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and an oxazoline group-containing polymer. A binder resin of the dye layer is an acid-modified polyvinyl acetoacetal resin.

A thermal transfer recording medium that is capable of dealing with the requirement for an increase in thermal transfer printing speed, and high density and high quality of a thermally transferred image, capable of preventing the occurrence of abnormal transfer at high temperature and high humidity, and capable of improving transfer sensitivity in printing. A thermal transfer recording medium includes a heat-resistant lubricating layer on one surface of a base material, and an undercoat layer and a dye layer in that order on the other surface of the base material. The undercoat layer includes a copolymer of a polyester having a sulfonic acid group and an acrylic polymer having at least one of a glycidyl group and a carboxyl group, polyvinylpyrrolidone, and an oxazoline group-containing polymer. A binder resin of the dye layer is an acid-modified polyvinyl acetoacetal resin.

There is provided a transfer sheet with improvement in smudges and blurs of a transfer layer when printed matters are produced even after storing the transfer sheet under high temperatures. The transfer sheet according to the present invention comprises a substrate, and in the order a peel layer and a transfer layer on the substrate, wherein the peel layer contains a binder resin, a silicone oil and/or a wax component and the total contents of the silicone oil and the wax component in the peel layer is 0.1 mass % or more and 15 mass % or less, based on the solid content of mass of the binder resin.

There is provided a transfer sheet with improvement in smudges and blurs of a transfer layer when printed matters are produced even after storing the transfer sheet under high temperatures. The transfer sheet according to the present invention comprises a substrate, and in the order a peel layer and a transfer layer on the substrate, wherein the peel layer contains a binder resin, a silicone oil and/or a wax component and the total contents of the silicone oil and the wax component in the peel layer is 0.1 mass % or more and 15 mass % or less, based on the solid content of mass of the binder resin.

Disclosed is a thermal transfer ribbon for use with a media processing device. The thermal transfer ribbon includes a carrier layer and a transfer layer operatively coupled to the carrier layer. The transfer layer includes an environmental indicator material encapsulated in a plurality of microcapsules. The plurality of microcapsules prevent the environmental indicator material from producing an observable effect in response to exposure to a predetermined environmental condition. The environmental indicator material is released from the plurality of microcapsules in response to the plurality of microcapsules being ruptured. After the environmental indicator material is released and exposed to the predetermined environmental condition, the environmental indicator material produces the observable effect. The observable effect results from a change in the environmental indicator material from an original state to a second state in response to the predetermined environmental condition.

Disclosed is a thermal transfer ribbon for use with a media processing device. The thermal transfer ribbon includes a carrier layer and a transfer layer operatively coupled to the carrier layer. The transfer layer includes an environmental indicator material encapsulated in a plurality of microcapsules. The plurality of microcapsules prevent the environmental indicator material from producing an observable effect in response to exposure to a predetermined environmental condition. The environmental indicator material is released from the plurality of microcapsules in response to the plurality of microcapsules being ruptured. After the environmental indicator material is released and exposed to the predetermined environmental condition, the environmental indicator material produces the observable effect. The observable effect results from a change in the environmental indicator material from an original state to a second state in response to the predetermined environmental condition.

Disclosed is a thermal transfer ribbon for use with a media processing device. The thermal transfer ribbon includes a carrier layer and a transfer layer operatively coupled to the carrier layer. The transfer layer includes an environmental indicator material encapsulated in a plurality of microcapsules. The plurality of microcapsules prevent the environmental indicator material from producing an observable effect in response to exposure to a predetermined environmental condition. The environmental indicator material is released from the plurality of microcapsules in response to the plurality of microcapsules being ruptured. After the environmental indicator material is released and exposed to the predetermined environmental condition, the environmental indicator material produces the observable effect. The observable effect results from a change in the environmental indicator material from an original state to a second state in response to the predetermined environmental condition.

Disclosed is a thermal transfer ribbon for use with a media processing device. The thermal transfer ribbon includes a carrier layer and a transfer layer operatively coupled to the carrier layer. The transfer layer includes an environmental indicator material encapsulated in a plurality of microcapsules. The plurality of microcapsules prevent the environmental indicator material from producing an observable effect in response to exposure to a predetermined environmental condition. The environmental indicator material is released from the plurality of microcapsules in response to the plurality of microcapsules being ruptured. After the environmental indicator material is released and exposed to the predetermined environmental condition, the environmental indicator material produces the observable effect. The observable effect results from a change in the environmental indicator material from an original state to a second state in response to the predetermined environmental condition.