Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of indirect printing with an aqueous ink. Related apparatus, systems and treatment formulations are disclosed herein. Some embodiments relate to an aqueous treatment formulation for use with an intermediate transfer member of a printing system. In some embodiments, the system comprises a treatment station disposed downstream of the impression station and upstream of the image forming station for forming a uniform thin layer of a liquid treatment formulation onto a surface of an intermediate transfer member (ITM) at a lower run thereof.

A heating circuit having an array of switching heating elements (e.g., field effect transistors, thin film transistors) provides a transient heat pattern over a surface (e.g., substrate, imaging member surface, transfer roll surface) moving relative to the heating circuit, to produce a pixelated heat image and heat a target pattern on the surface. Heat is generated by current flow in the heating elements, and the power developed by the heating circuit is the product of source-drain voltage and current in the channel. Digital addressing may accomplished by matrix addressing the array. Current may be supplied along data address lines by an external voltage controlled by digital electronics understood by a skilled artisan to provide the desired heat at a respective heating element pixels addressed by a specific gate line. The circuit may include a current return line that may be low resistance, for example, by using a 2-dimensional mesh.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of indirect printing with an aqueous ink. In some embodiments, an intermediate transfer member (ITM) comprising a silicone-based release layer surface is employed. For example, the release layer surface satisfies at least one of the following properties: (i) a receding contact angle of a drop of distilled water deposited on the silicone-based release layer surface is at most 60°; and (ii) a 10-second dynamic contact angle (DCA) of a drop of distilled water deposited on the silicone-based release layer surface is at most 108°. Related apparatus, systems and treatment formulations are disclosed herein.

Provided are methods of electrophotographically printing an image on a substrate, methods of transferring an image to a substrate, electrophotographic toner cartridge kits, and electrophotographic printing devices. A plurality of layers of toner particles may be electrophotographically printed, using toner cartridges, providing an imaged area that includes one or more colorant layers that include a colorant and a colorant-layer thermoplastic adhesive, and an adhesive layer that includes an adhesive-layer thermoplastic adhesive. The fusing temperature may be selected to heat the colorant-layer thermoplastic adhesive to a temperature greater than an activation temperature of the colorant-layer thermoplastic adhesive and/or an activation temperature of the adhesive-layer thermoplastic adhesive. The melting temperature, the fusing temperature, or melt flow rate of the colorant-layer thermoplastic adhesive corresponding to at least one of the one or more colorant layers may exceed the melting temperature, the fusing temperature, or the melt flow rate of the adhesive-layer thermoplastic adhesive.

An apparatus and methods of decorating a metallic container are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to provide a decoration or indicia on a predetermined portion of an outer surface of a metallic container body. The decorator includes at least one digital print unit, a transfer blanket, and a support element. The digital print unit transfers a decorating material to the transfer blanket to form a decoration on the transfer blanket. The support element then moves a metallic container into contact with the transfer blanket. In this manner, the decorating material is transferred to an exterior surface portion of the metallic container to decorate the metallic container. In one embodiment, the digital print unit is an electrophotographic system which transfers a toner material to the transfer blanket. In another embodiment, the digital print unit includes an inkjet print head which transfers an ink to the transfer blanket. Optionally, the decorator may include two or more support elements.

The invention relates to a transfer paper for transferring images onto substrates, comprising a carrier having a wax coating; a layer (A) arranged thereon, containing a wax emulsion, a binding agent, an inorganic crystalline substance, and a pigment; a layer (B) arranged on layer (A), containing an organic polymer, an inorganic crystalline substance, a fixing agent, a copolymer and a pigment; and a layer (C) arranged on layer (B), containing an organic polymer, a binding agent, an inorganic crystalline substance, a wax emulsion, a copolymer and a pigment. The invention also relates to a method for transferring images onto substrates using the transfer paper.

An electronic heat transfer label includes a substrate. A pattern layer is printed on the substrate, and an adhesive is printed on the pattern layer to form a first adhesive layer. A chip is attached onto the first adhesive layer, and an adhesive is printed on the chip to form a second adhesive layer. The second adhesive layer covers the chip, and a hot-melt layer is arranged on the second adhesive layer. A method for preparing the electronic heat transfer label includes: S1: printing an ink on a substrate and drying the ink to form a pattern layer; S2: printing an adhesive on the pattern layer and drying to form a first adhesive layer; S3: attaching a chip onto the first adhesive layer; S4: printing an adhesive onto the first adhesive layer and the chip, and drying to form a second adhesive layer.

There is provided a transfer type ink jet recording apparatus including: an image forming section forming an image by applying, onto a transfer body, a reaction liquid for increasing a viscosity of ink and ink containing an aqueous liquid medium and a coloring material; a liquid absorbing section having a porous body that absorbs at least a part of a liquid component from the formed image; a heating section heating the image treated by the porous body; a transfer section that transfers the heated image onto a recording medium; and a deterioration prevention treatment section including a deterioration preventing agent applying device that applies, onto the porous body provided in the liquid absorbing section, a deterioration preventing agent that prevents deterioration of the transfer body.

According to aspects of the embodiments, there is provided a method of measuring the amount of fountain solution employed in a digital offset lithography printing system. Fountain solution thickness is measured using a glass roll at a lower temperature than the fountain solution. The lower temperature causes the fountain solution to undergo a change in state and in a solid state the fountain solution crystalizes and changes roll opacity with the thickness of the film. When radiated with a light source the opacity is continuously measured through the surface of the roller. The thickness of the crystallized fountain solution can then be determined via the opacity level increase by the crystallization and the impact to the opacity on the glass roll.

A container component decorating system has a decorating station (156), a container component handling module (102), a supply of colored inks, and inkjet printheads (124). The decorating station (156) delivers art graphics to container components (14) in a manufacturing queue (22). The inkjet printheads (124) comprise nozzles through which the colored inks are delivered. A flush cycle controller activated a flush cycle of the nozzles to deposit a flush cycle ink pattern (109) on a substrate to restore a meniscus (110) on the nozzles.