The invention relates to a device for carrying a substrate, for example a drinking cup, and clamping against the substrate, for example against an outer wall of the drinking cup, a clamping sheet, wherein the clamping sheet comprises a flexible and bendable material with a width and a length, said length being measured between longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, wherein coupling members are provided at longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, said coupling members comprising rods protruding in the width direction of the clamping sheet. The device is characterized in that the device comprises first recesses for receiving rods of a first width side that are positioned at opposite longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet and comprises second recesses for receiving rods of a second width side that are positioned at opposite longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, and the device comprises a support member for carrying the device and the substrate.

The invention relates to a device for carrying a substrate, for example a drinking cup, and clamping against the substrate, for example against an outer wall of the drinking cup, a clamping sheet, wherein the clamping sheet comprises a flexible and bendable material with a width and a length, said length being measured between longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, wherein coupling members are provided at longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, said coupling members comprising rods protruding in the width direction of the clamping sheet. The device is characterized in that the device comprises first recesses for receiving rods of a first width side that are positioned at opposite longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet and comprises second recesses for receiving rods of a second width side that are positioned at opposite longitudinal ends of the clamping sheet, and the device comprises a support member for carrying the device and the substrate.

Method and system for thermal transfer printing are disclosed. The system includes a transfer member having 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 electromagnetic radiation (EM) is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles-coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and a transfer station at which only the regions of the particles coating that have been rendered tacky are transferred to a substrate. The transfer member includes on its rear side a body transparent to EM radiation and on its front side an EM radiation absorbing layer, the imaging surface being formed on, or as part of, the absorbing layer.

Method and system for thermal transfer printing are disclosed. The system includes a transfer member having 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 electromagnetic radiation (EM) is applied via the rear side of the transfer member to selected regions of the particles-coated imaging surface to render the particles thereon tacky within the selected regions, and a transfer station at which only the regions of the particles coating that have been rendered tacky are transferred to a substrate. The transfer member includes on its rear side a body transparent to EM radiation and on its front side an EM radiation absorbing layer, the imaging surface being formed on, or as part of, the absorbing layer.

A printing process is disclosed which comprises directing droplets of an ink onto an intermediate transfer member to form an ink image, the ink including an organic polymeric resin and a coloring agent in an aqueous carrier, and the transfer member having a hydrophobic outer surface so that each ink droplet in the ink image spreads on impinging upon the intermediate transfer member to form an ink film. The ink is dried while the ink image is being transported by the intermediate transfer member by evaporating the aqueous carrier from the ink image to leave a residue film of resin and coloring agent. The residue film is then transferred to a substrate. The chemical compositions of the ink and of the surface of the intermediate transfer member are selected such that attractive intermolecular forces between molecules in the outer skin of each droplet and on the surface of the intermediate transfer member counteract the tendency of the ink film produced by each droplet to bead under the action of the surface tension of the aqueous carrier, without causing each droplet to spread by wetting the surface of the intermediate transfer member.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of indirect printing with an aqueous ink formulation applied to the surface of the intermediate transfer member. Related apparatus, systems and treatment formulations are disclosed herein.

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of indirect printing with an aqueous ink formulation applied to the surface of the intermediate transfer member. Related apparatus, systems and treatment formulations are disclosed herein.

A multilayer imaging blanket for a variable data lithography system, including a multilayer base including a sulfur-containing layer; and a cured topcoat layer including a polyurethane in contact with the sulfur-containing layer of the multilayer base.

A printing apparatus and a printing method for applying ink to a surface of a printing plate in a predetermined pattern and then transfer the ink applied in the shape of the pattern to a substrate. A scale is formed on the surface of the printing plate; the printing apparatus includes a plate cylinder on which the printing plate is provided, an image recording section that applies the ink to the surface of the printing plate in the predetermined pattern by an ink jet method, a reading unit that reads the scale and obtains position information data of the scale, a signal generation part that generates a signal based on the position information data obtained by the reading unit, and an adjustment part that adjusts an ejection timing of the ink in the image recording section on the basis of the signal obtained by the signal generation part.

There is disclosed a formulation for use with an intermediate transfer member of an indirect printing system, including: (a) a carrier liquid: (b) a positively chargeable polymeric chemical agent having amine functional groups; and (c) a resolubilizing agent selected to improve resolubilization of said chemical agent. Method of use thereof is also provided.