A composite image heat transfer is disclosed for use on specific merchandising articles, sports jerseys, or other apparel for a specific sport. A scannable mark would be embedded in a heat transfer positioned on a sports jersey, such as a jersey number or a club crest. The scannable mark would be scanned by a user to provide stats, personal information, or other information about the corresponding sports team/club and/or individual athlete. The user can also register the scannable mark and follow the sports team/club and/or athlete on social media. Thus, the composite image heat transfer with embedded scannable mark would link each jersey number with information related to the corresponding player/athlete, and each club crest would be linked to information related to the corresponding club/team. This would enable a strong interaction through social media and other web tools between athletes and/or clubs and fans.

A composite image heat transfer is disclosed for use on specific merchandising articles, sports jerseys, or other apparel for a specific sport. A scannable mark would be embedded in a heat transfer positioned on a sports jersey, such as a jersey number or a club crest. The scannable mark would be scanned by a user to provide stats, personal information, or other information about the corresponding sports team/club and/or individual athlete. The user can also register the scannable mark and follow the sports team/club and/or athlete on social media. Thus, the composite image heat transfer with embedded scannable mark would link each jersey number with information related to the corresponding player/athlete, and each club crest would be linked to information related to the corresponding club/team. This would enable a strong interaction through social media and other web tools between athletes and/or clubs and fans.

Building panels, especially floor panels, and a method of forming embossed in register surfaces with a digital ink head that applies a curable ink on the panel surface or on an upper side of a foil as a coating and forms an ink matrix that is used to create a cavity in the surface by applying a pressure on the ink matrix.

A system arranged to transfer graphical images on objects (8) wrapped into transfer supports (2) by sublimation. The system comprises an oven (12) comprising an inlet mouth (21) and an outlet mouth (23), at least one suction unit (14) located along at least one side of the oven (12), a plurality of hooking/unhooking components (50) located along at least one side of the oven (12) and arranged to hook/unhook the objects (8) wrapped by the transfer supports (2), at least one catenary (18) located along at least one side of the oven (12) and arranged to transport the objects (8) wrapped into transfer supports (2) from the inlet mouth (21) to the outlet mouth (23) of the oven (12) by way of the hooking/unhooking components (50). The system further comprises at least one separation wall (71), configured to keep separate a hot zone, in which the oven (12) is active and the hooking/unhooking components (50) are provided, from a cold zone in which the oven (12) is not working and the at least one the catenary (18) and the at least one suction unit (14) are provided. Moreover, the system comprises a handling device (25) configured to move transversely to the inlet mouth (21) and to the outlet mouth (23) of the oven (12) the at least one suction unit (14), the at least one catenary (18) turd the plurality of hooking/unhooking components (50) so that the separation wall (71) keeps separate the hot zone from the cold zone according to the dimensions of objects (8) wrapped by the transfer supports (2). The invention also concerns a method for realizing the system.

Dye-sublimation printers and methods are disclosed for porous substrates or for polyester-coated substrates. In an example the device comprises a substrate path, a printhead, over a print zone of the substrate path, to transfer a print fluid on the substrate; a narrow band radiation source, over a sublimation zone of the substrate path to sublimate a portion of the transferred print fluid to form an image on the substrate; and an advancing mechanism, to transfer the substrate from the print zone to the sublimation zone.

Dye-sublimation printers and methods are disclosed for porous substrates or for polyester-coated substrates. In an example the device comprises a substrate path, a printhead, over a print zone of the substrate path, to transfer a print fluid on the substrate; a narrow band radiation source, over a sublimation zone of the substrate path to sublimate a portion of the transferred print fluid to form an image on the substrate; and an advancing mechanism, to transfer the substrate from the print zone to the sublimation zone.

An apparatus for texturing a plastic substrate, while forming a dye sublimation image in the plastic substrate, wherein the plastic substrate has a first side and a second side, is provided. A textured cover is on a side of a platen, wherein the platen is on a first, untextured side of the textured cover. A first side of the dye carrier is on a second, textured side of the textured cover, and wherein the plastic substrate is supported on a second side of the dye carrier, wherein a first side of the plastic substrate is supported by the dye carrier, wherein the textured side of the textured cover has a texture to be transferred to the plastic substrate. A membrane is on the second side of the plastic substrate. A vacuum pump provides a vacuum between the membrane and the platen. A heater is positioned to heat the plastic substrate.

An apparatus for texturing a plastic substrate, while forming a dye sublimation image in the plastic substrate, wherein the plastic substrate has a first side and a second side, is provided. A textured cover is on a side of a platen, wherein the platen is on a first, untextured side of the textured cover. A first side of the dye carrier is on a second, textured side of the textured cover, and wherein the plastic substrate is supported on a second side of the dye carrier, wherein a first side of the plastic substrate is supported by the dye carrier, wherein the textured side of the textured cover has a texture to be transferred to the plastic substrate. A membrane is on the second side of the plastic substrate. A vacuum pump provides a vacuum between the membrane and the platen. A heater is positioned to heat the plastic substrate.

The object is to provide a transfer paper having good image deterioration resistance, color development property and adhesion property. The object is achieved by a transfer paper for use in a transfer textile printing method using sublimation textile ink, which comprises a base paper and one or more coating layer(s) provided on at least one side of the base paper, wherein an outermost coating layer positioned on the outermost side with respect to the base paper contains at least a pigment and a binder, at least one of the pigment is amorphous silica, and the binder contains two or more different binders, and at least one of the binders is an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

A thermal indicia transfer comprises a fixing layer between a carrier sheet and a printed ink layer. The ink comprises plastic particles, a solvent, an indicia additive, a dispersing agent, and optionally a binder. The fixing layer is coated onto the carrier sheet and cured. The ink layer is printed onto the fixing layer where the plastic particles are held in place by the tackiness and structure of the fixing layer. The printed ink layer is dried at a temperature high enough to remove the solvent from the ink layer, but low enough to prevent melting of the plastic particles.