A drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to be performed on a heat-sensitive recording medium including a recording layer, the recording layer containing a leuco dye and a photothermal conversion agent that absorbs infrared wavelength light, includes: performing drawing in a plurality of first regions, the plurality of first regions each extending in one direction and having gaps therebetween; and thereafter detecting recorded states of the plurality of first regions, calculating differences from the input image information, and performing drawing in a plurality of second regions at recording intensities determined on a basis of the differences, the plurality of second regions each extending in the one direction and being provided at the gaps between the plurality of first regions.

A drawing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure to be performed on a heat-sensitive recording medium including a recording layer, the recording layer containing a leuco dye and a photothermal conversion agent that absorbs infrared wavelength light, includes: performing drawing in a plurality of first regions, the plurality of first regions each extending in one direction and having gaps therebetween; and thereafter detecting recorded states of the plurality of first regions, calculating differences from the input image information, and performing drawing in a plurality of second regions at recording intensities determined on a basis of the differences, the plurality of second regions each extending in the one direction and being provided at the gaps between the plurality of first regions.

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for imaging and cutting a label from a linerless label substrate 6, the substrate 6 comprising: a paper or polymeric film base layer; a colour change layer, incorporating a colour change compound operable to change colour in response to illumination by a laser 1; an adhesive layer; and a release layer adapted to have low adherence to the adhesive layer. The label substrate 6 is transported from a storage reel to an imaging area. At the imaging area, the label substrate 6 is selectively illuminated by laser 1 to form an image in the colour change layer. Subsequently, further laser illumination is used to cut the label substrate 6 thereby providing a single label for application to an object. The invention is characterised in that the laser spot size is varied for imaging and cutting.

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for imaging and cutting a label from a linerless label substrate 6, the substrate 6 comprising: a paper or polymeric film base layer; a colour change layer, incorporating a colour change compound operable to change colour in response to illumination by a laser 1; an adhesive layer; and a release layer adapted to have low adherence to the adhesive layer. The label substrate 6 is transported from a storage reel to an imaging area. At the imaging area, the label substrate 6 is selectively illuminated by laser 1 to form an image in the colour change layer. Subsequently, further laser illumination is used to cut the label substrate 6 thereby providing a single label for application to an object. The invention is characterised in that the laser spot size is varied for imaging and cutting.

A ticket production device that cuts continuous recording paper printed with information and produces a ticket includes a paper conveyance means that conveys the recording paper through a paper conveyance path; a printing means that prints information on the recording paper conveyed by the paper conveyance means; a paper cutting means that cuts the recording paper on which information was printed into a ticket of a specific length; a paper position detection means that detects the position of the recording paper waiting at a paper exit; and a control means that integrally controls these other means. When the paper position detection means detects the position of the recording paper changed, the control means operates the paper cutting means and produces a ticket based on the detection result from the paper position detection means.

A ticket production device that cuts continuous recording paper printed with information and produces a ticket includes a paper conveyance means that conveys the recording paper through a paper conveyance path; a printing means that prints information on the recording paper conveyed by the paper conveyance means; a paper cutting means that cuts the recording paper on which information was printed into a ticket of a specific length; a paper position detection means that detects the position of the recording paper waiting at a paper exit; and a control means that integrally controls these other means. When the paper position detection means detects the position of the recording paper changed, the control means operates the paper cutting means and produces a ticket based on the detection result from the paper position detection means.

In accordance with an embodiment, an image decoloring apparatus comprises a conveyance path configured to convey a sheet on which an image is formed with a coloring agent that is decolored by heat; a first heat roller configured to be arranged at the upstream side of the conveyance path; and a second heat roller configured to be arranged at the downstream side of the conveyance path. Each of the first heat roller and the second heat roller includes a cylindrical portion and a heat source. The thickness of the cylindrical portion constituting the first heat roller is larger than the thickness of the cylindrical portion constituting the second heat roller. In this way, the heat capacity of the first heat roller is also larger than the heat capacity of the second heat roller.

Provided is an image erasing method including heating a thermoreversible recording medium with laser beams to erase an image which has been recorded on the thermoreversible recording medium, the thermoreversible recording medium reversibly changing between a colored state and a decolored state depending on a heating temperature and a cooling time; and measuring at least one of a surface temperature of the thermoreversible recording medium and an erasing environmental temperature before a beginning of erasing the image to obtain a measured temperature value and controlling a heating time with the laser beams to be emitted for erasing the image depending on the measured temperature value.

A recording medium according to an embodiment includes a base material; a first color developing layer that is laminated on the base material, and absorbs light having a given wavelength to develop a color; a photothermal conversion layer that is laminated closer to an incident side of the light than the first color developing layer, transmits visible light, and absorbs the light for photothermal conversion; and a second color developing layer that is laminated closer to the incident side of the light than the first color developing layer, transmits visible light and the light, and develops a color by heat converted by the photothermal conversion layer.

Apparatus to produce a spatially and temporally uniform heat source is described and this is used to visualize latent fingerprints deposited onto thermal paper by raising the temperature of the paper. Results show an improvement over previous techniques, particularly when fingerprint deposits are aged or the developed fingerprints faint; visualization being enhanced by the use of an LED light source. An investigation of the components in fingerprint sweat likely to affect the solubility and hence colour change of the dye present in the thermal paper has shown that polar protic solvents able to donate a proton are favoured and a polar amino acid found commonly in eccrine fingerprint sweat (lysine) has been shown able to produce the desired colour change. Aged fingerprint deposits on thermal paper from a variety of sources up to four years old have been visualized with this technique.