The invention discloses a decoration apparatus for decorating a web of labeling material. The decoration apparatus comprises conveyor for advancing the web of labeling material between a first station and a second station, an activation unit adapted to apply an activation energy at a activation station for selectively activating activatable pigments comprised in the web of labeling material or to locally ablate the web of labeling material and a temperature-conditioning unit which is adapted to actively cool and/or heat the web of labeling material, in particular, in use, prior, during and/or after selectively activating the activatable pigments or ablating the web of labeling material.

The laser-induced dispensing system includes a cartridge assembly having a supply reel for supplying a foil having a light transmissive layer wound around the supply reel, and a take-up reel for taking up the foil. There is provided a coating device for coating the foil by a donor material during a motion of the foil. The laser-induced dispensing system also includes an irradiation head having optics configured for focusing a laser beam. Additionally, a controller, for controlling the cartridge assembly to establish motion of the foil, and the optics to focus the laser beam onto the foil at a location downstream of the outlet of the coating device so as to release droplets of the donor material from the foil is provided.

The laser-induced dispensing system includes a cartridge assembly having a supply reel for supplying a foil having a light transmissive layer wound around the supply reel, and a take-up reel for taking up the foil. There is provided a coating device for coating the foil by a donor material during a motion of the foil. The laser-induced dispensing system also includes an irradiation head having optics configured for focusing a laser beam. Additionally, a controller, for controlling the cartridge assembly to establish motion of the foil, and the optics to focus the laser beam onto the foil at a location downstream of the outlet of the coating device so as to release droplets of the donor material from the foil is provided.

An ink contains a medium, a coloring agent, a fixing polymer, and one or more kinds of polymers other than the fixing polymer. The coloring agent is dissolved or dispersed in the medium. The fixing polymer has a glass-transition temperature higher than the ordinary temperature and is dispersed in the medium. The one or more kinds of polymers each have a glass-transition temperature higher than the ordinary temperature and are dissolved or dispersed in the medium. The fixing polymer is higher in glass-transition temperature than 80 mass % or more of the one or more kinds of polymers contained in the ink and each having a glass-transition temperature higher than the ordinary temperature.

An ink contains a medium, a coloring agent, a fixing polymer, and one or more kinds of polymers other than the fixing polymer. The coloring agent is dissolved or dispersed in the medium. The fixing polymer has a glass-transition temperature higher than the ordinary temperature and is dispersed in the medium. The one or more kinds of polymers each have a glass-transition temperature higher than the ordinary temperature and are dissolved or dispersed in the medium. The fixing polymer is higher in glass-transition temperature than 80 mass % or more of the one or more kinds of polymers contained in the ink and each having a glass-transition temperature higher than the ordinary temperature.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus including: a band (105) to hold hot melt ink; rollers (110) to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate (120); a printhead (125) to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate; an ink feed device (135) to add hot melt ink to the band, a heating device (140) to heat the hot melt ink on the band, and a rigid blade (155) to control ink thickness of the hot melt ink on the band; a meniscus sensor (245) to monitor a meniscus of melted hot melt ink on the band; and a controller (160) communicatively coupled with the meniscus sensor and the ink feed device, wherein the controller can cause the ink feed device to add hot melt ink to the band based on data from the meniscus sensor.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus including: a band (105) to hold hot melt ink; rollers (110) to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate (120); a printhead (125) to thermally transfer a portion of hot melt ink from the band to the substrate; an ink feed device (135) to add hot melt ink to the band, a heating device (140) to heat the hot melt ink on the band, and a rigid blade (155) to control ink thickness of the hot melt ink on the band; a meniscus sensor (245) to monitor a meniscus of melted hot melt ink on the band; and a controller (160) communicatively coupled with the meniscus sensor and the ink feed device, wherein the controller can cause the ink feed device to add hot melt ink to the band based on data from the meniscus sensor.

Direct thermal recording media are designed to operate based on a thermally-induced change of state rather than a thermally-induced chemical reaction between a leuco dye and an acidic developer. The media use two types of scattering particles, one of which changes its state from solid to liquid during printing, and the other of which does not. The former particles, upon melting, fill spaces between the latter particles, thus eliminating or substantially reducing light scattering, which makes an underlying colorant visible at selected print locations where heat is locally applied. The latter, higher melting point particles have a caged morphology and comprise perforated particles. The media can provide high quality thermally-produced images at print speeds at least as high as 10 inches per second (ips).

Direct thermal recording media are designed to operate based on a thermally-induced change of state rather than a thermally-induced chemical reaction between a leuco dye and an acidic developer. The media use two types of scattering particles, one of which changes its state from solid to liquid during printing, and the other of which does not. The former particles, upon melting, fill spaces between the latter particles, thus eliminating or substantially reducing light scattering, which makes an underlying colorant visible at selected print locations where heat is locally applied. The latter, higher melting point particles have a caged morphology and comprise perforated particles. The media can provide high quality thermally-produced images at print speeds at least as high as 10 inches per second (ips).

An image forming apparatus includes an oscillator configured to oscillate a laser beam, an irradiation portion configured to radiate the laser beam oscillated by the oscillator to an outside, a light absorption unit configured to absorb the laser beam and to convert the laser beam to heat, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control, in an irradiation state, the irradiation portion to press the irradiation portion against a workpiece with first pressing force via the light absorption unit and irradiate the workpiece with the laser beam. The control unit is configured to control, in a non-irradiation state, the radiation portion to press the irradiation portion against the workpiece with second pressing force smaller than the first pressing force via the light absorption unit, or to separate the irradiation portion from the light absorption unit so as to set the second pressing force to zero.