The present invention provides a thermochromic color-memory composition including (a) an electron-donating color-developing organic compound, (b) an electron-accepting compound, and (c) an ester compound represented by the following formula (1) or (2), as a reaction medium which controls color reaction of the component (a) and the component (b); and a thermochromic color-memory microcapsule pigment encapsulating the thermochromic color-memory composition.

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According to one embodiment, an ink which can be decolored upon heating is provided. Colored images can be formed with the ink by various methods, such as ink jetting or the like, then later the images can be decolored with heat. An ink according to an embodiment contains a color developable compound, a color developing agent that causes the color developable compound to develop a color, a nonaqueous solvent, and a decoloring agent that is insoluble in the nonaqueous solvent and decolors the color developable compound upon heating.

Aspects of the invention include color change compositions having a color former and color developer composition that transitions from a first color state to a second color state upon application of an applied stimulus and an amount of a copolymer sufficient to eliminate background color of the color former and color developer composition during transition from the first color state to the second color state. Methods for preparing and devices employing the color change compositions of the invention are also described.

An image recording device includes a laser irradiation device that emits laser lights output from a plurality of laser light emitting elements to different positions in a predetermined direction; and an image recording unit that controls the laser irradiation device to irradiate a recording object moving relative to the laser irradiation device in a direction different from the predetermined direction with laser so as to heat the object, form image dots, and record an image. The image recording unit controls the laser irradiation device, conducts recording such that at least one of the image dots, recorded alongside at different positions in a direction perpendicular to a relative moving direction of the object, is shifted relative to other ones of the image dots in the relative moving direction, and records a solid image on the object such that the image dot is partially overlapped with all adjacent image dots.

A drawing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a storage, a generator, and a drawing section. The storage stores a conversion table that describes a correspondence relationship between gradation values in a leuco color space and output setting values of light sources. The generator generates, on the basis of leuco image data described in the leuco color space and the conversion table, the output setting values corresponding to the leuco image data. The drawing section performs drawing on a recording medium on the basis of the output setting values generated by the generator, the recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the plurality of recording layers each including a leuco dye and a photothermal conversion agent.

As a thermosensitive recording medium utilizes a coloring reaction between a colorless or pale colored electron donating leuco dye and an electron accepting color developing agent, a thermosensitive recording medium using an environment-friendly color developing agent is provided. Provided is a thermosensitive recording medium having a thermosensitive recording layer comprising a colorless or pale colored electron donating leuco dye and an electron accepting color developing agent on a substrate, wherein the thermosensitive recording layer comprises a gluconolactone as the electron accepting color developing agent.

A reversible recording medium of an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a support base and a recording layer. The recording layer is provided on the support base and reversibly changes between a recorded state and a deleted state. A chroma difference C* between the support base and the recording layer satisfies the relational expression (1) where an absorption spectrum in a visible region of the recording layer in the deleted state and an absorption spectrum in a visible region of the support base are each denoted by L*a*b*.

A reversible recording medium of an embodiment of the disclosure includes a support base, and a recording layer provided on the support base and reversibly changing between a recorded state and a deleted state. The recording layer includes a photothermal conversion material including one or more of a compound having a phthalocyanine skeleton, a compound having a squarylium skeleton, a compound having a cyanine skeleton including, in a molecule, one or both of a counter ion of SbF.sub.6, PF.sub.6, BF.sub.4, ClO.sub.4, CF.sub.3SO.sub.3 and (CF.sub.3SO.sub.3).sub.2N and a methine chain containing a five-membered ring or a six-membered ring, and an inorganic compound; a coloring compound having an electron-donating property; and a color developing/quenching agent having an electron-accepting property and including at least one salicylic acid compound represented by the general formula (1) and including a linear hydrocarbon group having 25 to 34 carbon atoms via a linking group containing an amide moiety.

A reversible recording medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first layer that reversibly changes between an achromatic state and a transparent state, and a second layer that reversibly changes between a chromatic state and a transparent state.

A reversible recording medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a recording layer including a leuco pigment as a coloring compound; and a first barrier film that is provided on one surface and a side surface of the recording layer and suppresses mixing of at least one of water or oxygen.