A method for enabling D2T2 printing onto non-D2T2 printable substrates uses a diffusible primer material provided on a dye-sheet or ribbon. The primer comprises a polymer, a release agent and a plasticizer. The release agent and the plasticizer are diffused into the substrate, while the polymer remains on the dye-sheet or ribbon. Printing of the primer onto the PC substrate is controlled via a computer image program corresponding to a colored image. This computer image program also controls the printing of the colored image at the primed locations. Accordingly, image-wise treatment of a plastic material via the primer selectively renders the PC substrate surface D2T2 printable at the point of personalization, providing for a 100% PC full card body having the colored image.

The present invention aims principally to provide a protective layer transfer sheet that can prevent occurrence of fusion between a receiving layer and a transfer layer and occurrence of peeling traces when the transfer layer is peeled from the receiving layer, even in the case that thermal energy applied on transfer of the transfer layer is increased and can obtain a high quality printed article and to provide a protective layer transfer sheet that can impart extremely good scratch resistance to the surface of a printed article. The protective layer transfer sheet includes a substrate, and a transfer layer provided on a surface of the substrate, and the transfer layer includes a binder resin and one or more substances selected from the group consisting of phosphoric acid esters, olefin-maleic acid copolymers, and amino polyether-modified silicone oils.

An embossed heat transfer label includes a carrier, embossing layer, release coating, design layer, and adhesive layer, in which the embossing layer is formed to include an embossing pattern, and the design layer is configured to take up the embossing pattern from the embossing layer. The embossed heat transfer label is configured such that the design layer and the adhesive layer transfer to a target object upon application of heat and pressure, while the embossing layer and the release coating is removed and disposed with the carrier. The exposed design layer provides an embossed surface on the target object. The label can include a flat profile layer on which the design layer is printed.

The present invention provides a method for the production of textured color selection swatches for point of purchase displays of custom blended paints, for color selection guides of dyed or printed textiles or for color selection extruded chips of custom colored plastics using a digital inkjet printer and custom blended inkjet inks based on a set of base inks that can be blended using commercial match prediction software and wherein a textured effect is applied as a component of the color selection aids. The textured effect may be achieved either by printing in three dimensions or printing a pseudo-three dimensional effect.

A printing apparatus, that thermally transfers color ink and an overcoat to a recording sheet, includes a at least one processor and at least one memory that is in communication with the at least one processor. The at least one memory stores instructions for causing the at least one processor and the at least one memory to perform print processing of transferring the color ink and the overcoat to the recording sheet by a thermal head and an ink ribbon, change a pressing force for pressing the ink ribbon and the recording sheet during the color ink transfer and during the overcoat transfer in the print processing, and control a processing speed during the color ink transfer and during the overcoat transfer in the print processing.

A printed product including: a yellow image formed on an image receiving sheet including a coloring material receiving layer and a surface protective layer formed on the yellow image, wherein the yellow image and the surface protective layer are formed by sequentially applying heat to a yellow coloring material layer for forming the yellow image and a surface protective layer forming layer for forming a surface protective layer through use of a thermal transfer recording sheet including the yellow coloring material layer and the surface protective layer forming layer field sequentially; the yellow coloring material layer contains a compound having a predetermined structure as a yellow coloring material, and wherein in the printed product having formed thereon the yellow image and the surface protective layer, the compound permeates into the coloring material receiving layer to a depth of 2 m or more.

A visual security feature is provided that is disposed on a target. The visual security feature includes two substantially transparent layers. At least one of the two substantially transparent layers is present in an image-wise pattern.

A visual security feature is provided that is disposed on a target. The visual security feature includes two substantially transparent layers. At least one of the two substantially transparent layers is present in an image-wise pattern.

Described herein are embodiments of thermal donor laminate formulations and thermal transfer donor elements comprising the same. Thermal donor elements described herein can be used to transfer the laminate onto thermal receiver elements using thermal transfer means to create a transparent, protective overcoat film. In certain embodiments, the laminate is formulated without colloidal silica. Laminate formulations comprise appropriate solvent packages to account for the removal of colloidal silica, including, in some embodiments, solvent packages that do not include DEK. Certain embodiments described herein exhibit advantageous performance characteristics, such as avoiding and/or mitigating flash, satin back transfer, and print artifacts, and resist scratches.