A thermal transfer sheet according to the present disclosure includes a first substrate and a transfer layer including at least a peeling layer, the peeling layer containing a resin material and antimicrobial particles, the antimicrobial particles having an average particle size in the range of 1 to 8 ?m, and the peeling layer having a content of the antimicrobial particles in the range of 2.8 to 8 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the resin material.

A multiple responsive effect heat transfer label includes a carrier, and first and second responsive effect design layers. The first responsive effect design layer is positioned on the carrier and the second responsive effect design layer is positioned on the first responsive effect design layer. The first responsive effect design layer is formulated from an ink that changes color when subjected to a first environmental stimulus and the second responsive effect design layer is formulated from an ink that changes color when subjected to a second environmental stimulus different from the first environmental stimulus. The color change of the first responsive design layer is independent of the color change of the second responsive design layer. The first responsive design layer is configured to separate from the carrier and the second responsive design layer separates with the first responsive design layer to define a multiple responsive effect feature adhered to a target object upon application of heat and pressure. A method of providing a durable, multiple responsive effect feature on a target object is also disclosed.

A heat transfer sheet assembly and method is disclosed for improving the process of removing the carrier layer from a facestock layer. The heat transfer sheet assembly may include a heat transfer facestock layer and a carrier layer. The facestock layer may be attached to the carrier layer and include an indicia receptive surface along a side opposite the carrier layer. The carrier layer may include at least one peel line that extends from opposite edges of the assembly wherein the peel line assist to remove the carrier layer from the heat transfer facestock layer once indicia is printed on the facestock layer.

A process and a transfer film for transferring microstructures to a flexible or rigid final substrate that offers advantages in both speed and precision is provided. The inventive process involves subjecting a transfer film in a continuous roll-to-roll process to the following operations: either forming microstructures on, or transferring microstructures to a surface of the transfer film; and then transferring the microstructures from the transfer film onto a surface of the final substrate. The microstructures are single or multi-layer structures that are made up of: voids in a substantially planar surface, the voids optionally filled or coated with another material; raised areas in a substantially planar surface; or combinations thereof.

A variable gloss heat transfer label includes a carrier, a matting layer on a portion of the carrier and a design layer having a first portion provided over the carrier and a second portion provided over the matting layer. The design layer is configured to separate from the matting layer and the carrier, and transfer and adhere the first and second portions of the design layer to a target object upon application of heat and pressure. The first portion of the design layer that is transferred to the target object from the carrier has a different gloss than the second portion of the design layer that is transferred to the target object from the matting layer. The label can be configured to include a carrier, a glossing layer on a portion of the carrier and a design layer having a first portion provided over the carrier and a second portion provided over the glossing layer.

An apparatus for coating a part that has an asymmetrical edge. The apparatus includes a film dispenser, a film retriever, a mandrel; and a part holder. Preferably one or both of the mandrel and the part holder move in an angular relationship to one another, and the film dispenser and the film retriever move co-operatively in at least two dimensions with respect to the part holder. There is further provided a film having a first edge and a second edge, and the film can be a decorative coating, a protective coating or combinations of these. The film dispenser holds the first edge of the film, the film is positioned between the mandrel and the part holder and the film retriever holds the film second edge.

There is described a method of increasing the output of a transfer film (1) upon embossing, in particular hot embossing, wherein the transfer film (1) has a carrier film (1a) and a transfer layer portion (1b) which is releasable from the carrier film (1a). During a first embossing operation first regions (10) of the transfer layer portion (1b) which are arranged removed from each other at a spacing a are transferred by means of a first embossing tool from the transfer film (1) onto at least one substrate (2), wherein first openings (10a) are produced at the spacing a in the transfer layer portion (1b) of the transfer film (1). After the first embossing operation the transfer film (1) is wound up after the first embossing operation and fed to at least a further embossing operation.

An applicator for transferring an indicia to a substrate includes an ink layer forming the indicia. A white layer is disposed on the ink layer. An adhesive layer is disposed on the white layer. The adhesive layer is configured to adhere the ink layer and the white layer to the substrate.

A thermal transfer sheet includes a support film and a transfer layer provided on one surface of the support film. The transfer layer at least includes a decorative layer and an adhesive layer provided on an obverse side of the decorative layer. The adhesive layer includes a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer laminated on the first adhesive layer. The first adhesive layer is positioned on an obverse side of the second adhesive layer. The first adhesive layer is made of a first resin having thermal plasticity and has a lower viscosity than the second adhesive layer. The second adhesive layer is made of a second resin having thermal plasticity and has a higher glass-transition point than the first adhesive layer. Monomer units constituting the first resin and monomer units constituting the second resin are partly or entirely identical.

The present invention provides a transfer film that allows a transfer layer to have satisfactory transferability and can provide a print with high durability.

The present invention solves the above problem by a transfer film 100 in which an adhesion layer 7, a release layer 2, and a transfer layer 10 are provided in this order on a substrate 1, wherein the transfer layer 10 has a layered structure in which a protective layer 3 and an adhesive layer 5 are layered in this order from the side of the substrate, the protective layer 3 is allowed to contain an active ray-cured resin formed by curing an active ray-curable resin by an active ray, and the adhesion layer 7 is allowed to contain a cured binder resin which is a cured product of a binder resin and a curing agent.