An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the surface, so as to leave only a substantially single particle layer adhering to the surface on exiting the apparatus.

An image forming apparatus includes a conveyer that conveys a recording medium supporting an image; a softener that softens the image; and a powder applicator that applies powder to the surface of the softened image, in which the applied powder adheres to a range that is narrower in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the recording medium conveyed by the conveyer than a maximum width of the image to be supported by the recording medium.

A device for producing a pattern combination on a clothing includes the following: a rotary screen, a cylindrical jacket surface with a perforation pattern that defines a first pattern component. Material in the liquid or pasty state is pressed through the perforations of the jacket surface of the rotary screen and deposited on the surface of the clothing in order to produce the first pattern component on a surface of the clothing, while the rotary screen, rotating several times about a longitudinal axis thereof, rolls on the surface of the clothing in at least one path that continuously revolves on the surface of the clothing at least once. At least one device produces, synchronously and/or simultaneously, a second pattern component, which device is connected indirectly or directly to the rotary screen. The device for producing the pattern combination also includes a post-run system.

The present invention provides a method of forming a pattern that can form a precise pattern on a variety of media by using powders and provides a pattern-producing apparatus.

The method of forming a pattern includes providing a liquid pattern on a surface of a medium, applying a powder to the liquid pattern so as to adhere to the liquid pattern, removing the powdery particles of the powder not adhered to the liquid pattern to give a pattern of the powder, and further applying another powder to the pattern of the powder.

There is disclosed a method of printing onto the surface of a substrate, which method comprises i) coating a donor surface with a monolayer of particles, ii) treating the substrate surface to render at least selected regions tacky, and iii) contacting the substrate surface with the donor surface to cause particles to transfer from the donor surface only to the tacky regions of the substrate surface. After printing on a substrate, the donor surface returns to the coating station where the continuity of the monolayer is restored by recovering with fresh particles the regions of the donor surface exposed by the transfer of particles to the substrate.

Certain examples of seals that can move along a slit are disclosed. The seals can comprise a first leaf, a second leaf, and a biasing member to push the first leaf away from the second leaf. Also, apparatus for applying a fluid, and printing systems are described.

Examples disclosed herein relate to application of a coating fluid. Examples include an apparatus including a first coating applicator to apply a coating fluid to a plurality of first rollers; a first transfer roller in contact with the plurality of first rollers to receive coating fluid; and a media path to apply coating fluid from the first transfer roller to a first side of a media, wherein the plurality of first rollers are shorter than the first transfer roller and are individually movable along its longitudinal axes such that they may positioned to apply a variable width of coating fluid onto the first transfer roller.

A method and equipment to form a digital print by applying dry colourants on a surface of a panel, bonding a part of the colourants with a binder and removing the non-bonded colourants from the surface. The method of forming a digital print on a surface of a panel includes displacing the panel under a digital drop application head, applying a liquid binder with the digital drop application head on the surface; applying colourants on the liquid binder and the surface; bonding a part of the colourants to the surface with the liquid binder; removing non-bonded colourants from the surface such that a digital print is formed by the bonded colourants; and applying heat and pressure on the panel, the surface and the bonded colorants such that the colourants are permanently bonded to the surface.

There is described a printing press adapted to carry out printing on a sheet-like or web-like substrate, in particular for the production of security documents such as banknotes, comprising a substrate feeding device for feeding the substrate to be treated, at least a printing unit designed to print a first side and/or a second side of the substrate and a delivery unit for receiving the treated substrate. The printing press in the conveying path for the substrate between the feeding device and the delivery unit further comprises an in-line casting device adapted to apply a layer of material acting as an optical medium on a portion of the second side of the substrate and to replicate and form a micro-optical structure in the layer of material acting as optical medium, wherein the printing unit comprises a first printing group comprising a printing cylinder and being adapted to print at least one printed pattern on the first or second side of the substrate in register with the micro-optical structure.

A modular production system for processing and/or finishing a print substrate, with a plurality of modular units, is characterized in that the modular units comprise a modular fragrance unit, which is designed to apply a fragrance to the print substrate. Furthermore, a method is disclosed for processing and/or finishing a print substrate. Finally, a modular fragrance unit for processing and/or finishing a print substrate is disclosed.