A method of coating a donor surface with a layer of thermoplastic particles, the method comprising: providing a supply of the thermoplastic particles suspended in a fluid, applying the fluid to the donor surface, in a manner to cause the particles suspended in the fluid to form a substantially continuous particle coating on the donor surface, causing fluid flow within an interior plenum of a housing over a portion of the donor surface partially disposed therein, the fluid flow being of sufficient magnitude to entrain particles that are not in direct contact with the donor surface and insufficient to entrain particles that are in direct contact therewith; and extracting from the plenum fluid and particles which are not in not direct contact with the donor surface, so as to leave adhering to the donor surface a particle coating that is substantially only a single particle deep.

The present disclosure relates to a thermal transfer sheet including a first substrate and a first adhesive layer, in which the first adhesive layer is a layer to be transferred from the thermal transfer sheet by heating, and the first adhesive layer contains a crystalline polyester.

A thermal transfer sheet, a combination of an intermediate transfer medium and a thermal transfer sheet, method for producing a printed material using the thermal transfer sheet, and a decorative material, wherein the thermal transfer sheet includes a transfer layer on one surface of a substrate, the transfer layer having a single layer structure consisting only of a heat seal layer or a multilayer structure including a heat seal layer, and in a case where the transfer layer has the multilayer structure, the heat seal layer among the layers constituting the transfer layer is positioned closest to the substrate. The heat seal layer contains one or both of (i) a polyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 55° C. or more and a number average molecular weight (Mn) of 15000 or less, and (ii) a polyester having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 55° C.

A method for manufacturing a tableware article having a thermal-transfer printed pattern includes the following steps. Firstly, a PET resin composition including 3 to 15% by weight of an inorganic filler is provided. Next, the PET resin composition is granulated to obtain plastic granules. Then, the plastic granules are molded into the tableware article and the tableware article is post-crystallized. Finally, a thermal transfer printed pattern is printed on a surface of the post-crystallized tableware article.

A combination of a thermal transfer sheet and an intermediate transfer medium of the present disclosure is characterized in that the thermal transfer sheet includes a first substrate and a coloring layer, a peel-off layer, and a heat seal layer disposed on the first substrate; the intermediate transfer medium includes a second substrate and a transfer layer; the peel-off layer is a layer for removing a portion of the transfer layer from the intermediate transfer medium; and an absolute value of a difference in 45-degree specular gloss between the heat seal layer and the transfer layer is 20% or more.

A method for printing uses at least one ink. The method includes: a step of focusing a laser beam so as to generate a cavity in an ink film; a step of forming at least one ink droplet from a free surface of the ink film; and a step of depositing the droplet onto a depositing surface of a receiving substrate positioned at a given distance from the film. The laser beam is oriented in the direction opposite the gravitational force. The free surface of the film is oriented upwards towards the depositing surface placed above the ink film.

In a method of laminating a transfer layer to a substrate, a transfer layer is provided on a carrier layer. Portions of the transfer layer are selectively removed from the carrier layer using an adhesive panel by heating portions of the adhesive panel corresponding to the portions of the transfer layer, and transferring the portions of the transfer layer from the carrier layer to the adhesive panel. A transfer section of the transfer layer is then transferred from the carrier layer to a surface of the substrate by fracturing the transfer layer along an edge of the transfer section.

A method for transferring a printing substance provided as a coating on a carrier onto a substrate by laser radiation from a laser beam source that comprises an amplifier and that has an output power includes initiating a transfer process at the start of an active phase during a first time period by a temporary increase in the output power above an upper power threshold of the laser radiation, and adjusting the output power during a second time period of the active phase following the first time period, wherein the output power is adjusted during the second time period constantly in the range between the upper power threshold and a lower power threshold. The laser radiation and the carrier are moved relative to one another and the output power of the laser beam source is time modulated.

A panel includes a thermoset material, and an image comprising sublimation ink. The sublimation ink is absorbed in the thermoset material. The rigid component may be a rigid structure formed by the thermoset material. The panel may be for a bath or shower enclosure.

An image producing device that produces an image by thermally transferring an image pattern from a transfer ribbon to a transfer medium. The device includes take-up means for taking up the transfer ribbon, supply means for supplying the transfer ribbon according to the taking up of the transfer ribbon performed by the take-up means, thermal transfer means for thermally transferring an image to the transfer medium by bringing the transfer ribbon that is between the supply means and the take-up means into contact with the transfer medium, and a regulating means for regulating the supply of the transfer ribbon performed by the supply means.