| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus, such as a copying machine, a facsimile and a printer, which carries out image formation that is not limited to liquid development, by avoiding image disturbance, consumption power for drying, and an increase in time required for fixing, which result from use of fixing liquid, while reducing power required for heating in fixing by making toner suitable to be fixed to a recording medium by use of the fixing liquid.SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus comprises: a fixing liquid-applying unit 41 for applying a fixing liquid to a recording medium S before a toner image is held thereon, the fixing liquid having the function of swelling and softening toner so that toner is suitable to be fixed to the recording medium S; a transfer unit 5 for transferring a toner image on a toner image-bearing member 11 onto the recording medium S, to which the fixing liquid has been applied by the fixing liquid-applying unit 41, while the toner image is brought into contact with the fixing liquid on the recording medium S; and a fixing unit 6 for heating a toner image and the fixing liquid on the recording medium S, transferred by the transfer unit 5, thereby fixing the toner in the state to the recording medium S. |
