METHOD AND APPARATUS HAVING IMPROVED IMAGE TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS FOR PRODUCING AN IMAGE ON A RECEPTOR MEDIUM SUCH AS PLAIN PAPER

摘要

Method and apparatus for producing an image on plain paper from image data using a photoreceptor. An image-wise distribution of charges is produced on the photoreceptor corresponding to the image data. A liquid ink having solid charged pigmented particles, the liquid ink having an effective glass transition temperature of less than 25 degrees Celsius is applied to the photoreceptor forming an image-wise distribution of the pigmented particles on the photoreceptor to form the image. The liquid ink has greater than seventy-five percent by volume fraction of solids in the image. A film forming means (82, 84, 86, 88) is positioned against the photoreceptor (10) immediately following the application means (52, 60, 68, 76) to dry the image of the liquid ink to film forming within 0.5 seconds. The image is dried on the photoreceptor. The image is then transferred to an elastomeric transfer roller (38) which forms a first transfer nip under pressure with the photoreceptor. The elastomeric transfer roller is heated from 50 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius. Subsequently, the image is transferred to plain paper (36) through a nip formed between a backup roller (40) under pressure with the transfer roller. The release layer of the photoreceptor has a surface energy which is less than a surface energy of the elastomeric transfer roller which in turn is less than a surface energy of the liquid ink which in turn is less than a surface energy of the plain paper.