Patent ID: 6493009
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: B41J,G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus, comprising:an image holder that forms an image of color material on an image holder surface, said image holder surface divided into a number of pixel areas, each pixel area having an adhesive-force change portion that is smaller than the pixel area, wherein each said adhesive-force change portion includes a substance in which an adhesive force applied by the substance to the color material changes in response to a predetermined stimulus, the substance facing the color material and having a viscosity that abruptly decreases while the adhesive force increases by heat melting above a certain temperature; an image-signal input unit that forms a latent image by distribution of the adhesive force applied by the adhesive-force change portions to the color material on said image holder surface by applying the predetermined stimulus, wherein the predetermined stimulus is applied to said image holder surface corresponding to an image signal; and a color material supply unit that supplies the color material to said image holder surface to develop the Went image into a developed image.