Patent ID: 6126274
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
An image recording apparatus comprising:image forming means for forming a color image, said image forming means including a plurality of recording units, each recording unit respectively including an electrode and a color liquid dispersion different from the remaining units each color liquid dispersion being made by dispersing charged toner particles into an insulating carrierintermediate image receiving means movable in a predetermined direction and facing said plurality of recording units for receiving the color image formed by said image forming means, said plurality of recording units being arranged in parallel along said predetermined direction of said intermediate receiving means;image receiving member supplying means for supplying an image receiving member toward said intermediate image receiving means;first voltage applying means for applying a first voltage to the respective electrode of the respective recording unit to form a first electrical field between the intermediate image receiving means and the respective electrode, the toner particles in the color liquid dispersion being agglomerated near the respective electrode by the first electrical field;second voltage applying means for applying a second voltage, larger than the first voltage, to the electrode of the recording unit selected in accordance with a plurality of color-separated image signals to form a second electrical field between the intermediate image receiving means and the electrode of the selected recording unit, the agglomerated toner particles near the electrode of the selected recording unit being ejected onto the intermediate image receiving means apart from the insulating carrier by the second electrical field, the agglomerated toner particles ejected from the respective electrode being superimposed on the intermediate image receiving means for forming the color image;transferring means, contacting said intermediate image receiving means and having a heating member therein, for heating the color image on the intermediate image receiving means and transferring the color image formed on the intermediate image receiving means onto the image receiving member, wherein the color image is transferred onto the image receiving member supplied by the image receiving member supplying means while the image receiving member is pressed to the intermediate image receiving means by the transferring means anda charger for charging the intermediate image receiving means to form the first and second electrical field between said recording units and said intermediate image receiving means,wherein the intermediate image receiving means includes a movable belt comprising a conductive member and an insulating member supported by the conductive member, andwherein the insulating member includes a conductive filler therein.