Patent ID: 6745002
Filing Date: 2004-06-01
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus, comprisinga development section using a nonvolatile, high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid toner as a liquid developer, the development section being in contact with an image bearer body, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, so as to supply the liquid developer onto the image bearer body, and causing toner particles contained in the liquid developer to adhere to the image bearer body according to an electric field established between the development section and the image bearer body to thereby form a toner image; an intermediate transfer body to which the toner image is transferred from the image bearer body according to an electric field established between the same and the image bearer body; and a transfer-and-fixation section including a heater for melting the toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer body through application of heat at a contact portion between the intermediate transfer body and a printing medium to thereby melt-transfer the toner image onto the printing medium, wherein the intermediate transfer body is equipped with a carrier-removing roller which comes into contact with a toner layer forming an image thereon in order to remove excessive oil from the toner layer and to which a bias voltage is applied in such a direction as to press toner particles against the intermediate transfer body retaining an image; and wherein a material having low surface energy is used as a surface material, serving as an image formation surface, of the intermediate transfer body, and an electric resistance of the surface material is set to a semiconductive range of 1E4-1E12 &OHgr;, wherein after excessive oil is removed by means of the carrier-removing roller and before transfer onto printing paper is performed, an electric field is applied in a direction of transfer at such an intensity as not to effect transfer, thereby weakening a force of retaining toner on the image formation surface and thus realizing high efficiency of transfer onto the paper.