Patent ID: 6137976
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image formation apparatus having at least one image formation station, said at least one image formation station comprising an image bearing member, an electrostatic latent image formation stage that forms an electrostatic latent image on said image bearing member, and a developing stage comprising an applicator that supplies a thin layer of a highly viscous liquid developing agent using a flexible developing agent bearing member to the surface of the latent image on said image bearing member, the highly viscous liquid developing agent having a viscosity from 100 to 10,000 mPa.cndot.s and having charged developing particles dispersed at a high concentration in a non-conductive liquid, so as to form a developed image on a developed image bearing member being either the image bearing member or the flexible developing agent bearing member and a transfer stage in which the developed image is transferred to a further member, the transfer stage being characterized by a distributed contact pressure between the developed image bearing member and the further member whereby the developed image can be transferred to the further member without the developed image spreading.