Abstract:
An ink-jet image recording apparatus including a sheet feed mechanism feeding a recording sheet along a sheet feed path; an ink-jet recording head provided in the sheet feet path so as to record an image on the recording sheet transported through the sheet feed path, by projecting ink droplets to the recording sheet; and an ink viscosity adjusting mechanism provided in the sheet feet path and providing a substance layer on the recording sheet at an upstream side of the recording head, such that the recording head records the image through the substance layer. The ink viscosity adjusting mechanism further removes the substance layer from the recording sheet at a downstream side of the recording head after the image is recorded.

Description:
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/220,442, filed on Dec. 24, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,716. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to recording of information on a recording sheet and more particularly to the art of ink-jet recording in which visual recording of an image is made on a recording paper by impinging ink droplets thereon. 
     In the art of ink-jet recording, in which recording of image is made by impinging color ink droplets on a recording paper in response to an image signal, it is important to avoid spreading of the ink on the recording paper. While the problem of spreading of the ink on the recording paper is controlled satisfactorily when a specially produced recording paper is used at the time of ink-jet recording, the problem appears more or less conspicuously when an ordinary recording paper, including those used commonly for xerographic recording of images, is used for the recording medium of the ink-jet recording process. 
     In order to suppress the foregoing problem of spreading of ink on the recording paper at the time of ink-jet recording, it is proposed to record an ink image once on an intermediate recording medium and then transfer the ink image thus formed to an ordinary recording paper, as disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 7-89067. In such a process, it is expected that the ink on the intermediate recording medium increases the viscosity due to the evaporation of the solvent in the ink while the ink is still on the intermediate recording medium. 
     Unfortunately, this conventional process is inherently ineffective for avoiding the problem of spreading of ink due to the fundamental nature of ink-jet recording, which relies upon the use of an ink containing little resin or solid component. It should be noted that the use of a resin component or solid component in the ink would inevitably invite the problem of clogging of the ink-jet nozzle. Further, the foregoing conventional process has a tendency of incomplete image transfer, and associated therewith, there arises a need of cleaning the intermediate medium each time the intermediate ink image is transferred, for removing the remaining ink from the intermediate medium. Further, the intermediate medium tends to collect particles of the recording paper, while the particles thus collected tend to cause the problem of clogging of the ink-jet nozzle. 
     Further, there is an ink-jet process, as disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 6-92009, which avoids the spreading of ink on the recording paper by projecting a curing agent substantially simultaneously to the ink droplets on the recording paper, such that a droplet of the curing agent hits the portion of the recording paper to which an ink droplet from the ink-jet nozzle is directed. Thereby, the curing agent causes a curing of the ink droplet. 
     This process, while being able to eliminate the problem of spreading of the ink on the recording paper, has a drawback in that it requires an additional nozzle for projecting the curing agent in alignment with the ink droplets, and the cost of the ink-jet recording is inevitably increased. Further, the foregoing process of using a curing agent generally requires time for the ink to be cured, and the speed of the image recording is inevitably slowed down. 
     Further, there is an ink-jet process that avoids the spreading of ink on the recording paper as disclosed in the Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 5-96720, by uniformly applying an agent on the surface of the recording paper prior to the ink-jet recording, such that the ink droplets landed on the recording paper experience a curing or fixing as a result of contact with the curing agent. 
     While this process is effective for avoiding the spreading of ink image on the recording paper, the process has a drawback in that the curing agent, being a substance soluble to water or oil, tends to react with the solvent of the ink and the recorded image may be degraded as a result of such a reaction. In other words, the image recorded on the recording paper according to such a process is not stable and may be degraded with time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and useful ink-jet image recording method and apparatus wherein the foregoing problems are eliminated. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet image recording method and apparatus wherein the problem of spreading of ink on the recording paper is effectively eliminated even when a commonly used, ordinary recording paper is used for recording the ink image. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet image recording method and apparatus wherein the image recorded on a recording paper is stable against contacting with water. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet image recording method and apparatus wherein the image recorded on a recording paper is preserved with excellent durability. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of recording an image on a recording sheet by an ink, said method comprising the steps of: 
     forming a layer of a substance on said recording sheet, said substance causing an increase of viscosity of said ink when contacted with said ink; 
     recording an image on said recording sheet by projecting thereto said ink in the form of an ink droplet; and 
     removing said substance from said recording sheet after said step of recording said image. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet image recording apparatus, comprising: 
     a sheet feed mechanism feeding a recording sheet along a sheet feed path; 
     an ink-jet recording head provided in said sheet feed path so as to record an image on said recording sheet transported through said sheet feed path, by projecting ink droplets to said recording sheet; 
     an ink viscosity adjusting mechanism provided in said sheet feed path, said ink viscosity adjusting mechanism providing a substance layer on said recording sheet at an upstream side of said ink-jet recording head, such that said ink-jet recording head records said image through said substance layer; 
     said ink viscosity adjusting mechanism further removing said substance layer from said recording sheet at a downstream side of said ink-jet recording head after said image is recorded on said recording sheet through said substance layer. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of recording an image on a recording sheet by an ink, said method comprising the steps of: 
     forming a layer of a substance on a recording medium, said substance causing an increase of viscosity of said ink when contacted with said ink; 
     recording an image on said recording medium by projecting thereto said ink in the form of an ink droplet; and 
     transferring said image from said recording medium to said recording sheet. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an ink-jet image recording apparatus, comprising: 
     a sheet feed mechanism feeding a recording sheet along a sheet feed path; 
     an image transfer medium disposed in said sheet feed path so as to make a contact with said recording sheet transported through said sheet feed path, said image transfer medium being moved along a circuitous path; 
     an ink-jet recording head provided adjacent to said image transfer medium so as to record an image thereon, by projecting ink droplets to said image transfer medium; 
     an ink viscosity adjusting mechanism provided on said image transfer medium, said ink viscosity adjusting mechanism providing a substance layer on said image transfer medium at an upstream side of said circuitous path with respect to said ink-jet recording head, such that said ink-jet recording head records said image on said image transfer medium through said substance layer, 
     wherein said substance layer increases a viscosity of said ink droplet when contacted with said ink droplet. 
     According to the present invention, the ink droplets increase the viscosity thereof when impinged upon the substance layer, and the problem of spreading of the ink droplets on the surface of the recording sheet is successfully eliminated even when a commonly used, ordinary recording paper is used for the recording sheet. Thereby, a sharply defined, clear image recording becomes possible. 
     Other objects and further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the attached drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1A-1D are diagrams showing the principle of ink-jet recording process according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to the first embodiment; 
     FIGS. 3A-3C are diagrams showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the principle of ink-jet recording process according to a third embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 5A-5C are diagrams showing various modifications of the third embodiment; 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the fourth embodiment; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     [First Embodiment] 
     FIGS. 1A-1D show the principle of the ink-jet recording process according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to FIG. 1A, a commonly used, ordinary recording paper  2 , which may be the one used extensively in xerographic printers, is covered by a film  3  of polyvinyl alcohol, and an ink droplet  1  of a water-color ink, ejected from an ink-jet nozzle not illustrated, is impinged upon the recording paper  2  via the polyvinyl alcohol film  3 . 
     When the ink droplet  1  reaches the polyvinyl alcohol film  3 , the ink droplet  1  immediately induces a swelling or melting of the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  in correspondence to a region  1 A where the ink droplet  1  has landed as indicated in FIG. 1B, and there is formed a viscous ink droplet  1 B in correspondence to the foregoing region  1 A as indicated in FIG.  1 C. 
     The viscous ink droplet  1 B thus formed then penetrates into the recording sheet  2  in the step of FIG.  1 D and forms a recording mark, wherein it should be noted that the lateral spreading or diffusion of the ink is effectively prevented as a result of the increased viscosity of the ink droplet  1 B. After the recording of the recording mark in the step of FIG. 1D, it should be noted that the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  is removed, leaving a hole in the film  3  in correspondence to the region  1 A. 
     FIG. 2 shows the construction of an ink-jet image recording apparatus  10  according to the present embodiment, designed for carrying out the process of FIGS. 1A-1D, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  10  includes feed rollers  2 A and  2 B at a first side of a paper feed path  2 P for feeding the recording paper  2 , and there is provided an ink-jet head  10 A at a second, opposite side of the paper feed path  2 P such that the ink-jet head  10 A carries out an ink-jet recording on the recording paper  2  on the paper feed path  2 P by ejecting the ink droplets  1  of a water-color ink. 
     Further, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  10  of FIG. 2 includes additional feed rollers  3 A and  3 B at the second side respectively in correspondence to the feed rollers  2 A and  2 B, and the feed rollers  3 A and  3 B feed the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  such that the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  is contacted intimately with the recording paper  2  at the second side of the recording paper  2 . It should be noted that the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  is supplied from the supply roll  3 C and is taken up by the take-up roll  3 D, wherein the supply roll  3 C and the take-up roll  3 D are provided at the second side of the recording paper  2 . 
     While the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  is represented as being separated from the paper  2  in FIG. 2, this is merely for the sake of representation and the film  3  is fed together with the paper  2  in intimate contact therewith such that there is no air or gap between the film  3  and the paper  2 . Thus, it should be noted that the feed roller  2 A engages with the feed roller  3 A firmly, with the recording paper  2  and the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  interposed therebetween. Similarly, the feed roller  2 B engages with the feed roller  3 B firmly, with the recording paper  2  and the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  interposed therebetween. 
     Preferably, the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  has a thickness of 1-50 μm, more preferably a thickness of 4-10 μm, most preferably a thickness of about 5 μm. When the thickness of the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  is excessive, the swelling or melting in the step of FIG. 1B tends to become incomplete. When the thickness of the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  is too small, there arises a difficulty of handling the film  3 . 
     By using the construction of FIG. 2, a clearly defined image is recorded on the recording paper  2  without spreading of the ink, even in such a case in which a commonly used recording paper such as Ricoh PPC for xerographic copiers and laser printers is used for the paper  2 . 
     As the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  is removed from the recording paper  2  after the ink-jet recording, no resin component remains on the recording paper  2  and the degradation of the recorded image, caused by the resin film  3  when contacted with water or oil, is effectively eliminated. Thereby, the ink image recorded on the recording paper  2  remains stably for long time. 
     [Second Embodiment] 
     FIGS. 3A-3C show the construction of an ink-jet image recording apparatus  20  according to a second embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 3A, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  20  uses, instead of the polyvinyl alcohol film  3  of the previous embodiment, a mesh belt  21  such that the mesh belt  21  moves along a circuitous path defined by the feed rollers  3 A and  3 B and an additional feel roller  3 E. Thereby, the supply roll  3 C and the take-up roll  3 D of the previous embodiment is eliminated. 
     Further, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  20  of FIG. 3A includes a container  22  containing therein polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl pyrrolidone in the form of a solution, and there are provided additional rollers  3 F and  3 G for taking up the polyvinyl alcohol solution or polyvinyl pyrrolidone solution in the container  22  and for coating the same over the mesh belt  21  via the feed roller  3 E. 
     FIG. 3B shows the mesh belt  21  in detail. 
     Referring to FIG. 3B, the mesh belt  21  includes mesh openings smaller in size than the size of the ink droplet  1  and holds the polyvinyl alcohol film or polyvinyl pyrrolidone film  22  in the mesh opening as indicated in FIG.  3 C. Thereby, the ink droplet  1  landed on the mesh belt  21  reacts immediately with the film  22  held in the mesh opening and forms an ink region of increased viscosity, similarly to the region  1 A of FIG.  1 B. 
     The viscous ink region  1 A thus formed is then transferred to the recording paper  2 . 
     In the present embodiment, it is also possible to use other porous medium in place of the mesh belt  21 , as long as the porous medium can hold the polyvinyl alcohol film or the polyvinyl pyrrolidone film thereon and as long as the thickness of the medium is small enough that the viscous ink droplets  1 A thus formed on the porous medium is transferred to the recording paper  2  immediately. 
     As the polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl pyrrolidone film is removed from the recording paper  2  after the ink-jet recording process together with the mesh belt  21  in the present embodiment, the problem of the recorded image being degraded by the resin film remaining on the recording paper  2  after the ink-jet recording process is successfully eliminated and the recorded image is retained stably on the recording paper  2  for a prolonged duration. 
     [Third Embodiment] 
     FIG. 4 shows the construction of an ink-jet image recording apparatus  30  according to a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  30  of the present embodiment has a construction similar to that of the ink-jet image recording apparatus  20  of FIG. 3A, except that fine particles of a water-soluble resin such as a polyvinyl alcohol resin, a polyvinyl pyrrolidone resin, Arabic rubber (gum arabi), a polyacrylic acid resin, or a polyacrylate resin, are held by the mesh-belt  21 . Associated therewith, the container  22  and the rollers  3 F and  3 G for applying the liquid in the container  22  on the mesh belt  21  are eliminated, and instead, there is provided a container  31  that holds therein the foregoing water-soluble resin in the form of particles. Further, there are provided rollers  31 A and  31 B for picking up the particles in the container  31  and for applying the same on the mesh-belt  21 . 
     Typically, the particles held in the container  31  have a particle size of 0.1-10 μm, more preferably 0.5-5 μm and undergo a swelling or melting when contacted with the ink droplet  1  ejected from the ink-jet head  10 A. More in detail, the ink droplet  1  thus induced swelling or melting in the resin particles experiences a rapid increase in the viscosity at the marginal part thereof, and the lateral spreading of the ink beyond the initial droplet size is effectively suppressed. 
     Particularly, it was found that the particles of electrolytic polymers and electrolytic polymer salts, such as polyacrylic acids or polyacrylates, undergo a very fast melting when contacted with a water-color ink droplet and a rapid increase of viscosity is induced in the ink droplet. Further, it was found that, after contact with the water-color ink droplets, the electrolytic polymers or electrolytic polymer salts become insoluble to water, and the ink image thus formed on the recording paper  2  is retained without decay even when the recording paper  2  is dipped into water after the ink-jet recording of the image. 
     Further, it was found that the particles of polymer absorber, such as the one supplied from Nippon Shokubai K.K., is suitable for the purpose of the present invention, as such polymer absorber shows a rapid swelling when contacted with a water-color ink droplet and induces a rapid increase of viscosity in the ink droplet. Further, the polymer absorber is stable against moisture and can be held in the ink-jet recording apparatus for a prolonged duration. In addition, the use of polymer absorber is advantageous in the point that the amount of the polymer absorber necessary for causing the increase of ink viscosity is extremely small. 
     FIGS. 5A-5C show various modifications of the ink-jet printer  30  of the third embodiment, wherein FIG. 5A shows the construction in which the mesh belt  21  of FIG. 4 is eliminated and a porous elastic blade  32  is provided in place therefor for coating the surface of the recording paper  2  with the resin particles at an upstream side of the location of the paper feed path  2 P in which the ink-jet recording is made by the ink-jet head  10 A. 
     FIG. 5B, on the other hand, shows a modification in which a porous elastic roller  33  is used for coating the surface of the recording paper  2  by the resin particles at the upstream side of the ink-jet head  10 A. Typically, a roller of silicone rubber or butyl rubber is used for the roller  33 . 
     Further, FIG. 5C shows a modification in which the resin particles are sprayed on the recording paper  2  by a spray nozzle  34  also at the upstream side of the ink-jet head  10 A. 
     In a preferred example of using, in the construction of FIG. 5A, the particles of polyacrylic acid having an average diameter of about 1 μm it was confirmed that a clear, sharply defined image is recorded on the recording paper  2  even when an ordinary recording paper for use in xerographic copiers and printers is used for the recording paper  2 . The quality of the image thus obtained on the ordinary recording paper was substantially identical with the quality when the ink-jet recording was made on a special recording paper specially produced for ink-jet recording. 
     As noted already, the resin to be used in combination with a water-color ink is a water-soluble resin and includes the particles of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, Arabic rubber (gum arabi), polyacrylic acid, or polyacrylate. Further, a polymer absorber may also be used. When the ink is an oily ink, on the other hand, the resin to be used in combination with the ink includes the particles of petroleum resin, DCPD resin, rosin modified phenol resin, arachid resin, and the like. 
     [Fourth Embodiment] 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B show an ink-jet image recording apparatus  40  and  40 A according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 6A, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  40  has a construction similar to that of the apparatus  30  of FIG. 4 except that the resin particles are applied on the recording paper  2  by the porous elastic roller  33 , which in turn receives the resin particles in a container  33 C via intermediate rollers  33 B and  33 A. 
     Further, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  40  includes a recovery roller  41  at the downstream side of the ink-jet head  10 A for recovering the particles remaining on the paper  2  without being reacted with the, ink droplet  1 . Typically, the recovery roller  41  is formed of an elastic porous material such as a silicone rubber, and the recording paper  2  is fed to a recovery tray (not shown) of the ink-jet image recording apparatus  40  in the state that the resin particles are removed. By removing the resin particles, the problem of the remaining resin particles on the paper  2  causing a reaction with water or oil after the ink-jet image recording, is successfully eliminated, and the durability of the recording is improved substantially. 
     The resin particles thus collected on the recovery roller  41  are scraped off by a blade  41  and are collected into a recovery container  42 . 
     The apparatus  40 A of FIG. 6B is a modification of the apparatus  40  and collects the resin particles by using a suction nozzle  43 . Otherwise, the construction is identical with that of the apparatus  40  and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     FIG. 7 shows a further modification of the present embodiment, wherein the resin particles recovered by the nozzle  43  from a recording paper  2   1  is. reused in the next recording paper  2   2  by feeding the recovered resin particles to the spray nozzle  34 . 
     [Fifth Embodiment] 
     FIG. 8 shows the construction of an ink-jet image recording apparatus  50  according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  50  includes an image transfer roller  51  and an adjacent sheet feed roller  52  disposed at both sides of the recording paper  2  on the paper feed path  2 P, such that the image transfer roller  5  and the sheet feed roller  52  engage with each other across the recording paper  2 . Further, the ink-jet recording head  10 A is disposed at the side of the image transfer roller  51  and records an ink-jet image on the surface of the image transfer roller  51  by impinging the ink droplets  1 . 
     Further, the construction of FIG. 8 includes a container  53  holding the particles  54  of a substance that undergoes a swelling or melting when contacted with the ink droplet  1 , wherein the container  53  is disposed such that the particles  54  in the container  53  make a contact with the surface of the image transfer roller  51 . Typically, the image transfer roller  51  is formed of a silicone rubber or a butyl rubber having a sticky surface, and the particles  54  form a thin layer  54 A on the surface of the image transfer roller  51  as the roller  51  is rotated. In order to assist the formation of the thin layer  54 A of the particles  54  on the image transfer roller  51 , the container  53  includes a coating blade  55  therein such that a minute gap is formed between the edge of the coating blade  55  and the surface of the image transfer roller  51 . 
     When the ink used for the ink droplet  1  is a water-color ink, it is preferable to use any of a polymer electrolyte, polymer electrolytic salt or a polymer absorber described before for the particles. When the ink is an oily ink, on the other hand, it is preferable to use any of the petroleum resin, DCPD resin, rosin modified phenol resin, or arachid resin. 
     As a result of the use of the foregoing resin particles for the particles  54 , there is formed a viscous ink image  54 B on the surface of the image transfer roller  51 , and the viscous ink image  54 B thus formed is transferred to the recording paper  2  in the form of a fixed ink image  54 C. As the ink image  54 B is a viscous ink image, the problem of spreading or diffusion of the ink into the fibrous texture of the recording paper  2  is successfully avoided even when an ordinary paper is used for the recording paper  2 . The fixed ink image  54 C on the paper  2  is stable against moisture or water, and the ink image thus recorded on the paper  2  is substantially free from decaying. 
     In the construction of FIG. 8, it should be noted that the particles  54 A not contacted with the ink droplet  1  remain on the sticky surface of the image transfer roller  51 . Thus, the recording paper  2  is substantially free from the particles  54 A after the ink image  54 C is fixed thereon, and the problem of decaying of the recorded ink image as a result of accidental contact of the paper  2  with water or oil is effectively suppressed. 
     In the construction of FIG. 8, it is also possible to form the ink image  54 C on the recording paper  2  in the state that the ink image  54 C is projecting from the surface of the paper  2 , while such a projecting ink image provides an ornamental effect and also assists a handicapped person to recognize the recorded image. This feature applies also to other embodiments of the present invention. 
     [Sixth Embodiment] 
     FIG. 9 shows the construction of an ink-jet recording apparatus  60  according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  60  uses a pair of feed rollers  52  and  52 A for feeding the recording paper  2  along the paper feed path  2 P, wherein the image transfer roller  51  of the previous embodiment is replaced by an image transfer belt  51 A, typically of a material such as silicone rubber or butyl rubber having a sticky surface, and the particles  54 A of the resin that causes a swelling or melting upon contact with the ink droplet  1  is supplied on the belt  51 A from the container  53  not illustrated, wherein the resin particles  54 A are coated to form a layer by a roller  55 A. 
     In the ink-jet image recording apparatus  60 , the ink-jet head  10 A is disposed above the belt  51 A and elects the ink droplets  1  on the belt  51 A carrying thereon the resin particles  54 A. Thereby, there is formed a viscous ink image  54 B on the belt  51 A and the viscous ink image  54 B thus formed is transferred to the recording paper  2  as the recording paper  2  is pressed against the belt  51 A by the feed rollers  52  and  52 A. The feed roller  52  further includes therein a heating mechanism  52 B such as a halogen lamp, and the viscous ink image  54 B thus transferred to the recording paper  2  is fixed immediately to form a fixed ink image  54 C. 
     In the present embodiment, too, it is possible to carry out the ink-jet image recording without causing spreading or diffusion of the ink image into the fibrous texture of the recording paper  2 , even in such a case in which ordinary recording paper is used for the paper  2 . 
     [Seventh Embodiment] 
     FIG. 10 shows the construction of an ink-jet image recording apparatus  70  according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 10, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  70  of the present embodiment is a modification of the apparatus  60  and holds the image transfer belt  51 A by the feed roller  52 A and additional feed rollers  52 C and  52 D, wherein there is provided a powder coating roller  55 B in engagement with the feed roller  52 C for coating the surface of the image transfer belt  51 A with the particles in the container  53 . Further, there is provided a blade  55   a  in engagement with a cooperating roller  55   b  across the belt  51 A so as to scrape off the particles from the surface of the belt  51 A. The blade  55   a  is provided such that the scraped particles are recovered into the container  53 . 
     Otherwise, the image recording apparatus  70  is substantially identical with the image recording apparatus  60  and further description thereof will be omitted. 
     [Eighth Embodiment] 
     FIG. 11A shows a part of an ink-jet image recording apparatus  80  according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 11A, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  80  is a modification of the apparatus  50  of FIG. 8, wherein the ink-jet head  10 A and the image transfer roller  51  are provided above the paper feed path  2 P, and the resin particles  54  are dropped on the surface of the image transfer roller  51  from a feeding mechanism  53 A disposed above the roller  51 . Further, there is provided a blade  55 C for coating the surface of the image transfer roller  51  by the thin layer of the resin particles  54 . Thereby, the ink-image is recorded on the image transfer roller  51  by the ink droplets  1  ejected from the ink-jet head  10 A, wherein the ink droplets  1  thus reached the surface of the image transfer roller  51  experience the rapid increase of viscosity, and the viscous ink image thus formed is transferred to the recording paper  2  without causing substantial spreading or diffusion of the ink. 
     FIG. 11B shows an ink-jet image recording apparatus  80 A which is a modification of the apparatus  80  of FIG.  11 A. 
     Referring to FIG. 11B, the apparatus  80 A uses a reverse roller  55 D for coating the surface of the image transfer roller  51  with the resin particles  54  in place of the coating blade  55 C. Otherwise, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  80 A is identical with the apparatus  80  of FIG.  11 A. 
     [Ninth Embodiment] 
     FIG. 12 shows the construction of an ink-jet image recording apparatus  90  according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention, wherein those parts corresponding to the parts described previously are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 12, the ink-jet image recording apparatus  90  is a modification of the ink-jet image recording apparatus  80  or  80 A in that the resin particles  54  are provided on the image transfer roller  51  and the ink-jet image is formed on the roller  51  by way of the ink droplets  1  from the ink-jet recording head  10 A. 
     In the present embodiment, it should be noted that there is provided an electrostatic charger  55 E above the image transfer roller  51  for charging the resin particles  54  to a first polarity and the surface of the roller  51  to a second, opposite polarity. Thereby, the resin particles  54  cover the surface of the roller  51  by an electrostatic interaction. 
     Further, in any of the preceding embodiments, it is possible to use colored resin particles for the resin particles  54 . In such a case, the ink-jet recording head  10 A may eject water droplets in place of the ink droplets  1 . 
     Further, the present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described heretofore, but various variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.