Patent ID: 7184698

Claim:
A method for forming a durable toner image on a face of a receiver member, said durable toner image made from a pre-gloss toner image formed from toner particles, said pre-gloss toner image having at least a portion thereof in which at least the outermost toner is made from UV-curable toner, said method further utilizing a movable receiver member transport web having a smooth surface and being transparent to UV radiation, wherein in said method an input member including said pre-gloss toner image on said receiver member is movable in non-slip association with said transport web with said outermost toner in direct contact with said smooth surface, said method including the steps of: moving said input member with said web through a heating zone to melt toner such that at least said outermost toner is heated to a molten state; with said molten state being maintained, moving said receiver member with said web into an exposure zone, and curing at least said outermost toner, which contacts said smooth surface of said web, in said exposure zone by exposure to a flux of UV radiation, said curing causing crosslinking of at least said outermost toner, said curing thereby forming a crosslinked fused toner image on said face of said receiver member; moving said receiver member with said web out of said exposure zone and through a cooling zone so as to cool said crosslinked fused toner image to a temperature below a glass transition temperature of any said UV-curable toner included in said crosslinked fused toner image; and moving said receiver member with said web through a separation zone such that said receiver member, bearing said crosslinked fused toner image, is separated from said web, thereby producing an output member having said durable toner image on said face of said receiver member.