Patent ID: 8396404

Claim:
A method of marking an image on a media substrate using an intermediate image transfer printing apparatus, the intermediate image transfer printing apparatus including a photoreceptor surface; an exposure station operatively associated with the photoreceptor surface; a developer system operatively associated with the photoreceptor surface; an intermediate image transfer surface operatively associated with the photoreceptor surface; and an image transfer nip operatively associated with the intermediate image transfer surface, the image transfer nip including a backup roll and a paper escort apparatus to engage a media sheet, and one or more of the backup roll, paper escort apparatus and the intermediate image transfer surface including a dielectric material, the method comprising: a) forming an electrostatic image on the photoreceptor surface representative of an image to be marked on a media substrate using the exposure system; b) developing the electrostatic image on the photoreceptor surface with toner material using the developer system to generate a developed image; c) transferring the developed image from the photoreceptor surface to the intermediate image transfer surface; d) advancing the developed image on the intermediate image transfer surface to the image transfer nip; and e) generating an electric field across the image transfer nip utilizing a constant current source operatively connected to the backup roll and the paper escort apparatus, whereby, the generated electric field transfers the developed image from the intermediate image transfer surface to a media sheet, wherein the paper escort apparatus includes a conductive material operatively connected to a ground, the paper escort apparatus includes the dielectric material, and a charge neutralization system is operatively associated with the paper escort apparatus, step e) comprising: e1) generating an electric field across the nip utilizing a constant current source operatively connected to the backup roll and the paper escort apparatus; whereby the generated electric field transfers the developed image from the intermediate image transfer surface to a media sheet; and e2) neutralizing the dielectric material using the charge neutralization system.