Patent ID: 7684747

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a toner image forming section for forming a toner image; and a transfer section for transferring the toner image onto a recording medium directly or through an intermediate transfer medium, wherein the toner image forming section includes an image bearing member that bears an electrostatic latent image thereon; an electrostatic latent image forming section for forming the electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member; a liquid-repellent particle supplying section for supplying liquid-repellent particles to a region excluding the electrostatic latent image in a region on the image bearing member where the electrostatic latent image is formed, the liquid-repellent particles being particles having a liquid-repellent property with respect to fixing fluid that acts to swell or soften toner; a fixing fluid supplying section for supplying the fixing fluid to a region corresponding to the electrostatic latent image in the region on the image bearing member where the electrostatic latent image is formed; and a developing section for forming a toner image by supplying toner to a region, to which the fixing fluid is supplied, on the image bearing member.