Patent ID: 7020420

Claim:
A device for electrographic printing or copying, comprising: a latent image carrier having a potential pattern corresponding to an image pattern to be printed; an applicator element that carries a liquid layer of ink; an air gap between the liquid layer and a surface of the latent image carrier opposed thereto; droplets transferred from the liquid layer by overcoming the air gap being provided on the surface of the latent image carrier for inking a latent image on the latent image carrier to form an inked image; an alternating force field in the air gap, said force field acting on the liquid layer; and a surface of the applicator element having a structure at which detachment of droplets from the liquid layer is facilitated, said structure comprising a plurality of first areas having an increased electrical conductivity, a plurality of second areas that differ from a remaining surface based on at least one of a polar portion and a disperse portion of surface energy, and a plurality of third areas formed as microscopic elevations on an otherwise smooth surface of the applicator element.