Patent ID: 7813689

Claim:
A fixing device for fixing unfixed toner onto a recording material by applying toner fixing liquid, the toner fixing liquid comprising a softening agent for softening the unfixed toner and a solvent for dissolving or dispersing the softening agent, the fixing device comprising: a sprayer configured to spray the toner fixing liquid as fixing liquid droplets; a liquid droplet charging unit configured to apply, to the fixing liquid droplets sprayed by the sprayer, an electric charge of the same polarity as that of the unfixed toner; a medium conveying unit configured to convey the recording material on which the unfixed toner is placed through an atmosphere comprising the fixing liquid droplets to which the electric charge is applied by the liquid droplet charging unit; and a recording material charging unit configured to charge the recording material being conveyed by the medium conveying unit to a polarity opposite to those of the unfixed toner and the fixing liquid droplets.