Abstract: An apparatus and method for recording an image using a transfer-type recording mechanism are such that a layer of an intermediate transfer element is removably formed on a surface of an intermediate transfer medium. The intermediate transfer element includes an ultraviolet stabilizer and a powder mixture. The intermediate transfer layer is capable of being dissolved and swelled by applying an ink liquid on the intermediate transfer medium and enables a viscosity of the ink liquid residing thereon to be increased. An image is produced on the intermediate transfer medium by supplying the ink liquid thereon. The image is then transferred to the recording medium, so that a high quality image is produced without any blurring, mixing or penetration of the ink liquid.

Abstract: Images formed by a liquid are transferred onto both sides of a sheet-like recording medium without the liquid running on or penetrating into the recording medium. A layer of absorbing powder is formed on an intermediate transfer member. The liquid is applied to the powder layer formed on the intermediate transfer member so as to form a first visible image. The first visible image is transferred onto the front side of the recording medium. Thereafter, another layer of the absorbing powder is formed on the intermediate transfer member, and the liquid is applied to the powder layer so as to form a second visible image. The second visible image is transferred onto the back side of the recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recording an image using a transfer-type recording mechanism are such that a layer of an intermediate transfer element is removably formed on a surface of an intermediate transfer medium. The intermediate transfer element includes an ultraviolet stabilizer and a powder mixture. The intermediate transfer layer is capable of being dissolved and swelled by applying an ink liquid on the intermediate transfer medium and enables a viscosity of the ink liquid residing thereon to be increased. An image is produced on the intermediate transfer medium by supplying the ink liquid thereon. The image is then transferred to the recording medium, so that a high quality image is produced without any blurring, mixing or penetration of the ink liquid.

Abstract: A device included in an image forming apparatus for removing a substance that disfigures an image. The device includes an adsorbent support that supports an adsorbent. The absorbent has a molecular structure including voids that have a diameter great enough to pass molecules of the disfiguring substance which is deposited on the surface of an image carrier and contain water.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recording an image using a transfer-type recording mechanism are such that a layer of an intermediate transfer element is removably formed on a surface of an intermediate transfer medium. The intermediate transfer element includes an ultraviolet stabilizer and a powder mixture. The intermediate transfer layer is capable of being dissolved and swelled by applying an ink liquid on the intermediate transfer medium and enables a viscosity of the ink liquid residing thereon to be increased. An image is produced on the intermediate transfer medium by supplying the ink liquid thereon. The image is then transferred to the recording medium, so that a high quality image is produced without any blurring, mixing or penetration of the ink liquid.

Abstract: A method of forming an image includes causing a material, that increases a viscosity of liquid drops by contact with the liquid drops, to adhere to a transfer medium, causing a liquid drop to contact the material according to an image signal such that an image is formed with the liquid drop having been increased in viscosity by contact with the material, and transferring the image to a recording medium. The viscosity of the liquid drop when increased on the transfer medium by contact with the material is set such that the liquid drop adheres to the recording medium without being divided into a part remaining on the transfer medium and another part being transferred to the recording medium. By the above-described image forming method, good image transfer is realized and thereby an image having no blotting is obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recording an image using a transfer-type recording mechanism are such that a layer of an intermediate transfer element is removably formed on a surface of an intermediate transfer medium. The intermediate transfer element includes an ultraviolet stabilizer and a powder mixture. The intermediate transfer layer is capable of being dissolved and swelled by applying an ink liquid on the intermediate transfer medium and enables a viscosity of the ink liquid residing thereon to be increased. An image is produced on the intermediate transfer medium by supplying the ink liquid thereon. The image is then transferred to the recording medium, so that a high quality image is produced without any blurring, mixing or penetration of the ink liquid.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for recording an image using a transfer-type recording mechanism are such that a layer of an intermediate transfer element is removably formed on a surface of an intermediate transfer medium. The intermediate transfer element includes an ultraviolet stabilizer and a powder mixture. The intermediate transfer layer is capable of being dissolved and swelled by applying an ink liquid on the intermediate transfer medium and enables a viscosity of the ink liquid residing thereon to be increased. An image is produced on the intermediate transfer medium by supplying the ink liquid thereon. The image is then transferred to the recording medium, so that a high quality image is produced without any blurring, mixing or penetration of the ink liquid.

Abstract: Images formed by a liquid are transferred onto both sides of a sheet-like recording medium without the liquid running on or penetrating into the recording medium. A layer of absorbing powder is formed on an intermediate transfer member. The liquid is applied to the powder layer formed on the intermediate transfer member so as to form a first visible image. The first visible image is transferred onto the front side of the recording medium. Thereafter, another layer of the absorbing powder is formed on the intermediate transfer member, and the liquid is applied to the powder layer so as to form a second visible image. The second visible image is transferred onto the back side of the recording medium.

Abstract: Images formed by a liquid are transferred onto both sides of a sheet-like recording medium without the liquid running on or penetrating into the recording medium. A layer of absorbing powder is formed on an intermediate transfer member. The liquid is applied to the powder layer formed on the intermediate transfer member so as to form a first visible image. The first visible image is transferred onto the front side of the recording medium. Thereafter, another layer of the absorbing powder is formed on the intermediate transfer member, and the liquid is applied to the powder layer so as to form a second visible image. The second visible image is transferred onto the back side of the recording medium.

Abstract: A powder composition containing a powder of a modified polymer having a recurring unit containing at least one carboxyl group, the carboxyl groups of part of the recurring units being in the form of a salt with an aliphatic amine having at least 6 carbon atoms, and a powder of a surfactant. The powder composition is used for forming an image on a printing medium, in which method the composition is applied over a surface of a transfer medium to form a layer of the powder. An image of a liquid ink capable of dissolving or swelling the powder is then formed on the layer so that the viscosity of the liquid ink increases when contacted with the powder. The image on the transfer medium is contacted with the printing medium so that the image is transferred to the printing medium.

Abstract: A device included in an image forming apparatus for removing a substance that disfigures an image is disclosed. The device includes an adsorbent support supporting an adsorbent. The absorbent has a molecular structure including voids that have a diameter great enough to pass molecules of the disfiguring substance, which is deposited on the surface of an image carrier, therethrough and contain water therein.

Abstract: Images formed by a liquid are transferred onto both sides of a sheet-like recording medium without the liquid running on or penetrating into the recording medium. A layer of absorbing powder is formed on an intermediate transfer member. The liquid is applied to the powder layer formed on the intermediate transfer member so as to form a first visible image. The first visible image is transferred onto the front side of the recording medium. Thereafter, another layer of the absorbing powder is formed on the intermediate transfer member, and the liquid is applied to the powder layer so as to form a second visible image. The second visible image is transferred onto the back side of the recording medium.

Abstract: A method of forming an image includes causing a material, that increases a viscosity of liquid drops by contact with the liquid drops, to adhere to a transfer medium, causing a liquid drop to contact the material according to an image signal such that an image is formed with the liquid drop having been increased in viscosity by contact with the material, and transferring the image to a recording medium. The viscosity of the liquid drop when increased on the transfer medium by contact with the material is set such that the liquid drop adheres to the recording medium without being divided into a part remaining on the transfer medium and another part being transferred to the recording medium. By the above-described image forming method, good image transfer is realized and thereby an image having no blotting is obtained.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for removing an image forming substance such as toner from an image holding member such as a sheet of transfer paper, a CCD sensor detects an unremoved image formed by a stamp, additional writing, etc. and left on the transfer paper sheet after toner separating processing is performed with respect to the transfer paper sheet by a liquid-providing toner-separating unit. A discriminating mark such as a punch, a mark o, etc. is additionally provided to the transfer paper sheet having the detected unremoved image by a discriminating mark providing unit. The transfer paper sheet having the discriminating mark is automatically sorted by a sorting unit and is discharged onto a paper discharging tray. The toner removing apparatus may have an unrecognizing device for blotting the unremoved image such as a seal print, a signature, etc. on the transfer paper sheet.

Abstract: In a method for repeatedly using an image holding member such as a sheet of paper, toner for an electronic photograph is constructed such that a maximum value of viscoelasticity of the toner shown by tan .delta. is equal to or smaller than 3 in the range of a heating temperature when the toner is heated and fixed to the image holding member. Such toner has sufficient elastic or cohesive force. Accordingly, when the toner is heated and fixed to the paper sheet, no excessive adhesive force is caused to such an extent that paper fibers of the paper sheet eat into the toner attached to the paper sheet. Accordingly, after an aqueous solution including a surfactant is supplied to the paper sheet by a liquid supplying unit, the toner is softened by heat from heating rollers so that the toner is attached to a surface of an offset belt.

Abstract: In a method of and an apparatus for regenerating an image support from a used image-bearing support which bears thereon hydrophobic images formed of thermofusible or heat-softening ink, a plurality of image releasing members are used for removing the hydrophobic images from the used image-bearing support. Specifically, at least one of the image releasing members has a first portion which is able to adhere to the hydrophobic images and a second portion which is unable to adhere to the hydrophobic images, and the image releasing members are arranged in series in order of size of the first portion from small to large along a feeding direction of the used image support. Accordingly, the image releasing members are allowed to adhere to the hydrophobic images in order of size of the first portion from small to large so that the hydrophobic images are removed from the used image support effectively.

Abstract: A method of producing a recyclable image recording support material including a paper layer capable of copying or recording images thereon is conducted by the steps of applying to an image-bearable side of an image recording support material including a paper layer an aqueous coating liquid selected from the group consisting of an aqueous surfactant solution, an aqueous water-soluble polymer solution, and a mixture of the aqueous surfactant solution and the aqueous water-soluble polymer solution, in an extremely small amount; removing images, if any, from the image-bearable side of the image recording support material by bringing an image releasing member into contact with the image-bearable side of the image recording support material under application of heat and pressure thereto; and drying the image recording support material. An image recording support material is produced by the above method. A method of recyling an image recording support material, based on the above method, is also conducted.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for removing an image forming substance such as toner from an image holding member such as a sheet of transfer paper, an unstabilizing agent is provided to the image holding member. An attaching state between the image forming substance and the image holding member stably attaching the image forming substance on a surface thereof is changed to an unstable state by the unstabilizing agent. The image forming substance is separated and removed from the image holding member by making a separating member come in close contact with the image forming substance on the image holding member having the provided unstabilizing agent. A processing situation mark showing a processing situation of removal of the image forming substance is formed in the image holding member. The processing situation mark can be removed from the image holding member by the image forming substance removing processing.

Abstract: A predetermined processing liquid is supplied by a liquid supplying unit to a sheet of transfer paper having a surface on which toner is stably attached. An adhesive state of the toner on the transfer paper sheet is changed to an unstable adhesive state. The processing liquid is constructed by water, aqueous solutions of a surfactant, a water-soluble polymer, etc. The transfer paper sheet including the processing liquid is fed to a toner separating unit. While the toner is heated and pressurized in the toner separating unit, the toner is attached to a separating roller having a surface on which the softened toner is easily attached. The toner separating unit then separates only the transfer paper sheet from the surface of the separating roller by a separating claw. The processing liquid is removed from the transfer paper sheet by heating the transfer paper sheet, etc. using a drying unit such that the transfer paper sheet can be reused for a copying machine, etc.