Imaging method and apparatus

A method for transferring a liquid toner image comprising a solids potion and a liquid portion from an image forming surface to a final substrate comprising the steps of:

• concentrating the liquid toner image to a non-volatile solids percentage of between 20 and 35% by compacting the solids portion thereof and removing carrier liquid therefrom;
• transferring the liquid toner image to an intermediate transfer member after the step of concentrating;
• and
• transferring the liquid toner imae to the final substrate after the step of concentrating.

Image apparatus utilizing a liquid developer comprising carrier liquid and pigmented polymeric toner particles which are essentially non-soluble in the carrier liquid at room temperature the apparatus comprising:

• an image forming surface;
• means utilizing said liquid developer, for forming a liquid toner image comprising a liquid portion comprising carrier liquid and a solids portion comprising toner particles on said image forming surface;
• means for concentrating the liquid toner image by compacting the solids portion of the liquid toner image and removing a portion of the carrier liquid therefrom to form a liquid image having a given non-volatile solids percentage wherein said toner particles form substantially a single phase with the remaining carrier liquid at an elevated temperature;
• means for transferring the liquid toner image to an intermediate transfer member after concentration thereof;
• and
• means or heating the liquid toner image on the intermediate transfer member to a given temperature at least as high as that at which the toner particles and the remaining carrier liquid form substantially a single phase at the given solids percentage;
• and
• means for transferring the liquid toner image after heating thereof to a final substrate.

Imaging apparatus utilizing a liquid developer, said apparatus comprising:

• an image forming surface;
• means, utilizing said liquid developer, for forming a liquid toner image comprising a liquid portion comprising carrier liquid and a solids portion comprising toner particles, on said image forming surface;
• means for concentrating the liquid toner image to a non-volatile solids percentage of said liquid toner image to between about 20% and 35% by compacting the solids portion thereof and removing carrier liquid therefrom;
• means for transferring the liquid toner image to an intermediate transfer member;
• and
• means for transferring the liquid toner image to a final substrate from the intermediate transfer member.