Recording method and apparatus with an intermediate transfer medium based on transfer-type recording mechanism

A recording apparatus comprising:

• a recording head for projecting an ink;
• an intermediate transfer medium;
• a recording medium;
• and
• a powder layer of an intermediate transfer element formed removably on a surface of said intermediate transfer medium, said surface of said intermediate transfer medium formed of a substance that reacts with said intermediate transfer element, said powder layer being dissolvable and swellable by said ink supplied on said intermediate transfer medium from said recording head in response to an image signal and enabling a viscosity of said ink residing thereon to be increased so as to produce an image which is in turn transferred to said recording medium;
• and a cleaning member having a surface with poor releasing ability for said intermediate transfer element which has an increased viscosity caused by said ink or absorption of a moisture in air in comparison with said surface of said intermediate transfer medium, and said intermediate transfer element having said increased viscosity is removed from said intermediate transfer medium by contacting a cleaning member with said surface of said intermediate transfer medium after being transferred to said recording medium.

A recording method comprising the steps of:

• forming a layer of an intermediate transfer element removably on a surface of an intermediate transfer medium, said surface of said intermediate transfer medium formed of a substance that is active relative to said intermediate transfer element, said layer being dissolvable and swellable by an ink on said intermediate transfer medium and enabling a viscosity of said ink residing thereon to be increased;
• producing an image on said intermediate transfer medium by supplying said ink thereon from a recording head in response to an image signal;
• and
• transferring said image to a recording medium, and reusing said intermediate transfer element remaining on said intermediate transfer medium after the step of transferring without being removed from the recording medium,
• wherein said cleaning member functions as a transfer roller.

A recording apparatus, comprising:

• an intermediate transfer medium driven along a circuitous path;
• a coating unit coating a surface of said intermediate transfer medium with an intermediate transfer element removably in the form of a powder layer, said intermediate transfer element being formed of a powder substance that is active relative to said intermediate transfer element, said powder substance being dissolvable and swellable by an ink applied to said intermediate transfer medium, said powder substance increasing a viscosity of said ink upon contact with said ink;
• a recording head producing an image on said intermediate transfer medium coated with said intermediate transfer element, by supplying thereto said ink in response to an image signal in the form of droplet to form an ink image on said intermediate transfer medium;
• a sheet feed mechanism feeding a recording sheet such that said recording sheet is transferred with said ink image from said intermediate transfer medium;
• and
• a cleaning member recovering said intermediate transfer element remaining on said intermediate transfer medium after transferring of said ink image to said recording sheet.