Latent inkjet printing, to avoid drying and liquid-loading problems, and provide sharper imaging

A printing device comprising:

• a transfer surface on which an electrostatic charge is to be applied;
• inkjet-printing means for ejecting a liquid to form a latent image on the transfer surface after the electrostatic charge has been applied to the transfer surface;
• voltage supply means for maintaining the transfer surface at a first voltage;
• image-actuation means for associating another, separate substance with the latent image on the transfer surface to actuate the image, the image-actuation means being a different mechanism than the inkjet-printing means,
• wherein the inkjet-printing means is maintained at a second voltage different than the first voltage, such that a voltage difference exists between the transfer surface and the inkjet-printing means.

A method comprising:

• applying an electrostatic charge to a transfer surface;
• after the electrostatic charge has been applied to the transfer surface, ejecting a liquid by an inkjet-printing mechanism to form a latent image on the transfer surface;
• maintaining the transfer surface at a first voltage via a voltage supply operatively coupled to the transfer surface;
• associating another, separate substance with the latent image on the transfer surface to actuate the image, using an image-actuation mechanism that is different than the inkjet-printing mechanism;
• maintaining the inkjet-printing mechanism at a second voltage different than the first voltage, such that a voltage difference exists between the transfer surface and the inkjet-printing mechanism.