Wet-type image formation apparatus and a charging device for charging a recording medium, and method

A wet-type image formation apparatus that forms a toner-fixed image on a recording medium while conveying said recording medium, comprising:

• an image carrier that carries a toner image including toner particles, which are charged to have a first polarity, and a carrier liquid;
• a transfer mechanism that is disposed to face said image carrier with a conveying path for said recording medium being interposed therebetween, that forms a nip portion between said transfer mechanism and said image carrier when being pressed against said image carrier, and that transfers said toner image carried by said image carrier onto a transfer surface of said recording medium conveyed to said nip portion;
• a charging device that charges said transfer surface to have a second polarity opposite to said first polarity before said recording medium is conveyed to said nip portion, said charging device having a first member and a second member facing each other with the conveying path for said recording medium being interposed therebetween;
• and
• a fixing mechanism that fixes said toner image transferred onto said transfer surface,
• said fixing mechanism including a noncontact heating device that heats said toner image without contact with said toner image transferred onto said transfer surface,
• said noncontact heating device forming said toner particles into a film such that said toner particles and said carrier liquid are separated from each other by heating said toner image when said toner particles having been charged to have said first polarity are electrostatically adsorbed onto said transfer surface charged to have said second polarity,
• the film of said toner particles being fixed on said transfer surface.