PURPOSE: To form a pixel by ink without using a nozzle for discharging ink, by supplying the ink to an ink holding area of an image carrier, forming a latent image in the ink holding area and transferring the ink of the latent image to a to-be-recorded material.
CONSTITUTION: An ink feed part 5, an electric charge feed part 6 and a transfer part 7 are provided along the outer periphery of a drum 1. On the other hand, a pattern corresponding to an ink holding area is formed in an ink retainer layer 2 on the surface of the drum 1 by a pattern forming part 11. The ink supplied from the ink feed part 5 to the ink retainer layer 2 is held in the ink holding area first. Subsequently, electric charges based on image signals are supplied to the held ink from the charge feed part 6, whereby a latent image is formed. Then, only the ink to which the electric charges are supplied is selected and transferred to a to-be-recorded medium 8 by the transfer part 7. The remaining ink is collected by an ink collecting part 12, and the charges of the ink retainer layer 2 are removed by a charge removing means 10.
NAKAO HIDEYUKI
HIRAHARA SHUZO
ISHII KOICHI
