Method of high resolution of electrostatic transfer of a high density image to a receiving substrate

Claim 1

A method of fabricating a toned pattern on a nonabsorbent receiving surface electrically isolated from ground, comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a charged electrostatic latent image area on an electrostatically imageable surface; (b) developing the electrostatic latent image area by applying to the electrostatically imageable surface charged toner particles suspended in a liquid comprised at least partially of a nonpolar insulating solvent to form a first liquid layer with a first liquid surface, the charged toner particles being directed to the latent image area of the electrostatically imageable surface to form a developed latent image of a predetermined pile height; (c) applying to the nonabsorbent receiving surface a liquid comprised at least partially of a nonpolar insulating solvent to form a second liquid layer with a second liquid surface; (d) establishing an electric field between the electrostatically imageable surface and the nonabsorbent receiving surface by connecting a D.C. voltage directly across a conductive electrode and the electrostatically imageable surface, the conductive electrode being connected to the nonabsorbent receiving surface; (e) placing the nonabsorbent surface adjacent to the electrostatically imageable surface so that a gap is maintained therebetween and the first liquid surface contacts the second liquid surface to create a liquid transfer medium across the liquid-filled gap, the liquid-filled gap being of a depth greater than the pile height of the toner particles; (f) transferring the developed latent image from the electrostatically imageable surface through the liquid to the nonabsorbent receiving surface to form a transferred toner particle image in an imaged area and define non-imaged areas where toner particles are absent; (g) maintaining the gap during transfer of the developed latent image between the electrostatically imageable surface and the nonabsorbent receiving surface between at least about 1 mil and about 20 mils.

Claim 2

A method of fabricating a toned pattern on a nonabsorbent receiving surface electrically isolated from ground, comprising the steps of: (a) establishing a charged electrostatic latent image area on an electrostatically imageable surface; (b) developing the electrostatic latent image area by applying to the electrostatically imageable surface charged toner particles suspended in a liquid comprised at least partially of a nonpolar insulating solvent to form a first liquid layer with a first liquid surface, the charged toner particles being directed to the latent image area of the electrostatically imageable surface to form a developed latent image of a predetermined pile height; (c) applying to the nonabsorbent receiving surface a liquid comprised at least partially of a nonpolar insulating solvent to form a second liquid layer with a second liquid surface; (d) establishing an electric field between the electrostatically imageable surface and the nonabsorbent receiving surface by connecting a D.C. voltage directly across a conductive electrode and the electrostatically imageable surface, the conductive electrode being connected to the nonabsorbent receiving surface; (e) placing the nonabsorbent surface adjacent to the electrostatically imageable surface so that a gap is maintained therebetween and the first liquid surface contacts the second liquid surface to create a liquid transfer medium across the liquid-filled gap, the liquid-filled gap being of a depth greater than the pile height of the toner particles; (f) transferring the developed latent image from the electrostatically imageable surface through the liquid to the nonabsorbent receiving surface to form a transferred toner particle image in an imaged area and define non-imaged areas where toner particles are absent; (g) maintaining the gap during transfer of the developed latent image between the electrostatically imageable surface and the nonabsorbent receiving surface between at least about 1 mil and about 20 mils.