US Patent 7758178 Ink fixing method, ink fixing apparatus, and printer

To provide a highly human- and environment-friendly ink fixing method that is excellent in energy efficiency, operability and ink-fixing property and has a simple process, an ink fixing apparatus that is excellent in energy efficiency, operability and ink-fixing property and is a highly human- and environment-friendly, simple and compact apparatus, and a printer that is equipped with the ink fixing apparatus and can provide high-quality images at low cost. The ink fixing apparatus of the present invention includes at least fixing a print ink to a base material using a discharge generated between electrodes under pressure close to atmospheric pressure, wherein the print ink includes at least a non-volatile organic compound bearing a carboxylic group and includes no photopolymerization initiators.