Image forming apparatus
First Claim
1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
- an image forming portion configured to form an image with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid,wherein said image forming portion includes a photosensitive member on which a latent image is to be formed, a developing device configured to develop the latent image formed on said photosensitive member into a toner image with the liquid developer, a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image from said photosensitive member onto a recording material, and a cleaning device configured to remove the liquid developer on said photosensitive member after transferring the toner image from said photosensitive member onto the recording material;
a separating device configured to separate the toner and the carrier liquid from the liquid developer collected at said cleaning device;
a first carrier supplying device including a first carrier container configured to accommodate a first carrier liquid separated by said separating device, wherein said first carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the first carrier liquid from said first carrier container;
a second carrier supplying device including a second carrier container configured to accommodate a second carrier liquid which is higher in volume resistivity than the first carrier liquid in said first carrier container, wherein said second carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the second carrier liquid from said second carrier container;
a third carrier supplying device including a third carrier container configured to accommodate a third carrier liquid which is higher in volume resistivity than the first carrier liquid separated by said separating device and which is lower in volume resistivity than the second carrier liquid accommodated in said second carrier container, wherein said third carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the third carrier liquid from said third carrier container;
a liquid amount detecting device configured to detect an amount of the first carrier liquid in said first carrier container; and
a resistance detecting device configured to detect a volume resistivity of a liquid in said first carrier container,a toner container configured to accommodate a toner; and
an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the liquid developer including the first carrier liquid supplied from said first carrier supplying device, the second carrier liquid supplied from said second carrier supplying device, and the toner supplied from said toner container, wherein the liquid developer accommodated in said accommodating portion is capable of being supplied to said image forming portion,wherein each of said second carrier supplying device and said third carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the carrier liquid to said first carrier container,wherein said second carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the second carrier liquid from said second carrier container to said first carrier container based on a detection result of said resistance detecting device, andwherein said third carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the third carrier liquid from said third carrier container to said first carrier container based on a detection result of said liquid amount detecting device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form an image with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid, a separating device configured to separate the toner and the carrier liquid from the liquid developer collected at the image forming portion, a first carrier supplying device supplies a first carrier liquid separated by the separating device, and a second carrier supplying device including a second carrier container to accommodate a second carrier liquid in which a ratio of the first substance to the second substance is smaller than that in the first carrier liquid separated by the separating device or no first substance is contained. An accommodating portion accommodates the liquid developer including the first carrier liquid, the second carrier liquid, and the toner, wherein the liquid developer accommodated in the accommodating portion is supplied to the image forming portion.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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an image forming portion configured to form an image with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid, wherein said image forming portion includes a photosensitive member on which a latent image is to be formed, a developing device configured to develop the latent image formed on said photosensitive member into a toner image with the liquid developer, a transfer device configured to transfer the toner image from said photosensitive member onto a recording material, and a cleaning device configured to remove the liquid developer on said photosensitive member after transferring the toner image from said photosensitive member onto the recording material; a separating device configured to separate the toner and the carrier liquid from the liquid developer collected at said cleaning device; a first carrier supplying device including a first carrier container configured to accommodate a first carrier liquid separated by said separating device, wherein said first carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the first carrier liquid from said first carrier container; a second carrier supplying device including a second carrier container configured to accommodate a second carrier liquid which is higher in volume resistivity than the first carrier liquid in said first carrier container, wherein said second carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the second carrier liquid from said second carrier container; a third carrier supplying device including a third carrier container configured to accommodate a third carrier liquid which is higher in volume resistivity than the first carrier liquid separated by said separating device and which is lower in volume resistivity than the second carrier liquid accommodated in said second carrier container, wherein said third carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the third carrier liquid from said third carrier container; a liquid amount detecting device configured to detect an amount of the first carrier liquid in said first carrier container; and a resistance detecting device configured to detect a volume resistivity of a liquid in said first carrier container, a toner container configured to accommodate a toner; and an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the liquid developer including the first carrier liquid supplied from said first carrier supplying device, the second carrier liquid supplied from said second carrier supplying device, and the toner supplied from said toner container, wherein the liquid developer accommodated in said accommodating portion is capable of being supplied to said image forming portion, wherein each of said second carrier supplying device and said third carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the carrier liquid to said first carrier container, wherein said second carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the second carrier liquid from said second carrier container to said first carrier container based on a detection result of said resistance detecting device, and wherein said third carrier supplying device is capable of supplying the third carrier liquid from said third carrier container to said first carrier container based on a detection result of said liquid amount detecting device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An image forming apparatus comprising:
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an image forming portion configured to form an image with a liquid developer containing a toner and a carrier liquid; a separating device configured to separate the toner and the carrier liquid from the liquid developer collected at said image forming portion; a container configured to accommodate the carrier liquid separated by said separating device; a resistance detecting unit configured to detect volume resistivity of the carrier liquid in said container containing the separated carrier liquid; a mixing unit configured to mix a carrier liquid for supply higher in volume resistivity than the carrier liquid in said container with the separated carrier liquid; and a control unit configured to control said mixing unit based on the volume resistivity of the carrier liquid in said container, detected by said resistance detecting unit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification