Wet-type image forming apparatus that controls the amount of liquid developer based on the rate of change of the electric potential of the liquid developer

摘要

A wet-type image forming apparatus forms a toner image on an image carrier using liquid developer containing carrier liquid and toner dispersed therein. The apparatus includes: a developing member carrying the liquid developer to develop a latent image thereby forming the toner image on the image carrier; a charger for charging the liquid developer on the developing member according to a current applied on the charger; a measuring member for measuring a potential of the liquid developer charged by the charger; and a controller for controlling an amount of the liquid developer on the developing member, before the toner image is formed on the image carrier, by setting plural values of the current to be applied on the charger and controlling the amount of the liquid developer based on results of measurement of potentials of the liquid developer charged by the charger with the plural values of the applied current.

主权项

1. A wet-type image forming apparatus which forms a toner image on an image carrier using liquid developer containing carrier liquid and toner dispersed therein, comprising:
a developing member configured to carry the liquid developer to develop a latent image thereby forming the toner image on the image carrier; a charger configured to charge the liquid developer on the developing member according to a current applied on the charger; a measuring member configured to measure an electric potential of the liquid developer charged by the charger; and a controller configured to control an amount of the liquid developer on the developing member, before the toner image is formed on the image carrier, by setting plural values of the current to be applied on the charger and controlling the amount of the liquid developer based on results of measurement by the measuring member of electric potentials of the liquid developer charged by the charger with the plural values of the current applied on the charger.