METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING LIQUID DEVELOPMENT ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC DEVICE

摘要

After passing a position of transfer to a printing medium 10, a portion of an intermediate transfer member 1 on which an image is previously formed reaches the position of a cleaning unit 2. The cleaning unit 2 removes residual toner, whereby the intermediate transfer member 1 prepares for a next cycle of formation of images in the corresponding colors by means of the developing units 4, 5, 6, and 7. The cleaning unit 2 includes an application friction roller 21 and a bias roller 24. The application friction roller 21 has a function to weaken cohesion/firm adhesion of residual toner through application of a cleaning liquid to the intermediate transfer member 1 and a function to exfoliate and disperse the residual toner in the cleaning liquid through imposition of a shear force on the residual toner. The bias roller 24 includes a bias voltage generation mechanism 24a for applying a bias voltage between the bias roller 24 and the intermediate transfer member 1. Application of a bias voltage weakens the force of adhesion of residual toner firmly adhering to the surface of the intermediate transfer member 1, whereby the residual toner exfoliates from the intermediate transfer member 1 and disperses in the cleaning liquid. The bias roller 24 is further adapted to collect the thus-exfoliated, dispersed residual toner. <IMAGE>