Patent ID: 8265503
Filing Date: 2012-09-11
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. A liquid developer concentration adjusting apparatus, comprising: a concentration adjusting container having an opening; a developer supplying mechanism which is connected to the concentration adjusting container and is adapted to supply a liquid developer whose concentration is to be adjusted into the concentration adjusting container; a first liquid supplying mechanism which is connected to the concentration adjusting container and is adapted to supply a first supply liquid, whose concentration is higher than a desired liquid developer concentration, to the concentration adjusting container at a variable supply speed; a second liquid supplying mechanism which is connected to the concentration adjusting container and is adapted to supply a second supply liquid, whose concentration is lower than the desired liquid developer concentration, to the concentration adjusting container at a variable supply speed; a stirring mechanism which is adapted to stir the liquid developer stored in the concentration adjusting container, wherein the liquid developer is raised along the sidewall; a physical property detector which is adapted to detect, when the stirring mechanism is stirring the liquid developer, a stirring load as a physical property which depends on concentration of the liquid developer in the concentration adjusting container; an OF detector which is adapted to detect a presence or absence of overflow of the liquid developer, which is raised along the sidewall to a level defined by a position of the opening, through the opening; and a controller which is adapted to control a supply speed of the first supply liquid supplied by the first liquid supplying mechanism or the second supply liquid supplied by the second liquid supplying mechanism, depending on the presence or absence of the overflow detected by the OF detector and the physical property detected by the physical property detector, so as to cause the physical property detected under the presence of the overflow to be a target value corresponding to the desired concentration.