Patent ID: 7642024
Filing Date: 2010-01-05
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image-forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier; a charging unit that charges the image carrier to a predetermined electric potential; a latent image forming unit that forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image data on the image carrier by exposing the image carrier charged by the charging unit to light; a developing unit that stores a toner develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier with the toner, and forms a toner image on the image carrier, the toner maintaining a non-color-developing state when provided with coloring information through exposure to light; a coloring information providing unit that provides the toner image with coloring information by exposing the toner image to light having a predetermined wavelength determined depending on a color not to be developed based on color component information of the image data; a transfer unit that transfers the toner image onto a recording medium; a fixing unit that fixes the toner image on the recording medium; a color-developing unit that develops a color of the toner image provided with the coloring information; and a control unit that controls the coloring information providing unit to expose a background region on the image carrier to light having a predetermined wavelength for preventing color development of the toner, the background region being a region other than an image region that the toner image is formed on.