Patent ID: 6567634
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An electro-photographic image forming apparatus, comprising:a photosensitive belt; electrostatic latent image former for forming an electrostatic latent image on said photosensitive belt; a developer for developing the electrostatic latent image with a liquid toner composed of a particle toner and a liquid solvent; liquid recovery device for recovering only the liquid solvent from a liquid toner image developed on the photosensitive belt; and transfer/fixing device for taking a dried toner image from the photosensitive belt for transferring the toner image to, and fixing the toner image on, paper, wherein said liquid recovery device comprises: an absorption device that is brought into pressure contact with the photosensitive belt and that has an absorption layer absorbing the liquid solvent into a surface thereof; a heat source that vaporizes the liquid solvent absorbed in the absorption layer of said absorption structure; and a temperature controller for controlling a temperature of said heat source with a temperature control method that differentiates between a standby time and a print time, wherein said liquid recovery device further comprises a moistener that moistens said absorption device with the liquid solvent before a first image is written on said photosensitive belt.