Patent ID: 7917065
Filing Date: 2011-03-29
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image by means of liquid developer that contains toner and nonvolatile carrier, a developer container that stores the liquid developer, an intermediate transfer member to which a developed image on the image carrier is transferred, an image carrier cleaner that removes the liquid developer on the image carrier, a secondary transfer roller that transfers the developed image from the intermediate transfer member to a sheet, an intermediate transfer member cleaner that removes the liquid developer on the intermediate transfer member, a developer collecting path that collects the liquid developer removed by the image carrier cleaner and the intermediate transfer member cleaner, a filter located within the developer collecting path that filters the collected liquid developer to separate the toner from the carrier, a buffer tank that stores carrier filtered by the filter, a carrier storing tank that stores carrier and that supplies carrier to the developer container, a developer feeding path that distributes the carrier stored in the buffer tank or the carrier stored in the carrier storing tank to the developer container, and a controller that controls the supply of the carrier stored in the buffer tank and/or the carrier stored in the carrier storing tank to the developer container.