Patent ID: 7758176
Filing Date: 2010-07-20
Classification: B41J

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a recording head which discharges droplets of liquid onto a recording medium; a dissolved gas amount calculating device which calculates an estimate of an amount of dissolved gas contained in the liquid located inside the recording head, wherein said calculation is based on properties of the liquid or properties of the image forming apparatus; a liquid restoring device which carries out restoration processing of the liquid located inside the recording head, if the estimate of the amount of the dissolved gas calculated by the dissolved gas amount calculating device exceeds a prescribed reference value; and a dissolved gas amount measuring device which takes a measurement of an amount of the dissolved gas contained in the liquid sent from the recording head, the dissolved gas amount measuring device being disposed on a downstream side of the recording head with respect to a flow direction of the liquid, wherein, if the estimate of the amount of the dissolved gas calculated by the dissolved gas amount calculating device does not exceed the reference value, the liquid restoring device does not carry out restoration processing of the liquid located inside the recording head even in cases where the measurement of the amount of the dissolved gas taken by the dissolved gas amount measuring device does exceed the reference value.