Patent ID: 6643485
Filing Date: 2003-11-04
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An electrophotograpic apparatus using liquid developer comprising:a latent image holding member to form an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the latent image holding member; a development unit which develops the electrostatic latent image with the liquid developer containing liquid carrier and toner particles, and forms a toner image on the surface of the latent image holding member; a gas supply unit which supplies gas to evaporate a part of the liquid carrier and generate a vapor of the liquid carrier; an image transfer unit which transfers the toner image from the latent image holding member to a recording medium; a cover which covers a part of the image transfer unit and a part of the latent image holding member; a heater which heats the toner image on the image holding member or the toner image on the image transfer unit in a region bordered by the cover; and a recovery system which collects the gas with the vapor of the liquid carrier from the region, wherein the gas supply unit supplies the gas to the region through a first portion of the cover, and the recovery system collects the gas with the vapor of the liquid carrier from the region through a second portion of the cover close to the heated area by the heater.