Patent ID: 7171143

Claim:
A toner concentration adjustment method for a liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus that uses liquid toner composed of carrier and toner particles dispersed in the carrier at a predetermined concentration, in which used liquid toner is collected from the liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus and is adjusted to its predetermined original concentration, and the thus-adjusted liquid toner is recycled, the method comprising: introducing the collected liquid toner into a concentration adjustment pot, and replenishing the concentration adjustment pot with carrier and high-concentration toner which contains toner particles at a greater proportion than does the liquid toner used in the liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus; separating and extracting the carrier from the liquid toner stored in the concentration adjustment pot so as to adjust the liquid toner concentration to a predetermined concentration; and reusing the liquid toner, having been adjusted to the predetermined concentration, in the liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus.