Patent ID: 8764160

Claim:
A liquid treatment agent coating device for an inkjet printer, the liquid treatment agent coating device comprising: a coating roller configured to coat a recording medium with a liquid treatment agent prior to forming an image on the recording medium; a pressing roller configured to cooperate with the coating roller to nip and convey the recording medium, wherein the pressing roller is configured to transfer the liquid treatment agent on the coating roller by pressing the recording medium toward the coating roller; a first container configured to hold the coating roller and the liquid treatment agent, wherein the first container has an opening portion in the vicinity of a nip portion between the coating roller and the pressing roller; a second container configured to accommodate an amount of the liquid treatment agent held in the first container; a removal channel extending from the first container to the second container; a return channel extending from the second container to the first container; and a bypass channel extending from the removal channel to midstream of the return channel, wherein a first on-off valve is disposed between a first connection point and the second container, the bypass channel being connected to the removal channel at the first connection point, wherein a second on-off valve is disposed in the bypass channel, wherein a third on-off valve is disposed between a second connection point and the second container, the bypass channel being connected to the return channel at the second connection point, and wherein a pump is disposed between the second connection point and the first container.