Patent ID: 8626038

Claim:
A developer unit usable with a liquid electrophotographic printing apparatus having a photosensitive drum, the developer unit comprising: a developer roller to receive ink, and to selectively engage and rotatably transfer the ink to the photosensitive drum, the developer roller to switch between a contact mode in contact with the photosensitive drum and a non-contact mode out of contact with the photosensitive drum; a squeegee roller to selectively contact the developer roller, the squeegee roller to at least condense the received ink on the developer roller in the contact mode, and to be apart from the developer roller in the non-contact mode; and a cleaner roller to selectively contact the developer roller, the cleaner roller to remove remaining ink from the developer roller not transferred to the photosensitive drum in the contact mode, and to be apart from the developer roller in the non-contact mode; a cap member to move between a cover position to cover an exposed portion of the developer roller opposite the photosensitive drum and an uncover position to uncover the exposed portion of the developer roller; and a linkage unit coupled to at least one of the squeegee roller and the cleaner roller, the linkage unit to move the cap member between the cover position and the uncover position, wherein, in response to a rotational state of the developer roller, at least one of the squeegee roller, the cleaner roller and the developer roller are to move between the contact mode and the non-contact mode, and the cap member is to move between the cover position and the uncover position.