Patent ID: 7120378

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive member which holds an electrostatic latent image: a developing unit which supplies a liquid developer obtained by dispersing a toner in a carrier liquid to the electrostatic latent image to form a visible image on the photosensitive member; a transfer member onto which the visible image is transferred; an image stabilizing unit which applies an electric field to the visible image to enhance adsorption among the toners forming the visible image and between the toners and the photosensitive member; a drying unit which blows an air current to the visible image having the adsorption to the photosensitive member enhanced by the image stabilizing unit to dry and remove the carrier liquid; and a shielding member which is disposed between the drying unit and the image stabilizing unit and which inhibits liquid droplets of the carrier liquid flowing backwards toward the image stabilizing unit from the drying unit from reaching the image stabilizing unit, wherein the shielding member is a plate-shaped member which absorbs the droplets.