Patent ID: 7177576

Claim:
An image forming apparatus in which an electrostatic latent image is developed at a development position with a liquid developing agent, whereby a toner image is formed, and the toner image is transferred at a transfer position onto a transfer medium, the apparatus comprising: (a) a latent image carrier which has a maximum image area and which rotates in a first direction to carry the electrostatic latent image formed within the maximum image area; (b) a developing unit which includes (b-1) a developing agent housing section which stores the liquid developing agent, (b-2) a developing agent carrier which rotates while carrying the liquid developing agent, abuts on the latent image carrier at the development position and develops the electrostatic latent image with the liquid developing agent, and (b-3) a coating roller which has a coating area, which rotates and makes the coating area contact the liquid developing agent held within the developing agent housing section, thereby scooping up the liquid developing agent from the developing agent housing section, and which rotates together with and directly contacts the developing agent carrier, thereby applying the liquid developing agent to the developing agent carrier; and (c) a first cleaning member which is disposed on the downstream side to the transfer position along the first direction and which removes the liquid developing agent remaining on the latent image carrier, wherein where the width of the coating area, the width of the developing agent carrier, the width of the maximum image area and the width of the first cleaning member taken along a second direction which is approximately orthogonal to the first direction are respectively W 1 , W 2 , W 3 and W 4 , the following conditions are satisfied: a first condition that W 1 >W 2 is met and in the second direction, the both edges of the developing agent carrier are located on the inner side to the both edges of the coating area, a second condition that W 2 >W 3 is met and in the second direction, the both edges of the image area are located on the inner side to the both edges of the developing agent carrier, and a third condition that W 4 >W 2 is met and in the second direction, the both edges of the developing agent carrier are located on the inner side to the both edges of the first cleaning member.