Patent ID: 8200125

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image carrying member for carrying an electrostatic latent image formed thereon; a developing device, the developing device including: a developer supply section for supplying liquid developer containing solvent and toner dispersed in the solvent; a developing roller for carrying on a surface thereof a thin layer of the liquid developer to develop the electrostatic latent image on the image carrying member; a thin layer forming roller for transferring the liquid developer supplied from the developer supply section to the developing roller so that the developing roller carries thereon the thin layer of the liquid developer, the developing roller and the thin layer forming roller rotating in contact with each other during an image forming period in which an image forming operation is performed; and a cleaning member for removing the liquid developer from the surface of the developing roller; a contact pressure modification section for modifying a contact pressure in a contact region in which the developing roller contacts with the thin layer forming roller; and a control section for causing, at a first timing outside the image forming period, the contact pressure modification section to modify the contact pressure in the contact region to be lower than during the image forming period while the developing roller and the thin layer forming roller are kept rotating in contact with each other and the supply of the liquid developer by the developer supply section is suspended.