Image forming apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020004178-A1
Application number	US-201916450711-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2019
Priority date	Jun 28, 2018
Publication date	Jan 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes a movable image bearing member on which an image is formed with use of a liquid developer including toner and a carrier liquid in an image forming position, a transfer unit configured to transfer the image from the image bearing member to a recording material in a transfer position, an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a moisture content of the recording material, an adjustment unit configured to be able to supply a carrier liquid to the image bearing member on a downstream side of the image forming position and on an upstream side of the transfer position with respect to a movement direction of the image bearing member, and a control unit configured to cause the adjustment unit to adjust a quantity of the carrier liquid which is conveyed to the transfer position according to the moisture content of the recording material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
a movable image bearing member on which an image is formed with use of a liquid developer including toner and a carrier liquid in an image forming position; a transfer device configured to transfer the image from the image bearing member to a recording material in a transfer position; an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a moisture content of the recording material; a supply device configured to be able to supply a carrier liquid to the image bearing member on a downstream side of the image forming position and on an upstream side of the transfer position with respect to a movement direction of the image bearing member; and a control unit configured to cause the supply device to operate in such a manner that a quantity of the carrier liquid which is conveyed to the transfer position per unit area for unit time is a first amount in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information acquired by the acquisition unit is a first moisture content, and the quantity of the carrier liquid which is conveyed to the transfer position per unit area for unit time is a second amount larger than the first amount in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information acquired by the acquisition unit is a second moisture content which is smaller than the first moisture content.

2 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information is smaller than a first threshold value, the control unit causes the supply device to operate in such a manner that the carrier liquid is supplied to the image bearing member by the supply device, and, in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information is larger than or equal to the first threshold value, the control unit causes the supply device to operate in such a manner that the carrier liquid is not supplied to the image bearing member by the supply device.

3 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control unit is able to change the first threshold value according to a type of the recording material.

4 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the supply unit is able to remove a part of the carrier liquid from the image bearing member on the downstream side of the image forming position and on the upstream position of the transfer position with respect to the movement direction of the image bearing member, and wherein the control unit causes the supply device to remove a part of the carrier liquid from the image bearing member in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information is a second threshold value larger than the first threshold value.

5 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit is able to change the second threshold value according to a type of the recording material.

6 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the supply device includes:
a carrier liquid tank configured to contain a carrier liquid;
a first roller configured to be able to come into contact with the image bearing member;
a second roller configured to be able to come into contact with the carrier liquid contained in the carrier liquid tank and the second roller; and
a switching mechanism configured to switch between a first mode in which the first roller is away from the image bearing member, a second mode in which the first roller is in contact with the image bearing member and the second roller is in contact with both the first roller and the carrier liquid contained in the carrier liquid tank, and a third mode in which the first roller is in contact with the image bearing member and the second roller is away from at least one of the first roller and the carrier liquid contained in the carrier liquid tank, and
wherein the control unit sets the supply device to the first mode in a case where neither supplying nor removal of the carrier liquid with respect to the image bearing member by the supply device is performed, sets the supply device to the second mode in a case where the carrier liquid is supplied to the image bearing member by the supply device, and sets the supply device to the third mode in a case where a part of the carrier liquid is removed from the image bearing member by the supply device.

7 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the supply device includes a power source configured to apply a bias with a polarity identical to that of toner to the first roller.

8 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
a movable image bearing member on which an image is formed with use of a liquid developer including toner and a carrier liquid in an image forming position; a transfer device configured to transfer the image from the image bearing member to a recording material in a transfer position; an acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a moisture content of the recording material; a removal device configured to be able to remove a part of the carrier liquid from the image bearing member on a downstream side of the image forming position and on an upstream side of the transfer position with respect to a movement direction of the image bearing member; and a control unit configured to cause the removal device to operate in such a manner that a quantity of the carrier liquid which is conveyed to the transfer position per unit area for unit time is a first amount in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information is a first moisture content, and the quantity of the carrier liquid which is conveyed to the transfer position per unit area for unit time is a second amount smaller than the first amount in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information is a second moisture amount larger than the first moisture content.

9 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein, in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information is smaller than a threshold value, the control unit causes the removal device to operate in such a manner that removal of the carrier liquid from the image bearing member by the removal device is not performed, and, in a case where the moisture content of the recording material indicated by the information is larger than or equal to the threshold value, the control unit causes the removal device to operate in such a manner that a part of the carrier liquid is removed from the image bearing member by the removal device.

10 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit is able to change the threshold value according to a type of the recording material.

11 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit is a moisture content sensor configured to irradiate the recording material with light and detect a reflection characteristic or transmission characteristic of the light.

12 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition unit is an environment sensor configured to detect an environment of a container portion for the recording material.

13 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the image bearing member is an intermediate transfer member to which the image is primarily transferred from a different image bearing member at a primary transfer portion serving as the image forming position, and the transfer device c

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Yamamoto Naoyuki

Classifications

• G03G15/5029 Primary

  by measuring the copy material characteristics, e.g. weight, thickness · CPC title

• G03G15/10

  using a liquid developer · CPC title

• G03G21/203

  Humidity · CPC title

• G03G15/105 Primary

  Detection or control means for the toner concentration · CPC title

• G03G21/0088

  removing liquid developer · CPC title