Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a precoating layer forming unit that forms a precoating layer on a surface of a recording medium, an image forming unit that forms an image on the precoating layer with ink, and a light energy emitter that emits light energy for drying the ink to the recording medium. The precoating layer contains a reflective agent that reflects light energy.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a drying device that dries ink on a printing medium; a feeder that feeds, to the drying device, the printing medium on which an image is formed with ink; and a control device that controls the drying device and the feeder. The control device causes the drying device to perform: a first drying process of drying the image on the printing medium fed to the drying device; and, after the first drying process, a second drying process of applying vibrations to ink that forms the image.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing body; a developing unit which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing body as a toner image; a transfer unit which transfers the toner image to a receiver medium; a cleaning member which collects residual toner on the image bearing body; a lubricant supply unit which supplies lubricant onto the image bearing body; a measurement unit which measures a static frictional force generated between the image bearing body and the cleaning member; and a control unit which corrects the amount of lubricant on the image bearing body, wherein the control unit estimates a state of the lubricant on the image bearing body based on a change between a first and a second static frictional force, and based on the estimated state, the control unit selectively executes one of processing of supplying lubricant and processing of removing lubricant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image bearing body; a developing unit which develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing body as a toner image; a transfer unit which transfers the toner image to a receiver medium; a cleaning member which collects residual toner on the image bearing body; a lubricant supply unit which supplies lubricant onto the image bearing body; a measurement unit which measures a static frictional force generated between the image bearing body and the cleaning member; and a control unit which corrects the amount of lubricant on the image bearing body, wherein the control unit estimates a state of the lubricant on the image bearing body based on a change between a first and a second static frictional force, and based on the estimated state, the control unit selectively executes one of processing of supplying lubricant and processing of removing lubricant.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a development unit configured to develop, as a toner image, an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image to a medium to which a toner image is to be transferred; a cleaning unit configured to recover toner remaining on the image carrier after transferring the toner image; a lubricant supply unit configured to supply lubricant on the image carrier; a charge unit disposed between the development unit and the cleaning unit, along a surface of the image carrier; and a control unit configured to perform a first mode and a second mode, the first mode configured to form the toner image, the second mode configured to allow the charge unit to increase the amount of charge on toner reaching the cleaning unit relative to that in the first mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a development unit configured to develop, as a toner image, an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier; a transfer unit configured to transfer the toner image to a medium to which a toner image is to be transferred; a cleaning unit configured to recover toner remaining on the image carrier after transferring the toner image; a lubricant supply unit configured to supply lubricant on the image carrier; a charge unit disposed between the development unit and the cleaning unit, along a surface of the image carrier; and a control unit configured to perform a first mode and a second mode, the first mode configured to form the toner image, the second mode configured to allow the charge unit to increase the amount of charge on toner reaching the cleaning unit relative to that in the first mode.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a development member carrying developer for forming a toner image on an image carrier; a cleaning member in contact with the development member for removing the developer left on the development member; a carrying member provided in contact with the development member, for carrying the supplied developer to the development member; a driving part driving at least one of the carrying member and the development member; and a regulating mechanism for separating the cleaning member and the development member from each other. The driving part causes preliminary rotation of the development member and the carrying member with the cleaning member separated from the development member, before starting main rotation for image formation.

Abstract: This invention provides a developer concentration adjustment apparatus, a method for concentration adjustment, and an image forming apparatus, in which concentration adjustment is performed by use of a stirring load as a substitute characteristic of viscosity which represents a developer concentration, wherein a trouble of abnormality generation in toner concentration detection due to drying-adhesion of a residual developer on the stirrer is reduced. At the time of finishing the concentration adjustment, a concentration adjustment tank is made to be empty and the stirrer is cleaned by carrier liquid or a liquid developer having a concentration lower than a predetermined concentration. Alternatively, the stirrer is cleaned by empty-stirring operation not being put in a cleaning developer.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid development apparatus having a constitution in which liquid developer containing carrier liquid with toner dispersed therein is supplied from a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member on a pool forming member arranged facing to a supply roller so as to form a pool of the liquid developer, from which pool the liquid developer is supplied to the supply roller, wherein a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member supplies cleaning liquid on a pool forming member to form a suitable pooling portion of the cleaning liquid and the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the supply roller is removed and cleaned.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a development member carrying developer for forming a toner image on an image carrier; a cleaning member in contact with the development member for removing the developer left on the development member; a carrying member provided in contact with the development member, for carrying the supplied developer to the development member; a driving part driving at least one of the carrying member and the development member; and a regulating mechanism for separating the cleaning member and the development member from each other. The driving part causes preliminary rotation of the development member and the carrying member with the cleaning member separated from the development member, before starting main rotation for image formation.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid development apparatus having a constitution in which liquid developer containing carrier liquid with toner dispersed therein is supplied from a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member on a pool forming member arranged facing to a supply roller so as to form a pool of the liquid developer, from which pool the liquid developer is supplied to the supply roller, wherein a liquid developer/cleaning liquid supply member supplies cleaning liquid on a pool forming member to form a suitable pooling portion of the cleaning liquid and the liquid developer remaining on the surface of the supply roller is removed and cleaned.

Abstract: This invention provides a developer concentration adjustment apparatus, a method for concentration adjustment, and an image forming apparatus, in which concentration adjustment is performed by use of a stirring load as a substitute characteristic of viscosity which represents a developer concentration, wherein a trouble of abnormality generation in toner concentration detection due to drying-adhesion of a residual developer on the stirrer is reduced. At the time of finishing the concentration adjustment, a concentration adjustment tank is made to be empty and the stirrer is cleaned by carrier liquid or a liquid developer having a concentration lower than a predetermined concentration. Alternatively, the stirrer is cleaned by empty-stirring operation not being put in a cleaning developer.

Abstract: To provide a cleaning apparatus capable of maintaining high cleaning performance even if surface roughness of an image carrier is increased due to wear and a wet image forming apparatus installing the concerned cleaning apparatus, thereby enabling to form images of a stable quality. The cleaning apparatus for removing liquid developer remaining on the surface of a latent image carrier and an intermediate transfer member, which are an image carrier of the image forming apparatus for forming images with the liquid developer including toner particles and carrier liquid, includes three stages of cleaning sections such as a preliminary cleaning member for making contact with the image carrier and suspending the toner particles adhered to the surface of the image carrier in the carrier liquid, a toner particles removing member for removing the suspended toner particles by electrostatic force, and a carrier liquid removing member for removing the remaining carrier liquid.

Abstract: To provide a cleaning apparatus capable of maintaining high cleaning performance even if surface roughness of an image carrier is increased due to wear and a wet image forming apparatus installing the concerned cleaning apparatus, thereby enabling to form images of a stable quality. The cleaning apparatus for removing liquid developer remaining on the surface of a latent image carrier and an intermediate transfer member, which are an image carrier of the image forming apparatus for forming images with the liquid developer including toner particles and carrier liquid, includes three stages of cleaning sections such as a preliminary cleaning member for making contact with the image carrier and suspending the toner particles adhered to the surface of the image carrier in the carrier liquid, a toner particles removing member for removing the suspended toner particles by electrostatic force, and a carrier liquid removing member for removing the remaining carrier liquid.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of providing a sufficient vibration based on the natural frequency of the components of the transfer section and providing adequate control for this purpose, thereby enhancing and maintaining the transfer efficiency. The aforementioned image forming apparatus includes a vibration application device for applying vibration to at least one of the transfer source member and the transfer destination body; and a vibration control section for controlling the vibration given by the aforementioned vibration application device so as to change the vibration frequency in the predetermined range containing the natural frequency of the aforementioned transfer source member or the aforementioned transfer destination body to which vibration is applied by the aforementioned vibration application device during the transfer of toner from the aforementioned transfer source member to the aforementioned transfer destination body.