Carrier collection device and method therefor

A carrier collection device for collecting a carrier from a developer, including a toner and the carrier, after being used for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photo-conductor, said device comprising:

• an absorption belt which is arranged adjacent to the photo-conductor, and absorbs the carrier by rotating in a direction opposite to a rotational direction of the photo-conductor;
• a heat source which heats said absorption belt and generates a carrier vapor;
• a vapor collection tube which includes an opening in an area adjacent to the photo-conductor and said absorption belt, surrounds said absorption belt, and has a vent for the carrier vapor;
• an absorption device which absorbs the carrier vapor from the vent of said vapor collection tube;
• a condenser which receives the carrier vapor from the vent of said vapor collection tube, condenses the received carrier vapor, and collects the condensed carrier;
• a duct one end of which partially or fully covers the opening of said vapor collection tube, and other end of which is connected to said condenser;
• and
• a fan which is included in said duct, and collects the carrier vapor flowing from the opening of said vapor collection tube.

A carrier collection device for collecting a carrier from a developer, including a toner and the carrier, after being used for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on a photo-conductor, said device comprising:

• an absorption belt which is arranged adjacent to said photo-conductor, and rotated in a direction opposite to a rotational direction of said photo-conductor, thereby to absorb the carrier;
• a heat source which heats said absorption belt, and generates a carrier vapor;
• a vapor collection tube which includes an opening in an area adjacent to said photo-conductor and said absorption belt, surrounds said absorption belt, and includes a vent for the carrier vapor;
• an absorption device which absorbs the carrier vapor from the vent of said vapor collection tube;
• a condenser which receives the carrier vapor from the vent of said vapor collection tube, condenses the received carrier vapor, and collects the condensed carrier;
• and
• a photo-conductor cover which is connected to the opening of said vapor collection tube, and partially or fully covers a surface of said photo-conductor from the opening.

A method for collecting a carrier from a developer, including a toner and the carrier (liquid), after being used for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor, said method comprising:

• absorbing the carrier from said photo-conductor onto an absorption belt;
• heating and vaporizing the carrier absorbed onto the absorption belt with a heat source;
• absorbing, with an absorption device, the carrier vapor vaporized in said heating, and conducting the absorbed carrier vapor to a condenser in which a coolant carrier is stored in advance;
• cooling and condensing the carrier vapor, which is absorbed in said absorbing, in the coolant carrier stored in advance in the condenser, and storing the condensed carrier;
• and
• foaming the carrier vapor, which has passed through the coolant carrier, using a foaming member arranged on the coolant carrier, condensing the foamed carrier by retaining the foamed carrier on the foaming member for a predetermined period of time, and storing the condensed carrier in said condenser.