Image forming apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

An image forming apparatus is provided that forms an image with liquid developer, and a method thereof. The image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photoconductors on which developer images having carrier rates different from each other are formed with corresponding liquid developers. An image transfer member is disposed to form transfer nips with the respective photoconductors in such a manner that the developer images of the respective photoconductors are overlappingly transferred onto the image transfer member according to a transfer order predetermined on the basis of the carrier rates thereof. The developer images from the respective photoconductors are moved to an image receiving medium. Since the developer images formed on the plurality of photoconductors are overlappingly transferred onto the image transfer member according to the predetermined transfer order, the developer images previously transferred at the prior transfer nips are substantially prevented from generating a squeezed carrier beyond a predetermined limit at the posterior transfer nips. The squeezed carrier is substantially prevented from accumulating beyond the predetermined limit at the inlet side of the posterior transfer nips when the developer images are transferred from the respective photoconductors to the image transfer member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.