# US 2017/0255151 A1 · Image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0255151 A1 - Document ID: US20170255151A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/213,925 - Filed: 2016-07-19 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-02 - Assignees: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Shiro SUZUKI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170255151A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/556: {for toner consumption, e.g. pixel counting, toner coverage detection or toner density measurement} - G03G 15/104: {Preparing, mixing, transporting or dispensing developer} - G03G 15/11: Removing excess liquid developer, e.g. by heat - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract Provided is an image forming apparatus including a storage portion that stores liquid developer where toner is dispersed in a carrier liquid, an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording medium with the liquid developer supplied from the storage portion, a recovery path that recovers the liquid developer from the image forming portion and returns the liquid developer to the storage portion, a dispersing mechanism that is provided in the recovery path and disperses recovered liquid developer by causing the recovered liquid developer to pass through a net member, and a replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer or the carrier liquid on the net member at least while the image forming portion does not form an image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image forming apparatus comprising: a storage portion that stores liquid developer where toner is dispersed in a carrier liquid; an image forming portion that forms an image on a recording medium with the liquid developer supplied from the storage portion; a recovery path that recovers the liquid developer from the image forming portion and returns the liquid developer to the storage portion; a dispersing mechanism that is provided in the recovery path and disperses recovered liquid developer by causing the recovered liquid developer to pass through a net member; and a replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer or the carrier liquid on the net member at least while the image forming portion does not form an image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replenishing unit includes an immersing unit that replenishes the liquid developer on the net member by immersing the net member into the liquid developer stored in the storage portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the immersing unit includes a liquid level control mechanism that controls a liquid level of the liquid developer stored in the storage portion so as to be positioned above the net member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the immersing unit includes a net member control mechanism that controls the net member so as to be positioned below the liquid level of the liquid developer stored in the storage portion by vertically moving the net member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the immersing unit includes a net member control mechanism that controls the net member so as to be positioned below the liquid level of the liquid developer stored in the storage portion by vertically moving the net member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the storage portion is controlled so that the liquid level falls within a predetermined range, and wherein the net member control mechanism controls the net member so as to be positioned below a lower limit value of the range. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the storage portion is controlled so that the liquid level falls within a predetermined range, and wherein the net member control mechanism controls the net member so as to be positioned below a lower limit value of the range. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replenishing unit includes a liquid developer replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer by absorbing the liquid developer stored in the storage portion and ejecting the liquid developer to the net member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the replenishing unit includes a liquid developer replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer by absorbing the liquid developer stored in the storage portion and ejecting the liquid developer to the net member. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the replenishing unit includes a liquid developer replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer by absorbing the liquid developer stored in the storage portion and ejecting the liquid developer to the net member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the replenishing unit includes a liquid developer replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer by absorbing the liquid developer stored in the storage portion and ejecting the liquid developer to the net member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the replenishing unit includes a liquid developer replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer by absorbing the liquid developer stored in the storage portion and ejecting the liquid developer to the net member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 6) The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the replenishing unit includes a liquid developer replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer by absorbing the liquid developer stored in the storage portion and ejecting the liquid developer to the net member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the replenishing unit includes a liquid developer replenishing unit that replenishes the liquid developer by absorbing the liquid developer stored in the storage portion and ejecting the liquid developer to the net member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the replenishing unit includes a carrier liquid replenishing unit that replenishes the carrier liquid on the net member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the replenishing unit includes a carrier liquid replenishing unit that replenishes the carrier liquid on the net member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the replenishing unit includes a carrier liquid replenishing unit that replenishes the carrier liquid on the net member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 4) The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the replenishing unit includes a carrier liquid replenishing unit that replenishes the carrier liquid on the net member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 6) The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the replenishing unit includes a carrier liquid replenishing unit that replenishes the carrier liquid on the net member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the replenishing unit includes a carrier liquid replenishing unit that replenishes the carrier liquid on the net member.