Image forming apparatus and foam application device

An image forming apparatus in which foam bubbles formed by at least one of a liquid and a gel are applied, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image forming unit forming an image on a recording medium;
• and
• a foam application unit applying some foam bubbles to the recording medium or an intermediate member for applying to the recording medium, the foam application unit comprising:
• a reservoir unit storing foam bubbles received from a foam forming unit and supplying said some foam bubbles through a supply opening;
• an application unit receiving said some foam bubbles through the supply opening of the reservoir unit and applying said some foam bubbles;
• a channel collecting extra foam bubbles remaining and not to be applied;
• and
• a heat unit heating the extra foam bubbles on the channel to return the extra foam bubbles to a liquid form, wherein
• the reservoir unit includes a discharge opening through which said extra foam bubbles remaining and not to be applied are discharged to the channel, and
• the discharge opening is disposed beyond an end, and outside an extent, of the supply opening in a longitudinal direction of the supply opening, said longitudinal direction being orthogonal to a direction in which said some foam bubbles are applied to the recording medium or the intermediate member.

A foam application device applying foam bubbles prepared by foaming at least one of a fluid and a gel, the foam application device comprising:

• a foam forming unit forming the foam bubbles;
• an application unit applying some of the foam bubbles to a target application member;
• and
• a supplying unit introducing the foam bubbles from the foam forming unit and supplying said some of the foam bubbles to the application unit through a supply opening, wherein
• the supplying unit includes a discharge opening through which others of the foam bubbles not to be supplied to the application unit are discharged, and
• an amount of the foam bubbles introduced from the foam forming unit to the supplying unit is greater than an amount of said some of the foam bubbles supplied to the application unit, wherein
• the discharge opening is disposed beyond an end, and outside an extent, of the supply opening in a longitudinal direction of the supply opening, said longitudinal direction being orthogonal to a direction in which said some of the foam bubbles are applied to the recording medium or the intermediate member.