Liquid developing device and wet image forming device

Abstract

When the temperature of the liquid toner has fluctuated by T1 or more (Step S3: YES), the equation obtained by measuring the liquid toner is modified (Steps S4 through S7). This equation is obtained based on the output voltage value of the concentrated toner liquid sensor 27, which has the same specifications as those of the liquid toner sensor 24, and the output voltage value of the carrier liquid sensor 29, which has the same specifications as those of the liquid toner sensor 24 (S4 through S6). The output voltage value of the liquid toner sensor 24 is entered into the modified equation to calculate the toner solids content of the liquid toner of the storage tank 18 (Step S8). Control of the concentration of the liquid toner is carried out based on the calculated toner solids content (Step S9).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring now to the attached drawings which form a part of this original disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional diagrammatic view showing the structure of the main parts of a wet image forming device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagrammatic view showing the electrical configuration of a liquid developing device for the wet image forming device;

FIG. 3 is a view of a diagram showing the relationship between the toner solids content in the liquid toner and the output voltage value for the wet image forming device; and

FIG. 4 is a view of a flowchart showing the control of the toner solid content of the liquid toner stored in a storage tank of the liquid developing device.

Claims

1. A liquid developing device configured to develop electrostatic latent images using liquid toner including toner particles dispersed in a carrier liquid, comprising: a liquid toner storage tank being configured to store liquid toner being configured to be supplied to a photosensitive drum;a toner liquid cartridge being configured to house toner liquid with a predetermined toner solids content supplied to the liquid toner storage tank;a carrier cartridge being configured to house carrier liquid supplied to the liquid toner storage tank;a liquid toner measurement unit being configured to measure the liquid toner stored in the liquid toner storage tank, and to output an output value corresponding to the toner solids content of the liquid toner;a toner liquid measurement unit being configured to include a sensor having the same specifications as those of the liquid toner measurement unit, the toner liquid measurement unit measuring the toner liquid supplied from the toner liquid cartridge, and outputting an output value corresponding to the toner solids content of the toner liquid;a carrier liquid measurement unit having a sensor having the same specifications as the those of the liquid toner measurement unit, the carrier liquid measurement unit measuring the carrier liquid supplied from the carrier cartridge, and outputting an output value corresponding to the toner solids content of the carrier liquid;an equation determination unit being configured to obtain an equation expressing the relationship between the output value of the sensor of the liquid toner measurement unit and the toner solids content of the liquid toner based on the output values of the toner liquid measurement unit and the carrier liquid measurement unit;a toner solids content calculation unit being configured to calculate the toner solids content of the liquid toner in the liquid toner storage tank with reference to the equation determined by the equation determination unit based on the output value of the liquid toner measurement unit; anda concentration control unit being configured to control the concentration of the liquid toner based on the toner solids content of the liquid toner in the liquid toner storage tank calculated by the toner solids content calculation unit.

2. The liquid developing device according to claim 1, further comprising a developing tank configured to receive liquid toner from the liquid toner storage tank, the developing tank having a temperature measurement unit that measures the temperature of the liquid toner in the liquid toner storage tank, wherein the equation is modified based on the temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit.

3. A wet image forming device, comprising: a photosensitive drum; anda liquid developing device being configured to supply liquid toner to the photosensitive drum, the liquid developing device having a liquid toner storage tank being configured to store liquid toner being configured to be supplied to a photosensitive drum,a toner liquid cartridge being configured to house toner liquid with a predetermined toner solids content supplied to the liquid toner storage tank,a carrier cartridge being configured to house carrier liquid supplied to the liquid toner storage tank,a liquid toner measurement unit being configured to measure the liquid toner stored in the liquid toner storage tank, and to output an output value corresponding to the toner solids content of the liquid toner,a toner liquid measurement unit being configured to include a sensor having the same specifications as those of the liquid toner measurement unit, the toner liquid measurement unit measuring the toner liquid supplied from the toner liquid cartridge, and outputting an output value corresponding to the toner solids content of the toner liquid,a carrier liquid measurement unit having a sensor having the same specifications as the those of the liquid toner measurement unit, the carrier liquid measurement unit measuring the carrier liquid supplied from the carrier cartridge, and outputting an output value corresponding to the toner solids content of the carrier liquid,an equation determination unit being configured to obtain an equation expressing the relationship between the output value of the sensor of the liquid toner measurement unit and the toner solids content of the liquid toner based on the output values of the toner liquid measurement unit and the carrier liquid measurement unit,a toner solids content calculation unit being configured to calculate the toner solids content of the liquid toner in the liquid toner storage tank with reference to the equation determined by the equation determination unit based on the output value of the liquid toner measurement unit, anda concentration control unit being configured to control the concentration of the liquid toner based on the toner solids content of the liquid toner in the liquid toner storage tank calculated by the toner solids content calculation unit.

4. The wet image forming device according to claim 3, wherein the liquid developing device further includes a developing tank configured to receive liquid toner from the liquid toner storage tank, the developing tank having a temperature measurement unit that measures the temperature of the liquid toner in the liquid toner storage tank, wherein the equation is modified based on the temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit.