Color recording apparatus

Claim 1

A recording apparatus having a visualizing device which selectively supplies visualizing agents to a photoconductive element, comprising: a first vessel storing a black visualizing agent; a second vessel storing a visualizing agent of another color; a cleaner vessel storing a cleaning agent for cleaning said visualizing agents; first supply means for supplying said visualizing agent in said first vessel to said visualizing device; second supply means for supplying said visualizing agent in said second vessel to said visualizing device; cleaner supply means for supplying said cleaning agent in said cleaner vessel to said visualizing device; switching means for causing said agents to be selectively collected from said visualizing device into either said first vessel, said second vessel or said cleaner vessel; color commanding means for commanding a recording color; monitoring means for monitoring a color condition of supply of any of said agents to said visualizing device and providing an output signal indicative of said color condition; comparing means for comparing said output signal to a reference value for a recording color commanded by said color commanding means and when the comparison indicates an unsatisfactory color condition, initiating cleaning of said visualizing device by commanding said cleaner supply means supply of said cleaning agent and commanding said switching means collection in said cleaner vessel and, after the cleaning, actuating said supply means and switching means in correspondence to said commanded color to said visualizing device, thereby performing recording in said commanded color; and control means for conditioning said switching means for collection in said cleaner vessel when a predetermined period of time expires before said recording means begins a subsequent recording operation after a recording operation in another color.