Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a toner image, formed by developing an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor, is primarily transferred to an intermediate transfer member and is secondarily transferred to a recording sheet. The image forming apparatus is provided with a retractable transfer member, which secondarily transfers the toner image on the recording sheet, and a retractable cleaning member, which removes a residual toner on the intermediate transfer member after the secondary transfer. In the above apparatus, when the primary transfer and the secondary transfer are not being performed, the transfer member and the cleaning member are allowed to contact with or retract from the intermediate transfer member.

Abstract: A paper sheet feeding arrangement for feeding paper sheets one sheet by one sheet, including a paper sheet cassette, a paper feeding roller, a feed roller, a paper sheet separating roller rotated, in contact with the feed roller, in a direction counter to a paper feeding direction, a return roller provided rotatably and coaxially with one of the feed roller and the paper sheet separating roller, and a paper sheet returning device which, in response to release of the paper sheet cassette from a paper feeding section, not only brings the feed roller and the paper sheet separating roller out of contact with each other but rotates the return roller in the direction counter to the paper feeding direction.