Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a movable belt member; rotatable first and second image bearings; first and second transfer members for electrostatically transferring the toner image from the first and second image bearing members, respectively, onto the belt member in contact with the belt member. The first and the second transfer members are disposed so that a position of a first end portion of a first contact portion between the first transfer member and the belt member on at least one side of the first contact portion with respect to a rotational axis direction of the first image bearing member and a position of a second end portion of a second contact portion between the second transfer member and the belt member on the same side as the at least one side of the first contact portion are substantially different from each other with respect to the rotational axis direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a movable belt member; rotatable first and second image bearings; first and second transfer members for electrostatically transferring the toner image from the first and second image bearing members, respectively, onto the belt member in contact with the belt member. The first and the second transfer members are disposed so that a position of a first end portion of a first contact portion between the first transfer member and the belt member on at least one side of the first contact portion with respect to a rotational axis direction of the first image bearing member and a position of a second end portion of a second contact portion between the second transfer member and the belt member on the same side as the at least one side of the first contact portion are substantially different from each other with respect to the rotational axis direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable belt; a first image carrying member for carrying a toner image; a first transfer member for electrostatically transferring a toner image onto the belt or a recording material carried on the belt; a second image carrying member; and a second transfer member for electrostatically transferring the toner image onto the belt or the recording material carried. The first transfer member contacts the belt and has a first end portion at a first position. The second transfer member contacts the belt and has a second end portion, at a second position, closer to the first end portion than the second contact portion perpendicular to a movement direction of the belt. The first position deviates from the second position so that first and second areas of the belt subjected to electric discharge first do not overlap.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a movable belt; a first image carrying member for carrying a toner image; a first transfer member for electrostatically transferring a toner image onto the belt or a recording material carried on the belt; a second image carrying member; and a second transfer member for electrostatically transferring the toner image onto the belt or the recording material carried. The first transfer member contacts the belt and has a first end portion at a first position. The second transfer member contacts the belt and has a second end portion, at a second position, closer to the first end portion than the second contact portion perpendicular to a movement direction of the belt. The first position deviates from the second position so that first and second areas of the belt subjected to electric discharge first do not overlap.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a photosensitive drum and an image exposure unit for drawing an electrostatic latent image on a surface of the photosensitive drum. A developing unit develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum by means of developer and a transfer charger transfers the developed image onto a receiving material. A cleaning unit removes developer remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum after the transfer. The photosensitive drum is driven to rotate so as to make a cycle of image forming operation proceed. The photosensitive drum includes a base member on a surface of which a plurality of line grooves having a triangular cross section are formed and arranged around the circumference in parallel with each other at a pitch of 17 to 19 &mgr;m. The photosensitive drum also has a photosensitive layer of amorphous silicon with an arithmetical mean deviation of the profile of Ra=0.08 to 0.12 &mgr;m.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus comprises an amorphous silicon photosensitive drum showing a rotation starting torque held lower than a predetermined value (e.g., 0.39 N.m) in order to make the produced images free from unevenness and no molten developer would adhere to the photosensitive drum after long use so that the drum can be prevented from being scraped. The surface of the amorphous silicon photosensitive drum 1 is electrically uniformly charged and a laser beam LB is emitted from image exposure unit 3 to irradiate the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and draw an electrostatic latent image there, which electrostatic latent image is then developed by developing unit 5, using toner. The image developed by toner is then transferred onto a receiving material 11 by transfer charger 6.