Abstract: Rollers including a tension roller are arranged in parallel. A pair of supporting members supports both ends of the rollers. A transfer belt is supported by the rollers. A biasing member applies a tension to the transfer belt by biasing the tension roller in a predetermined direction. The tension roller is movably supported in a straight-line direction. The biasing member is arranged in an area surrounded by the supporting members and the transfer belt in a direction of traversing from one supporting member to other supporting member.

Abstract: A powder conveying unit conveys powder input from a powder inlet of a powder containing chamber into the powder containing chamber. A powder detecting unit detects a full state of the powder conveyed by the powder conveying unit in the powder containing chamber. A sensor chamber is provided outside the powder containing chamber connected with each other. The powder detecting unit is provided in the sensor chamber, a bottom surface of the sensor chamber is at higher level than a bottom surface of the powder containing chamber, and the bottom surface of the sensor chamber is inclined downward toward the powder containing chamber.

Abstract: A belt unit includes a belt, a contact member, a movable member, an eccentric cam, a contact-separation mechanism, and a braking unit. The contact member is configured to come into contact with the belt. The contact-separation mechanism allows the movable member to move according to the rotation of the eccentric cam to control contact and separation between the contact member and the belt. The braking unit controls the rotation of the eccentric cam by a predetermined angle.

Abstract: A powder housing unit includes a plate-shaped agitating unit that is horizontally arranged inside of a casing to accommodate a powder, a rotating shaft that causes the agitating unit to slide back and forth, and a powder conveying unit that conveys the powder in a horizontal direction during the sliding. The rotating shaft is supported by a shaft supporting unit in a rotatable manner such that a space is formed between the rotating shaft and the shaft supporting unit.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a cleaning device, a waste toner bottle, a connecting unit, and a regulating unit. The cleaning device removes waste toner remaining on an intermediate transfer belt. The waste toner bottle has an intake opening for collecting the waste toner therein. The connecting unit conveys the waste toner from the cleaning device to the waste toner bottle, and has a discharge opening that is configured to engage the intake opening to discharge the waste toner into the waste toner bottle through the intake opening. The regulating unit regulates the position of the waste toner bottle in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the waste toner bottle before the discharge opening comes in contact with the intake opening.

Abstract: A shutter is rotatably supported by a first powder guiding member. When the first powder guiding member and a second powder guiding member occupy powder guiding positions, the shutter takes an open position. At this moment, a rear end of an upper surface of an open/close plate of the shutter is positioned on an inner side of an upper opening of the second powder guiding member.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer unit includes a stand member that is integral with an intermediate-transfer-unit body of the intermediate transfer unit. The stand member stretches below the intermediate-transfer-unit body from a trailing edge to a leading edge of the intermediate-transfer-unit in an attachment direction of the intermediate transfer unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a carrier unit including an intermediate transfer member, a detachable waste toner container, and a recording-medium directing member provided to the carrier unit. The recording-medium directing member guides a recording medium, and also prevents the waste toner container from contacting the intermediate transfer member when the waste toner container is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: A transfer device including an intermediate transfer belt provided to extend in an arranged direction of a plurality of photosensitive drums, and primary transfer rollers each transferring a toner image formed on a corresponding one of the plurality of photosensitive drums to the intermediate transfer belt, each of the primary transfer rollers being moved between a position causing the intermediate transfer belt to be in contact with the photosensitive drums and a position causing the intermediate transfer belt to be separated from the photosensitive drums, each of the primary transfer rollers being rotatably supported by a movable member which includes an abutting portion which regulates a position of the primary transfer roller, the abutting portion abutting on an abutted member whose positional relationship with the photosensitive drum is defined such that the position of the abutted member causes the intermediate transfer belt to be in contact with the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: A dust container includes a container body, an inlet, a dust detector, and a dust-conveying unit. The dust-conveying unit conveys the dust from the inlet to the interior of the container body. The dust-conveying unit includes a plurality of conveying members that are arranged at different positions in the dust conveying unit. A direction in which the dust is conveyed and an amount of the dust conveyed by at least one of the conveying members is different from those of the other conveying members. As the dust accumulates in the container body, the dust detector detects whether the container body is substantially full with the dust.