Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image carrier, a detachable transfer body on which an image is transferred, a contact and separation mechanism that moves the transfer body into contact with and away from the image carrier, and a coupling member to be coupled to the contact and separation mechanism. When the coupling member is turned forward to a first turn position in a coupled state coupled to the contact and separation mechanism, the contact and separation mechanism contacts the transfer body with the image carrier, and when the coupling member is turned in reverse from the first turn position to a second turn position in the coupled state, the contact and separation mechanism separates the transfer body from the image carrier and the coupling member withdraws in a direction opposite a direction to couple the coupling member to the contact and separation mechanism.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an endless belt in a belt unit is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes an engaging portion that contacts the belt unit such that the surface of the belt is placed under tension while the belt unit is urged against the engaging portion.

Abstract: A medium carrying unit to be installed in an image forming apparatus includes a first carrying path through which a medium is carried, a handle member positioned above or around the first carrying path and including a part to be gripped by a user in a state that allows the handle member to project above a carrying surface of the first carrying path, an accommodation area that is defined around the handle member and that accommodates the handle member in a state that allows the handle member to be freely inserted and removed so that the handle member hides below the carrying surface of the first carrying path, and a push-out mechanism that pushes out the handle member from an interior of the accommodation area when the medium carrying unit is removed from the image forming apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a body frame, a transport unit, an image carrier, a transfer device, a fixing device, a guide member assembly, a door, and a positioning member. The guide member assembly includes a guide member, a positioned portion, and a support member. The support member supports the guide member and has a side wall that extends in such a direction as to intersect a line drawn in the width direction and that has a hole through which a support shaft is inserted with some play being present. The guide member assembly is supported by the door with some play being present between the guide member assembly and a base plate and is urged by an urging member. The hole is a long hole having a major axis extending in an opening direction of the door away from a center line of rotation of the door.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including a body provided at one side thereof with an opening, a transfer device movably installed at the body so as to be detachable through the opening, and a locking lever rotatably installed at the transfer device, wherein the locking lever rotates between a first position at which one end of the locking lever protrudes from the transfer device and a second position at which the one end is accommodated within the transfer device, and the body includes a locking protrusion that is locked with other end of the locking lever in a state that the locking lever is at the first position, so that only in a state that a worker rotates the locking lever while gripping the transfer device, the transfer device is separated from the body, thereby separating the transfer device in a safe manner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a casing; a belt unit including a first roller, a second roller positioned higher than the first roller and a belt; image bearing members; developer containers; a removing member; an accommodating member; and a conveying member. The image bearing members includes a first image bearing member and a second image bearing member. The removing member is positioned adjacent to the second image bearing member and below an imaginary plane. The accommodating member accommodates the waste toner removed by the removing member, and is positioned adjacent to the first image bearing member and above the imaginary plane. The accommodating member is mounted in and removed from the casing along with a first developer container corresponding to the first image bearing member. The conveying member conveys the waste toner removed by the removing member to the accommodating member.

Abstract: A guide surface of an attachment guide for a cartridge attached to a position nearest to a scanner has, in the vicinity of an inlet of the attachment guide, a portion oriented so as to be away from a guide surface of a guide unit for another cartridge from the upstream toward the downstream side in the direction in which the cartridges are attached.

Abstract: A transfer unit includes a belt member, a bending roller, a transfer section, and a bias application unit. The belt member is extended between rollers and has a movable surface on which a toner image is transferred from an image carrier. The bending roller externally contacts the surface of the belt member to bend the belt member and rotates in conjunction with the belt member. The transfer section includes one of the rollers and a surface moving member. The surface moving member rotates at least one full turn while cleaning is performed on the surface moving member and the bending roller. A surface moving speed of the bending roller is equal to or greater than a surface moving speed of the surface moving member. A circumferential length L1 of the surface moving member and a circumferential length L2 of the bending roller satisfy L1?L2.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a body frame, a support roller placed at one side of a movement path of a printing medium, a transfer roller assembly placed at the other side of the movement path of the printing medium at a position adjacent to the support roller, and a door to open or close the body frame so as to expose the movement path of the printing medium. The transfer roller assembly has a rotating axis kept at a fixed position of the body frame, and is moved away from the support roller in linkage with an opening operation of the door.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a main assembly; a belt unit, including a belt member and supporting rollers for supporting the belt member, detachably mountable to the main assembly with respect to a direction crossing a rotational axis direction of the supporting rollers; image forming portions, provided below the belt unit along the belt member, for forming toner images on the belt member; toner cartridges, provided above the belt unit, for supplying toners to the image forming portions, respectively; a side plate provided in the main assembly; and an integrated member provided on the side plate and including a guiding member having a guiding portion for guiding the belt unit and toner supply passages for permitting communication of the image forming portions with the toner cartridges, respectively. The guiding member and the toner supply passages are integrally constituted so that the toner supply passages penetrate the guiding member.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming device that forms toner images on corresponding photosensitive bodies, and performs primary transfers for transferring the toner images on the corresponding photosensitive bodies onto an intermediate transfer body and performs a secondary transfer for transferring the toner images from the intermediate transfer body onto a recording medium. The image forming device includes a position detection unit that detects a position of the intermediate transfer body; a position control unit that controls movement of the intermediate transfer body; a speed determination unit that determines a speed of the intermediate transfer body; and an image forming control unit. The image forming control unit causes the image forming device to form the toner images, to perform primary transfers or to perform a secondary transfer, when the intermediate transfer body is moving at a constant speed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer unit, a fuser unit, a detector, and an adjustment mechanism. The transfer unit transfers an image from an imaging surface to a recording sheet passing through a transfer nip. The fuser unit fixes the transferred image in place on the recording sheet passing through a fixing nip. The transfer nip and the fixing nip form part of a sheet feed path along which a recording sheet is fed from the fuser unit to the transfer unit. The detector is located between the transfer nip and the fuser unit, and detects an amount of sheet skew by which the fed recording sheet is deviated from a proper position in the sheet feed path. The adjustment mechanism adjusts position of either or both of the transfer unit and the fuser unit according to the detected amount of sheet skew.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrying member to carry a toner image, a nip forming member to form a transfer nip with the image carrying member, and a transfer bias outputting unit to output a transfer bias to transfer the toner image from the image carrying member to a recording medium. The transfer bias is composed of a direct current (DC) component and an alternating current (AC) component, and a least one of the DC component and the AC component is subjected to constant voltage control. When constant current control is conducted at a timing other than when the toner image is being transferred from the image carrying member to the recording medium, a detection bias voltage at the transfer nip is detected, and the voltage of at least one of the DC component and the AC component is controlled based on the detected detection bias voltage.

Abstract: Disclosed are a transfer unit and an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a main body frame on which one or more image carrying bodies are is supported and a transfer unit coupled to the main body frame.

Abstract: While providing an easy access to a working space between a secondary transfer roller and an intermediate transfer belt, an image forming apparatus is capable of ensuring a working space wider than a rotation radius of the secondary transfer roller in a state that the rotation center portion is pivotally supported on the image forming apparatus side. In a state that a rotation center portion engages with a rotation center hole provided in a housing frame, a secondary transfer unit is rotated on the rotation center hole to position the secondary transfer roller with respect to a secondary transfer counter roller. When the rotation center portion, which is engaged with the rotation center hole, is disengaged accompanying the opening operation of the exterior door, the exterior door supporting the secondary transfer unit is capable of opening widely outward.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotary shaft, a first image bearing member, a nip forming member, a moving device, and a restriction device. The first image bearing member bears a visible image on a surface thereof and is rotatable about the rotary shaft which is driven directly or indirectly. The nip forming member contacts the first image bearing member to form a transfer nip therebetween. The moving device is disposed on the rotary shaft and rotates to move the nip forming member to contact and separate from the first image bearing member. The restriction device inhibits rotation of the moving member in a state in which the nip forming member is separated from the first image bearing member by the rotation of the moving device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member on which a toner image is to be formed; a transfer device for transferring the toner image carried on the image bearing member; and a rotationally movable endless transfer belt onto which the toner image is to be transferred or on which a transfer material onto which the toner image is to be transferred is to be conveyed. The transfer device includes a sheet member contacted to an inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt while being supported by a supporting member at an end thereof and includes an urging member for urging the sheet member against the transfer belt in contact to the sheet member. The urging member includes a projected portion projected toward the transfer belt at its downstream end portion more than at its upstream end portion with respect to a movement direction of the transfer belt.

Abstract: An image formation apparatus has a belt unit and a drawer casing configured to accommodate the plurality of process units. The drawer casing is movable in a horizontal direction so that it is insertable in and/or drawable from a main body of the image formation apparatus. An openable cover for an opening formed on an end face of the drawer casing is provided. The drawer casing is arranged above an imaginary plane including the bridging surface of an endless belt, while a sheet tray is arranged below the imaginary plane. A pair of rollers is arranged on the sheet tray side with respect to the movable path and configured to feed the sheet fed from the sheet tray to the belt unit. A first guide and a second guide, which is provided opposite to the first guide with a predetermined clearance therebetween, are provided to form a sheet feed path.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit to form a developer image in a developer agent on a photosensitive member, an intermediate transfer member arranged in a position to face the photosensitive member, a primary transfer member to transfer the developer image from the photosensitive member to the intermediate transfer member, a secondary transfer member to transfer the developer image from the intermediate transfer member to the recording medium, a cleaning member to remove materials adhered onto the intermediate transfer member, a container to store the materials removed from the intermediate transfer member, an attachment section, to which the container is detachably attached, and a conveyer to convey the recording medium to pass through a position between the intermediate transfer member and the cleaning member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member that carries a toner image, a rotatable endless belt facing the image bearing member, and a transfer device arranged on an inner peripheral side of the belt and transferring a toner image from the image bearing member to the belt. The transfer device includes a sheet member having conductivity and having a free end and an opposite end which is fixed. In addition, a support member supports and contacts the sheet member, and a securing member secures the sheet member. The sheet member at least has a first region secured by the securing member, a second region in contact with the support member, a third region separated from the support member and the belt, and a fourth region separated from the support member and in contact with the belt. The first region, the second region, the third region and the fourth region are located in order from an upstream side toward a downstream side in a rotational direction of the belt.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a separating mechanism configured to move a transfer belt between a first position in which the transfer belt contacts a photoconductor to a second position, a separating shaft configured to rotate to cause the separating mechanism to move from the first position to the second position. The image forming apparatus further includes a lever configured to be removably mounted on a first end of the separating shaft, and an accommodation section configured to accommodate the lever in a body of the image forming apparatus. A second end of the separating shaft prevents the accommodation of the lever in the accommodation section when the lever is removed and when the separating shaft is in the first rotation position.

Abstract: To facilitate replacing photosensitive drums and/or developing devices in an image forming apparatus, a photosensitive member unit including a plurality of photosensitive members is loaded in a main casing. A developing device unit including a plurality of developing devices is also loaded in the main casing. Both an intermediate transfer belt and the photosensitive member unit are configured to be movable toward and away from the developing device unit. Further, when the photosensitive member unit is separated from the developing device unit, the intermediate transfer belt and the plurality of photosensitive members are also separated from each other.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: a cartridge; a supporting member; a belt unit; a waste toner storage member; and a conveying member. The cartridge is configured to retain a photosensitive body. The belt unit includes a belt; and a cleaning member. The cleaning member removes residual toner remaining on the belt. The waste toner storage member stores the residual toner. The belt unit is movable between a contact position in which the belt contacts the photosensitive body and a separated position in which the belt is separated from the photosensitive body. The conveying member allows the residual toner to be conveyed from the cleaning member to the waste toner storage member when the belt unit is in the contact position, and interrupts the residual toner from being conveyed from the cleaning member to the waste toner storage member when the belt unit is in the separated position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt unit and a transfer belt unit each of which has a deviation control mechanism and which are held in contact with each other at a transfer portion, wherein at least a steering roller on which a secondary transfer belt is suspended is situated such that a traction surface thereof does not constitute a transfer surface including a transfer roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor; an intermediate transfer belt to which a toner image formed on the photoconductor is transferred, the intermediate transfer belt holding the toner image transferred thereto; a first transfer roller that nips the intermediate transfer belt between the first transfer roller and the photoconductor to transfer the toner image formed on the photoconductor to the intermediate transfer belt; a second transfer roller that transfers the toner image held by the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium; a detection unit that detects an environmental condition; and a separation position changing unit that changes a first separation position in accordance with the environmental condition, the first separation position being a position at which the intermediate transfer belt becomes separated from the first transfer roller.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer member that includes a mixture of a thermoplastic polymer, a zirconium tungstate, an optional polysiloxane, and an optional conductive filler.

Abstract: A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes plural cartridge mounting portions for demountably mounting independently removable cartridges, a moving unit that includes the cartridge mounting portions and is movable between an image forming position and a mounting and demounting position for mounting and demounting the cartridges, and a mounting and demounting position locking member for locking the moving unit in the mounting and demounting position to prevent movement to the image forming position when at least one of the cartridges is not mounted in the corresponding cartridge mounting portion. The mounting and demounting position locking member is movable from an unlocking position to a locking position in interrelation with demounting of any one of the cartridges from its corresponding cartridge mounting portion, and to the unlocking position when all of the plurality of cartridges are mounted in their corresponding plurality of cartridge mounting portions.

Abstract: Provided are coating composites for imaging members, imaging members, and apparatuses for forming an image. In accordance with various embodiments, there is a coating composite for imaging components. The coating composite can include a film forming resin and a plurality of surface treated carbon black particles substantially uniformly dispersed in the film forming resin, wherein each of the plurality of surface treated carbon black particles includes one or more fluorosilanes bonded to a surface of the carbon black particle.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a transfer unit, and a control unit. The image carrier has a surface to bear a toner image thereon. The transfer unit has a transfer member to transfer the toner image onto a recording sheet conveyed in a conveyance direction for trailing-end borderless image formation and duplex image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on the recording sheet without forming a margin at a trailing end of the recording sheet in the conveyance sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation. The transfer unit is configured to form the toner image on front and back faces of the recording sheet in the duplex image formation. When a width of the toner image formed in a borderless image area of the recording sheet in the trailing-end borderless image formation is smaller in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction than a threshold value, the control unit permits the duplex image formation.

Abstract: An improved image forming apparatus is described which can inhibit the quality of printed images from being degraded. A control unit performs a steering operation to shift an intermediate transfer belt toward a target belt position by controlling the inclination angle of a steering roller. Also, a memory stores the inclination angle of the steering roller in association with the operational states of rotary members facing the intermediate transfer belt. The control unit updates the values stored in the memory with an update value. When the result of detecting the belt edges indicate that the intermediate transfer belt falls in a predetermined range around the target belt position during the steering operation, the control unit determines the update value on the basis of the steering duration time and the inclination angle of the steering roller.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus include a main body and a conveyance unit. The main body includes an image carrier forming a toner image on a surface, a roller locating portion formed on both axial ends of the image carrier, and a guide locating portion formed in proximity to the roller locating portion. The conveyance unit is mounted to open and close on the main body, and includes a transfer roller unit, a conveyance guide, and a biasing member. The transfer roller unit has a transfer roller forming a transfer nip portion with the image carrier, and a separation lever configured to provide pivotal support for the transfer roller and being disposed to rotate. The conveyance guide is configured to guide a sheet of paper to the transfer nip portion, includes a regulating portion. The biasing member is configured to bias the conveyance guide toward the guide locating portion.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a main body; a cover configured to be provided so as to be capable of being opened and closed with respect to the main body; an attachment unit configured to be provided on the cover; a unit configured to be attached to the attachment unit; a positioning member configured to, on closing of the cover, position the unit with respect to a member attached to the main body or the main body; a guiding member configured to guide the unit to the positioning member; and a protrusion configured to be provided at the guiding member to protrude in an attaching direction of the unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit; an intermediate transfer member; a secondary transfer member to form a secondary transfer nip with the intermediate transfer member and the secondary transfer member; a biasing mechanism to bias the secondary transfer member toward the intermediate transfer member; a cam member rotatable between a first position, at which a predetermined space is formed in the secondary transfer nip, and a second position, at which the secondary transfer member and the intermediate transfer member contact each other; and a contact-separation controller configured to put the cam member in the first position before entry of the recording medium into the secondary transfer nip, rotate the cam member toward the second position when the recording medium enters the secondary transfer nip, and change a start timing of rotation of the cam member in accordance with a thickness of the recording medium.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a recording sheet is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a main body, a belt unit, and a pressing member configured to press the belt unit in a pressing direction crossing both a belt extending direction and an axial direction of a belt roller. A first positioning portion is disposed in the main body and a second positioning portion is disposed in the belt unit. A second positioning portion is disposed in the belt unit and configured to contact the first positioning portion to allow the belt unit to be positioned in the main body, and the pressing member is configured to press the belt unit such that the second positioning portion maintains contact with the first positioning portion.

Abstract: An upstream end of a guide surface of a recording material guide in the recording-material conveying direction is located on the same side as a separation belt-stretching roller with respect to an extension of the belt surface from the separation belt-stretching roller to a recessed portion formed in the belt surface by the separation assistance rollers.

Abstract: An intermediate transfer device including an intermediate transfer body having a primary transfer portion and a secondary transfer portion which bears a secondary image formed by transferring a primary image from an image bearing member; a pair of secondary transfer rollers having a secondary transfer roller and a support roller provided in contact with each other via the intermediate transfer body at the secondary transfer portion, which transfers the secondary image to a recording medium at the secondary transfer portion; a variation detection device that detects an amount of variance occurring to a transfer rotation body when the recording medium is transferred to the secondary transfer portion; and an adjustment device that adjusts the distance between the pair of the secondary transfer rollers according to the amount of variance detected by the variation detection device.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main body that includes a first engagement part, a first unit configured to be removably installed in the main body, and a second unit configured to be removably installed in the main body. The first unit includes a frame, a pivot shaft formed on the frame, a grip part that is rotatable around the pivot shaft and that includes a second engagement part that is configured to engage with the first engagement part, a pivot shaft hole that is configured to receive the pivot shaft, and a user operable operation part. When the second unit is laid on the first unit, the second unit presses the operation part and causes the grip part to rotate in a first direction such that the second engagement part engages with the first engagement part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; an intermediate transfer unit including an intermediate transfer body onto which an image on the image carrier is transferred, and plural rotation members around which the intermediate transfer body is wound, each rotation member rotating around a rotation axis, the intermediate transfer unit detachably attached, in the rotation axis direction, to an apparatus main body; a secondary transfer unit that makes contact with and separates from the intermediate transfer body, the secondary transfer unit provided at an opposite side of the rotation members across the intermediate transfer body; a positioning unit that, when the intermediate transfer unit is attached to the apparatus main body, positions the intermediate transfer unit in the secondary transfer unit side at least at two points differently located in the rotation axis direction; and a securing unit that secures the intermediate transfer unit to the apparatus main body.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is capable of executing, in non-image formation, for example, in a sheet-to-sheet interval, a developer bearing member stop mode in which the developer conveyance by a development sleeve is stopped. For example, the apparatus turns off primary transfer bias in the sheet-to-sheet interval. Even if fogging toner is no longer supplied after the development sleeve drive is stopped, the apparatus can reduce frictional force variation between the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer belt to prevent speed variation of the photosensitive drum or the intermediate transfer belt, thus reducing the possibility of image unevenness and out of color registration.

Abstract: The present teachings provide an intermediate transfer member which includes a substrate layer and a surface layer disposed on the substrate layer. The surface layer includes a plurality of core-shell particles wherein the core is a conductive particle and the shell is a fluoroplastic dispersed in a fluoroelastomer.

Abstract: An image device includes: a cleaning member; a first case; a second case; a storage member; and a conveying unit. The storage member is provided outside of the second case and stores residual toner removed by the cleaning member. The first case includes a first case side coupling part. The second case includes an elastic member and a second case side coupling part. The second case side coupling part is coupled to the first case side coupling part through the elastic member. The elastic member allows the second case to move relative to the first case in a predetermined direction. The conveying unit includes a conveying unit side coupling part. The conveying unit side coupling part is coupled to the first case side coupling part.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image holding body unit having a first supported portion and an image holding body that is rotated while holding an image on a surface of the image holding body; and a conveying unit that is disposed below the image holding body unit and has conveying members for conveying a medium on which the image formed on the surface of the image holding body is to be recorded, image holding body support portions that supports both end portions, in an axial direction, of the image holding body, and a first support portion that supports the first supported portion.

Abstract: An image forming device, comprising: an endless belt stretched by a plurality of rollers; and a detection sensor located to face one of the plurality of rollers while sandwiching the endless belt between the detection sensor and the one of the plurality of rollers, the detection sensor reading information formed on the endless belt through use of reflection of light. A recessed part is formed, to catch foreign particles, on the one of the plurality of rollers at a position which is shifted in an axis direction of the one of the plurality of rollers with respect to a detection area on the endless belt to which light from the detection sensor is irradiated.

Abstract: In one embodiment of an image forming apparatus of the present invention, the image forming apparatus includes an opening/closing cover that is supported so as to be capable of moving relative to an image forming apparatus main body and opens/closes an opening portion of the image forming apparatus main body; and a unit installed so as to be capable of swinging on an image forming apparatus main body side of the opening/closing cover, in which when the opening/closing cover is opened/closed, the unit moves in a track that moves around a guide shaft of the unit, and in a track that moves so as to follow opening/closing of the opening/closing cover.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided, which includes a sheet tray disposed to face a plurality of photoconductive bodies across a belt device, and two main frames disposed to face each other across the plurality of photoconductive bodies, the belt device, and the sheet tray, the two main frames being configured such that the plurality of photoconductive bodies, the belt device, and the sheet tray are detachably attached thereto, the two main frames being further configured to define a communication section that leads from a space for accommodating the plurality of photoconductive bodies to the sheet tray.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the present disclosure includes a drum unit, a development unit, a stopper, a pressing unit and an interlock device. The development unit includes a development roller that develops a toner image on the photoconductor drum. The drum unit and the development unit can be removed from the main body of the apparatus. The stopper is freely moved between a restriction position where the removal of the drum unit is restricted and a release position where the restriction of the removal of the drum unit is released. The pressing unit is freely moved between a pressing position where the development roller is pressed onto the photoconductor drum and a pressing release position where the development roller is separated from the photoconductor drum such that the pressing is released. The interlocking device interlocks the movements of the stopper and the pressing unit.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus transferring a toner image on an intermediate transfer member onto a sheet in a transfer nip between a nip forming member and the transfer member, a resistance or environment detection device detects electrical resistance of the sheet or an environmental parameter correlated with the resistance, an output device outputs a transfer current, a storage device stores, as an algorithm for calculating a transfer current target value according to an image area ratio in the nip, algorithms corresponding to different resistances or environmental parameters, and a control device selects and uses, from the algorithms, an algorithm according to the detection result of the resistance or environment detection device as the algorithm for calculating the target value, and controls an output current value to equalize a current value based on the image area ratio in the nip with the target value based on the algorithm.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member bearing a toner image, an endless rotatable transfer belt for transferring the toner image from the image bearing member to a transfer material, and a transfer device transferring the toner image from the image bearing member to the transfer belt. The transfer device includes a sheet member, one end of which is fixed and the other end of which comes in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt, and a pressing member for pressing the sheet member to the transfer belt. In addition, a moving unit moves the pressing member in a moving direction of the transfer belt so that a contact state of the sheet member with respect to the transfer belt is changed.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a transfer belt; a rotational body; a transfer roller that forms a transfer nip part between the transfer roller and the rotational body with the transfer belt therebetween; a pressing section that presses one of the rotational body and the transfer roller against the other of the rotational body and the transfer roller; and a controlling section that controls the pressing section so as to change the pressing direction of the rotational body or the transfer roller in accordance with a predetermined image formation condition.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a transfer member arranged so as to face the image carrier; and a non-transferred toner adhesion unit that causes a non-transferred toner to adhere to an inter-sheet area present on the image carrier during a period of continuous image formation in which images are continuously formed on the image carrier. The transfer member is a foam roller. The image forming apparatus further includes a contacting and separating unit that causes the foam roller and the image carrier to come into contact with and be separated from each other. The contacting and separating unit separates the image carrier and the transfer member when the inter-sheet area present on the image carrier passes through a transfer area in which the image carrier and the transfer member face each other in association with rotation of the image carrier.