Patent ID: 9274461
Filing Date: 2016-03-01
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. A transfer device, comprising: a transfer member to contact a surface, on which a toner image is borne, of an image bearing body, to form a transfer nip; and a bias applicator to apply a direct current (DC) voltage and an alternating current (AC) voltage as transfer bias to transfer the toner image on the image bearing body to a recording sheet in the transfer nip, wherein the bias applicator applies a DC voltage having a same polarity as the DC voltage of the transfer bias and an AC voltage having an amplitude smaller than the AC voltage of the transfer bias or applies the DC voltage having the same polarity as the DC voltage of the transfer bias without applying an AC voltage, when an inter-sheet area that exists on the image bearing body passes through the transfer nip during a continuous image formation period in which a plurality of recording sheets continuously pass through the transfer nipping area and images are formed on the plurality of recording sheets, wherein the transfer device further comprises a contact-and-separation unit to bring the image bearing body into contact with and separate from the transfer member, wherein the contact-and-separation unit separates the image bearing body from the transfer member, when the inter-sheet area that exists on the image bearing body passes through the transfer nip.