Patent ID: 9348270
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: G03G

Claim Text:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a rotating intermediate transfer member; a first image forming unit and a second image forming unit lined up in the rotational direction of the intermediate transfer member, wherein the second image forming unit is arranged downstream of the first image forming unit in the rotational direction of the intermediate transfer member, and each of the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit includes a rotating photosensitive member, a charging member configured to charge a surface of the photosensitive member, an exposure member configured to expose the charged photosensitive member to form an electrostatic latent image, a developing member configured to form, with toner, the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member, and a transfer member configured to transfer a toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member onto the intermediate transfer member at a transfer portion; a first detection member arranged downstream of the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit in the rotational direction of the intermediate transfer member to detect an adjusting toner image formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer member; a second detection member provided in the second image forming unit to detect an adjusting toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member in the second image forming unit; a bias application member configured to apply a transfer bias to the transfer member of the second image forming unit when the toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member in the second image forming unit is transferred onto the intermediate transfer member, and to apply a passing bias different from the transfer bias to the transfer member of the second image forming unit when a first adjusting toner image formed in the first image forming unit and transferred onto the intermediate transfer member and a second adjusting toner image formed on the surface of the photosensitive member in the second image forming unit passes through the transfer portion of the second image forming unit; and a control portion configured to control the exposure member in the second image forming unit to expose a region of the photosensitive member passing through the transfer portion in a condition that the transfer bias is applied.