Patent ID: 6259879
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming apparatus comprising:an image carrier for successively forming component toner images of different colors on a surface thereof;an intermediate transfer body to a surface of which the component toner images are successively transferred from the surface of said image carrier by primary transfer;first electric field forming means for forming between said image carrier and said intermediate transfer body a static electric field for effecting the primary transfer of the toner image;second electric field forming means for forming between said intermediate transfer body and a recording medium a static electric field for transferring the toner image from the surface of said intermediate transfer body to the recording medium; anddot image forming means for forming a number of scattered dot toner images in a form of fine dots on the surface of said image carrier, said dot toner images being transferred from the surface of said image carrier to an image area of the surface prior to a transfer of a first of the component toner images from the image carrier to the intermediate transfer body;wherein said dot toner images are arranged in a pattern representative of information unique to said apparatus.