Patent ID: 6535707
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
An image forming system comprising:an image bearing member; an intermediate transfer member which is kept in contact with said image bearing member; a developing apparatus having a plurality of developing units, said developing apparatus causing a developer contained in a predetermined one of said developing units into contact with said image bearing member to develop a latent image formed on the image bearing member; a developing unit moving means capable of moving said predetermined developing unit to a developing position where the developer in the predetermined developing unit comes into contact with said image bearing member, latent images formed on said image bearing member being developed respectively by the developing units of said developing apparatus, toner images thus formed on the image bearing member being primarily transferred onto said intermediate transfer member in a primary transfer section in which the image bearing member and the intermediate transfer member are in contact with each other, and the toner images thus primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer member being together transferred secondarily onto a transfer medium; and a control means which controls said developing unit moving means in such a manner that an area on said image bearing member at which the developer contained in said predetermined developing unit contacts said image bearing member to effect development, comes to contact a not-to-be-transferred area on said intermediate transfer member in said primary transfer section.