Patent ID: 8639154
Filing Date: 2014-01-28
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member that bears a toner image; a rotatable and endless intermediate transfer member, wherein a toner image is primarily transferred from the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer member in a first primary transfer part, and a toner image is secondarily transferred from the intermediate transfer member to a transfer material in a secondary primary transfer part; a charge member provided upstream of the first primary transfer part and downstream of the secondary primary transfer part in a rotation direction of the intermediate transfer member to charge residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member and not being transferred onto the transfer material in the secondary primary transfer part; wherein the charge member includes a conductive roller whose surface layer is a foamed layer, and in a contact area in which the foamed layer contacts the intermediate transfer member, a space is formed between a part of a surface of the foamed layer and the intermediate transfer member, wherein a size of the space is larger than an average particle size of the residual toner.