Patent ID: 7469123
Filing Date: 2008-12-23
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an intermediate transfer member; an image forming portion adapted to form a monochrome image on the intermediate transfer member by rotating the intermediate transfer member at one time, and to superpose a plurality of monochrome images on the intermediate transfer member by rotating the intermediate transfer member at plural times to form a multi-color image on the intermediate transfer member; a transfer portion adapted to transfer the image formed on the intermediate transfer member to a sheet delivered with a first speed; a fixing portion adapted to fix the transferred image onto the sheet; and a switchback portion adapted to switch back the sheet that has passed through the fixing portion so as to return the sheet to the transfer portion through a return path with a second speed, for forming the image on a second face of the sheet, after the image has been fixed on a first face of the sheet, wherein: the second speed is equal to or lower than the first speed when the image formed in the image forming portion to be transferred on the second face of the sheet is a multi-color image; and the second speed is greater than the first speed when the image formed in the image forming portion to be transferred on the second face of the sheet is a monochrome image.