Patent ID: 7269380
Filing Date: 2007-09-11
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier which has a predetermined center of rotation and on which a toner image is formed by developing an electrostatic latent image formed thereon with a toner; a rotary developing device that has a plurality of developing units, which are disposed about a predetermined center of rotation thereof, and in which respective color toners are accommodated, and develops the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier by a developing unit which is faced to the image carrier by the rotation of the rotary developing device; an intermediate transfer member which is disposed in an approximately flat shape and circulatingly moves, onto which the toner image on the image carrier is primarily transferred at a predetermined transfer position, and which has a second transfer position at which the toner image is secondarily transferred onto a transfer material; a fixing unit which fixes the toner image on the transfer material, which has undergone the transfer of the toner image, thereon at a predetermined fixing position; and a conveying path along which the transfer material passes through the secondary transfer position and the fixing position and which has a partial conveying path extending approximately vertically between the secondary transfer position and the fixing position, wherein the primary transfer position is disposed on a side where the approximately flat-shaped intermediate transfer member moves in a direction in which the intermediate transfer member approaches the secondary transfer position, wherein the secondary transfer position is disposed upstream, with respect to the transfer material conveying direction, of a horizontal line that pass through the center of rotation of the image carrier, and wherein the fixing position is disposed upstream, with respect to the transfer material conveying direction, of a straight line which passes through the center of rotation of the rotary developing device and the center of rotation of the image carrier.