Patent ID: 8849168
Filing Date: 2014-09-30
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a transfer belt having a surface on which a toner image is primarily transferred, the transfer belt rotating in a predetermined direction; a pressure receiving roller over which the transfer belt is stretched; a suspension roller over which the transfer belt is stretched, the suspension roller disposed upstream from the pressure receiving roller; a secondary transfer roller that presses the transfer belt against the pressure receiving roller; an endless support belt stretched over at least one of the pressure receiving roller and the suspension roller; and a support-belt deforming member that elastically deforms the support belt so as to expand an area where a portion, between the pressure receiving roller and the suspension roller, of a back side of the transfer belt comes into contact with the support belt, wherein when the transfer belt is pressed between the pressure receiving roller and the secondary transfer roller, and paper is nipped between the transfer belt and the secondary transfer roller for secondary transfer of the toner image onto the paper, an angle defined by a portion, upstream from the secondary transfer roller, of the surface of the transfer belt and an imaginary line connecting an axis of the pressure receiving roller with an axis of the secondary transfer roller is less than 90 degrees; and a part of the support belt is held between the transfer belt and the at least one of the pressure receiving roller and the suspension roller over which the support belt is stretched.