Patent ID: 7142799

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member; toner image forming means for forming toner images on the image bearing member; a rotatable intermediate transfer belt on which the toner image is primarily transferred; a driving roller configured and positioned to rotate the intermediate transfer belt by rotating itself and contacting the intermediate transfer belt in a driving region; a driving source positioned to apply a driving force to the driving roller; primary transfer means for primary transferring the toner images on the image bearing member to the intermediate transfer belt in a primary transfer region when the intermediate transfer belt is rotating for superimposing the toner images on the image bearing member on the intermediate transfer belt; secondary transfer means for secondary transferring the toner images on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording material; removing means for removing toner on the intermediate transfer belt by abutting the intermediate transfer belt, which can abut against and separate from the intermediate transfer belt; and a movable member configured and positioned to move and to contact the intermediate transfer belt at a position downstream of the driving region in the rotating direction of the intermediate belt and upstream of the primary transfer region in the rotating direction, which shortens the length of a moving locus of the intermediate transfer belt from the driving region to the primary transfer region according to the change in the position of the removing means from a separating position at which the removing means is separated from the intermediate transfer belt to an abutting position at which the removing means abuts against the intermediate transfer belt.