Patent ID: 8436878

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a main body that performs processing to form an image on a recording paper; an ion generating section that is external to the main body, generates ions and emits those ions to the outside; and a control unit that controls the ion generating section in such a manner as to vary the amount of ions generated and emitted by the ion generating section, according to whether the main body is in an image forming state or in a non-image forming state, wherein the control unit controls the ion generating section such that the amount of ions generated and emitted by the ion generating section is less when the main body is in an image forming state than when the main body is in a non-image forming state, wherein the control unit further controls the ion generating section such that the ion generating section emits the generated ions at least towards the main body when the main body is in an image-forming state, and emits the generated ions at least in a direction other than towards the main body when the main body is in a non-image forming state.