Patent ID: 7668492

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image bearing member; a rotatable belt member for carrying an image; a transfer member having a transfer portion where a toner image is transferred from the image bearing member to the belt member; a plurality of rollers contacting an inner surface of the belt member, and bending the belt member so as to suspend the belt member in a tensioned state; an outer roller contacting an outer surface of the belt member, and bending the belt member so as to suspend the belt member in a tensioned state; and a control unit, wherein (i) the control unit controls an initial stopping of the belt member such that a plurality of contact portions are defined on the belt member where the belt member contacts the plurality of rollers, and (ii) after the rotation of the belt member is restarted, the control unit controls a subsequent stopping of the belt member such that at least one of the plurality of contact portions contacts the outer roller.