Patent ID: 8422897

Claim:
An image forming apparatus that includes a first image forming device that includes a first image carrier; a first image forming unit that forms a first toner image on the first image carrier; an intermediate transfer member onto which the first toner image is transferred from the first image carrier during primary transfer; a primary transfer unit that transfers the first toner image from the first image carrier onto the intermediate transfer member; and a secondary transfer unit that transfers the first toner image from the intermediate transfer member onto a recording medium during secondary transfer; a second image forming device that includes a second image carrier; a second image forming unit that forms a second toner image on the second image carrier; and a direct transfer unit that transfers the second toner image from the second image carrier directly onto the recording medium, wherein the second image forming unit is arranged upstream or downstream in a recording-medium moving direction of a secondary transfer position at which the first toner image is transferred during the secondary transfer from the intermediate transfer member onto the recording medium; and a belt member that carries the recording medium thereon to both the secondary transfer position and a direct transfer position at which the second toner image is transferred from the second image carrier onto the recording medium, the belt member being rotatably supported by a plurality of roller members, the image forming apparatus comprising: a lubricant applying unit that applies a lubricant to at least one of the first image forming unit and the second image forming unit; a toner-image detecting unit that faces an outer surface of the belt member and detects any toner image on the belt member; a cleaning member that is in contact with the outer surface of the belt member and removes toner from the outer surface of the belt member; an image adjusting unit that forms a test pattern on the belt member by using the first image forming device and the second image forming device, detects the test pattern by using the toner-image detecting unit, and adjusts, in accordance with a result of the detection, an image forming condition of each image forming unit; and a toner input unit that applies toner to the belt member, thereby inputting toner to a contact section where the cleaning member is in contact with the belt member, wherein: after toner is input to the contact section where the cleaning member is in contact with the belt member by the toner input unit, the image adjusting unit forms the test pattern on the belt member, and after toner is input to the contact section where the cleaning member is in contact with the belt member and then the belt member makes one or more revolutions, the image adjusting unit forms the test pattern on the belt member.