Patent ID: 7190919

Claim:
An intermediate transferring device comprising: an intermediate transfer belt formed in an endless shape, and supported by a plurality of belt supporting mechanisms so as to be able to circulate, and having elasticity at least in a direction of circulation; a layer thinning mechanism contacting a toner carrier surface of the intermediate transfer belt, and electrostatically attracting toner which is on the toner carrier surface so as to thin a layer of the toner; a bias applying mechanism provided at a downstream side, in the direction of circulation of the intermediate transfer belt, of the layer thinning mechanism, and applying a bias voltage to the toner on the toner carrier surface whose layer has been thinned; an image carrier provided at a downstream side, in the direction of circulation of the intermediate transfer belt, of the bias applying mechanism, and carrying a visible image to be transferred onto the toner carrier surface, the toner on the toner carrier surface, to which the bias voltage has been applied by the bias applying mechanism, being transferred onto the image carrier; a toner removing mechanism removing the toner on the image carrier; and a first waste toner accommodating member accommodating toner which has been removed from the intermediate transfer belt by the layer thinning mechanism; a second waste toner accommodating member accommodating toner which has been removed from the image carrier by the toner removing mechanism; and a second waste toner accommodating member accommodating toner which has been removed from the image carrier by the toner removing mechanism; and wherein an amount of toner removed from the intermediate transfer belt by the layer thinning mechanism is greater than an amount of toner removed by the toner removing mechanism.