Patent ID: 7693469

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier that carries an image; an intermediate transfer belt that is arranged as opposed to the image carrier, and that rotationally moves in a predetermined direction; a primary transfer member that is arranged as opposed to the image carrier while the intermediate transfer belt is sandwiched therebetween, and that primarily transfers the image on the image carrier to the intermediate transfer belt; a secondary transfer member that secondarily transfers the image primary-transferred on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium; a first hanging member that hangs the intermediate transfer belt on the downstream side of a portion where the image carrier is opposed to the primary transfer member in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt; a second hanging member that hangs the intermediate transfer belt on the downstream side of the first hanging member in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt, the second hanging member being arranged as opposed to the secondary transfer member while the intermediate transfer belt is sandwiched therebetween; a third hanging member that hangs the intermediate transfer belt on the downstream side of the second hanging member in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt and on the upstream side of the portion where the image carrier is opposed to the primary transfer member in the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt; and a drive device that transmits drive force to the first hanging member and the second hanging member such that drive force by the second hanging member is larger than drive force by the first hanging member.