Patent ID: 7634207

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image carriers that carry toner images; an endless intermediate transfer belt to which the toner images of the plurality of image carriers are sequentially transferred; a plurality of first transfer members that are disposed in positions facing the image carriers, with the intermediate transfer belt being interposed therebetween, and to which a transfer bias is applied to cause the toner images to be transferred from the image carriers to the intermediate transfer belt; and a second transfer member that causes the toner images to be transferred from the intermediate transfer belt to a recording medium, the image forming apparatus starting application of the transfer bias sequentially from the first transfer members disposed upstream, after starting application of the transfer bias to a first transfer member disposed most downstream, starting application of the transfer bias to the second transfer members, and continuing to apply the transfer bias to two or more of the first transfer members until the recording medium enters a transfer position where the toner images are transferred by the second transfer member.