Patent ID: 7664444

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a first image bearing member which bears toner images; a second image bearing member which bears toner images; a rotatable intermediate transfer belt onto which the toner images are transferred from the first and second image bearing members, and the first image bearing member is disposed on an upstream side from the second image bearing member in a rotating direction of the intermediate transfer belt; a transfer unit which transfers the toner images on the intermediate transfer belt onto a recording material; a belt contacting and separating unit which allows the intermediate transfer belt to separate from and to come into contact with the first image bearing member; an image forming mode executing unit which executes: (i) a first image forming mode in which the toner images are transferred from the first and second image bearing members onto the intermediate transfer belt, in a state where the intermediate transfer belt is in contact with the first and second image bearing members and (ii) a second image forming mode in which the toner image is transferred from the second image bearing member onto the intermediate transfer belt, in a state where the intermediate transfer belt is away from the first image bearing member and is in contact with the second image bearing member; a supporting member which is capable of supporting an inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt between the first and second image bearing members; and a supporting member contacting and separating mechanism for moving the supporting member, wherein the supporting member contacting and separating mechanism suspends the inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt on the supporting member when the second image forming mode is executed, and the supporting member contacting and separating mechanism separates the supporting member from the inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt when the first image forming mode is executed.