Patent ID: 8837962

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming section configured to form an input image corresponding to image data which has been input or a pattern image corresponding to pattern data stored in advance on a sheet which is conveyed to the image forming section; a control section configured to control at least the image forming section; and a position detecting section configured to detect position of the sheet in a width direction of the sheet perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction before the input image or the pattern image is formed on the sheet by the image forming section, wherein on a prescribed condition, the control section controls the image forming section so as to form the pattern image at an image forming position which has been set in advance and which is located at a position corresponding to a position of an image detecting section configured to detect the pattern image formed on the sheet, wherein when the image forming section forms the input image on the sheet, the control section performs a deviation correction to change the image forming position of the input image in the width direction of the sheet according to a result of detection by the position detecting section; and wherein when the image forming section forms the pattern image on the sheet, the control section does not perform the deviation correction.