Patent ID: 8543023

Claim:
A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming a color image on a recording material, the apparatus comprising: a supporting member capable of supporting a plurality of electrophotographic photosensitive drums and being movable between i) an image forming position which is inside a main assembly of the apparatus and at which electrostatic latent images are formable on the electrophotographic photosensitive drums, respectively, and ii) a retracted position which is inside the main assembly of the apparatus and which is retracted from the image forming position; driving means for driving the electrophotographic photosensitive drums; an intermediary transfer belt onto which images formed by developing the electrostatic latent images formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drums are transferred; and a controller for controlling execution of image formation so as to provide, on the electrophotographic photosensitive drums, areas having a lowered absolute value of surface potential, and so as to stop driving of the electrophotographic photosensitive drums by the driving means in a state that the areas are opposed to the intermediary transfer belt.