Patent ID: 8050582

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a first image bearing member; a second image bearing member; a rotatable belt member, contactable to said first image bearing member and to said second image bearing member, for carrying a toner image, wherein said first image bearing member is disposed downstream of said second image bearing member with respect to a rotational direction of said belt member; a first transfer member for transferring a toner image from said first image bearing member onto said belt member; a second transfer member for transferring a toner image from said second image bearing member onto said belt member; a movable portion for separating said belt member from said second image bearing member in a state in which said first image bearing member and said belt member contact each other; and a belt surface moving portion for moving a surface of said belt member between said first image bearing member and said second image bearing member so that a contact area between said first image bearing member and said belt member, when said belt member and said second image bearing member are separated from each other, is larger than that when said first image bearing member and said second image bearing member contact said belt member.