Patent ID: 7489894

Claim:
An image forming apparatus for a color print having an intermediate transfer belt and a plurality of image forming devices disposed sequentially along a running direction of the intermediate transfer belt, wherein each image forming device has a photoreceptor and a developing device, and toner images formed on photoreceptors by the plurality of developing devices are primarily transferred in sequence onto the intermediate transfer belt at respective primary transfer positions to form a superimposed toner image and further the superimposed toner image is secondarily transferred in a batch onto a transfer member at a secondary transfer position, the apparatus comprising: a charging or neutralizing device disposed at a part which is on a downstream side of the primary transfer position being on a most downstream side along the running direction of the intermediate transfer belt and on an upstream side of the secondary transfer position; a conductive elastic member, as a counter electrode for the charging or neutralizing device, disposed on a back surface side of the intermediate transfer belt opposite to a surface on which the superimposed toner image is formed; and a belt surface regulating member disposed in a vicinity of the conductive elastic member to regulate a position of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt, wherein the belt surface regulating member has a rib shape.