Patent ID: 8000632

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image transfer unit configured to transfer a reversed image based on a scanned original image onto an image bearing member as a toner image; a secondary transfer roller that comes into contact with the image bearing member and transfers the toner image onto a recording medium; a contact and separation unit configured to bring the secondary transfer roller into contact with and separate the secondary transfer roller from the image bearing member; a secondary-transfer-roller housing unit configured to house the secondary transfer roller; a lubricant applying brush that comes into contact with the secondary transfer roller and applies a lubricant thereto; a lubricant-applying-brush housing unit configured to house the lubricant applying brush and to be movable along a groove provided in the secondary-transfer-roller housing unit; a lifting and lowering member that is provided in another member not associated with the secondary-transfer-roller housing unit and lifts and lowers the lubricant-applying-brush housing unit; and a pressing member that presses the lubricant-applying-brush housing unit and brings the lubricant applying brush into contact with the secondary transfer roller wherein: the secondary transfer roller and the lubricant applying brush come into contact with and separate from each other in response to a contact and separation operation of the secondary transfer roller and the image bearing member, the secondary transfer roller and the lubricant applying brush separate from each other when the secondary transfer roller comes into contact with the image bearing member and come into contact with each other when the secondary transfer roller separates from the image bearing member, the lifting and lowering member limits, when the secondary transfer roller comes into contact with the image bearing member, the movement of the lubricant-applying-brush housing unit along the groove and releases the limitation when the secondary transfer roller separates from the image bearing member, the lubricant-applying-brush housing unit has a support shaft that is inserted in the groove and guides the movement of the lubricant-applying-brush housing unit, and the lifting and lowering member moves, while the secondary transfer roller is moving in a direction of coming into contact with the image bearing member, the support shaft in a direction in which the secondary transfer roller and the lubricant applying brush separate from each other and moves, while the secondary transfer roller is moving in a direction of separating from the image bearing member, the support shaft in a direction in which the secondary transfer roller and the lubricant applying brush come into contact with each other.