Patent ID: 7848677

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of image forming sections that includes a first image forming section and a second image forming section, the plurality of image forming sections each having at least a photosensitive drum; a transfer belt that moves toward the plurality of first image forming sections; a plurality of transfer rollers that respectively face the photosensitive drums of the plurality of image forming sections with the transfer belt interposed between the transfer rollers and the photosensitive drums; a plurality of charge removal members that are respectively provided adjacent to the transfer rollers, and remove electric charges charged on the transfer belt, with a clearance maintained between the transfer belt and the charge removal members; and a changer that changes positions of the transfer rollers between a first position where only the transfer roller for the second image forming section comes into contact with the corresponding photosensitive drum and the transfer roller for the first image forming section is separated from the corresponding photosensitive drum, and a second position where all the transfer rollers for the first image forming section and the second image forming section come into contact with the corresponding photosensitive drums, wherein the charge removal member for the second image forming section among the plurality of the charge removal members approaches the transfer belt most closely at the second position, and all the plurality of charge removal members for the first image forming section and the second image forming section maintain clearance with the transfer belt at the first position and at the second position.