Patent ID: 7519303

Claim:
An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image carrier; a latent image forming unit configured to form a latent image on the image carrier; a developing unit configured to form a plurality of toner images of the latent image, the toner images formed in different colors; a moving member configured to move in contact with the latent image forming unit at a transfer position; a control pattern forming unit configured to form a control pattern on the moving member, the control pattern including an image density control pattern; a control pattern detecting unit configured to detect the control pattern; a deformation preventing unit arranged on a rear side of the moving member at a position facing the control pattern detecting unit; and a plurality of tension applying members configured to apply tension to the moving member from inside a structure of the moving member to tautly support the moving member, wherein the deformation preventing unit and one of the tension applying members being a primary transfer bias impressing unit included in a bias impressing unit that impresses a bias are arranged in close proximity to each other, and a surface of the deformation preventing unit is formed with an insulating material.