Patent ID: 8005412

Claim:
A transfer device that transfers an image from an image carrying member onto a sheet material by applying a transfer bias, the transfer device comprising: a neutralizing mechanism that is provided in at least one conveying path proximal member from among a plurality of conveying path proximal members that is installed on conveying paths of the sheet material in a vicinity of a transfer position, makes contact with the sheet material at a time of applying the transfer bias or is placed within a range of a fixed distance from the sheet material, and is grounded by using a conducting material, wherein the neutralizing mechanism includes a neutralizing circuit that includes a first resistor having a first resistance and a ground switch electrically connected in parallel to each other, and the ground switch is turned off at least at a time of applying the transfer bias to prevent a leakage of a transfer current, and turned on for a predetermined time at a time other than the time of applying the transfer bias to earth and remove a static electricity accumulated on the conveying path proximal member.