Patent ID: 8331836

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a direct transfer control unit that controls a single-color image forming unit and a direct transfer unit, wherein the direct transfer control unit is configured to transfer an image formed by the single-color image forming unit onto the direct transfer unit or a transfer sheet conveyed by the direct transfer unit; an indirect transfer control unit that controls multicolor image forming units and an intermediate transfer unit and causes the multicolor image forming units to superimpose multicolor images on the intermediate transfer unit; a secondary transfer control unit that controls proximity and separation between the direct transfer unit and the intermediate transfer unit; a first alignment control unit that performs a first alignment control process by causing the secondary transfer control unit to perform the proximity control so as to transfer both an image formed on the direct transfer unit by the direct transfer control unit and an image formed on the intermediate transfer unit by the indirect transfer control unit onto at least one of the direct transfer unit and the intermediate transfer unit, wherein the first alignment control unit is configured to correct misalignment of each of the images in a main-scanning and a sub-scanning directions; and a second alignment control unit that performs a second alignment control process by causing the secondary transfer control unit to perform a separation control, wherein the second alignment control unit uses a position of a color image that has undergone the first alignment control process as a reference, wherein the second alignment control unit is configured to correct misalignment of a different color image formed on the intermediate transfer unit by the indirect transfer control unit in the main-scanning and sub-scanning directions.