Patent ID: 7942493

Claim:
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: an inkjet head having a nozzle surface and inkjet nozzles on the nozzle surface and configured to jet ink droplets from the inkjet nozzles; a recording medium conveying mechanism including a recording medium conveyor and configured to convey the recording medium by the recording medium conveyor into an image forming area facing the inkjet head; a test pattern forming part provided separately from the recording medium conveyor; a control unit configured to perform an image forming test where a test pattern is formed on the test pattern forming part by jetting ink droplets from the inkjet head; and a test pattern detection unit configured to detect the test pattern formed on the test pattern forming part, wherein the test pattern forming part is in a home position outside of the image forming area when the test pattern is not being formed and moves into the image forming area when the test pattern is formed, wherein the test pattern forming part is in a home position outside of the image forming area when the test pattern is not being formed and moves into the image forming area when the test pattern is formed.