Patent ID: 7610003

Claim:
An image forming apparatus configured to form a color image comprising: a first to a fourth image forming stations each comprising an image carrier, a developing device which is provided on the image carrier, retains a developing agent containing a toner and a carrier and forms a toner image on the image carrier, and a mechanism which collects the toner remaining on the image carrier after toner image transfer by the developing device; and a first to a fourth toner image transfer sections provided in accordance with each of image stations, which transfer each toner image onto a transfer medium and are provided on in order with regard to the transfer medium conveying direction; wherein, in the second and third image forming station, a contact nip width between the transfer medium and the image carrier is larger than a nip width between the transfer medium and a transfer member having a voltage applied thereto, and a plurality of transfer members are provided; each of the second and the third toner image transfer sections has the transfer efficiency higher than that of the first and the fourth transfer sections.