Patent ID: 7706735

Claim:
A lubricant applying device configured for use in an image forming apparatus, the lubricant applying device comprising: a lubricant in a solid form and configured to be coated on an image carrier of the image forming apparatus; and a rotating member that rotates while in contact with the lubricant, receives the lubricant, and applies the lubricant to the image carrier, wherein the lubricant has an upstream side and a downstream side with respect to a direction of rotation of the rotating member, a center portion of the lubricant on a side in contact with the rotating member between the upstream side and the downstream side is rounded forming a convex shape toward the rotating member, a corner portion of the upstream side of the lubricant has rounded edges forming a convex shape, a corner portion of the downstream side of the lubricant has rounded edges forming a convex shape, and the convex shapes of the corner portion of the upstream side and the corner portion of the downstream side are symmetric.