Patent ID: 8897682

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image holding member on which an image is held; and a transfer unit that transfers the image held on the image holding member to a recording material, wherein the transfer unit includes, a transfer roll that is disposed so as to be opposite to the image holding member, forms a transfer electric field between the transfer roll and the image holding member, and transfers the image of the image holding member to the recording material; a drive unit that applies driving force to the transfer roll; a torque limiting mechanics that is provided between the drive unit and the transfer roll and limits an upper limit of torque which acts on the transfer roll; and an inertia member that is a flywheel, the inertia member being provided so as to increase an amount of inertia with respect to the transfer roll and moving the transfer roll with inertia in a direction in which a speed difference between the image holding member and the transfer roll is decreased when the upper limit of torque acts on the transfer roll in the torque limiting mechanics.