Patent ID: 8693919

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a photosensitive drum having a circumferential surface and configured to hold a developer image on the circumferential surface; a transfer member that faces the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum so as to form a conveying path therebetween, the transfer member configured to transfer the developer image from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum to a recording medium conveyed along the conveying path in a conveying direction; a collecting member of a roller type, facing the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum, the collecting member configured to collect developer remaining on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum after the developer image is transferred from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum to the recording medium; a driving mechanism coupled to the photosensitive drum and configured to rotate the photosensitive drum in a forward direction and in a reverse direction; a motor configured to drive the driving mechanism such that the photosensitive drum rotates either in the forward direction or in the reverse direction; a forward conveying mechanism for conveyance of the recording medium along the conveying path as the motor drives the driving mechanism such that the photosensitive drum rotates in the forward direction; a reverse conveying mechanism for conveyance of the recording medium, having the developer image transferred on a first face thereof, along a reverse conveying path as the motor drives the driving mechanism such that the photosensitive drum rotates in the reverse direction, and for feeding the recording medium to the conveying path so that a second face opposite the first face of the recording medium faces the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum; and a controller coupled to the motor, and configured to control the motor to drive the driving mechanism such that the photosensitive drum rotates in the forward direction until a particular portion of the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum that faces a trailing edge of the developer image on the recording medium reaches the collecting member, and then to control the motor to drive the driving mechanism such that the photosensitive drum rotates in the reverse direction until the particular portion of the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum faces the transfer member.