Patent ID: 8494432

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member configured to bear a toner image; a movable belt member configured to bear and convey a recording material; a transfer member configured to electrostatically transfer the toner image formed on the image bearing member onto the recording material born and conveyed by the belt member; a push-up member having a plurality of protrusions in a width direction of the belt member and configured to push up, from an inner side, the belt member downstream of the transfer member in a conveying direction of the recording material so that the plurality of protrusions forms a plurality of protruded portions on the belt member in a thickness direction of the belt member; a recording-material guide provided downstream of the push-up member in the conveying direction of the recording material and configured to guide the recording material separated from the belt member to a fixing device provided downstream in the conveying direction of the recording material; and a stretching member provided downstream of the push-up member and upstream of the recording-material guide in the conveying direction of the recording material and configured to stretch the belt member, wherein, when a recording material having a first thickness is conveyed by the belt member, the push-up member pushes up the belt member so as to separate the recording material from the belt member and to deliver the recording material to the recording-material guide, and wherein, when a recording material having a second thickness larger than the first thickness is conveyed by the belt member, the belt member is not pushed up by the push-up member, and the stretching member separates and delivers the recording material to the recording-material guide.