Patent ID: 7444092

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member, which bears a developer image; a charging member applied with a DC voltage excluding an AC voltage component, for charging the image bearing member in a charging portion; a developing device, which reversal-develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developer to form the developer image; a transfer member, which transfers the developer image onto a recording material in a transfer portion; and control means for controlling voltage applied to the charging member and voltage applied to the transfer member, wherein charge is not eliminated from the image bearing member between the transfer portion and the charging portion, a surface of the transfer member comprises a foam, and the transfer member is brought into contact with the image bearing member to perform transfer by passing the recording material between the transfer member and the image bearing member, an area on the image bearing member which passes through the transfer portion when the recording material is not present between the transfer member and the image bearing member, and on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed, is set as a first area, an area on the image bearing member which passes through the transfer portion when the recording material is present between the transfer member and the image bearing member, and on which an electrostatic latent image is to be formed, is set as a second area, when the first area passes through the transfer portion, voltage is applied to the transfer member, and the control means controls to change at least one of voltage applied to the charging member and voltage applied to the transfer member between the first area and the second area to set a potential difference between a potential of the second area before passing through the charging portion and a potential of the second area after passing through the charging portion to 100 V or more.