Oblon, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P.
Image forming apparatus that suppresses deterioration in image quality
An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a transfer member arranged so as to face the image carrier; and a non-transferred toner adhesion unit that causes a non-transferred toner to adhere to an inter-sheet area present on the image carrier during a period of continuous image formation in which images are continuously formed on the image carrier. The transfer member is a foam roller. The image forming apparatus further includes a contacting and separating unit that causes the foam roller and the image carrier to come into contact with and be separated from each other. The contacting and separating unit separates the image carrier and the transfer member when the inter-sheet area present on the image carrier passes through a transfer area in which the image carrier and the transfer member face each other in association with rotation of the image carrier.
RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
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Ken
Yoshida