IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus designed so as to stably retain satisfactory, high density image characteristics and prevent trailing even in the case where a printing operation is repeated over a long period of time. SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 10 includes image forming units 12A to 12D. The image forming units 12A to 12D include corresponding photoreceptors 14a to 14d. Disposed around the photoreceptors 14a to 14d are: corresponding electrifying rollers 16a to 16d, which electrify the corresponding photoreceptors 14a to 14d; corresponding exposure devices 18a to 18d, which form latent images on the corresponding photoreceptors 14a to 14d; and corresponding developing devices 20a to 20d, which develop the latent images into corresponding toner images. An intermediate transfer belt 24, to which the toner images are transferred, is disposed below the image forming units 12A to 12D. In this case, the intermediate transfer belt 24 is operated, except a period of the operation of transferring the toner images to the intermediate transfer belt 24 from the photoreceptors 14a to 14d, and a current is applied to the intermediate transfer belt 24 one or more times with the toner images held on the belt 24. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT