TRANSFER DEVICE AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING SAME

A transfer device includes a moving device to move a contact surface of an opposing member toward and away from an image bearing surface of an image bearing member. The moving device includes a cam and a cam driving device to rotate the cam. When the cam is at a first position, the image bearing surface and the contact surface are separated. When the cam is at a second position, the image bearing surface and the contact surface contact each other. After a recording medium enters a transfer nip between the image bearing surface and the contact surface, the cam is at the second position, and when the recording medium exits the transfer nip a timing at which the cam starts to rotate from the second position to the first position changes depending on a thickness of the recording medium, to reduce pressure in the transfer nip.