| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus in which maintenance of cleaning means is easy while suppressing buckling of a planar cleaning member after the cleaning means is exchanged. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus includes: an image holding body 1; toner image forming means 2 forming a toner image on the image holding body 1; an intermediate transfer body 3; transfer means 4 including a rotatable transfer member 4a and transferring the toner image temporarily held on the intermediate transfer body onto a recording material P; cleaning means 5 cleaning the transfer member 4a with a planar cleaning member 5a; status determining means 6 determining whether the cleaning means 5 is in an exchanged state or in a state requiring exchange; toner image forming means 7 for maintenance, forming a toner image TB for maintenance by using the toner image forming means 2 when the cleaning means 5 is determined as in an exchanged state or a state requiring exchange, by the status determining means 6; and toner image conveying means 8 for maintenance, conveying the toner image TB for maintenance via the intermediate transfer body 3 to a portion where the intermediate transfer body 3 and the transfer member 4a oppose to each other and further conveying the image to a contact portion between the transfer member 4a and the planar cleaning member 5a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT |
