An image forming apparatus comprising a transfer means for transferring, a developer image onto a recording material; a discharging unit for discharging the recording material; a first circuit that applies a first voltage of reverse polarity to the developer to the transfer unit; a second circuit that applies a second voltage of identical polarity to the developer to the transfer unit and the discharging unit; and a control unit. The control unit applies a transfer voltage which is a superposition of the first and the second voltage to the transfer unit, and applies a discharging voltage which is a partial voltage from the second voltage. When the discharging voltage is set to the first value, the control unit reduces the discharging voltage in a case where the transfer voltage is lower than a target value.

An image forming apparatus includes a transport belt, a first intermediate transfer belt, and a second intermediate transfer belt. The transport belt is disposed along a transport path extending in a vertical direction. The transport belt is configured to transport a recording medium while coming into contact with one surface of the recording medium. The first intermediate transfer belt is configured to sandwich the recording medium together with the transport belt. An image is transferred from the first intermediate transfer belt to the recording medium. The second intermediate transfer belt is disposed above the first intermediate transfer belt. The second intermediate transfer belt is configured to sandwich, together with the transport belt, the recording medium which is in a state where the recording medium is sandwiched between the first intermediate transfer belt and the transport belt. An image being transferred from the second intermediate transfer belt to the recording medium.

An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearer, a toner image forming device, a transfer device, a transfer bias power source, and a cleaner. The toner image forming device is to form a toner image on the image bearer. The transfer device contacts a surface of the image bearer to form a transfer nip between the transfer device and the image bearer. The transfer bias power source is to output a transfer bias to transfer the toner image from the image bearer onto a recording medium in the transfer nip. The cleaner is disposed downstream from the transfer nip in a direction of rotation of the image bearer, to electrostatically attract and remove toner from the surface of the image bearer to a surface of the cleaner. The transfer bias includes an alternating current component.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a transfer portion that transfers a toner image to a transfer material, a first roller disposed upstream of the transfer portion in a conveying direction of the transfer material, and a second roller disposed upstream of the transfer portion and downstream of the first roller. The triboelectric charge polarities of the surfaces of the first and second rollers when the surfaces are triboelectrically charged by contact with the transfer material differ from each other.

An image forming apparatus including a control unit configured to execute a first mode and a second mode of forming images on first through third image bearing members. In the first mode, a toner image is formed on a third image bearing member without having toner images formed on first and second image bearing members in a state where the first through third image bearing members are abutted against an intermediate transfer body. In the first mode, the control unit controls at least a first charging device such that a primary transfer contrast in a first primary transfer portion is set equal to or greater than a discharge starting voltage, and applies an AC voltage to a second charging device such that a discharge current having a current quantity smaller than that in the second mode.

An image forming apparatus including an image bearer; a nip forming member, a nip width changing device, a power source; and a controller. The controller switches between a first mode and a second mode according to a predetermined condition. In the first mode, a duty of the transfer bias is a first duty and a width of a transfer nip is a first width. In the second mode, the duty of the transfer bias is a second duty lower than the first duty and the width of the transfer nip is a second width greater than the first width. The duty is (T−Tt)/T×100% where T denotes one cycle of the transfer bias, and Tt denotes a time period, in which the transfer bias is on a transfer-directional side relative to a time-averaged value of the transfer bias, in the one cycle.

A destaticizing device has a destaticizing member, a holding member, and a body portion. The destaticizing member has a plurality of destaticizing needless. The holding member holds the destaticizing member. The body portion has the holding member removably attached to it. The destaticizing member has attachment holes for attachment to the holding member. The holding member has a plurality of bosses inserted in the attachment holes respectively and an engaging portion in a snap-fit shape for attachment to the body portion. The body portion has an engaged portion with which the engaging portion is engaged.

A print group for a digital printer can include a transfer station and a wetting system. The transfer station can be configured to transfer a toner image onto a first side of a recording medium at a transfer point in response to an electrical field, the transfer station being configured to apply the electrical field between a transfer electrode on the first side of the recording medium and a counter-electrode on a second side of the recording medium, wherein the recording medium is directed between the transfer electrode and the counter-electrode. The wetting system can be configure to apply a conductive fluid onto a surface of the second side of the recording medium at the transfer point, the conductive fluid at least partially forming a conductive connecting layer between the surface of the second side of the recording medium and a surface of the counter-electrode at the transfer point.

There is provided an image forming apparatus including: an intermediate transfer belt; a photosensitive drum; a primary transfer member; a secondary transfer member; a first backup member; a first power supply electrically connected to the primary transfer member and to the secondary transfer member; and a first resistor electrically connected to the first power supply and to the primary transfer member. A first current route, in which the first resistor, the primary transfer member, and the photosensitive drum are connected in series in that order, is connected to the first power supply and to a basis potential. A second current route, in which the secondary transfer member and the first backup member are connected in series, is connected to the first power supply and to the basis potential. The first current route is connected in parallel to the second current route.

An image forming apparatus and a voltage supply method are provided which are capable of fulfilling a stable bias supply to a fittable-and-removable image forming unit and moreover offering improved accessibility to the board. The image forming apparatus includes a lower casing, an image forming unit, a high-voltage board, and a left interconnecting unit. The high-voltage board has a plurality of electric components and output terminals in its upper surface portion above the image forming unit. When a top cover of the lower casing is removed off, the high-voltage board is exposed. The left interconnecting unit is fitted to a side end portion of the high-voltage board and electrically connected to the output terminals of the high-voltage board. The left interconnecting unit supplies a voltage to the image forming unit via a side portion of the high-voltage board.