A transfer device includes a plurality of photoconductors, a belt, a plurality of primary transfer rollers and control circuitry. The plurality of primary transfer rollers is disposed for the plurality of photoconductors, respectively. The plurality of primary transfer rollers brings the belt into contact with or separate the belt from the plurality of photoconductors. The control circuitry causes at least one of the plurality of primary transfer rollers to press against a corresponding at least one of the plurality of photoconductors to shift a printing mode.

An image forming apparatus includes a body, a conveyance unit, an image carrier, a transfer unit, and a pre-transfer guide. The body has a sheet passage for conveying sheets along inner and outer conveyance surfaces mutually facing. The conveyance unit includes the outer conveyance surface and is supported pivotably between an open position and a closed position relative to the inner conveyance surface. The transfer unit rotatably supports a transfer roller. The pre-transfer guide includes a first guide on the outer conveyance surface and a second guide on the inner conveyance surface. The first guide has a contact segment protruding toward the second guide. The first guide and the transfer unit are supported independently swingably relative to the transfer unit. The first guide is urged toward the second, and the distance between the two guide surfaces is restricted by the contact segment touching a contacted portion.

A transport device includes: a first nipping part having an outer surface; a second nipping part having an outer surface, the second nipping part being configured to form, with the first nipping part, a nip region in which a recording medium is nipped by bringing the outer surface of the second nipping part into contact with the outer surface of the first nipping part, the second nipping part being relatively movable between a first position at which a distance from the second nipping part to the first nipping part is a first distance at which the nip region is formed and a second position at which the distance from the second nipping part to the first nipping part is longer than the first distance; a transport part including a holder that holds a front end side of the recording medium, the transport part being configured to move the holder to transport the recording medium to pass through the nip region together with the holder while the recording medium is being held by the holder; and a moving mechanism configured to relatively move the second nipping part such that a middle point of a period from when a relative movement of the second nipping part from the first position to the second position is started before a holding position of the recording medium by the holder enters the nip region to when the second nipping part is relatively moved to the first position after the holding position enters the nip region precedes a middle point of a period during which the holding position passes through the nip region.

An image forming apparatus sets, in a case where a mode for executing a heating process a plurality of times is set, a target temperature of a fixing unit during a second heating process depending on image information about a toner image to be formed on a first surface of a recording medium immediately before a first heating process.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer; a nip forming member configured to form a transfer nip between the image bearer and the nip forming member; a nip pressure changer configured to change a nip pressure of the transfer nip; a transfer bias applier configured to apply, to the transfer nip, a transfer bias in which an AC component is superimposed on a DC component; and a DC component adjuster configured to adjust the DC component in the transfer bias, according to the nip pressure that is changed by the nip pressure changer.

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member, an apparatus body including a transfer member movable between a first position and a second position, an opening/closing member. The apparatus body includes a movement mechanism configured to move the transfer member in accordance with a movement of the opening/closing member. The movement mechanism includes a first movable member and a second movable member. The first movable member is configured to move a first end portion of the transfer member from the first position to the second position. The second movable member is configured to move a second end portion of the transfer member from the first position to the second position.

A jacket includes: a first layer that is on a cylinder body side when the jacket is attached to a rotating cylinder body; and a second layer that is a layer located on a side opposite to the cylinder body with respect to the first layer, has a hardness lower than that of the first layer, and does not exist at a position where at least one of end edges of the cylinder body in a rotation axis direction is located inward of the first layer in the rotation axis direction.

In one example, a device comprises an image transfer member, a platen to form a first nip with the image transfer member, a photo imaging plate to form a second nip with the image transfer member, and a controller to determine first information relating to a characteristic of the first nip, and to determine second information for use in adjusting a relative position of the photo imaging plate and the image transfer member on the basis of the first information.

An image forming apparatus includes a latent image bearer, a toner image forming unit, an intermediate transfer member, a primary transfer member, a secondary transfer member, a switching unit, and control circuitry. The toner image forming unit forms toner images on the latent image bearer. The primary transfer member transfers the toner images on the latent image bearer onto the intermediate transfer member. The secondary transfer member transfers the toner images on the intermediate transfer member onto recording materials. The switching unit switches a position of one of the secondary transfer member and the intermediate transfer member between a first and a second position. The control circuitry controls at least one of a first and a second operation. The control circuitry changes at least one of the first and the second operation when the toner images satisfy a specified abnormal image reduction condition at a first and a second timing.

An image forming apparatus includes: a rotating body having a recess in an outer peripheral surface thereof; a transfer portion that is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body, the transfer portion being configured to transfer a toner to a recording medium passing between the rotating body and the transfer portion; and a brush configured to come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating body to remove a toner adhering to the outer peripheral surface.