Image forming apparatus

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier an outer face on which a plurality of color images are formed; a plurality of roll portions; a belt member including an inner side, an outer side, and a predetermined non-image forming area. The inner side is stretched around the plurality of roll portions. The outer side includes a surface contact area for being in surface contact with a part of the outer face of the image carrier such that the plurality of color images formed on the image carrier are transferred to the surface contact area; the belt member is driven by a rotation of the image carrier and includes a predetermined non-image forming area; and the belt member is operated in a slippage prevention mode in which the belt member is moved and stopped at a slippage preventing position where the predetermined non-image forming area faces the surface contact area.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a slippage preventing position in the invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a standby position in the invention.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image carrier that is substantially drum shaped and that is rotatably disposed, the image carrier including an outer face on which a plurality of color images are formed;a plurality of roll portions;a belt member that is rotatably formed, the belt member including an inner side, an outer side, and a predetermined non-image forming area;wherein the inner side is stretched around the plurality of roll portions;the outer side includes a surface contact area for being in surface contact with a part of the outer face of the image carrier such that the plurality of color images formed on the image carrier are transferred to the surface contact area;the belt member is driven by a rotation of the image carrier and includes a predetermined non-image forming area; andthe belt member is operated in a slippage prevention mode in which the belt member is moved and stopped at a slippage preventing position where the predetermined non-image forming area faces the surface contact area.

2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: a position detecting sensor that detects a position of a positioning marker that is placed on the belt member; wherein the image forming apparatus has a standby stop mode in which the belt member is moved and stopped at a standby position and the positioning marker and the position detecting sensor are separated from each other by a predetermined distance; andthe standby stop mode is executed during an image formation standby period, and the slippage prevention mode is executed when a predetermined period of time has elapsed from the image formation standby period.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the slippage prevention mode is executed when a power source of the image forming apparatus is turned off, the standby stop mode is executed when the power source of the image forming apparatus is turned on.

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the belt member is set and placed in the slippage preventing position during shipment.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image carrier and the belt member form a single unit, and the belt member of the single unit is set and placed in the slippage preventing position during shipment.