Patent attributes
To provide an image forming apparatus including: an image forming unit for forming an image on an image bearing member; a transfer unit for electrostatically transferring the image on the image bearing member onto a transfer medium in a transfer portion, the transfer unit including a transfer member that is capable of nipping the transfer medium in a space with the image bearing member and a voltage application unit for applying a voltage to the transfer member; a control unit for performing a detection operation that detects a voltage-current characteristic concerning the transfer member at the time of a non-transfer operation of the transfer unit and determining a transfer voltage at the time of a transfer operation based on a detection result of the detection operation; and a potential changing unit that is capable of changing a potential of a surface of the image bearing member on which the image has been formed by the image forming unit and which does not yet reach the transfer portion, in which the control unit performs the detection operation at the time when the image bearing member surface processed by the potential changing unit passes through the transfer portion.
