Image forming apparatus

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier;
• a developing device that supplies one of a plurality of color developers no the image carrier by rotating and visualizes an electrostatic latent image carried on the image carrier to a developer image;
• a transfer unit that transfers the developer image carried on the image carrier to a recording medium in a transfer position;
• a fixing unit that fixes the developer image transferred by the transfer unit to the recording medium;
• a transport path for transporting the recording medium from a supply position through the transfer unit and the fixing unit to an exit port;
• a return path for transporting the recording medium to which the developer image has been fixed by the fixing unit again to a position upstream of the transfer unit on the transport path for performing subsequent transfer and fixing processes on a developer image of another one of the plurality of color developers formed by the developing device;
• a timing roller, provided to set a plane, including a rotation axis of the timing roller and a center of rotation of the developing device, at a 90°—or narrower angle with respect to another plane including the transfer position and the center of rotation of the developing device, on the upstream side of the transfer position in the transporting direction of the recording medium, that controls timing of transport of the recording medium to the transfer position;
• and
• a detection unit, provided on the upstream side of the timing roller on the transport path, that detects information on at least one of a shape and a position of the recording medium,
• a travel path for the recording medium formed with the transport path and the return path being provided to circulate around the developing device.