Image forming apparatus and method for forming toner pattern

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image bearer;
• a means for forming a toner pattern, on a surface of an image bearer, in a portion where a toner image to be transferred onto a recording medium is not formed;
• an intermediate transferor disposed facing the image bearer, the intermediate transferor to which the toner image is transferred from the image bearer;
• a means for primarily transferring the toner pattern from the image bearer onto the intermediate transferor;
• a means for secondarily transferring the toner image from the intermediate transferor onto the recording medium;
• a cleaner for cleaning a surface of the intermediate transferor after the toner image is transferred onto the recording medium;
• a lubricant supplier for supplying a lubricant to the intermediate transferor via the image bearer;
• a means for inputting the toner pattern to a contact portion of the cleaner with the image bearer;
• a means for determining whether a non-supply portion is present on the intermediate transferor, the non-supply portion being a portion where a lubricant is not supplied due to a decrease in the lubricant supplied from the lubricant supplier;
• and
• a means for increasing an amount of toner in the toner pattern input to the contact portion of the cleaner based on a determination result that the non-supply portion is present.

A method for forming a toner pattern, the method comprising:

• forming a toner pattern, on a surface of an image bearer, in a portion where a toner image to be transferred onto a recording medium is not formed;
• controlling a transferor to transfer the toner pattern onto an intermediate transferor and input the toner pattern to a contact portion of a cleaner with the image bearer;
• determining whether a non-supply portion is present on the intermediate transferor, the non-supply portion being a portion where a lubricant is not supplied;
• and
• increasing an amount of toner in the toner pattern input to the contact portion of the cleaner based on a determination result that the non-supply portion is present.