Endless belt comprising a meandering-prevention member, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus using such an endless belt

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus, said process cartridge comprising an intermediate transfer belt, said intermediate transfer belt comprising:

• a belt-like substrate;
• a meandering-prevention member;
• and
• a position detection member,
• wherein said meandering-prevention member is disposed on the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said belt-like substrate,
• wherein said position detection member is disposed on the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said belt-like substrate;
• and
• wherein said meandering-prevention member and said position detection member are kept apart by a distance of from 200 mm to 250 mm in the width direction of said intermediate transfer belt, and
• wherein said meandering-prevention member and said position detection member are each disposed in a non-image formation region of said belt-like substrate.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member configured and positioned to hold a toner image thereon;
• charging means for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically;
• exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image on said electrophotographic photosensitive member having been charged by said charging means;
• developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member by said exposure means, to form a toner image on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• an intermediate transfer belt configured and positioned to form a contact zone between itself and said electrophotographic photosensitive member, and to secondarily transfer to a transfer material the toner image transferred after the toner image has been primarily transferred thereto from said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• primary transfer means for transferring the toner image primarily from said electrophotographic photosensitive member to said intermediate transfer belt at the contact zone therebetween,
• said intermediate transfer belt comprising:
• a belt-like substrate;
• a meandering-prevention member;
• and
• a position detection member,
• wherein said meandering-prevention member is disposed on the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said belt-like substrate,
• wherein said position detection member is disposed on the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said belt-like substrate,
• wherein said meandering-prevention member and said position detection member are kept apart by a distance of from 200 mm to 250 mm in the width direction of said intermediate transfer belt, and
• wherein said meandering-prevention member and said position detection member are each disposed in a non-image formation region of said belt-like substrate.

An electrophotographic endless belt comprising:

• a belt-like substrate;
• a meandering-prevention member;
• and
• a position detection member, wherein:
• said meandering-prevention member is disposed on the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said belt-like substrate;
• and
• said position detection member is disposed on the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said belt-like substrate.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus, said process cartridge comprising:

• an intermediate transfer belt comprising:
• a belt-like substrate;
• a meandering-prevention member;
• and
• a position detection member, wherein:
• said meandering-prevention member is disposed on the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said belt-like substrate;
• and
• said position detection member is disposed on the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said belt-like substrate.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member configured and positioned to hold a toner image thereon;
• charging means for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically;
• exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image on said electrophotographic photosensitive member having been charged by said charging means;
• developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member by said exposure means, to form a toner image on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• an intermediate transfer belt which is configured and positioned to form a contact zone between itself and said electrophotographic photosensitive member, and to secondarily transfer to a transfer material the toner image transferred thereto from said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• primary transfer means for transferring the toner image primarily from said electrophotographic photosensitive member to said intermediate transfer belt at the contact zone therebetween,
• said intermediate transfer belt comprising:
• a belt-like substrate;
• a meandering-prevention member;
• and
• a position detection member;
• wherein:
• said meandering-prevention member is disposed on the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said belt-like substrate;
• and
• said position detection member is disposed on the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said belt-like substrate.

An electrophotographic endless belt comprising:

• a meandering-prevention portion;
• and
• a position detection portion, wherein:
• said meandering-prevention portion is at the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said electrophotographic endless belt;
• and
• said position detection portion is at the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said electrophotographic endless belt.

A process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an intermediate transfer belt,
• said intermediate transfer belt comprising:
• a meandering-prevention portion;
• and
• a position detection portion;
• wherein:
• said meandering-preventive portion is at the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said intermediate transfer belt;
• and
• said position detection portion is at the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said intermediate transfer belt.

An electrophotographic apparatus comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member configured and positioned to hold a toner image thereon;
• charging means for charging said electrophotographic photosensitive member electrostatically;
• exposure means for forming an electrostatic latent image on said electrophotographic photosensitive member having been charged by said charging means;
• developing means for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on said electrophotographic photosensitive member by said exposure means, to form a toner image on said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• an intermediate transfer belt which is configured and positioned to form a contact zone between itself and said electrophotographic photosensitive member, and to secondarily transfer to a transfer material the toner image transferred after the toner image has been primarily transferred thereto from said electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• primary transfer means for transferring the toner image primarily from said electrophotographic photosensitive member to said intermediate transfer belt at the contact zone therebetween,
• said intermediate transfer belt comprising:
• a meandering-prevention portion;
• and
• a position detection portion, wherein:
• said meandering-prevention portion is at the inner-periphery side of one end portion of said intermediate endless belt;
• and
• said position detection portion is at the outer-periphery side of the other end portion of said intermediate endless belt.