Brush member and transfer device and image forming apparatus using the same

A transfer device comprising:

• a belt device that endlessly moves a belt member of an endless shape while stretching and suspending the belt member with a plurality of stretching and suspending members;
• and
• a brush member disposed to bring a tip side of a brush unit including a plurality of raised bristles vertically provided on a surface of a conductive support member into contact with a rear surface of the belt member,
• the transfer device transferring a visible image on a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact with a front surface of the belt member onto the front surface of the belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface of the belt member while leading a transfer bias applied to the conductive support member from the tip side of the brush unit to the rear surface of the belt member,
• wherein a maximum bristle inclination return amount of the raised bristles in the brush unit is equal to or smaller than 0.30 millimeters.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a latent image bearing member that bears a latent image on an endlessly moving surface thereof;
• a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image on the surface;
• a developing unit that develops a latent image on the surface;
• and
• a transfer device that transfers a visible image obtained by development to a front surface of the endlessly moving belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface,
• the transfer device including:
• a belt device that endlessly moves the belt member while stretching and suspending the belt member with a plurality of stretching and suspending members;
• and
• a brush member disposed to bring a tip side of a brush unit including a plurality of raised bristles vertically provided on a surface of a conductive support member into contact with a rear surface, of the belt member, and
• the transfer device transferring a visible image on a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact with the front surface of the belt member onto the front surface of the belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface of the belt member while leading a transfer bias applied to the conductive support member from the tip side of the brush unit to the rear surface of the belt member,
• wherein a maximum bristle inclination amount of the raised bristles is equal to or smaller than 0.53 millimeters.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a latent image bearing member that bears a latent image on an endlessly moving surface thereof;
• a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image on the surface;
• a developing unit that develops a latent image on the surface;
• and
• a transfer device that transfers a visible image obtained by development to a front surface of the endlessly moving belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface,
• the transfer device including:
• a belt device that endlessly moves the belt member while stretching and suspending the belt member with a plurality of stretching and suspending members;
• and
• a brush member disposed to bring a tip side of a brush unit including a plurality of raised bristles vertically provided on a surface of a conductive support member into contact with a rear surface of the belt member, and
• the transfer device transferring a visible image on a surface of a latent image bearing member in contact with the front surface of the belt member onto the front surface of the belt member or a transfer material held on the front surface of the belt member while leading a transfer bias applied to the conductive support member from the tip side of the brush unit to the rear surface of the belt member,
• wherein a maximum bristle inclination return amount of the raised bristles in the brush unit is equal to or smaller than 0.30 millimeters.