Image forming apparatus and image forming method on measured physical quantity

An image forming method for performing an image forming operation, the image forming method comprising the steps of:

• forming a toner image on an image carrier;
• transferring the toner image to a recording medium via an intermediate transfer member having a toner image forming area including an output image forming area and a non-output image forming area located outside of the output image forming area, the toner image forming area being wider than the output image forming area;
• and
• measuring a physical quantity regarding an image quality of a first reference image formed in the output image forming area and a second reference image formed in the non-output image forming area.

An image forming apparatus for performing an image forming operation, the image forming apparatus comprising:

• an image carrier on which a toner image is formed, the image carrier having a first toner image forming area including a first output image forming area and a first non-output image forming area located outside of the first output image forming area, the first toner image forming area being wider than the first output image forming area;
• an intermediate transfer member configured to transfer the toner image to a recording medium, the intermediate transfer member having a second toner image forming area including a second output image forming area and a second non-output image forming area located outside of the second output image forming area, the second toner image forming area being wider than the second output image forming area;
• and
• a detecting part configured to measure a physical quantity regarding an image quality of a first reference image formed in the first and second output image forming areas and a second reference image formed in the first and second non-output image forming areas.

An image forming method for performing an image forming operation, the image forming method comprising the steps of:

• forming a toner image on an image carrier, the image carrier having a first toner image forming area including a first output image forming area and a first non-output image forming area located outside of the first output image forming area, the first toner image forming area being wider than the first output image forming area;
• transferring the toner image to a recording medium with an intermediate transfer member, the intermediate transfer member having a second toner image forming area including a second output image forming area and a second non-output image forming area located outside of the second output image forming area, the second toner image forming area being wider than the second output image forming area;
• and
• measuring a physical quantity regarding an image quality of a first reference image formed in the first and second output image forming areas and a second reference image formed in the first and second non-output image forming areas.