Image forming apparatus capable of changing process line speed

Abstract

An image is generated by exposing the surface to a scanning laser beam in accordance with an image forming process. The intermediate image transfer member receives the image from the image carrying member and transfers it onto a recording sheet. A memory stores a plurality of values of process line speeds A for defining a speed of an image forming process in a sub-scanning direction, and a plurality of values of process line speeds B for defining a speed of the image transfer process. According to another aspect, a sensor detects a voltage of the photoconductor, a sensor detects an amount of toner deposition on the photoconductor member, a charging member provides a charge onto the photoconductor, a grid adjusting member controls a grid voltage of the charging member, a laser exposure unit exposes the photoconductor to a laser beam, an exposure adjusting member adjusts an amount of a laser beam exposure, and a development gamma detect member detects a development gamma line by performing a sequential operation. A controller detects the voltage of the photoconductor rotating in each of the process line speeds and determines optimum values of the grid voltage of the charging member and the amount of laser beam exposure from the laser exposure unit to obtain the respective required voltage level used by the grid adjusting member, and the after-exposure voltage used by the exposure adjusting member, on the basis of the detected voltage and with reference to information included in a reference table.