An image forming apparatus including a photoreceptor, wherein the
photoreceptor includes an image forming portion having two ends
substantially parallel to the rotating direction and a gap forming member
located outside of each of the two ends of the image forming portion; a
charging roller configured to charge the photoreceptor, wherein the
charging roller contacts the gap forming members of the photoreceptor to
form a gap g between the surface of the image forming portion and the
peripheral surface thereof; an imagewise light irradiator; an image
developer; and an image transfer device, wherein the relationship
t.gtoreq.2g is satisfied, where g represents the gap and t represents a
distance between an inside edge of one of the gap forming members and
nearer one of the two ends of the image forming portion of the
photoreceptor.
