Patent ID: 7068966
Filing Date: 2006-06-27
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member; a plurality of developing devices for developing electrostatic images formed on said image bearing member with developers, said developing devices including respective developer carrying members for carrying respective developers; moving means for moving a selected one of said developing devices to an operative position, wherein each of said developer carrying members is movable selectively to be in contact with or spaced from said image bearing member at the operative position; wherein said apparatus is operable in a first image formation mode in which an image is formed using said plurality of developing devices and a second image formation mode in which an image is formed using one of said plurality of developing devices, and wherein said developer carrying member which is at the operative position in the first image formation mode is capable of being spaced from said image bearing member by a first distance during a non-developing-operation, and said developer carrying member which is at the operative position in the second image formation mode is capable of being spaced from said image bearing member by a second distance during the non-developing-operation, and wherein the second distance is smaller than the first distance.