Patent ID: 7242872
Filing Date: 2007-07-10
Classification: G03G

Abstract:
1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a carrier, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a plurality of development cartridges, which develop the electrostatic latent image with toner to form a toner image to be transferred to a recording sheet; and a changeover unit, which changes the development cartridges so that any one of the development cartridges is moved so as to face the carrier for development, wherein at least two of the development cartridges contain the same color toners, wherein the changeover unit repeatedly changes the development cartridges before an expiration of lifetime of one of the development cartridges which is positioned so as to face the carrier for the development, and wherein the changeover unit changes the development cartridges either before a processing of an image forming job is started or after the processing of the image forming job is finished.