Patent ID: 8897680

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of developing sections that develop electrostatic latent images respectively formed on a plurality of photoconductors using a developer including a corresponding color toner and carrier to form a toner image; a toner supply section that supplies the corresponding color toner to the plurality of developing sections; a carrier supply section provided separately from the toner supply section, the carrier supply section supplying carrier to the plurality of developing sections; and a control section that controls an operation of the carrier supply section, wherein the carrier supply section includes: a carrier housing section that houses the carrier; a carrier distributing section that receives a predetermined amount of carrier that has freely fallen from a carrier supply port of the carrier housing section and guides the predetermined amount of carrier to each of the plurality of developing sections; a support frame section that slidably supports the carrier distributing section; and a vibration exciter section that vibrates the carrier distributing section.