Patent ID: 7522850

Claim:
An image forming apparatus comprising: a plurality of process cartridges that integrally hold an image carrier and a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the image carrier to form a toner image, the process cartridges being compatible with each other; a plurality of installation sections in which the process cartridges are detachably installed, respectively; a carrier stored in the developing unit of each of the process cartridges in a brand-new status to be installed in the installation sections; and a plurality of toner supply units that supply a toner of one color from among a plurality of color toners, respectively, to the developing units of the process cartridges installed in the installation sections, wherein the toner supply units are configured to be installed in the image forming apparatus separately from the process cartridges; each of the color toners is supplied to the developing unit from the toner supply units after the process cartridges in the brand new status are installed in the installation sections.