Patent ID: 8180253

Claim:
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus using a powder developer, comprising: electrostatic latent image bearing members; developing devices each including developer and capable of developing corresponding electrostatic latent images on the electrostatic latent image bearing members into visualized developer images; a transfer device capable of transferring the developer images to a sheet; first collecting devices each capable of collecting untransferred developer from the electrostatic latent image bearing members; developer supply devices each capable of supplying the developer to the corresponding developing devices; accommodating sections each combined with the corresponding developer supply devices and capable of accommodating the untransferred developer; a collecting and distributing device capable of collecting the untransferred developer collected by the first collecting devices and distributing the collected untransferred developer to the accommodating sections; and a housing capable of retaining the developer supply devices so that each of the developer supply devices is releasable together with the associated accommodating section from the housing; wherein each of the developer supply devices has a first passage for transporting the developer to the corresponding developing device, and a first developer transport member disposed in the first passage, each of the accommodating sections has a second passage for accommodating the untransferred developer from the collecting and distributing device, and a second developer transport member disposed in the second passage, and the first and second developer transport members are coupled to a driving mechanism, the driving mechanism being adapted to drive the first and second developer transport members so that the first developer transport member transports the developer from the developer supply device to the developing device and the second developer transport member transports the developer away from the collecting and distributing device toward the developing device.