Patent ID: 7369784

Claim:
An image forming apparatus main body for forming an image on a recording medium in at least two operations modes, by using consumable items removably attached thereto, the image fonning apparatus main body comprising: a communicating unit that communicates with a consumable item which retains switching information to change the operation mode of the image forming apparatus main body; and a controller that switches the operation mode of the image forming apparatus main body from a first mode of the image forming apparatus main body to a second mode when the consumable item, which retains switching information, is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and restores the operation mode of the image forming apparatus main body to the first mode when a predetermined validity condition has fulfilled; wherein the first mode is a mode in which a functional restriction is imposed when a consumable item of a first type is attached to the image forming apparatus main body and the functional restriction is not imposed when a consumable item of a second type is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and the second mode is a mode in which the functional restriction is not imposed when the consumable item of the first type or of the second type is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, and the first mode and the second mode are modes in which an image is formed.