Patent ID: 8483582

Claim:
An image forming apparatus capable of forming a multicolor image using developers of a plurality of colors, comprising: a plurality of developer containers respectively storing the developers of the plurality of colors; a plurality of development devices provided attachably and removably to an apparatus body, so as to respectively supply the apparatus body with the developers of the plurality of colors respectively supplied from the plurality of developer containers; and a controller provided on a side of the apparatus body, so as to control supply of the developers from the developer containers to the development devices, wherein the development devices respectively include first storage portions that are communicably connected to the controller and that have respectively stored therein identification information pieces each uniquely identifying a corresponding one of the development devices, the controller includes a second storage portion that reads and stores the identification information pieces of all the development devices attached to the apparatus body, when any of the development devices is removed from the apparatus body, and thereafter any of the development devices is attached at a position where the removal took place, the controller reads an identification information piece of the development device attached at the position, and when the read identification information piece disagrees with an identification information piece of the development device at the position stored in the second storage portion, and agrees with an identification information piece of another one of the development devices at another position, the controller determines that the development device is mistakenly attached and prohibits the supply of corresponding one of the developers, when at least one of the development devices is removed from the apparatus body, and thereafter a development device is attached to the apparatus body, the controller reads an identification information piece of the attached development device, checks whether or not the read identification information piece agrees with any one of the identification information pieces of all the development devices stored in the second storage portion, and when the read identification information piece disagrees with the identification information pieces of all the development devices, the controller determines that a new development device is attached, and permits the supply of corresponding one of the developers.