In an image forming apparatus, a controller performs processes in accordance with an operation mode settable to one of a first subscription mode and a second subscription mode. The first subscription mode corresponds to a first subscription in which a specific-color cartridge is a subscription subject and a non-specific-color cartridge is not the subscription subject. The second subscription mode corresponds to a second subscription in which both the specific-color cartridge and the non-specific-color cartridge are the subscription subject. The controller performs restricting usage of the non-specific-color cartridge in a case where the first subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type, compared to a case where the second subscription mode is set as the operation mode and the type information of the non-specific-color cartridge indicates the subscription type.

An image forming apparatus is capable of being attached with a toner supply container. The toner supply container stores a toner that is to be supplied to a developing portion. An attachment location of the toner supply container is below a light scanning portion in a vertical direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a developing unit, a transferring unit, and a fixing unit. The developing unit performs an attachment process in which the developing unit attaches a luminescent toner to a latent image that is formed on a basis of image data. The transferring unit performs a transfer process in which the transferring unit transfers, onto a medium, the luminescent toner attached to the latent image. The fixing unit performs a fixing process in which the fixing unit fixes, to the medium, the luminescent toner transferred onto the medium. The attachment process performed by the developing unit and the transfer process performed by the transferring unit are each performed plural times for the medium, on the basis of the image data.

An image forming apparatus is described. An image forming apparatus may include an image forming apparatus body and a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable with respect to the body, wherein the unit includes: a frame; a plurality of photosensitive bodies; a plurality of developer cartridges, including developer carriers, detachably mountable on the frame; and a pressing portion provided on the frame for pressing each of the cartridges so that the developer carrier thereof is directed toward the corresponding photosensitive body, each of the cartridges is pivoted to be movable to an imaging position pressed by the pressing portion and a detached position released from the pressing by the pressing portion, and the body is provided with an abutting portion abutting the cartridge located on the detached position thereby pivoting the cartridge and moving the same to the imaging position when the unit is mounted on the body.

A cartridge for an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a developing roller, a rotatable member for transmitting a rotational force to the developing roller, a coupling member, and a frame. The coupling member is capable of moving between a first coupling member position in which the coupling axis is substantially coaxial with the rotational axis of the rotatable member and a second coupling member position in which the coupling axis is not coaxial with the rotational axis of the rotatable member. When the frame is in a first frame position, the coupling member is in the first coupling member position and a rotational force receiving portion of the coupling member engages with a rotational force applying portion of the apparatus, and, when the frame is in the second frame position, the coupling member is in the second coupling member position and the rotational force receiving portion engages with the rotational force applying portion.

An exposing unit forms a latent-image electric potential on each photosensitive drum. A detecting toner image of each color is transferred to an intermediate transfer belt using a first potential difference between a latent-image electric potential and the potential of an intermediate transfer belt at each primary transfer portion. When the polarity of voltage to be applied from a transfer power source to a secondary transfer roller is to be switched to an opposite polarity while the detecting toner image of each color is passing through each primary transfer portion, the absolute value of a second potential difference between the potential of the intermediate transfer belt and the background electrical potential of each photosensitive drum is made equal to or greater than the absolute value of the first potential difference by a control unit.

A developing cartridge includes: a casing; a developing roller; a shaft; and a cam. The casing is configured to accommodate developer therein. The developing roller is rotatable about a first axis extending in an axial direction. The shaft extends along a second axis extending in the axial direction. The shaft is movable along the second axis. The cam is movable along the second axis in response to axial movement of the shaft. The cam has a cam surface non-parallel with the second axis.

Herein is disclosed a method of electrostatic printing and foiling comprising: forming a coloured toner image on a print substrate by electrostatically printing an electrostatic ink comprising a first resin component comprising an ethylene acrylic acid resin, an ethylene methacrylic acid resin or combinations thereof; forming an adhesive toner image disposed on the coloured toner image on the print substrate by electrostatically printing a liquid electro photographic (LEP) printing composition comprising a first resin component comprising an ethylene acrylic acid resin, an ethylene methacrylic acid resin or combinations thereof, and a second resin component present in an amount of about 20% to about 80% by weight of total solids content of the LEP printing composition, the second resin component having a melting point of from about 50° C. to about 75° C., which is below the melting point of the first resin component; and forming a foiled image disposed on the adhesive toner image by heating the print substrate to at least partially melt the adhesive toner image and applying a foiling material to the print substrate such that the foiling material adheres to the at least partially molten adhesive toner image

A developer cartridge is described. The developer cartridge detachably mountable on a tandem type photosensitive unit slidable to a drawn-out position and a mounted position with respect to an image forming apparatus body may include a casing; a developer carrier rotatably supported on one end portion of the casing for carrying a developer; a pair of upright portions arranged on another end portion of the casing at an interval from each other in the axial direction of the developer carrier to extend from another end portion of the casing in a detaching direction for the developer cartridge; and an elastically deformable coupling portion extending in the axial direction of the developer carrier for coupling the upright portions with each other.

A high quality image excellent in low-temperature fixability and good in color stability can be formed by an image forming method of the present invention. In the image forming method, an image is formed by an electrophotographic method using toners of plural colors. Each of the toners of the plural colors contains a crystalline resin, methanol concentrations (%) at transmittance of 50% obtained for methanol wettability evaluation of the toners of the plural colors all fall in a range of 15 to 60%, and assuming that a maximum value and a minimum value of the methanol concentrations (%) at transmittance of 50% obtained for the methanol wettability evaluation of the toners of the plural colors are respectively WH(%) and WL(%), a relationship of 4≦WH−WL≦30 is satisfied.