An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a toner image forming device, a plurality of image density detectors, and a controller. The plurality of image density detectors are disposed at predetermined intervals opposite the image bearer in a width direction of the image bearer. The controller causes the toner image forming device to form toner image patterns having an identical density at the plurality of positions on the image bearer and the plurality of image density detectors detects a density of the toner image patterns. Based on the detected density of the toner image patterns, the controller identifies multiple cyclic fluctuations of the density of the toner image patterns and adjusts an image forming condition based on the multiple cyclic fluctuations of the density of the toner image patterns to decrease an amplitude caused by the multiple cyclic fluctuations of the density of the toner image patterns.

A developer cartridge is provided, which includes a toner cartridge, a developer stifling device located in the toner cartridge, a supply roller for supplying a developer to a developer roller, a developer roller for developing an electrostatic latent image on a photoconductor, and a power receptor for driving only one of gear sets of the above means to receive a power. The power receptor is rotatably fixed at two or more predetermined positions. An initial position of the power receptor is a power receiving position. A power receptor moving device includes a press block, a baffle block, a spring, and a torsion spring. The power receptor moving device is controlled by the press block. When the press block of the power receptor moving device is pressed downwards, the power receptor is rotated to another power receiving position due to the action of the torsion spring. The present invention is applicable to various types of machines.

A control portion has a conversion portion that converts image data to be used for forming a recorded image by using either a first conversion condition which has been set such as to obtain a first gradation characteristic in the image to be formed on the recording material when a first image forming operation is executed or a second conversion condition which has been set such as to obtain a second gradation characteristic, which is different from the first gradation characteristic, in the image when a second image forming operation is executed, a peripheral velocity ratio between an image bearing member and a developer bearing member being larger during the second image forming operation than during the first image forming operation, and enables the first image forming operation or the second image forming operation to be performed on the basis of converted image data.

A developer cartridge may include a gear configured to be movable between an enagement position in which the gear engages an auger or supply gear to provide toner from a toner container to a developing unit and a disengaged position in which the gear does not engage the auger or supply gear. The gear may be moved by a cam and/or cam gear from the engagement position to the disengaged position and vice versa. The cam gear may include toothless and toothed portions to allow the developer cartridge to maintain the movable gear in either the engagement position or the disengaged position. In some arrangements, an urging member such as a spring may bias the cam gear in a rotation direction, while a lever may provide a counteracting force when the movable gear is to be maintained in a particular position.

A developing cartridge, to be used in an image forming apparatus in which the developing cartridge including a developer carrier and a drum cartridge including a photosensitive drum are attachable and detachable, includes a cartridge body including the developer carrier, first and second supporting members that support the cartridge body to be capable of turning, and a restricting member that restricts the turn of the cartridge body with respect to the first supporting member in the developing cartridge in which the first and second supporting members have been positioned in the body of the image forming apparatus and urging has been made possible in one direction in a turning direction of the cartridge body so that the developing roller is made capable of coming into contact with the photosensitive drum, when the developing cartridge has been attached to the image forming apparatus.

A second unit includes a restricted portion that comes into contact with a restricting portion provided to a body of an apparatus, the restricted portion coming into contact with the restricting portion, in order to restrict the movement of a developer carrier in a direction to make contact with an image carrier, when a developing cartridge has not reached a predetermined attachment position, and not coming into contact with the restricting portion when the developing cartridge is in the predetermined attachment position.

Disclosed is a developing apparatus including: a developer bearing member that bears a developer; a developing frame body that rotatably supports the developer bearing member; a one-end side end member that supports one-end side in an axis direction of the developer bearing member of the developing frame body; and another-end side end member that supports the other-end side in the axis direction of the developer bearing member of the developing frame body. Each of the one-end side end member and the other-end side end member is independently movable with respect to the developing frame body.

A developing device includes: a casing having a partitioning wall, a toner chamber, and a developing chamber positioned above the toner chamber; a photosensitive drum; a developing roller; a supply roller; first and second conveying members. The developing roller, the supply roller, and the second conveying member are accommodated in the developing chamber. The first conveying member is accommodated in the toner chamber. The partitioning wall has a supply opening and a discharge opening for providing communication between the toner chamber and the developing chamber. The supply and discharge openings are positioned outward of the supply roller in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The first conveying member conveys the toner accommodated in the toner chamber into the developing chamber through the supply opening. The second conveying member conveys the toner supplied by the first conveying member from the supply opening to the discharge opening in the axial direction.

An image forming apparatus includes a body, a photoreceptor unit, and a developing unit. The developing unit includes a first attaching/detaching lever that moves a developing sleeve from a first position to a second position by lifting the first attaching/detaching lever. The photoreceptor unit includes a second attaching/detaching lever that moves the developing sleeve from the first position to the second position by lifting the second attaching/detaching lever. The photoreceptor unit and the developing unit move the developing sleeve to the second position by lifting the first or second attaching/detaching lever so that the photoreceptor unit and the developing unit are individually detached from the body.

A developing cartridge including a casing, a developing roller, a developing roller gear, a gear cover, a first boss, and a pressure receiving surface. The developing roller is positioned closer to a first end portion of the casing than to a second end portion of the casing in a first direction. The first boss extends in a second direction and is movable together with the casing. The first boss is positioned away from the developing roller in the first direction by a first distance and also positioned away from the developing roller in a third direction. The pressure receiving surface is positioned further from the developing roller than the first boss is from the developing roller in the third direction. The pressure receiving surface is positioned away from the developing roller by the first distance or by a second distance shorter than the first distance.