Image forming apparatus, image bearing member life detecting method, and process cartridge detachably attachable to image forming apparatus

An image bearing member life detecting method in an image forming apparatus capable of forming an image on an image bearing member at any one of a plurality of process speeds,

• the image forming apparatus having developing means which is brought into contact with the image bearing member to develop an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member, the method comprising:
• an acquiring step of acquiring data on the degree of damage to the image bearing member on the basis of a contact period of the developing means and the process speed;
• an integrating step of integrating the damage degree data acquired in said acquiring step;
• and
• a detecting step of detecting the image bearing member life in accordance with the damage degree data integrated in said integrating step.

A process cartridge detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an image bearing member;
• and
• a storage medium for storing data about the degree of damage to said image bearing member,
• wherein the image forming apparatus can form an image on said image bearing member at any one of a plurality of process speeds, and has
• developing means which is brought into contact with said image bearing member to develop an electrostatic latent image on said image bearing member,
• acquiring means for acquiring the damage degree data of said image bearing member on the basis of a contact period of the developing means and the process speed,
• integrating means for integrating, on said storage medium, the damage degree data acquired by the acquiring means, and
• detecting means for detecting the image bearing member life in accordance with the damage degree data integrated by the integrating means.