EP0970406B2 - Printing or copying appliance with exchangeable part units which have an identification device, method for operating such an apparatus and a toner container for use in such apparatus - Google Patents

Description

A printing or copying machine with replaceable subassemblies having an identification arrangement, a method of operating such a device, and toner containers for use in such a device

The invention relates to a printing or copying device with modularly constructed, exchangeable subaggregates and an identification device assigned to the subaggregates for storing operational data associated with operationally relevant operating states, and to a method for operating such a device.

From the PCT / DE95 / 00635 An electrophotographic printing device is known for double-sided printing of a ribbon-shaped narrow recording medium and for single-sided printing of a wide or multiple parallel narrow recording medium. In the known printing device, the various units are designed as exchangeable modules. This makes it possible, for example, by simply replacing the electrophotographic printing module to adapt the printing device to a wide variety of operating conditions.

By inserting one from the DE-C1-195 40 138 known developer station with a plurality of juxtaposed developer chambers, with the printing device a multi-color simplex and duplex operation is possible.

If the printing device used alone in monochrome operation, a developer station is used, as shown in the PCT / DE95 / 00635 is known.

Both publications are part of the disclosure of this application.

High-performance printers of this type are often used to print data in data centers. This data can be eg invoices, tax bills or other individualized printouts, eg individualized advertising. If several of these devices are used in the data center in shifts, the majority of print jobs are print jobs in monochrome simplex or duplex mode. A smaller portion of print jobs requires multicolor printing. With modular printers, it is therefore possible, one or more suitable for color printing operation developer stations, such as those from the DE-C1-4126465 are known, ready to hold and, if necessary, with the presentation of a multicolor print job in the appropriate printer and replace it with the monochrome developer station. This results in a uniform, performance-adapted utilization of the printer park.

However, the various modular units of the printing device are subject to wear. They require maintenance depending on the service life. This is especially true for the developer station with the single or multicolor toner contained therein. Depending on the amount of printing, the toner mixture consisting of carrier and toner particles changes, and fresh toner must be supplied.

So if a variety of developer stations or various aggregate modules in various printing devices are used, it is necessary that the operator gets information about the operating states of the replaced module after the exchange. These operating conditions may be at developer stations e.g. the toner filling state and thus the information about the amount of printing still available or the information about the already printed with the developer station print quantity and thus the history of the developer station. In fusing it is of interest to get information about the state of wear and thus the service life of the fuser, etc.

Out US-A-5,491,540 , out EP-A-532 308 , out EP-A-395 320 and from EP-A-784 249 For example, printing or copying machines with subassemblies, such as developer stations or cartridges for consumables, which contain an electronic data memory, are known.

Out US-A-4,747,071 a copying machine is known to which an output sorter can be connected from the outside. In order to interconnect the respective system controls of the output sorter and the copier, cables are provided as well as an interface for wireless data transmission.

The object of the invention is to provide a printing or Kopiergerätesystem with one or more modularly constructed interchangeable subaggregates in such a way that the modules can be easily exchanged in terms of maintenance and their operating conditions can be monitored.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

The invention also achieves the goal of designing the modules so that information about the operating state of the modules can be retrieved at any time. According to the invention, each of the sub-assemblies is provided with an identification arrangement which contains electronic components such as a printed circuit board and which is capable of independently performing both identification and storage in a non-volatile memory. Thus, an automatic adjustment of the set in a higher-level unit function parameters of the entire system is possible, causing incorrect operation can be prevented. All functionally relevant operating states of the sub-assembly are stored. This allows an exact tracking of operating conditions and malfunctions for each sub-unit individually and clearly. This is of considerable advantage in case of service or returns analysis.

If the partial unit is a developer station, then the mechanics of this developer station are designed in such a way that the technically skilled layperson can carry out the replacement of this unit unit himself and without monitoring by specially trained personnel. In this developer station, a printed circuit board equipped with a microcontroller is integrated according to the invention, which communicates via a communication interface, for example, a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus with the superordinate process control (device control) controlling this subassembly.

Depending on the operating conditions detected by this superordinate controller, the sub-assembly, for example the sub-assembly integrated on the developer station, stores the operating data in a suitable non-volatile memory, e.g. an EEPROM. As a result, the data associated with the operating states are not lost when the developer station is removed from the printer and thus de-energized. If the developer station is used again in a printer, it does not matter whether it is the same or another identical printer, the corresponding settings are read on request by the higher-level process control from the non-volatile memory and made available via the communication interface and eg displayed on an operator display. Only in the initial installation of a so-equipped developer station is the input e.g. the serial number and toner type etc. required.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a partial unit contains a non-volatile memory in which both identification data and operating data of the partial unit are stored. After installation of the unit, the identification data are determined and evaluated by an identification or reading arrangement. If the memory is missing or if the identification data is unreadable, a message is generated on a display device and the operator is requested to enter the data. Thereafter, appropriate default values for the operating parameters are provided to the identification data and the printing operation is recorded.

In particular, with partial units of older design of the memory is usually not available. The invention makes it possible to use both these older and the newer, provided with memory subaggregates in printing or copying machines, without having to give up the advantages of the recent development.

According to the invention, the data transmission between electronic memory and identification device takes place wirelessly. This makes it possible to arrange an identification device fixed to the device and to accomplish the data transfer between it and the memory safely and without time delay after the onset of the sub-aggregate.

By the invention, in particular the performance-adapted operation of multiple printers in parallel operation is possible. This results in a uniform utilization of all printers in a printer park with high reliability, since the operating conditions of all aggregate modules are constantly monitored.

For the purposes of the invention, a partial unit can also be understood to mean a smaller component which is intended for installation in a larger subassembly, for example a toner bottle which is installed in a developer station. Especially with toner bottles, it has proven to be advantageous to equip them with a wireless communication point. Such interfaces are available, for example, as chip cards, which contain a data memory (EEPROM), an electronic circuit for memory management and data transmission and an antenna which serves both the data transmission and the power supply of the chip card. A wireless data transmission has the advantages over a data transfer via electrical contacts that it is not subject to wear and can not be affected by dirt. Especially with toner bottles, the security of data transmission remains the same despite dust at the communication interfaces of the toner bottle and / or on the device.

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung einer austauschbare Teilaggregate in Form von Modulen aufweisenden elektrophotographischen Druckeinrichtung
• Fig. 2 ein schematisches Blockschaltbild einer mit einer austauschbaren Entwicklerstation gekoppelten Identifizierungsanordnung
• Fig. 3 ein schematisches Blockschaltbild der Kopplung der Gerätesteuerung des Geräts mit der Identifizierungsanordnung,
• Fig. 4 ein schematisches Blockschaltbild einer dem Bedienfeld zugeordneten Bedienfeldprozeßsteueranordnung,
• Fig. 5 den Teil einer Entwicklerstation, in dem eine Tonerflasche eingeführt ist und
• Fig. 6 ein Ablaufdiagramm.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail below, for example. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an exchangeable sub-assemblies in the form of modules having electrophotographic printing device
• Fig. 2 a schematic block diagram of an identification device coupled to an exchangeable developer station
• Fig. 3 a schematic block diagram of the coupling of the device control of the device with the identification arrangement,
• Fig. 4 3 is a schematic block diagram of a control panel process control arrangement associated with the control panel;
• Fig. 5 the part of a developer station in which a toner bottle is inserted and
• Fig. 6 a flowchart.

• eine Entwicklerstation 14 zum Einfärben des zeichenabhängigen Ladungsbildes auf dem Zwischenträger 11 mit Hilfe eines Ein- oder Zweikomponentenentwicklergemisches;
• eine Umdruckstation 15, die sich über die Breite des Zwischenträgers 11 erstreckt und mit der die Tonerbilder auf den Aufzeichnungsträger 10 übertragen werden. Zum Entfernen des Resttoners nach der Entwicklung und dem Umdruck ist eine Reinigungstation 16 vorgesehen mit darin integrierter Reinigungsbürste mit zugehöriger Absaugeinrichtung sowie eine Entladeeinrichtung 17. Der Zwischenträger 11 wird elektromotorisch angetrieben und im Druckbetrieb in Pfeilrichtung bewegt.

One from the PCT / DE95 / 00635 in principle known in the Fig. 1 schematically illustrated electrophotographic printing device for single or multi-color, one or two-sided printing of tape-shaped record carriers 10 different bandwidth contains as an intermediate carrier an electric motor driven photoconductor drum 11. To the subcarrier 11, the various aggregates group for the electrophotographic process. These are essentially a charging device 12 in the form of a charging corotron for charging the intermediate carrier 11; a character generator 13 having a light-emitting diode comb for character-dependent exposure of the intermediate carrier 11, which extends over the entire usable width of the intermediate carrier 11;

• a developer station 14 for coloring the character-dependent charge image on the intermediate carrier 11 by means of a one- or two-component developer mixture;
• a transfer station 15 which extends across the width of the intermediate carrier 11 and with which the toner images are transferred to the recording medium 10. To remove the residual toner after the development and the transfer printing, a cleaning station 16 is provided with a cleaning brush integrated therein with associated suction device and an unloading device 17. The intermediate carrier 11 is driven by an electric motor and moved in the direction of arrow in printing operation.

Furthermore, the printing device includes a transfer station 15 downstream in the transport direction of the recording medium fuser 18, which is designed as Thermodruckfixierstation, and one of the fuser downstream feeder 21 with guide rollers for feeding the recording medium 10 to an internal stacking device 22 or to an outside of the printing device arranged external stack - or other post-processing direction.

The tape-shaped recording medium 10 is e.g. as prefolded, provided with Randperforationen continuous paper and is supplied starting from an internal storage area 23 via feed rollers 24 of a swing-off paper diverter the transfer station 15. However, it is also possible to supply a recording medium without edge perforations via a roll feed.

The transport of the recording medium 10 preferably takes place via a transport device 25 assigned to the transfer printing station 15 in the form of transport belts provided with pins, which engage in the peripheral perforations of the recording medium 10 via drive shafts. Furthermore, in the housing portion of the printing device, in a receiving area for the internal storage stack 23, a turning device 28 is arranged over the printed on the back of the already printed on the front side recording medium and again the transfer station 15 is supplied. The turning device 28 is connected to the fixing station 18 via a return channel 29 in connection.

In principle, the aggregates are combined into interchangeable modules in the illustrated printing device, or designed as exchangeable modules. This applies both to the turning device 28, the return channel 29 and to the electrophotographic printing module 26 with the units arranged there for the electrophotographic process. Separately exchangeable in the electrophotographic printing module 26 is the developer station 14. It is mounted for this purpose on rails 27 and can thus be pushed and replaced perpendicular to the plane of the printing device. Their basic structure is from the DE-C1-19540138 known. On the developer station 14, an identification device 30 is arranged in the form of a printed circuit board whose function will be explained later.

The printing device is controlled by a in the Fig. 3 schematically illustrated printer control whose basic structure of the PCT / DE95 / 00635 is known. The operation of the printing device via a control panel display 31 in the form of a touch-screen screen.

The identification device 30 attached to the developer station 14 Fig. 1 has a structure like that in the Fig. 2 is shown. The identification arrangement consists of several, arranged on a printed circuit board 32 electronic modules, which are connected to each other via control lines to a microprocessor control. As central unit with associated main memory 33, an 8-bit processor is provided with an on-chip EPROM. It is in communication with a digital-to-analog converter 34 having terminals 35 and an analog-to-digital converter 36 with associated terminal 37. Further coupled to the central unit via a line is a non-volatile memory 43 in the form of an EEPROM. A data interface 38 provides for connection to a communication interface, which is designed as a CAN bus 39. This CAN bus couples the identification arrangement 30 with the higher-level process control of the device, namely the device control 40.

Arranged in the developer station 14 are a plurality of inductively and analogously operating toner concentration sensors 41 and one or more temperature sensors 42. The toner concentration sensors 41 inductively determine the ratio of the carrier particles consisting of iron to the toner particles of the developer mixture, taking into account the ambient temperature and the sheet counter reading and possibly taking into account other factors. Thus, the need for fresh toner is determined and notified the device control. This actuates the corresponding Frischtonerzuführeinrichtung in the device.
In order to take into account the influencing variables such as ambient temperature, sheet count and sheet size, the operating point of the toner concentration sensors 41 is tracked via the digital-to-analog converter 34 with its terminal 35, wherein the digital-to-analog converter converts the digital signals of the central unit 33 into corresponding analog signals for the toner concentration sensor 41.

The data on sheet counter reading and possibly sheet size are transmitted to the central unit 33 via the device controller 40 and the CAN bus 39.

The analog measurement result of the toner concentration sensors 41 and the temperature sensors 42 is supplied via the terminal 37 to the analog-to-digital converter 36, which converts the analog data into digital for the central unit 33.

The calculated measurement result and thus the percentage ratio between carrier and toner particles is stored digitally in the non-volatile memory 43 (EEPROM). The same applies to the sheet counter reading data supplied by the device controller 40 and e.g. Sheet size. The data is stored, for example, in the form of a data log listing the entire history. Thus, these data are always associated with the identification device 30 permanently connected developer station 14 and can be retrieved directly from the non-volatile memory 43 after replacement of the developer station 14. To enable this exchange, the CAN bus 39 is connected to the data interface 38 via a plug 44. When changing the developer station 14, the plug is released, the developer station removed and inserted the new developer station and the connector 44 closed again.

The device controller 40 includes according to the representation of Fig. 3 several microprocessor controlled subsystems in the form of submodules. In this case, the sub-module 45 is responsible for the control of the paper transport, the sub-module 46 for the slip control of the recording medium or the paper transport, as shown in the PCT / DE95 / 00635 is described. Submodule 47 of the device controller controls the fuser and submodule 48 controls the basic unit. The Basic Unit 48 submodule controls the negative pressure, the toner concentration and provides the central clock of the system. This submodule 48 is coupled to the identification arrangement 30 via the serial interface (CAN bus 39). Connected to the submodule 48 is also the display device 31. On it, the state of aging of the toner determined via the toner concentration sensors 41 and the temperature sensors 42 is visually displayed. Also available via the display 31 is the sheet counter reading and the entire data log stored in the non-volatile memory 43 (EEPROM).

In the illustrated embodiment, the sensors determine the aging state of the developer mixture. However, it may also be necessary to control or record further parameters of the development process. This can e.g. be the change in the bias voltage on the developer rollers. For this purpose, the central unit 33 of the identification arrangement 30 has a reserve connection 49.

In addition to the data mentioned, the non-volatile memory 43 also stores the specific identification data of the developer station. These are e.g. the serial number and the type of developer station. These data are entered into the non-volatile memory 43 when the developer station is first put into operation and remain stored there. Like the other data, they can be visualized using the display device 31 (screen).

With the aid of the above-described identification arrangement, it is possible to use a plurality of developer stations in an electrophotographic printing device depending on the use. It is also possible, in a device park with a variety of electrophotographic printing devices whenever color printing is desired to select from a supply of developer stations the corresponding developer station and insert it into the printer with the color job called. Type of developer station, their aging state and the aging state of the developer mixture are automatically retrieved during replacement via the device controller 40 from the non-volatile memory 43 and provided to the operator via the control surface 31. It is also possible to call 43 warning procedures depending on the contents of the data log of the non-volatile memory 43. Is e.g. the developer mixture has aged so much that due to coating (coating of the carrier particles), the carrier particles must be replaced, this procedure is displayed on the screen 31 and the printing operation is interrupted or prevented its recording.

Furthermore, it is conceivable to design a mobile interrogation control with which it is possible to interrogate the operating states of the stored developer station by connection to this control independently of the device controls of the electrophotographic printing devices.

The invention has been described above with reference to an exchangeable developer station. Of course, the principle according to the invention is also applicable to other exchangeable modules such as fixing station, feeder, turning station etc ..

Panel process control

According to the presentation of the Fig. 4 A control panel process controller includes the actual display 31 and a microprocessor or PC controller 50. The input device is a touch-screen controller 51. Instead of the touch-screen input, input via a keyboard is also possible. Connected to the PC controller (central processing unit) is a memory 52 in the form of a hard disk. It serves as a system memory device for storing the system history. Further connected to the PC controller is another nonvolatile memory 53 in which two allocation tables 54/1 and 54/2 are stored. The allocation table 54/1 contains the possible operating data of the individual units such as meter reading and toner type with the associated system data such as toner concentration in the required toner type or others Electrophotography settings at the corresponding meter reading. This operating data is also stored in the identification device 30. The allocation table 54/1 ensures the corresponding assignment of one data type to the other. Included in the allocation table 54/2 are the identification numbers, ie the type of the individual units 18, 28 as well as the operating data belonging to the identification numbers, such as meter reading and toner type. The process controller 50 is on the one hand functional (data bus) coupled to the individual subaggregates 14, 18, 28, on the other hand with the process control arrangement 40 (device control). In a particular embodiment, the control panel process control arrangement 50 may communicate with a remote interrogator 55 through which it is possible, for example, to query the contents of the memories 52 or 53 so as to obtain system history information at a remote service location. This makes it possible to initiate the required service measures before the actual maintenance at the device location and, for example, to order the required spare parts. This remote interrogator can be configured as a conventional remote interrogator known in data communications.

Function of the control panel process control

As already described, the memory 53 contains two different allocation tables, which are evaluated via the control panel process control arrangement 50. In the first allocation table 54/1, the operating data such as toner type and meter reading are arranged in a first row of tables. The counter reading is an internal counter reading about the number of printed pages. He gives information about the state of aging. A second table row contains the corresponding system data to be called up. These may e.g. be the required toner concentration in the corresponding toner type or generally the process data of the electrophotography process to be set in the operating data. In the second allocation table 54/2 are stored in a first row of tables, the identification numbers of the various sub-aggregates, these identification numbers when inserting the sub-aggregates are either automatically stored or they are entered manually via the input device 51. Associated with these identification numbers are the operating data such as e.g. Toner type and meter reading. Both allocation table 54/1 and allocation table 54/2 are evaluated by the control panel process control and supplied the system data or operating data thus determined the process control arrangement (device control) 40.

When booting up the device from standby, the device controller (process control 40) queries the sub-assemblies 14, 18 and their electronic modules 47, 48 for the stored operating conditions and transmits the data to the control panel process 50. The control panel process control assembly 50 compares the supplied operating data with the stored operating data. If the operating data are available or correspond to the stored operating data, the associated system data (in the example of toner, the toner concentration) is forwarded to the device control. In the event of a fault, i. In the case of erroneous operation data, the panel process control device 50 prevents the printer from starting up, and the panel process control device 50 displays the erroneous operation state on the display 31. Now, the panel process control arrangement automatically checks whether operating data in the allocation table 54/1 is e.g. Toner type, etc. stored from the past and offers this data on the display 31. The operator now decides whether this data should be used or not. If the data is used, the corresponding operating data or the associated system data is transmitted to the device control 40.

However, it is also possible that the identification arrangement 30 is defective on the developer station or on the subaggregates and the contents of the arranged there EEPROMs can no longer be read. In this case, the operator is prompted to manually enter the corresponding sub-assembly identification number via the input device 51. After inputting the corresponding identification number, the panel process control arrangement 50 checks whether or not the corresponding identification number is included in the allocation table 54/2. If it is included, the associated operating data such as toner type and counter reading are called and fed via the table 54/1 the corresponding system data of the device controller 40.

This automatic procedure prevents a total system failure by failure of the storage hardware of a sub-assembly.

Furthermore, it is possible that a partial unit of older type is attached to a printer of the type described, which still has no identification device 30 or EEPROM. The corresponding basic unit 48 of the subassembly recognizes this, for example, to a coding of the sub-aggregate, for example, because a certain pin of a plug has no contact. In this case, the device control performs a similar procedure as just described. The operator is again prompted for manual input of the corresponding sub-assembly identification number via the input device 51. After inputting the corresponding identification number, the panel process control arrangement 50 checks whether or not the corresponding identification number is included in the allocation table 54/2. If it is included, the associated operating data such as toner type and counter reading are called and fed via the table 54/1 the corresponding system data of the device controller 40. If the identification number is not included in the allocation table 54/2, the corresponding data such as toner type, counter status, etc. are requested by the control panel control and prompted for manual input. From table 54/1, the default values corresponding to the input data, for example a contrast setting of the developer station corresponding to the toner type, can then be taken over and used for printing control.

FIG. 6 illustrates once again the data transfer described above and its evaluation using the example of a developer station as a sub-unit. A controller associated with the development unit (basic unit) recognizes from a coding located at the developer station in step S1, whether a developer station with data storage (IS) or a station without data storage (NIS) is present. If a memory module is present, the basic unit receives the data located on the memory module in step S2 and forwards it to the main module of the device controller 40 in step S3. A first data type is an identification number of the developer station. If this ID number is known, station-specific data that is used to control the developer station can already be stored in the main module or in the associated PC operator panel. The main module forwards the data to the PC control panel in step S4. There, in step S5, it is checked again whether there is a developer station with data (IS) or one without data (NIS). In the first case, the received data is then tested for plausibility (step S6), then in step S7 specific electrophotographic values such as a value KW for setting the contrast are set according to the detected toner type. These values are transferred to the main module in step S8 and stored there for data backup. In step S9, these data are transmitted to set basic electrophotographic parameters in the basic unit.

In parallel with the transmission of the data from the main module to the PC control panel in step S4, the toner-specific data is also processed within the main module in step S10. Depending on the detected toner type, electrophotographic values are supplied to the basic unit in step S11, and also the current counter reading of the developer station is saved in step S12 within the main module.

If it is determined in step S5 that no data memory is present on the developer station (NIS) or that certain data such as the counter reading of the developer station or the toner type are not available, then these data are retrieved in step S12 and extracted in step S13 from a specific memory area of the PC control panel corresponding standard control values for the electrophotographic process taken. In step S14, these data are transmitted to the main module where they are stored for data backup and fed to the basic unit for controlling the electrophotographic parameters of the developer station in step S15.

system history

As already described, with the control panel process control arrangement 50, an additional, non-volatile memory (hard disk 52) is coupled, on the chronologically with date and time and current counter each error occurred, each automatically corrected error, each replaced sub-aggregate (eg developer station), each hard - and software change and any serious device errors and other comparable data are stored retrievable. Thus, in the event of a fault, the system can be restored again at any time according to the stored system state. An error is automatically corrected. For example, if there is a communication problem between the panel process control device 50 and the device controller 40, i. if this communication is interrupted, the communication is automatically rebuilt by calling the appropriate data from the system memory 52. That is, the system is synchronized and the control panel data is updated with the data from the system storage device 52.

Error rates are also stored in the system memory 52. For example, in the developer station with the identification number A in use, an error, e.g. too low toner concentration, this error rate is stored. The next time a system maintenance is activated by docking the service technician in the process control arrangement 50 in the service dialog, the process control arrangement reports the increased occurrence of this error via the display 31. This allows the service technician to identify the developer station with the identification number A as an unreliable subassembly and correct the error.

This polling of the system history is also possible via the remote polling device 55. For this purpose, the service technician docks into the system history from the service control center, which is located somewhere far away from the unit. The described warnings and the information on the error rate with assigned identification number of the sub-aggregate is automatically transmitted to him. This allows him to optimally prepare the system maintenance before the service point is actually reached with the device.

To remedy the error, however, other special algorithms are conceivable. For example, when system maintenance is logged in, it is first checked whether additional stored data has been stored in the system history since the last system maintenance. If no new data is available, then no data can be made available for error diagnosis. If in the meantime system data has been stored, then these are evaluated in the manner described.

Wireless data transmission

In FIG. 5 a toner supply device 56 of a developer station 14 is shown, which contains a toner container 57. The toner 59 therein is sucked out of the toner container 57 by means of a suction pipe 58 and fed to further components of the developer station 14. The suction nozzle 58 is thereby displaced along the guide rods 60, depending on the toner filling level in the toner container 57. A bellows 61 covers the filling opening of the toner container and thus protects other components of the developer station 14 from contamination. The toner container 57 is in a receptacle 62 which is pivotable via a hinge 63 in the interior of the printer. Details of this developer station are in the US 5,074,342 described, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the description.

The toner container 57 is provided with a chip card 64 which includes an electronic memory (EEPROM), a drive circuit (IC) and an antenna, via which a wireless data transfer to a reading station 65 can take place. The reading station 65 may optionally be attached to the developer station 14 or to the printer housing and is connected to the process control assembly 40 via a cable connection (eg, CAN bus). It can accomplish both the exchange of data with the chip card 64 and a power supply of the chip card 64. Details of such smart cards and reading stations are for example in the US 5,262,712 described, the contents of which are hereby also incorporated by reference.

In the illustrated embodiment, in the memory (EEPROM) of the toner bottle, for example, the toner type, its color and the level of the bottle are stored. The level is continuously updated during operation of the printing unit by the amount of toner removed and deducted from the initial level. This makes it possible to remove toner bottles partially deflated from the developer station and later reuse in the same or in another device. In a simplified embodiment, instead of the exact filling level, it is also possible to store a printed page number from which the residual toner quantity can be roughly estimated.

Although some of the above embodiments have been described with a connector (CAN bus) and others with wireless data transmission (IC chip), it is clear that the type of data transmission within the scope of the invention is transferable from one to the other embodiment. In a wireless data transmission, the energy from the outside can be coupled capacitively or inductively. Furthermore, it can be provided to provide a central communication interface (transmitter and / or receiver) in the printing or copying machine, which communicates wirelessly with a multiplicity of subassemblies, so that the data transmission is further simplified.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Record carrier, paper

11

Photoconductor drum

12

loader

13

character generator

14

developer station

15

transfer station

16

cleaning station

17

unloading

18

fuser

21

feeding

22

internal stacker

23

storage area

24

feed rollers

25

transport means

26

print module

27

rails

28

turning device

29

Return channel

30

identification system

31

Control panel

32

circuit board

33

central processing unit

34

Digital to analog converter

35

Connection

36

Analog to digital converter

37

Connection

38

Data Interface

39

CAN bus

40

device control

41

Toner concentration sensor

42

temperature sensor

43

non-volatile memory EEPROM

44

Plug on the CAN bus

45

Submodule paper transport

46

traverse

47

Submodule fuser

48

Submodule Basic Unit

49

reserve connection

50

Panel process control

51

Input device, touch screen, keyboard

52

System storage device (hard disk)

53

Storage device for allocation tables

54/1

Mapping table, operating data system data

54/2

Mapping table of identification data operating data

55

Remote device

56

Toner supply means

57

toner container

58

proboscis

59

toner

60

guide rods

61

bellow

62

receptacle

63

hinge

64

data storage

65

reading station

Claims (29)

1. Printing or copying appliance which contains one or more modularly constructed, exchangeable part units (14, 18, 28, 26), a part unit (14) to be identified having an identification device (30), with a non-volatile memory (43) for the storage of operating data assigned to functionally relevant operating states and belonging to the part unit (14), data concerning the toner type used being stored in the memory (43), and also a communication interface (38, 39) for the detachable coupling of the identification device (30) to a process control arrangement (40) of the appliance, the communication interface (38, 39) effecting at least partly wire-free data transmission between part unit (14) and process control arrangement (40), specific electrophotographic values for printing being set depending on the toner type determined.
2. Printing or copying appliance according to Claim 1, the communication interface (38, 39) effecting both wire-free data interchange with the identification device (30) and wire-free power supply to the identification device (30).
3. Printing or copying appliance according to Claim 1 or 2, having sensors (41, 42) which register operating states, are assigned to the part units (14) and are connected to the identification device (30) and/or the communication interface (38, 39), the identification device (30) having an internal interrogation device (33) which, during the operation of the part unit (14), stores operating data in the non-volatile memory (43).
4. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 3, the process control arrangement (40) having a process interrogation device (31, 33) which, when the part units (14) are being commissioned, reads out operating data from the non-volatile memory (43) and/or during the operation of the part unit (14) stores operating data in the non-volatile memory (43).
5. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 4, the process control arrangement (40) being coupled to a display device (31) which displays selectable operating data.
6. Printing or copying appliance according to Claim 5, the display device (31) having an input device for the input of selectable operating data.
7. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 6, having an EPROM as non-volatile memory (43).
8. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 7, having a CAN bus (39) as communication interface.
9. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 8, having a developer station (14) exchangeably arranged in the appliance as a part unit.
10. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 9, the operating data assigned to functionally relevant operating states being stored as a data record which, for each part unit (14) individually and unequivocally, permits the exact tracing of the operating states including operating faults.
11. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 10, having an operating panel which, firstly, is coupled to the process control arrangement (40), secondly is coupled to the identification device or devices (30) of the part units (14, 18, 28, 26), the operating panel having an operating panel process controller (50) which uses the operating data of the part units (14, 18) to generate system data to be fed to the process control arrangement (40).
12. Printing or copying appliance according to Claim 11, having a memory device (53) which is assigned to the operating panel process controller (50) and accommodates allocation tables (54/1, 54/2).
13. Printing or copying appliance according to Claim 12, the operating data with the associated system data being stored in a first allocation table (54/1), and identification data assigned to the part units (14, 18) being stored in a second allocation table (54/2) together with the associated operating data.
14. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 11 to 13, having a further system memory device (52) assigned to the operating panel process controller (50) and containing the system history.
15. Printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 11 to 14, having a remote interrogation device (55), which can be coupled to the operating panel process controller (50), for the remote interrogation of data assigned to operating states.
16. Method of operating a printing or copying appliance according to one of Claims 1 to 15, comprising the following steps:

    - after a part unit (14, 18, 28, 26, 57) has been installed in the printing or copying appliance, a check is made, by means of a read station (48, 65), to see whether there is an electronic data memory (43, 64) and/or predetermined data of a first data type on the part unit (14, 18, 28, 26, 57), wire-free data transmission taking place between the data memory (43, 64) and read station (65),

    - the identification device (30) is connected, via a communication interface (38, 39), to a process control arrangement (40) belonging to the printing or copying appliance,

    - if there are data of the first data type present, these are read from the data memory (43, 64) by the read station (65) and fed to the process control arrangement (40),

    - if the data memory (43, 64) is present and data of the first data type are missing, the missing data are interrogated via an operating panel (31, 51), are input and fed to the process control arrangement (40), and/or

    - if there is no data memory (43, 64), the data of the first data type and data of a second data type are taken from a memory (53) belonging to the printing or copying appliance and fed to the process control arrangement (40).
17. Method according to Claim 16, characterized in that power is fed from the read station (65) to the identification device (30, 65) in a wire-free manner.
18. Part unit, which is provided for installation and for use in a printing or copying appliance which has one or more modularly constructed, exchangeable part units (14, 18, 28, 26), the part unit having an identification device (30, 64) with a non-volatile memory (43) for the storage of operating data, data concerning the toner type used being stored in the memory (43), and the printing or copying appliance having a communication interface (38, 39) for the detachable coupling of the identification device (30) to a process control arrangement (40) of the appliance, and the identification device (30, 64) having an electronic memory (EEPROM), a drive circuit (IC) and a transmission element for non-contact data transfer, specific electrophotographic values for printing being set depending on the toner type determined.
19. Part unit according to Claim 18, the transmission element being an antenna.
20. Part unit according to either of Claims 18 and 19, the communication interface (38, 39) effecting wire-free data transfer and/or wire-free power supply from the process control arrangement (40) to the identification device (30, 64).
21. Part unit according to Claim 20, energy being coupled in from the outside, inductively or capacitively, for the purpose of data transfer.
22. Part unit according to either of Claims 18 and 19, characterized in that it is a toner container (57).
23. Part unit according to either of Claims 18 and 19, characterized in that it is a developer station (14).
24. Part unit according to either of Claims 18 and 19, characterized in that it is a fixing station (18).
25. Printing or copying appliance having a part unit according to one of Claims 18 to 24.
26. Toner container for use in a printing or copying appliance which has one or more modularly constructed, exchangeable part units (14, 18, 28, 26), the toner container (57) having an identification device (30, 64) with a non-volatile memory (43) for the storage of operating data, data concerning the toner type used being stored in the memory (43), by means of which a process control arrangement (40) of the printing or copying appliance can be detachably coupled to the identification device (30) via a communication interface (38, 39), by means of which specific electrophotographic values for printing can be set depending on the toner type determined, the identification device (30, 64) having an electronic memory (EEPROM), a drive circuit (IC) and a transmission element for non-contact data transfer.
27. Toner container according to Claim 26, the transmission element being an antenna.
28. Toner container according to Claim 26 or 27, it being possible for energy to be coupled in from the outside, capacitively or inductively.
29. Toner container according to one of Claims 26 to 28, the communication interface (38, 39) effecting wire-free data transfer and/or wire-free power supply from the process control arrangement (40) to the identification device (30, 64).

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