JP2001242766A - Electrophotographic image forming device and cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correct fluctuation in the characteristics of a developing device or an electrophotographic photoreceptor, and securely detect a residual amount of developer sequentially. SOLUTION: Information on toner consumption per one dot optimized according to the characteristics of a cartridge 100 is stored in a nonvolatile memory 101 mounted in the cartridge 100. An image forming device 200 performs pixel count remaining amount detection based on the information on toner consumption.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to an electrophotographic system in which an electrostatic latent image is formed on an image carrier by an electrophotographic method, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized by a developer contained in a developing device. The present invention relates to a photographic image forming apparatus and a cartridge.

Here, as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, L
ED printers, laser beam printers, etc.), and electrophotographic facsimile machines.

[0003] The cartridge refers to a process cartridge and a developing cartridge. The process cartridge integrally forms at least one of a charging unit, a developing unit, and a cleaning unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member. The cartridge can be detachably attached to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, or at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is detachably attachable to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. To say. The developing cartridge refers to a developing unit and a developer container that stores the developer, which are integrally formed as a cartridge and are detachable from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is used as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. A process cartridge system detachable from the main body is employed. According to this process cartridge system, maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without relying on a service person, so that operability can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this process cartridge system
It is widely used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses.

There are various types of image forming apparatuses, such as an electrophotographic system, an ink jet system, and a thermal system, for forming an image based on an image signal sent from a host computer. In recent years, the image forming apparatus of the type has been widely used because of its advantages such as high speed, high image quality, and quietness.

In such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an image processing circuit for developing image data sent from a host computer into bitmap data to form an image, and an electrophotographic photosensitive device based on the bitmap data. Light ON / OFF for exposing the body and forming an electrostatic latent image
Image signal generating means for generating a signal is required.

An electrostatic latent image is formed by irradiating the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member with a light beam emitted based on a light ON / OFF signal corresponding to an image, and the developing means (toner) converts the developer (toner) into an electron. It is attached to the photoreceptor and visualized. Then, the toner image is transferred onto a transfer paper as a recording medium and further fixed by a fixing device, so that a user can obtain a desired image.

As a developing means, a method using a dry one-component developer is widely used because it is easy for a user to handle and excellent in maintenance.

Since this developer is consumed during image formation, an image cannot be formed if the amount of developer is small. Therefore, the remaining amount of developer is detected,
It is necessary to notify the user of the information.

The methods for detecting the remaining amount of the developer used for this purpose are roughly classified into two types: (1) toner near-end detection, and (2) sequential detection of the remaining amount of toner.

(1) Toner near-end detection includes a capacitance detection method (antenna method) for detecting a change in the capacitance of toner, a piezoelectric element method for detecting the weight of toner, and an inductance for detecting magnetic permeability of toner. There are detection methods and the like, all of which detect the remaining amount of toner based on a physical amount that changes according to the amount of toner, and are therefore very effective in notifying that an image white spot is near.

(2) In order to sequentially detect the remaining amount of toner, there is a method of calculating and predicting the amount of toner consumption based on the total number of pixels to be formed, that is, the printing rate. This method is generally called a pixel count method. And JP-A-58-224.
No. 363. According to this method, since the user can know the toner amount one by one, the method is very excellent in usability.

However, in the above-described pixel counting method, even if an image is formed at the same printing rate, the amount of toner consumption is different between a solid image and a line image. Specifically, a line image consumes more toner than a solid image. This is because the lines of electric force between the latent image and the developing unit tend to concentrate on the boundary of the latent image. Therefore, by programming the relationship between the printing rate and the toner consumption rate in consideration of the printing pattern, it is possible to further reliably predict the toner consumption.

[0014]

However, even if the relationship between the amount of toner consumption due to the print pattern and the amount of toner remaining to be notified to the user is not considered as described above, the amount of toner remaining actually remaining in the image forming apparatus is not considered. Errors may have occurred between the quantities.

This is a problem that occurs when the process conditions, for example, the photoconductor sensitivity and the developing bias value are different, because the toner consumption is different even for the same print pattern.

A technique for improving this is disclosed in JP-A-6-1387.
No. 69 discloses this. This is to correct the relationship between the printing rate and the toner consumption rate based on the set values of the photoconductor sensitivity and the developing bias. However, this technique corrects the relationship between the image pattern and the toner consumption originally possessed by the image forming apparatus, and faithfully adjusts the characteristics of the developing means, the process cartridge including the electrophotographic photosensitive member, or the developing cartridge. It does not compensate. Therefore, it cannot be said that the above problem has been properly solved, and further improvement in detection accuracy is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a cartridge which can correct variations in characteristics of a developing means and an electrophotographic photoreceptor and can surely successively detect the remaining amount of a developer. That is.

[0018]

The above object is achieved by an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a cartridge according to the present invention. In summary, the present invention relates to a developer container for developing (a) an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member based on a pixel signal in a cartridge detachable from an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body. And (b) writable storage means. The storage means consumes the developer per one pixel signal. A cartridge storing data defining an amount.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body for forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: (a) an electrophotographic photosensitive member; and (b) a pixel signal. Developing means for transporting a developer contained in a developer container to the electrophotographic photosensitive member in order to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member based on (c) writing And a storage unit capable of storing data defining a consumption amount of the developer per one pixel signal.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for detachably mounting a cartridge and for forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: (a) an electrophotographic photosensitive member based on a pixel signal; Defining a developing means for transporting the developer contained in the developer container to the electrophotographic photosensitive member in order to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a consumption amount of the developer per one pixel signal Mounting means for removably mounting a cartridge having writable storage means for storing the read data; and (b) means for transferring and storing the data. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided, wherein the amount of consumption or the remaining amount of the developer is detected in a plurality of stages.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic image forming apparatus for detachably mounting a cartridge and forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: (a) an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a pixel signal; Developing means for transporting a developer contained in a developer container to the electrophotographic photosensitive member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member based on the image signal; Mounting means for removably mounting a cartridge having writable storage means for storing data defining the consumption of the developer; and (b) means for transferring and storing the data. In addition, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus is provided in which the consumption or remaining amount of the developer is detected in a plurality of stages using the number of pixel signals.

According to one embodiment of each of the above inventions,
The pixel signal is converted from bitmap data.

[0023]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a cartridge according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the configuration of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus 200 can be roughly classified into electrophotographic processes. An electrophotographic photosensitive member 2, a charging device (charging means) 1, an exposure device (exposure means) 7, a developing device 3, a transfer device 5, and a cleaning device (cleaning) 4) and a fixing device 6.

In this embodiment, the electrophotographic photosensitive member 2, the charging device 2, the developing device 3, and the cleaning device 4 are a process cartridge (hereinafter simply referred to as "cartridge") 1.
00 and is removably attached to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body 200A via the attaching means 20.

The electrophotographic photosensitive member 2 is a cylindrical photosensitive drum and rotates at a peripheral speed of 70 mm / sec in a direction indicated by an arrow a. As a result, the image forming apparatus 200 can output ten consecutive letter-size sheets per minute.

An image processing circuit 207 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 200A develops image data input from the host computer into bitmap data. A laser ON / OFF signal is generated based on the bitmap data. Then, based on the laser ON / OFF signal, the exposure device 7 irradiates the photosensitive drum 2 with a laser beam L to form a latent image. Since this laser ON / OFF signal corresponds to a dot of an image, it is hereinafter referred to as a pixel signal.

First, the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is uniformly charged by the charging device 1, and thereafter, the latent image is formed by the exposure device 7 as described above. In this embodiment,
The charged potential of the photoreceptor is charged to Vd = −700 V, and the potential of a solid black portion (laser exposed portion) is generally VL = −100 V. This potential VL changes depending on the sensitivity of the photoconductor.

The developing device 3 has a developer container 30 containing a negatively chargeable dry magnetic one-component developer having an average particle diameter of 6.5 μm.
And a developing sleeve 32 as a developing means having a magnet roller 31 as a magnetic field generating means for carrying the developer, and a toner layer on the developing sleeve 32 is regulated to a desired thickness, and the toner is applied to the toner. An elastic blade 33 as a regulating member for applying an appropriate amount of electric charge, and a stirring member 34 for stirring the developer in the developer container 30 are provided.

A bias power supply (not shown) for supplying a bias in which an AC bias is superimposed on a DC bias is connected between the photosensitive drum 1 and the developing sleeve 32 so as to apply an appropriate developing bias. It has become. In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum 2 and the developing sleeve 32
The gap between them is about 300 μm and the developing sleeve 3
2, DC voltage: -500 V, AC voltage: rectangular wave Vpp 1500 V, frequency 2000 Hz are applied as developing bias. Thereby, the VL portion is subjected to reversal development.

The developer container 30 of the developing device 3 initially has 30
0 g of the developer, the cartridge 10
0 indicates that a letter printing rate of 4% can be used to print 5000 sheets.

In this way, the image on the photosensitive drum 2 visualized by the developer is transferred to the transfer material P as a recording medium by the transfer device 5 rotating in the direction of arrow d. The transfer material P is accommodated in a paper feed cassette 22, fed by a feed roller 24, and sent to the transfer device 5 in synchronization with the image on the photosensitive drum 2. And the transfer material P
Is transferred to the fixing device 6 together with the transfer material P, and is fixed by heat and / or pressure to become a recorded image.

On the other hand, the photosensitive drum 2 is not transferred after the transfer.
The remaining developer is removed by the cleaning device 4 having the blade 40. Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is charged again by the charging device 1, and the above-described steps are repeated.

The image forming apparatus of the present embodiment is provided with a detecting member 102 for detecting the remaining amount of the developer in the developer container 30. This detecting member 102 is a 2 mm diameter S
It is a US thin rod (hereinafter referred to as "antenna rod"),
6 m parallel to and parallel to the developing sleeve 32
They are arranged at intervals of m.

A current is induced in the antenna rod 102 by a developing bias. This current changes depending on the capacitance between the developing sleeve 32 and the antenna rod 102. Since this capacitance changes with the amount of toner, it is a physical quantity effective for detecting the remaining amount of toner. Especially the developer container 3
Since the detection can be performed with high accuracy in a state where the remaining amount of toner within 0 is small, the present embodiment is used to perform toner near-end detection.

The image forming apparatus main body 200A is provided with a detection circuit (not shown) for detecting a current induced in the antenna rod 102.

The cartridge 100 according to the present embodiment has a nonvolatile memory 10 as a writable / updateable storage means.
1 is installed. In this embodiment, NVRAM (Non
Volatile Random Access
Memory), but is not limited to this.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the image forming apparatus main body 200A includes a continuous dot number detecting means 205a, a multiplying means 205c, an adding means 205e, a cumulative toner consumption calculating means 205f, a storage element 205b, and a continuous dot consumption means. Amount storage unit 205d and read / write unit 205
and a toner consumption calculation circuit 205 consisting of g.
A display unit 206 for notifying the user of the remaining amount of toner calculated by the toner consumption calculation circuit 25 is provided at an upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body 200A. The display unit 206 is used for sequentially detecting the remaining amount of toner.

Next, the configuration relating to the calculation of the toner consumption will be described in detail.

The basic specifications of the image forming apparatus of this embodiment are a resolution of 600 dpi and a printing speed of letter size (216).
mm × 279 mm) and 10 ppm. The image forming area of one letter page is 204 mm × 269 mm, and when converted into dots, 4,878 dots × 6,420 dots = 31,316,760 dots. That is, an image having a printing rate of 100% is composed of 31, 316, and 760 dots.

As described above, even if the printing rate is generally constant at 4%, the toner consumption of the latter is smaller in the case where the image pattern is formed of a solid image and in the case where the image pattern is formed of lines or characters. More than that of. This is because more toner adheres to the edge portion of the image than to the other image portions.

The present inventors conducted the following experiment to quantitatively grasp this.

Using the image forming apparatus described above,
(1) 4% printing rate composed of 4-dot line images
Image (total pixel signal dot number 1,252,670 dots)
And (2) the same printing ratio of 4 formed only with a solid black image.
% Image, and the toner consumption was measured.

As a result, the toner consumption per dot is 50 × 10 ⁻⁹ grams in the case of (1) and 4 in the case of (2).
It was 2 × 10 ^-9 grams. As described above, even if the printing rate is the same, if the image pattern is different, the toner consumption per dot is significantly different.

Therefore, the correction of the toner consumption by the image pattern is performed as follows.

First, a table showing the number of continuous pixel dots and its consumption correction coefficient is created. This table is shown in Table 1 below.

[0048]

[Table 1] In this table, the case where the number of continuous dots is 1 is set as a reference, and therefore, the correction coefficient is set to 1. And, as the number of continuous dots increases, the edge portion in the image decreases,
Therefore, since the toner consumption per dot is reduced, the correction coefficient is set to a value of 1 or less, and the correction coefficient is reduced as the number of continuous dots increases. By multiplying the toner consumption per dot by the correction coefficient according to the number of continuous dots, a more accurate toner consumption is calculated.

This table is called a “toner consumption amount conversion table” in this embodiment. The toner consumption conversion table is stored in the NVRAM provided in the cartridge when the cartridge is manufactured.

However, depending on the VL value of the photosensitive drum,
Since this relationship is deteriorated, if only a certain toner consumption conversion table is used, the difference between the predicted toner consumption and the actual toner consumption becomes large, and the detection accuracy is reduced.

Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to improve the detection accuracy, the VL value is changed experimentally in advance, and the same experiment as described above is performed, and a "toner consumption conversion table" according to the change in the VL value is obtained. Prepare more than one.

Specifically, the following Tables 2, 3 and 4
It is as follows. That is, Table 2 shows the case of the photosensitive drum of VL = −120 V, Table 3 shows the case of the photosensitive drum of VL = −100 V, and Table 4 shows the case of the photosensitive drum of VL = −80 V.

[0053]

[Table 2]

[0054]

[Table 3]

[0055]

[Table 4] As described above, as the absolute value of the VL value is smaller, the development contrast becomes larger, and the toner is easily consumed.

Thus, the number of continuous dots and the amount of toner consumption can be accurately corrected according to the VL value of the photosensitive drum.

Then, when the cartridge is manufactured, the VL value of the photosensitive drum is actually measured, and based on the result, the most appropriate toner consumption conversion table is selected and stored in the NVRAM provided in the cartridge.

Accordingly, the cartridge can have a toner consumption conversion table corresponding to the variation in the VL value.

Next, a method for calculating the remaining amount of toner according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to a block diagram showing a toner consumption calculating circuit in FIG. 2 and a flowchart in FIG. Here, a case where the VL value is −100 V will be described as an example.

A user purchases an electrophotographic image forming apparatus,
When the cartridge 100 is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 200A for the first time, first, image information is sent to the image forming apparatus 200 (S1). Next, the NV of the cartridge 100 is read by the reading unit 205g of the image forming apparatus main body 200A.
The image forming frequency information is read from the RAM 101 (S
2). Next, the NVRAM 101 of the cartridge 100
Is read by the reading means 205g of the image forming apparatus main body 200A, sent to the storage element 205b provided in the image forming apparatus main body 200A, and stored therein (S4). Thereafter, an image is formed (S5).

As a result, the image forming apparatus 200 can mount the toner consumption conversion table most suitable for the characteristics of the cartridge 100. If the number of times of image formation is other than 0, image formation is performed without performing this operation (S5).

Next, the number of times of image formation is
0 to the NVRAM 101 for writing and updating (S
6).

Next, the toner consumption amount is calculated by the toner consumption amount calculation circuit 205 (S7). That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the number of continuous pixel dots is first detected by the continuous pixel dot number detection means 205a, and if the number of continuous dots is 3, for example, The correction coefficient 1 corresponding to the number from 1 to 4 is selected, the multiplication unit 205c multiplies the number of continuous dots by 3 and the correction coefficient 1, and then 50 × 10 ⁻⁹ g, which is the toner consumption per dot. To obtain the toner consumption, and store it in the continuous dot consumption storage unit 205d.

This operation is repeated for one page of the image, and all the values stored in the continuous dot consumption storage means 205d are added by the addition means 205e. The value after the addition is stored in the accumulated toner consumption storage unit 205f (8). The image forming frequency information is the NV of the cartridge 100.
The information is sent to the RAM 101, and the image forming frequency information is updated.

Then, the accumulated toner consumption storage means 2
Display is performed by the display means 206 in accordance with the value stored in 05f (S9). This display is changed in five stages as shown in Table 5 below according to the accumulated toner consumption. However, the number of steps is not limited to this.

[0066]

[Table 5] The above operation is repeated for each image formation.

Then, the display means displays <30% remaining amount> (S10), that is, the accumulated toner consumption is 200 g.
Is reached, the process shifts to toner near-end detection by the antenna method (S11). Then, when the remaining amount of toner immediately before the image white spot is detected, the display means 206 displays a toner-out warning.

The user who has received the information is
Replace with a new one. Then, it is again determined from the information in the memory (NVRAM) 101 of the cartridge 100 that the number of times of image formation is 0 (S2), and the toner consumption conversion table stored in the storage element 205b of the image forming apparatus main body 200A is read. The image is deleted (S3), the toner consumption conversion table is read from a new cartridge by the reading means 205g of the image forming apparatus main body, sent to a storage element provided in the apparatus main body, and stored therein (S3).
4). This is performed every time the cartridge is replaced.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, by storing the toner consumption conversion table most suitable for the characteristics in the memory of the cartridge, the image forming apparatus can adjust the characteristics of the cartridge which is always used. The remaining amount can be sequentially detected based on the most suitable toner consumption conversion table.
Therefore, it is possible to always detect the remaining amount of toner with high accuracy.

In the present embodiment, the relationship between the toner consumption per dot is determined by a method in which the correction coefficient for calculating the toner consumption depends on the number of continuous dots.
The present invention is not limited to this method.

Although the VL value is used to optimize the toner consumption conversion table, parameters that can be measured at the time of cartridge production, such as the distance between the developing sleeve and the photosensitive member and the setting of the production blade, are related to the toner consumption. Alternatively, the surface roughness of the developing sleeve may be used.

Further, in the present embodiment, the present invention is applied to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a cartridge integrally provided with an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging means, a developing means, and a cleaning means is mounted. The present invention can be applied to a cartridge provided with a photographic photosensitive member and a developing unit, and further applicable to a developing cartridge integrally provided with a developing unit and a developer container. In this case, a memory storing an optimized toner consumption conversion table in consideration of each characteristic may be provided in the developing cartridge.

Embodiment 2 Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which can use two or more different cartridges.

In some cases, two different cartridges are used for one type of image forming apparatus. For example, to solve the image deletion phenomenon that is likely to occur in hot and humid areas,
In some cases, cartridges that differ from normal specifications are sold only in certain regions. In this case, cartridges for high-temperature and high-humidity regions include, for example, toners (ex. Agent). Such a response is very effective in solving a specific problem.

However, in general, when the prescription of the toner is different, the toner consumption for the same image pattern is also different. Therefore, when two types of cartridges having different toner prescriptions are used in one image forming apparatus, it is difficult to sequentially and accurately detect the remaining amount of toner in both cartridges.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the toner consumption conversion table described in the first embodiment is optimized for each cartridge using these different toners, and the data is stored in the NVRAM mounted on the cartridge. Store. By referring to the toner consumption in the same manner as in the first embodiment, it is possible to successively detect the remaining amount of toner by using a toner consumption conversion table optimal for each toner prescription. Become.

Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus which can solve the above-mentioned specific problem and can detect the remaining amount of toner with high accuracy regardless of the type of the cartridge.

[0079]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the cartridge of the present invention, the cartridge has a writable storage means provided therein, and the storage means consumes the developer per pixel signal. By storing data defining the amount, variations in the characteristics of the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member can be corrected, and the remaining amount of the developer can be detected more reliably and sequentially.

Further, according to the electrophotographic image forming apparatus of the present invention, writable storage means for storing data defining the consumption of the developer per one pixel signal, provided in the cartridge, and the storage means Means for transferring and storing data stored in the means, and detecting the amount of consumption or remaining amount of the developer in a plurality of stages using the number of pixel signals, thereby enabling the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member to be detected. Variations in characteristics can be corrected, and the remaining amount of the developer can be more reliably detected sequentially.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus equipped with a process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a toner consumption calculation circuit and a process cartridge provided in the electrophotographic image forming apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a toner consumption calculating procedure according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 2 photosensitive drum (electrophotographic photosensitive member) 3 developing device 30 developer container 32 developing sleeve (developing means) 100 process cartridge 101 NVRAM (storage means) 200 electrophotographic image forming apparatus 200A electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body 205 toner consumption Calculation circuit 205b Storage element 205d Continuous dot consumption storage means 205g Read / write means 207 Image signal processing circuit

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Konishi 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo F-term in Canon Inc. (reference) 2H027 DA41 DD02 DE07 EE06 FD08 GB03 HB15 HB17 ZA07 2H071 BA04 BA13 BA20 BA32 DA06 DA08 DA13 DA15 DA31 2H077 AD02 AD06 AD13 AD36 DA15 DA42 DA58 DA86 DB10 EA11 EA16 GA17 9A001 EE02 EE05 JJ35 KK31 KK42

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: (a) housed in a developer container for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member based on a pixel signal; (B) writable storage means, wherein the storage means stores the amount of consumption of the developer per pixel signal. A cartridge for storing defined data. 2. A cartridge detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: (a) an electrophotographic photosensitive member; and (b) developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member based on a pixel signal. Developing means for transporting the developer contained in the developer container to the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and (c) writable storage means, wherein the storage means has one pixel. A cartridge storing data defining a consumption amount of a developer per signal. 3. The pixel signal according to claim 1, wherein the pixel signal is converted from bitmap data.
Cartridges. 4. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for detachably mounting a cartridge and forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: (a) transferring an electrostatic latent image formed on an electrophotographic photosensitive member based on a pixel signal; Developing means for transporting the developer contained in the developer container to the electrophotographic photosensitive member for developing;
Mounting means for removably mounting a cartridge having a writable storage means for storing data defining a consumption amount of a developer per pixel signal; and (b) data stored in the storage means. And a means for transferring and storing the developer, wherein the consumption or remaining amount of the developer is detected in a plurality of stages using the number of pixel signals. 5. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for detachably mounting a cartridge and forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: (a) an electrophotographic photosensitive member; and an electrophotographic photosensitive member formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member based on pixel signals. Developing means for transporting the developer contained in the developer container to the electrophotographic photosensitive member in order to develop the developed electrostatic latent image, and data defining the consumption amount of the developer per one pixel signal And (b) means for transferring and storing data stored in the storage means, the mounting means for removably mounting a cartridge comprising: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein the consumption or remaining amount of the developer is detected in a plurality of stages using the number of pixel signals. 6. The pixel signal according to claim 4, wherein the pixel signal is converted from bitmap data.
Electrophotographic image forming apparatus.