JP2002278419A - Process cartridge and image forming device provided with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize proper recycle by judging the propriety of the recycle of a process cartridge easily. SOLUTION: The process cartridge is provided with an nonvolatile storage means which can be 'read/written' by an image forming device main body. The nonvolatile storage means stores at least 'manufacture information including the date of manufacture' and 'date information' from the image forming device main body. The CPU of the image forming device detects that the process cartridge is a new product, stores the date information of detecting that the process cartridge if the new product in the nonvolatile storing means, and stores the date information in the nonvolatile storage means one by one when the date information in the case of forming an image is different from information in the nonvolatile storage means.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a recyclable process cartridge and an image forming apparatus provided with the process cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a non-volatile memory is provided in a process cartridge which is detachably mountable to an image apparatus main body. The date of manufacture / the ID of the cartridge / the total number of prints (copies) / the number of recycles / The expiration date and the like are stored. Parts including photoreceptors used in process cartridges have a life several times longer than the number of printed toner sheets, so units that have run out of toner are refilled with toner and recycled. . At that time, the number of prints, the number of recycles, and the expiration date are determined to determine whether to perform the next recycle.

[0003]

However, the deterioration of the photoreceptor cannot be determined only by the number of prints or the period of use. If a large amount of printing is performed in a very short time, the deterioration of the photoreceptor will be considerable even within the number of prints / expiration date. In such a case, even if the information in the non-volatile memory is recyclable, there is a possibility that the process cartridge having deteriorated image quality will be provided to the user when the information is recycled. Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve these conventional problems.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to a main body of an image forming apparatus, the non-volatile storage means being readable / writable by the main body of the image forming apparatus. The process cartridge is characterized in that at least “manufacturing information including the date of manufacture” and “date information” from the image forming apparatus main body are stored in the nonvolatile storage means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus provided with the process cartridge according to the first aspect,
Means for detecting that the process cartridge is new, means for storing date and time information when the process cartridge is detected as new in a nonvolatile storage means, and information for storing date and time information at the time of image formation in the nonvolatile storage means. An image forming apparatus provided with the process cartridge, wherein the non-volatile storage means sequentially stores the date information.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus provided with the process cartridge according to the first aspect.
Means for detecting that the cartridge is new, means for storing date and time information when the cartridge is detected as new in a non-volatile storage means, and non-volatile storage means for storing the date and time information of the image forming apparatus main body. An image forming apparatus provided with a process cartridge characterized by sequentially storing date and time information from an image forming apparatus main body in a non-volatile storage means when the image forming apparatus is different.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of an image forming apparatus 5 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1
Denotes an optical system, which includes a polygon motor, a polygon mirror, an Fθ lens, a laser diode, a mirror, and the like. Reference numeral 2 denotes a process cartridge detachable from the image forming apparatus 5 and includes a photoconductor 11, a charging roller 3, a cleaning unit and a discharged toner collecting unit 6, a developing unit and a toner storage unit 4, and the like. The recording paper 9 stored in the paper feed cassette 8 is conveyed to the photoconductor 11 by the paper feed roller 7.

The photosensitive member 11 is driven to rotate clockwise. At this time, the surface is charged by the charging roller 3, and a laser beam is irradiated from the optical system 1 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member. This latent image is visualized by the toner when passing through the developing unit and the toner storage unit 4. The visible image is transferred to the recording paper 9 conveyed to the photoreceptor 11 by the transfer roller 10, conveyed to the fixing roller 12, the visible image on the recording paper 9 is fixed, and discharged outside the image forming apparatus 5. Is done.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the present invention. The process cartridge 2 includes a non-volatile memory (hereinafter referred to as “cartridge memory”) 18.
It is readable and writable by U14, and stores the date of manufacture / ID of cartridge / total number of prints (copies) / the number of recycles and the like. CPU1
4 sends a command and address data to the nonvolatile memory 18 in synchronization with the clock and the clock. At the time of writing to the nonvolatile memory 18, data is written to an area of the nonvolatile memory 18 corresponding to the address by sending write data following the address.

At the time of reading data from the nonvolatile memory 18, data of an area corresponding to the address is transmitted from the nonvolatile memory 18 following the address. The image forming apparatus 5 includes a ROM 15, a RAM 16, a nonvolatile memory (hereinafter referred to as a main body memory) 17 as a memory for storing software, programming data, and the like, and a timer 19 having a clock function. Printing is performed by the CPU 14 causing the image forming apparatus 5 to operate various components in an integrated manner.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the process cartridge 2 of the present invention. The substrate 13 (only the connector portion is shown) on which the cartridge memory 18 is mounted is mounted on the process cartridge 2.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 respectively show claims 1 and 2.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining data processing according to the second and third embodiments, and FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining an example of the internal configuration of a nonvolatile memory (storage means). The nonvolatile memory contains a card ID, the number of prints, the number of recycles, new bits, the date of manufacture, the date of use,
Data such as the current date is stored. Hereinafter, each embodiment will be described for each claim. In FIG. 4, when the power is supplied to the image forming apparatus, the CPU 14 reads the date data from the "current date" area of the cartridge memory 18 (S10) and the timer. CPU content of 19
14 (S11), the date data of the cartridge memory 18 is compared with the date data of the timer 19 (S12), and if they are different (S12, Yes), the date data of the timer 19 is determined. Is written into the “current date” area of the cartridge memory 18 by the CPU 14 (S1
3). Note that the date data can also be obtained from a connected PC or the like when the image forming apparatus does not have a timer. (See Fig. 5)

In FIG. 5, when the process cartridge 2 is new, a predetermined bit of the cartridge memory 18 is set to "1" (S20). Reads that bit and determines that it is new if it is "1" and is used if it is "0". Next, if it is "1", the bit is set to "0" (S21) and the date data of the timer 19 is stored in the CPU 14.
Then, the data is written in the area of "use start date" of the read cartridge memory 18 (see FIG. 7) (S22).

At the time of printing (S23, Yes), the CPU 14 reads out the date data from the cartridge memory 18 and
The contents of the timer 19 are read from itself (CPU 14), and the "current date data" of the cartridge memory 18 is read.
If the date data of the timer 19 is different from the
U14 writes the date data of the timer 19 in the area of "current date" of the cartridge memory 18 (S2).
Four).

(Claim 3) When the process cartridge 2 is new, a predetermined bit of the cartridge memory 18 is set to "1" (S30), and when the process cartridge 2 is installed in the image forming apparatus main body 5, the bit is read by the CPU 5, If it is "1", it is determined that it is new, and if it is "0", it is determined that it is already used. If it is "1", the bit is set to "0" (S31) and the timer 1
The date data of No. 9 is read out by the CPU 14 and written in the "use start date" area (see FIG. 7) of the cartridge memory 18 (S32). When power is supplied to the image forming apparatus, the CPU 14
8 reads the date data from the “current date” area of FIG. 8 and reads the contents of the timer 19 from itself (CPU 14), and the date data of the cartridge memory 18 differs from the date data of the timer 19. If so, the date data of the timer 19 is written to the "current date" area of the cartridge memory 18 (S33). (See Fig. 6)

[0016]

According to the present invention, since the period from the production of the process cartridge to the end of the toner is known, for example, when the period from the production of the process cartridge to the end of the toner is short, the process cartridge is subjected to severe use. Judgment of the usage status of the process cartridge, such as the status, enables recycling without error.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an internal structure of an image forming apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the process cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a process of writing data to a process cartridge.
It is a flowchart which shows an example.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another example of a process of writing data to a process cartridge.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing yet another example of a process of writing data to a process cartridge. It is a flowchart which shows another example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a non-volatile memory of the process cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical system, 2 ... Process cartridge, 3 ... Charging roller, 4 ... Toner storage part, 5 ... Image forming apparatus, 6 ... Toner collection part, 7 ... Paper feed roller, 8 ... Paper feed cassette, 9 ... Recording paper, 10 transfer roller, 11 photoconductor, 15 RO
M, 16 RAM, 17 nonvolatile memory, 18 nonvolatile memory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A process cartridge detachable from a main body of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a non-volatile storage unit readable / writable by the main body of the image forming apparatus; A process information storing the manufacturing information including the date and time and the date information from the image forming apparatus main body. 2. An image forming apparatus comprising the process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein means for detecting that the process cartridge is new, and non-volatile storage of date information when the process cartridge is detected as new. Means for storing the date and time information at the time of image formation, and means for sequentially storing the date and time information in the non-volatile storage means when the information is different from the information in the non-volatile storage means. An image forming apparatus comprising the process cartridge. 3. An image forming apparatus provided with the process cartridge according to claim 1, means for detecting that the cartridge is new, and non-volatile storage means for date information when the cartridge is detected as new. Wherein the date and time information of the image forming apparatus main body is different from that of the non-volatile storage means, and the date and time information is sequentially stored from the image forming apparatus main body to the non-volatile storage means. An image forming apparatus provided with a process cartridge.