JP2003271021A - Loading state detecting device for toner cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To minimize the mean time needed to detect a toner cartridge not being loaded normally if one of toner cartridges is not loaded normally in a cartridge loading/unloading part. <P>SOLUTION: A center control part 156 controls a radio communication device 130 to communicate with four radio communication tags 72 in sequence in a communication starting process and judges that a toner cartridge fitted to a radio communication tag 72 selected as a communication destination is loaded in the cartridge loading/unloading part when the radio communication device 130 can communicates the radio communication tag 72, but judges that the toner cartridge fitted to the radio communication tag 72 is not loaded in the cartridge loading/unloading part when the radio communication device 130 can not communicate with the radio communication tag 72 selected as the communication destination. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is applied to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer or the like in which a plurality of toner cartridges are removably mounted in the apparatus body, and the apparatus body of the plurality of toner cartridges. And a mounting state detecting device for a toner cartridge for detecting the mounting state and the non-mounting state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In some image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and laser printers using an electrophotographic process, a container for storing toner is configured as a toner cartridge in order to facilitate maintenance. In such an image forming apparatus, a toner cartridge is detachably attached to each of a plurality of cartridge attaching / detaching portions provided in the apparatus main body, and when all the toner is discharged from any one of the toner cartridges, the toner cartridge is removed. Toner is replenished by replacing it with a new one. Here, particularly when the image forming apparatus is capable of forming a color image, a plurality of cartridge attaching / detaching parts (for example, four types of toner cartridges corresponding to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow) are attached. Then, toners of different colors are supplied from the toner cartridges to the main body of the apparatus, and the toners are used to form a color image.

In recent years, in the image forming apparatus as described above, a plurality of toner cartridges are equipped with tags (radio communication tags) each having a radio communication function and an information storage function, and a radio communication tag is attached to the main body of the apparatus. There is one in which a wireless communication unit for inputting / outputting information between them is arranged. In this type of image forming apparatus, when a toner cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body, radio communication is performed between the wireless communication unit and the wireless communication tag, so that the central control unit installed in the apparatus main body performs the wireless communication tag. The information stored in the wireless communication tag is read or the information is written in the wireless communication tag. This allows
For example, the central control unit determines the type of toner filled in the toner cartridge based on the information read from the wireless communication tag, or the toner remaining amount written in the wireless communication tag according to the toner consumption after image formation. The life of the toner cartridge is managed by updating the amount data.

In the image forming apparatus as described above, a wireless communication unit and a plurality of toner cartridges are provided when the main power source is turned on to turn it on and the exterior door for maintenance of the apparatus is closed. There is a device that determines whether each toner cartridge is normally attached to the cartridge attachment / detachment portion according to the communication state with the attached wireless communication tag. Specifically, in this image forming apparatus, the central control unit controls the wireless communication units to sequentially enter the communication state with the wireless communication tags attached to the plurality of toner cartridges. At this time, when the wireless communication unit becomes able to communicate with the one wireless communication tag selected as the transmission destination, the central control unit normally attaches the toner cartridge to which the wireless communication tag is attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching unit. Determine that Further, when the wireless communication unit cannot communicate with one wireless communication tag selected as the destination, the central control unit does not normally attach the toner cartridge to which the wireless communication tag is attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching unit. For example, an alarm message or the like notifies the user that the toner cartridge is not properly mounted.

[0005]

However, in the image forming apparatus as described above, when the wireless communication unit is controlled to sequentially enter the communication state with the wireless communication tags attached to the plurality of toner cartridges, respectively. One wireless communication tag that is the communication destination of the wireless communication unit is always in the same order (for example, magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K), cyan (C) in the order of toner color) If any of the toner cartridges is not normally attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching part, the time (average time) required to detect that the toner cartridge is not normally attached is relatively long. become. In other words, it takes a considerably longer time to set the wireless communication unit to be able to communicate with one wireless communication tag by radio waves. If the toner cartridge with the communication tag is not properly attached to the cartridge attachment / detachment section, it takes a long time from when the main power is turned on until the user is notified that the toner cartridge is not properly attached. It becomes a thing.

In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to detect that a toner cartridge is not normally mounted when any one of the plurality of toner cartridges is not normally mounted in the cartridge mounting / removing portion. An object of the present invention is to provide a toner cartridge mounting state detection device that can reduce the average time required for that purpose.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in the toner cartridge mounting state detecting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the cartridge detecting means has a wireless communication section having a plurality of wireless communication sections. When the wireless communication unit can control communication with one tag, and the wireless communication unit can communicate with one wireless communication tag selected as a communication destination, the toner cartridge to which this wireless communication tag is attached becomes the cartridge attaching / detaching unit. On the other hand, when it is determined that the wireless communication unit is in the attached state and the wireless communication unit cannot communicate with the one wireless communication tag selected as the communication destination, the toner cartridge to which the wireless communication tag is attached is attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching unit. On the other hand, the cartridge detecting means determines that the cartridge is not mounted, and the cartridge detecting means detects the cartridge at the time of the previous communication between the wireless communication section and the plurality of wireless communication tags. If there is a toner cartridge that is not attached to the attachment / detachment unit, the wireless communication tag of this toner cartridge is selected as the communication destination of the wireless communication unit by priority, so that the wireless communication unit and In the previous communication with the wireless communication tag, immediately after there is a toner cartridge for which the non-mounting state with respect to the cartridge attaching / detaching part is determined, the cartridge detecting means sequentially communicates the wireless communication part with the plurality of wireless communication tags. The wireless communication unit can be controlled to start communication preferentially with the wireless communication tag of the toner cartridge that is most likely to be in the non-attached state. If any of the cartridges is not properly installed in the cartridge attachment / detachment section, it means that the toner cartridge is not installed properly. Can be the smaller the average time required to detect.

Here, the toner cartridge mounting state detecting device detects the non-mounting state of any one of the toner cartridges when the previous mounting state and non-mounting state of the toner cartridge are determined, and immediately after this, When determining the mounted state and the non-mounted state of the toner cartridge again, it is most likely that the toner cartridge that was in the non-mounted state remains in the non-mounted state at the time of determining the previous mounted state and the non-mounted state. It was created based on the empirical knowledge of the inventors.

That is, when it is determined that the toner cartridge is not mounted, the user is not accustomed to the operation of the apparatus and the toner cartridge is inserted in the cartridge attaching / detaching portion. There are many situations where it is not completely attached. In such a situation, even if the user is informed that the toner cartridge is not mounted, the user can completely mount the toner cartridge only by confirming that the toner cartridge is inserted in the cartridge mounting / removing portion. Instead, a predetermined reset operation is often performed.
Therefore, in such a situation, the toner cartridge mounting state detecting device according to the present invention can minimize the time required to detect that the toner cartridge is not mounted normally.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the toner cartridge mounting state detecting device according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the cartridge detecting means has the last communication between the wireless communication section and the plurality of wireless communication tags. At this time, if it is determined that all the toner cartridges are attached to the cartridge attachment / detachment unit, the wireless communication tag of the toner cartridge with a small amount of toner remaining in the previous communication is given priority as the communication destination of the wireless communication unit. By selecting, when the cartridge detecting unit controls the wireless communication unit to sequentially communicate with the plurality of wireless communication tags after all the toner cartridges have been normally attached to the cartridge attachment / detachment unit, , The wireless communication part is most likely to be replaced with a new one just before the start of this communication. It can be controlled to start the grayed preferentially with communication.

At this time, it is extremely unlikely that the toner cartridge which has been mounted in the cartridge attaching / detaching portion and has not been replaced is in a non-attached state, and the toner cartridge newly attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion is There is a high possibility that the user will be in a non-wearing state due to an erroneous operation. Therefore, it is possible to control the wireless communication unit to preferentially communicate in order from the toner cartridge that is most likely to be in the non-attached state. Therefore, when one of the toner cartridges is not normally attached to the cartridge attachment / detachment unit. The average time required to detect that the toner cartridge is not properly mounted can be reduced.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(Structure of Laser Printer) FIG.
A laser printer is shown as an example of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The laser printer 10 forms an image (toner image) based on image information input from an external device by a known electrophotographic process, and records the image on a recording paper or the like. Here, the electrophotographic process records the toner image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member through charging of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, formation of an electrostatic latent image by laser exposure, and development of the electrostatic latent image with toner. A series of processes in which an image is recorded on a recording material by transferring the image onto a recording material and fixing it by heating. The electrophotographic process and various parts (process parts) that are directly related to the electrophotographic process. ), Which are not directly related to the essence of the present invention,
Detailed description is omitted. The laser printer 10 according to the present embodiment is capable of forming a color image using magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K), and cyan (C) toners.

The laser printer 10 is provided with a housing 12 as an outer shell of the apparatus, and in the housing 12, a main frame 14 for supporting various parts constituting the apparatus is provided. There is. The main frame 14 has one end portion (see FIG. 1) along the width direction (arrow W direction) of the device.
Then, the process unit 16 is arranged at the left end portion. The process unit 16 includes a mainframe 1
4 is provided with a slide frame 18 slidably supported in the depth direction of the apparatus. The slide frame 18 has predetermined process parts (not shown) such as an intermediate transfer belt, a transfer device, and a cleaning device. Is installed. As a result, during maintenance, the process unit 16 is pulled out from the main frame 14 to the outside, and the process parts mounted on the slide frame 18 can be replaced and the inspection work can be simplified.

On the main frame 14, four photosensitive drums 20, 2 are provided so as to be adjacent to the process unit 16.
2, 24, and 26 are supported, and 4 so that they are in contact with these photoconductor drums 20, 22, 24, and 26, respectively.
The developing units 21, 23, 25, 27 of the stand are arranged.
These four developing units 21, 23, 25, and 27 correspond to magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K), and cyan (C) toners, respectively.
The electrostatic latent images formed on the outer peripheral surface (image bearing surface) of 0, 22, 24, and 26 are developed as toner images with K toner, M toner, Y toner, and C toner, respectively.

Four photosensitive drums 20, 22, 24, 2
The toner image formed on each of the toner images 6 is transferred and superposed on the intermediate transfer belt disposed on the process unit 16 side to form a full-color toner image. This full-color toner image is transferred from the intermediate transfer belt to a recording material such as recording paper, then heated and fixed, and recorded on the recording material. The laser printer 10 is also capable of recording a monochrome toner image formed of only K toner on a recording material. The recording material on which the toner image is recorded is recorded on the paper discharge tray portion 28 formed on the upper surface of the housing 12 or the housing 12
The paper is discharged onto paper discharge trays 30 and 32 attached to the side surface of the paper so as to extend laterally.

The laser printer 10 is provided with a cartridge holder 34 so as to be adjacent to the main frame 14 along the width direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge holder 34 includes four toner cartridges 36, 38 and 4 each formed in a substantially cylindrical shape.
0 and 42 are detachably attached. These toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 have different color toners (magenta (M) toner, yellow (Y) toner, black (K) toner, and cyan (C) toner therein.
Toner).

As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 12 has a process unit 1 on one side surface (front side of FIG. 1).
An exterior door 13 for maintenance is provided so as to be openable and closable so as to face 6 and the cartridge holder 34. As a result, the user or the like opens the exterior door 13 and exposes the process unit 16 and the cartridge holder 34 to the outside, so that the process unit 16 is exposed to the main frame 14
The toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 can be attached to and detached from the cartridge holder 34 by pulling it out from the inside.

The toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 mounted on the cartridge holder 34 are configured as containers for temporarily storing toner. That is, in the laser printer 10, the developing devices 21, 23,
Toner cartridges 36 and 3 are activated when 25 and 27 are operated.
When toner is discharged from 8, 40, 42 and is supplied to the developing units 21, 23, 25, 27, and all the toners filled in the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are discharged. , Its toner cartridge 36,
38, 40, 42 are replaced with new ones. At this time, the toner is in
Laser printer 1 because it is sealed in 2
It is possible to replenish toner to 0 by a simple operation, and it is possible to effectively prevent the inside and outside of the apparatus from being contaminated due to toner scattering during toner replenishment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40 and 42 each include a toner tank 44 formed of a resin material in a thin cylindrical shape. The toner tank 44 has one end face (rear end face) along the axial direction.
An opening / closing port (not shown) communicating with the inside is provided. A cylindrical blocking plug 46 is attached to the rear end portion of the toner tank 44 by press fitting, adhesion or the like.
The opening / closing port is closed by 6. The closure plug 46 is
The toner tank 44 is formed in a thin-walled cylindrical shape having an outer diameter substantially the same as that of the toner tank 44, and its inner peripheral side is closed by a disk-shaped bottom plate portion 45. A plate-shaped grip portion 48 is integrally formed on the outside of the bottom plate portion 47 in the closing plug 46.

As shown in FIG. 3, the toner tank 44
An inner peripheral cylindrical portion 50 having a substantially rectangular cross section is integrally provided on the inner peripheral side of the peripheral wall portion at the tip end portion of the inner peripheral cylindrical portion. A driven connection plate 52 having a shape of a circle is rotatably installed around the axis S of the toner tank 44. On the front surface side of the driven connecting plate 52, a plurality of engaging claws 53 are integrally formed along the circumferential direction. on the other hand,
In the toner tank 44, a screw feeder (not shown) formed in a screw shaft for conveying toner is coaxially arranged, and this screw feeder is driven by the driven connecting plate 5.
2 and is rotated integrally with the driven connecting plate 52.

A toner supply port 54 and a toner filling port 55 are formed on the tip end side of the peripheral wall of the toner tank 44, and the toner supply port 54 is slidable along the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral side. Shutter member 56
(See FIG. 4) are arranged. Shutter member 56
Is slidable between a closed position for closing the toner supply port 54 and an open position for opening the toner supply port 54, and is always biased to the closed position by a biasing member (not shown) such as a coil spring. Has been done. As a result, the shutter member 56 causes the toner cartridges 36, 38, 4
When 0 and 42 are not attached to the cartridge holder 34, they are held at the closed position. Toner tank 4
A cap member 58 is fixed to the outer peripheral side of the toner filling port 55 on the peripheral wall portion 4 to close the toner filling port 55.

As shown in FIG. 4, the toner tank 44
At the rear end portion, the peripheral wall portion and the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 50 are provided in a space formed between the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion and the outer peripheral surface of the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 50.
4 partition plates 60, 61, 62, 6 to connect with
3 is formed in a rib shape. These partition plates 60, 6
1, 62 and 63 divide an annular space formed between the peripheral wall portion of the toner tank 44 and the inner peripheral cylindrical portion 50 into small spaces along the circumferential direction. These small spaces open at the front end surface of the toner tank 44, and the rear end side is closed by the bottom plate portion 45 of the toner tank 44 as shown in FIG.

Here, the small space between the partition plate 60 and the partition plate 61 and the small space between the partition plate 61 and the partition plate 62 in the toner tank 44 are respectively one wireless communication tag described later. It is configured as storage chambers 64 and 66 for storing 72 (see FIG. 4). Further, the small space between the partition plate 60 and the partition plate 63 is also configured as a storage chamber 68 for storing one wireless communication tag 72. This storage chamber 68 is, as shown in FIG. The inner peripheral tubular portion 50 is functionally divided into a storage portion 68A and a storage portion 68B with the vicinity of the edge portion 50A as a boundary. In the storage chamber 68, either of the two storage portions 68A and 68B can be selectively used. The wireless communication tag 72 can be stored in the. Therefore, one wireless communication tag 72 includes a storage room 64, a storage room 66, and a storage room 68.
In either of the two storage portions 68A, 68B, the storage positions 64, 66 and the storage portions 68A, 68B have their mounting positions changed along the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 4, the wireless communication tag 72
Has a substantially fan shape corresponding to the storage chambers 64 and 66 when viewed from the axial direction, and is to be inserted into any of the storage chambers 64, 66 and 68A, 68B. Then, the storage chambers 64 and 66 and the storage portion 68
It is stored and held inside either A or 68B. The wireless communication tag 72 is formed with a pair of latching claws 74 projecting to the outer peripheral side at the end of the outer peripheral surface on the insertion side, and further has an engaging projection 76 projecting to the axial center S side on the end surface of the inlet side. Has been formed. On the other hand, on the peripheral wall portion of the toner tank 44, locking holes 78 corresponding to the locking claws 74 of the wireless communication tag 72 are formed in the storage chambers 64 and 66 and the storage portions 68A and 68B, respectively. The wireless communication tag 7 is provided on the rear end face of the 50.
An engaging recess 80 corresponding to the engaging protrusion 76 in 2 is formed in each of the storage chambers 64, 66 and the storage units 68A, 68B.

Therefore, the wireless communication tag 72 is installed in the storage room 6
4, 66 and the storage portions 68A, 68B, the outer peripheral surface thereof is brought into close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the toner tank 44, and the pair of locking claws 74 are respectively engaged. The engaging projection 76 is engaged with the engaging recess 80 while being inserted into the hole 78. Accordingly, the movement along the axial direction is surely restrained, and the engagement protrusion 76 is engaged with the engagement recess 80, so that the rattling along the circumferential direction is reliably prevented. At this time, the latch claw 7 inserted into the latch hole 78
In No. 4, the wireless communication tag 72 itself cannot be pulled out from the hook hole 78 unless it is elastically deformed inward. Therefore, the storage room 6
4, 66 and the wireless communication tag 72 fitted in any of the storage parts 68A, 68B, unless a dedicated jig or the like is used,
It cannot be easily removed from the toner tank 44.

As shown in FIG. 4, the wireless communication tag 72
Inside, a tag-side antenna 82 formed by winding a conductive wire material such as a copper wire in a coil shape is provided. The tag-side antenna 82 is provided such that the coil axis TC, which is the winding center of the conductive wire, is parallel to the thickness direction of the wireless communication tag 72, and the shape of the coil surface along the axis orthogonal direction is wireless communication. It is curved along the outer peripheral surface of the tag 72. Specifically, in the wireless communication tag 72, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the outer wall portion 8 curved so as to be parallel to each other.
4 and the inner wall portion 86 are provided, and the winding core portion 88 connects between the outer wall portion 84 and the inner wall portion 86. By winding a conductive wire on the outer peripheral side of the winding core portion 88, the flat tag-side antenna 82 is configured to curve along the outer peripheral surface of the wireless communication tag 72 along the axial direction.

Further, the radio communication tag 72 is provided with a compartment 90 which is sealed from the outside on the inner peripheral side of the tag side antenna 82. A circuit board 92 is housed in the compartment 90, and an IC chip 94 in which a control circuit of the wireless communication tag 72 is integrated as one chip is mounted on the circuit board 92. The IC chip 94 is electrically connected to the tag-side antenna 82 via the circuit board 92 and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the cartridge holder 34 provided on the apparatus main body side, two cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96 and 98 are provided in the upper portion along the height direction of the apparatus (direction of arrow H). , The cartridge attaching / detaching portions 100, 102 are provided in the middle portion and the lower portion, respectively, and these cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100,
Each of the toner cartridges 102 has one toner cartridge 36,
38, 40, 42 are detachably attached. Here, the four toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 mounted on the cartridge holder 34 are arranged in an inverted L-shape when viewed from the outside in the axial direction thereof, whereby the four toner cartridges are arranged. Compared with the case where 36, 38, 40, 42 are linearly arranged along the height direction, the increase in the size of the device in the height direction is suppressed.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the cartridge holder 34, four toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are provided at the rear end of the apparatus so as to correspond to the respective mounting positions (see FIG. 2). Is shown, only the upper two of them are shown). The outer shape of each of these drive plates 108 is a thick plate shape, and they are supported so that the thickness direction thereof coincides with the depth direction of the apparatus. The drive plate 108 has toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, and 40 on its surface portion facing the tip surfaces of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42.
A drive connecting plate (not shown) corresponding to the driven connecting plate 52 (see FIG. 4) of 42 is rotatably arranged. The drive connecting plate is basically symmetrical with the driven connecting plate 52 and can be engaged with the driven connecting plate 52.
A drive motor (not shown) is incorporated in each drive plate 108, and this drive motor rotates when the developing devices 21, 23, 25 and 27 are operated to rotate the drive connecting plate.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge holder 34 has a support plate extending in an inverted L shape so as to surround the four toner cartridges 36, 38, 40 and 42 at the end portion on the front side of the apparatus. The support plate 104 is provided with four toner cartridges 36,
Four support brackets 106 are connected and fixed so as to correspond to the mounting positions of 38, 40, and 42, respectively. The four toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 mounted on the cartridge holder 34 are suspended between the drive plate 108 and the support bracket 106 in the state mounted on the cartridge holder 34, and these drive plates The front end and the rear end are supported by 108 and the support bracket 106. Further, the support bracket 106 is provided with a shutter engaging portion (not shown) that can be engaged with the shutter member 56 of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42.

As shown in FIG. 2, each cartridge attaching / detaching portion 96, 98, 100, 1 of the cartridge holder 34 is
02 includes a drive plate 108 and a support bracket 106.
Two guide members 110 and 112 are provided between the toner cartridge 3 and the toner cartridge 3 to extend in the depth direction.
6, 38, 40, 42 are guided by the guide members 110, 112 so as to move linearly along the depth direction when the cartridge holder 34 is inserted and removed.

In the laser printer 10, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are attached to the corresponding cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 9 of the cartridge holder 34.
When the toner cartridges 36, 38, 4 are first inserted into the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are inserted in the depth direction of the apparatus.
The leading end of 0, 42 is butted against the drive plate 108.
As a result, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 4
The tip of the second member is connected to and supported by the drive plate 108, and the shutter engaging portion of the support bracket 106 engages with the shutter member 56 of the toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 42.

Next, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are rotated clockwise by a predetermined angle by using the grip portion 48, whereby the toner cartridges 36, 38,
40 and 42 are cartridge attaching / detaching parts 96, 98, 100,
Mounting on 102 is completed. At this time, the drive plate 108
The drive connecting plate disposed in the toner cartridge 36, 3
The drive motors that are engaged with the driven connecting plates 52 of 8, 40, and 42 and are built in the drive plate 108 allow the toner cartridges 36 and 3 to pass through the drive connecting plates and the driven connecting plates 52.
Torque transmission is connected to the screw feeders in 8, 40 and 42. In addition, the toner cartridges 36, 38,
40, 42 cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100,
In conjunction with the rotation of the toner cartridge 102, the shutter engaging portion of the support bracket 106 causes the toner cartridges 36, 38, 4
The shutter members 56 of 0 and 42 slide from the closed position to the open position, and the toner supply port 54 is opened.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the laser printer 10, each cartridge attaching / detaching portion 96, 98, 100, 102 in the cartridge holder 34 and the developing device 2 are provided.
A toner feeding pipe 114 is provided between the toner feeding pipes 1, 23, 25 and 27. One end of the toner feeding pipe 114 is connected to the support bracket 106, and the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 96,
When mounted on the 98, 100, and 102, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, and
42 is connected to the toner supply port 54. A toner feeder (not shown) for toner transportation is arranged in the toner feeding pipe 114, and the driving plate 1 is connected to the screw feeder via a torque transmission shaft 116 and the like.
The torque from the drive motor in 08 is transmitted.

In the laser printer 10, the developing device 2
The drive plates 108 corresponding to the developing devices 21, 23, 25, 27 that are operating when the 1, 23, 25, 27 are operating.
Rotate the drive motor built into the. As a result, in the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42, the toner is discharged from the toner supply port 54 at a predetermined speed by the action of the screw feeder, and the toner is supplied to the toner feed pipe 114.
Through the developing devices 21, 23, 25, 27
Is supplied to. At this time, the developing devices 21, 23, 25, 2
The amount of toner supplied to No. 7 is set to be substantially equal to the amount of toner consumed for development.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the cartridge holder 34, plate-shaped antenna units 118 and 120 are provided on the back side of the apparatus between the cartridge attaching / detaching sections 96 and 98 and on the back side of the apparatus between the cartridge attaching / detaching sections 100 and 102, respectively. Is installed. Each of the two antenna units 118 and 120 is provided with a casing portion 122 formed of resin into a thin plate shape, and a conductive wire material such as a copper wire is wound inside the casing portion 122 to form a coil shape. Body side antenna 124
Are arranged. Antenna units 118 and 120
Has a coil axis BC (see FIG. 5) whose casing portion 12
2 is parallel to the thickness direction, and the front and back surfaces (coil surfaces) along the direction perpendicular to the axis are parallel to the surface direction of the casing portion 122. Here, the antenna unit 118 arranged in the upper part of the cartridge holder 34 is supported so that its surface direction is orthogonal to the width direction of the device (direction of arrow W), and is arranged between the middle part and the lower part. The antenna unit 120 is supported so that its surface direction is orthogonal to the height direction of the device (direction of arrow H).

As shown in FIG. 3, when the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are mounted in the cartridge holder 34, the upper antenna unit 118 is installed.
The toner cartridges 36, 3 along the width direction of the apparatus.
The antenna unit 120 on the lower side is supported so as to be inserted into the gap formed between the toner cartridges 40 and 42, and is inserted in the gap formed between the toner cartridges 40 and 42 along the height direction of the apparatus. Supported.

On the other hand, in the toner cartridge 36 attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 96 of the cartridge holder 34, the wireless communication tag 72 is inserted into the accommodating portion 68A of the accommodating chamber 68 and the toner attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 98. A wireless communication tag 72 is inserted into a storage chamber 64 of the cartridge 38. As a result, the tag-side antenna 82 of the toner cartridge 36 is made to face the coil surface sufficiently close to one coil surface along the thickness direction of the main-body-side antenna 124, and the tag-side antenna 82 of the toner cartridge 38 is provided. The coil surface 82 faces the other coil surface along the thickness direction of the main body side antenna 124 while being sufficiently close to the coil surface.

A wireless communication tag 72 is inserted into the storage chamber 66 of the toner cartridge 40 attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 100 of the cartridge holder 34, and a toner cartridge 42 attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 102 is attached to the toner cartridge 42. The wireless communication tag 72 is inserted into the storage portion 68B of the storage chamber 68. As a result, the tag-side antenna 82 in the toner cartridge 40 faces the coil surface sufficiently close to the coil surface on the upper surface side of the main-body-side antenna 124, and the tag-side antenna 82 in the toner cartridge 42 has its coil surface. The surface is made to face the coil surface on the lower surface side of the main body side antenna 124 while being sufficiently close thereto.

Here, the radio wave transmission / reception between the tag side antenna 82 and the main body side antenna 124 is generally more efficient as the distance between the antennas is shorter, and the tag side antenna 82 and the main body side antenna 124 are coaxial. The closer to the positional relationship, the better the efficiency. In the laser printer 10, the tag-side antenna 82 attached to the toner cartridges 38, 40, 42 is coaxially supported with the main-body-side antenna 124, and under the condition that the distance between the antennas is constant, the efficiency is substantially the highest. It is possible to transmit and receive radio waves with the main body side antenna 124. In addition, the toner cartridge 36
The tag-side antenna 82 attached to the main body-side antenna 124 is supported by the main-body-side antenna 124 at a certain angle (about 20 °), but the distance from the main-body-side antenna 124 is sufficiently small that the efficiency is sufficiently high. Radio waves can be sent and received.

In the laser printer 10, since the distance between the tag side antenna 82 and the main body side antenna 124 is sufficiently short, the antennas 82, 124 are
The radio wave output used between the wireless communication tag 72 and the wireless communication device 130 (see FIG. 7) on the main body side is set to be sufficiently small corresponding to the distance between them. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent interference between the main body side antenna 124 and the wireless communication tag 72 for which the communication relationship is not set, and the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100 ,. When the toner cartridges 36, 38, 4 are not properly mounted on the toner cartridge 102,
Since the distance between the 0, 42 wireless communication tag 72 and the main body side antenna 124 becomes long, the wireless communication tag 72
And the wireless communication device 130 cannot communicate with each other.

(Structure and Operation of Wireless Communication System) Next, the structure and operation of the wireless communication system in the laser printer according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the wireless communication system in the laser printer according to the embodiment of the present invention. This wireless communication system 128
Are four toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42
And a wireless communication device 130 arranged on the device body side. The wireless communication device 130 includes a cartridge holder 34.
Two antenna units 118 and 120 disposed in the main body side antenna 124, and a main body portion 132 connected to the main body side antenna 124 incorporated in each of the antenna units 118 and 120.

As described above, each toner cartridge 3
Wireless communication tag 7 attached to 6, 38, 40, 42
2 is a tag-side antenna 82 on the coil and a circuit board 92.
It has an IC chip 94 mounted on it. As shown in FIG. 7, the IC chip 94 includes a CPU 134, a transmission / reception circuit 136, a power supply circuit 138, a ROM 140 and an E.
The EPROM 142 is configured as a single integrated element. The CPU 134 controls the entire wireless communication tag 72 according to the control program stored in the ROM 140. In addition, in the ROM 140, in addition to the control program,
A multi ID, a password, and a system ID are stored as unique information corresponding to the types of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42. Here, the multi-ID is
Basically, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40 and 42 are predetermined data corresponding to the types, and the password and the system ID are the wireless communication device 13 respectively.
This is data for confirming that the wireless communication tag 72 is permitted to exchange information with 0.

On the other hand, the EEPROM 142 is a non-volatile information storage element which does not require electric power for maintaining stored information, and the CPU 134 writes arbitrary information and reads out arbitrary information from the written information. It is possible. Specifically, EEPROM
For example, the following information is written in 142 by the CPU 134, and the content of the written information is updated as necessary.

Photoreceptor drums 20, 22, 24, 26
Process information such as exposure amount, charge amount, development bias, etc. for the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 lot number, manufacturing date, type, storage period, identification number,
Number of recycles, upper limit of number of recycles, replacement time of cartridge component parts Lot number of toner, manufacturing date, filling amount (remaining amount), type, storage period, number of recycles, upper limit of number of recycles In wireless communication tag 72 At the time of information transmission, the transmission / reception circuit 136 converts the parallel information signal sent from the CPU 134 into a serial information signal, and then outputs the electric signal modulated by this information signal to the tag antenna 82. As a result, from the tag side antenna 82, the CP
A radio signal corresponding to the information signal from U134 is output (radiated). Further, the transmission / reception circuit 136 demodulates an electric signal obtained by the radio wave signal received by the tag-side antenna 82 into a serial information signal when receiving information,
This information signal is converted into a parallel information signal and the CPU 1
To 34.

Power supply circuit 138 in the wireless communication tag 72
Separates an alternating current of a predetermined frequency generated by electromagnetic induction in the tag-side antenna 82 from an information signal during transmission / reception with the wireless communication device 130, converts this alternating current into a direct current, and then sends it to the CPU 134 and the transmission / reception circuit 136. Supply.
As a result, the CPU 134 and the transmission / reception circuit 136 are provided with
Electric power required for transmission / reception with the wireless communication device 130 is supplied, and the wireless communication tag 72 does not require a power source such as a battery or a battery.

As shown in FIG. 7, the wireless communication device 13
0 indicates a CPU 144, a transmission / reception circuit 146, a power supply circuit 1
48, ROM 150, RAM 152 and interface circuit 154 are provided. Here, the transmission / reception circuit 1
Reference numeral 46 denotes two input / output terminals 146A,
The main body side antenna 124 of the antenna unit 118 is connected to one input / output terminal 146A, and the main body side antenna 124 of the antenna unit 120 is connected to the other input / output terminal 146B. The transmission / reception circuit 146, when transmitting / receiving information to / from the wireless communication tag 72, inputs / outputs terminals 146A and 146 according to the information input / output destination.
Only one of 6B is turned on and the other is turned off.

The CPU 144 controls the entire radio communication device 130 according to the control program stored in the ROM 150. In addition to the control program, the ROM 150 stores all toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42.
The multi-ID, password, and system ID are stored. The CPU 144 compares and compares the multi-ID and password input from the wireless communication tag 72 with the multi-ID and password stored in the ROM 150, so that the toner cartridges 36 and 38 to which the wireless communication tag 72 during radio wave communication is attached. , 40, 42 are identified, and it is confirmed that the wireless communication tag 72 is permitted to exchange information with the wireless communication device 130.

The CPU 144 is the interface circuit 1
A central control unit 156 for controlling the entire laser printer 10 is connected through 54, and each toner cartridge 36 sent from the central control unit 156,
Photoconductor drums 20, 22, 24 for each 38, 40, 42,
After the process information such as the exposure amount, the charge amount, the developing bias, and the like for 26, the write information such as the toner consumption amount calculated based on the process information is temporarily stored in the RAM 152, the transmission information is read from the RAM 152 at a predetermined timing. , To the wireless communication tag 72. This allows
The CPU 134 of the wireless communication tag 72 controls the wireless communication device 13
The writing information received from 0 is written in the EEPROM 142, and the remaining toner amount obtained by subtracting the consumption amount from the toner filling amount is recorded in the EEPROM 142.

At the time of information transmission, the transmission / reception circuit 146 in the main body converts the parallel information signal sent from the CPU 144 into a serial information signal, and then converts the electrical signal modulated by this information signal into two main body sides. Output to any of the antennas 124. As a result, the radio wave signal corresponding to the information signal from the CPU 144 is output (radiated) from the main body side antenna 124. In addition, the transmitter / receiver circuit 14
When receiving information, the demodulator 6 demodulates an electric signal obtained by a radio wave received by the main body side antenna 124 into a serial information signal, converts the information signal into a parallel information signal, and outputs the parallel information signal to the CPU 144.

The power supply circuit 148 in the main body section supplies an alternating current of a predetermined frequency to the main body side antenna 124 during communication with the wireless communication tag 72. As a result, electromagnetic induction occurs in the tag-side antenna 82 that faces the main body-side antenna 124, and as described above, power is supplied to the wireless communication tag 72. Here, the frequency of the alternating current supplied from the power supply circuit 148 to the main body side antenna 124 is selected by the transmission / reception circuits 136 and 146 in a band (for example, a high frequency range) different from the frequency of the electric signal used for information transmission. ing.

When the CPU 144 of the main body portion determines that all the toner has been discharged from the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42, the wireless attached to the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42. A count-up signal is transmitted to the communication tag 72. The CPU 134 of the wireless communication tag 72 that has received this count-up signal
Adds "1" to the number of recycles for the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 and the number of recycles for the toner written in the EEPROM 142.

8 to 10 show a series of operations of communication start processing in the wireless communication system 128 according to this embodiment. In the laser printer 10, the exterior door 13 is in the closed position, when the main power is turned on to change from the off state to the on state, and when the main power is on and the housing 12 is in the open position. Exterior door 1
At any time when 3 has moved to the closed position, the CPU 144 of the wireless communication device 130 performs the communication start processing of the wireless communication system 128 shown in FIGS. 8 to 11.

In the wireless communication system 128,
To be precise, the communication destination for communication with the wireless communication device 130 is the wireless communication tag 72 attached to each of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42. However, the description relating to the flowcharts of FIGS. 8 to 11 below. Then, if it is not necessary to accurately distinguish the wireless communication destinations, the communication destination of the wireless communication device 130 will be simply referred to as “toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42” in order to simplify the description.

In the communication start process, the central control unit 1 of the laser printer 10 is operated at step 300 shown in FIG.
56 is the toner cartridge 3 in the previous communication start processing.
It is determined whether or not non-attachment of 6, 38, 40, 42 is detected. At this time, if all of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 have been installed in the previous communication start processing, the routine proceeds to step 350 shown in FIG.
If 38, 40, 42 are not attached, the routine proceeds to step 302.

In step 302, the central controller 156
Determines whether the toner cartridge 36 containing the Y toner at the time of the previous communication start processing is not attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 96, and if the toner cartridge 36 is not attached, the wireless communication device 130 to start communication with the toner cartridge 36 (step 30).
4). If the toner cartridge 36 is in the mounted state, the routine proceeds to step 308.

Next, in step 306, the central controller 156 determines whether or not the wireless communication device 130 has succeeded in communicating with the toner cartridge 36 in the routine of step 304. At this time, if the wireless communication device 130 succeeds in communicating with the toner cartridge 36, the central controller 1
56 determines that the toner cartridge 36 is properly attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 96, and the routine proceeds to step 308. If the wireless communication device 130 does not successfully communicate with the toner cartridge 36, the central control unit 156 determines that the toner cartridge 36 is not normally attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching unit 96, and the toner cartridge 36 is not attached. The state is detected (step 328). As a result, the central control unit 156 temporarily stops the operation of the laser printer 10 and displays that the toner cartridge 36 is not mounted (not shown).
Is displayed to the user as an error message.

Next, in steps 308 to 312, M
Regarding the toner cartridge 38 containing toner, in steps 314 to 318, the toner cartridge 42 containing C toner is shown. In steps 320 to 324, the toner cartridge 40 containing K toner is shown in steps 302 to 304. By the control similar to the case of the toner cartridge 36 containing the toner, when the non-attached state of the toner cartridges 38, 40, 42 is detected at the previous communication start processing, the toner cartridges 38, 40, 42 are It is determined whether the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 98, 100, 102 are in a mounted state or a non-mounted state. At this time, the central control unit 156 controls the toner cartridge 38,
When the unattached state of 40 or 42 is detected (step 32)
8), the operation of the laser printer 10 is temporarily stopped, and the toner cartridges 38, 40, and 42 are not mounted, and the toner cartridges 36, 38, and 40 detected to be unmounted are detected. , 42 types (toner colors) are displayed to the user on the display unit.

In step 326, the wireless communication device 130
Determines whether the communication with all the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 is completed, and if the communication with all the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 is successful, the initial communication process is ended. . In addition, the wireless communication device 13
0 is any toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 4
2 is not yet in communication, the routine proceeds to step 330 shown in FIG.

In step 330 shown in FIG. 9, the central controller 156 determines that the toner cartridge 3 has been used in the previous communication.
The toner cartridges 36, 38, 4 are based on the remaining toner amount read from the EEPROM 142 of the wireless communication tag 72 attached to each of 6, 38, 40, 42.
Select the one with the smallest remaining toner amount from 0 and 42,
The wireless communication device 130 is caused to start communication with the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 having the smallest remaining amount of toner.

In step 332, the central controller 156
Determines whether the wireless communication device 130 has succeeded in communicating with the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 having the least amount of remaining toner. At this time, the wireless communication device 130 causes the toner cartridges 36, 38,
If the communication with 40 or 42 is successful, it is determined that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 with the least amount of remaining toner are properly attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100, 102, and the routine is executed. Go to step 334. In this step 334, the central controller 156
Indicates that the wireless communication device 130 has all the toner cartridges 3
6, 38, 40, 42 to determine whether the communication was successful,
When the communication with all the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 is successful, the initial communication process is ended.

In step 332, the wireless communication device 1
30 is the toner cartridge 3 with the least amount of toner remaining
If the communication with 6, 38, 40, 42 is not successful,
Toner cartridge 36,3 with the least amount of toner remaining
8, 40, 42 are cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 10
It is determined that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, and 42 are not mounted normally, and the non-mounting state of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, and 42 is detected (step 346). As a result, the central control unit 156 suspends the operation of the laser printer 10 and causes the display unit to display an error message to the user that the toner cartridge 36 is not mounted.

Next, in steps 336 to 340, 2
Second, toner cartridge 36, 3 with the least amount of toner remaining
8, 40, 42, steps 342-346
Then, with respect to the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 having the third smallest remaining amount of toner, step 3
The toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 40, 42, and 40 are controlled by the same control as in the case of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, and 42 having the least amount of toner.
42 is a cartridge attaching / detaching part 96, 98, 100, 102
It is determined whether it is in the wearing state or in the non-wearing state. At this time, the central control unit 156 causes the second or third toner cartridge 36, 38,
When the unattached state of 40 or 42 is detected (step 34
8), the operation of the laser printer 10 is temporarily stopped, and the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are not mounted and it is detected that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are not mounted. , 40, and 42 (toner color) are displayed to the user by a display unit (not shown).

On the other hand, in step 300 shown in FIG.
The toner cartridges 36, 38,
If all 40 and 42 are in the mounted state, the routine proceeds to step 350 shown in FIG. In step 350, the central control unit 156 determines the toner cartridges 36, 38 based on the remaining toner amount read from the EEPROM 142 of the wireless communication tag 72 attached to the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 in the previous communication. , 40, 42 having the smallest remaining toner amount is selected, and the wireless communication device 130 is caused to start communication with the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 having the smallest remaining toner amount.

In step 352, the central controller 156
Determines whether the wireless communication device 130 has succeeded in communicating with the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 having the least amount of remaining toner. At this time, the wireless communication device 130 causes the toner cartridges 36, 38,
If the communication with 40 or 42 is successful, it is determined that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 with the least amount of remaining toner are properly attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100, 102, and the routine is executed. Go to step 354.

In step 352, the wireless communication device 1
30 is the toner cartridge 3 with the least amount of toner remaining
If the communication with 6, 38, 40, 42 is not successful,
Toner cartridge 36,3 with the least amount of toner remaining
8, 40, 42 are cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 10
It is determined that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are not properly mounted in the cartridge 0, 102, and the non-mounting state of the toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 42 is detected (step 366). As a result, the central control unit 156 temporarily suspends the operation of the laser printer 10, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are not mounted, and the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, and The 42 types (toner colors) are displayed to the user by the display unit.

Next, in steps 354 to 356, 2
The toner cartridges 36 and 3 with the second smallest amount of toner
8, 40, and 42, in steps 358 to 360, the toner cartridge 3 with the third smallest amount of toner remains.
6, 38, 40, 42, steps 362 to 36
In No. 4, for the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 having the fourth smallest remaining toner amount, the same as in the case of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 having the smallest remaining toner amount shown in steps 350 to 352, respectively. By control, those toner cartridges 36, 38,
40 and 42 are cartridge attaching / detaching parts 96, 98, 100,
It is sequentially determined whether 102 is in the mounted state or the non-mounted state. At this time, the central control unit 156 controls the second to fourth toner cartridges 3 with the smallest remaining amount of toner.
When the non-attached state of 6, 38, 40, 42 is detected (in the case of step 366), the operation of the laser printer 10 is temporarily stopped and the toner cartridges 36, 38, 4 are stopped.
Toner cartridges 36, 38, 4 in which 0, 42 are not mounted and are not mounted
The types 0 and 42 (toner colors) are displayed to the user by a display unit (not shown).

(Operation of Embodiment) Next, the operation of the laser printer 10 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

Laser printer 10 according to the present embodiment
Then, the central controller 156 controls the wireless communication device 130 to sequentially perform communication with the wireless communication tags 72 attached to the four toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42, respectively, and the wireless communication device 130 communicates. When it is possible to communicate with the one wireless communication tag 72 selected previously, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 to which the wireless communication tag 72 is attached are attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96,
98, 100, 102 is determined to be in the wearing state,
When the wireless communication device 130 cannot communicate with the one wireless communication tag 72 selected as the communication destination, the toner cartridges 36 and 3 to which the wireless communication tag 72 is attached.
8, 40, 42 are cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 10
It is determined that 0 and 102 are not mounted.

At this time, the central control section 156 has the cartridge attaching / detaching sections 96, 98, 100, 10 during the previous communication start processing between the wireless communication apparatus 130 section and the wireless communication tag 72.
If there is a toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 42 for which it is determined that the toner cartridge 36 is not attached to the wireless cartridge 2, the wireless communication tag 7 of the toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 42 is used.
2 is preferentially selected as the communication destination of the wireless communication device 130, so that the wireless communication device 130 and the wireless communication tag 72 are selected.
At the time of the previous communication start processing with
Immediately after the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 for which the non-attached state has been determined for the 6, 98, 100, and 102, when the communication start process of this time is performed, the wireless communication device 130 is set to the non-attached state. Since it is possible to control so as to start communication with the wireless communication tag 72 of the toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 42 that is most likely to be , 40, 42 is not normally attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100, 102, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40,
The average time required to detect that 42 is not properly mounted can be reduced.

Here, in the laser printer 10, the toner cartridges 36 and 3 are not used at the time of the previous communication start processing.
When the mounted state or the non-mounted state of 8, 40, 42 is determined, any of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 4
No. 2 is detected, and immediately after that, when the mounted state and the non-mounted state of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are determined again, the non-mounted state is determined when the previous mounted state and the non-mounted state are determined. It is most likely that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 that were in the mounted state remain unmounted.

That is, one of the toner cartridges 3
When it is determined that Nos. 6, 38, 40 and 42 are not mounted, the user is unfamiliar with the operation of the laser printer 10, and the toner cartridge 3
6, 38, 40, 42 are cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 9
Although it is inserted in the cartridges 8, 100, 102, it often happens that the cartridges are not completely mounted in the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100, 102. In this situation,
The user selects the toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 42.
Even if the display unit notifies that the toner cartridge is not mounted as an alarm message, the toner cartridges 36, 3
8, 40, 42 are cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 10
By simply confirming (visually recognizing) that the toner cartridge 36, 38, 40, 42 has been inserted into the cartridge attaching / detaching unit 0, 102, a predetermined reset operation is not performed in the cartridge attaching / detaching portion 96, 98, 100, 102. That is, the main power is turned on and the exterior door 13 is often closed. Therefore, in such a situation, the laser printer according to the present embodiment can minimize the time required to detect that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are not properly mounted. .

Further, in the laser printer 10, all the toner cartridges 36 and 3 were used at the time of the previous communication start processing.
When it is determined that the cartridges 8, 40, 42 are in the mounting state with respect to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion, the toner cartridges 36, 38, 4 having a small toner remaining amount at the time of the previous communication start processing.
By preferentially selecting the wireless communication tag 72 of 0, 42 as the communication destination of the wireless communication device 130, all the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are normally operated in the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100, 102. When the central control unit 156 executes the communication start processing after being mounted, the wireless communication device 130 has the highest possibility of being replaced with a new one immediately before the current communication start processing. 38, 40, 42 wireless communication tags 7
2 can be controlled to start communication with priority.

At this time, the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 9
The toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, and 42 that have been mounted on the cartridges 8, 100, and 102 but have not been replaced are extremely unlikely to be in the non-mounted state, and the toner cartridges 96, 98, 100, and 102 will not be replaced. The newly mounted toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are highly likely to be in a non-mounted state due to a user's erroneous operation or the like.

Therefore, the toner cartridge 3 most likely to have the wireless communication device 130 not mounted
Since the wireless communication tags 72 of 6, 38, 40 and 42 can be controlled so as to be preferentially communicated in order, any one of the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40 and 42 can be normally attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portions 96, 98, 100 and 102. When the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are not normally mounted, the average time required for detecting that the toner cartridges 36, 38, 40, 42 are not normally mounted can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, only the case where the configuration for detecting the mounting state of the toner cartridge according to the present invention is applied to the laser printer 10 has been described.
The configuration according to the present invention can be applied to various image forming apparatuses other than the laser printer 10, for example, a multi-function machine in which a facsimile device, a printer, a facsimile, etc., which form an image using an electrophotographic process are integrated. .

[0079]

As described above, according to the toner cartridge mounting state detecting device of the present invention, when any one of the plurality of toner cartridges is not normally mounted in the cartridge mounting portion, the toner cartridge is not mounted. The average time required to detect that the device is not properly mounted can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a configuration of a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a cartridge holder in which the toner cartridge in the laser printer shown in FIG. 1 is detachably mounted.

3 is a perspective view showing configurations of a toner cartridge and an antenna unit of a wireless communication device in the laser printer shown in FIG.

4 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a toner cartridge and a wireless communication tag attached to the toner cartridge in the laser printer shown in FIG.

5 is a front view of the wireless communication tag attached to the toner cartridge and the antenna unit of the wireless communication device attached to the toner cartridge in the laser printer shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the outside in the axial direction.

6 is a side sectional view showing a configuration of a wireless communication tag attached to a toner cartridge and an antenna unit of the wireless communication device in the laser printer shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless communication system in the laser printer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a toner cartridge mounting state detection control by communication start processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing detection control of a toner cartridge mounting state by communication start processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a toner cartridge mounting state detection control by communication start processing according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of sign]

10 Laser printer (image forming device) 14 Mainframe (device body) 16 process units 34 Cartridge holder (apparatus body) 36 toner cartridge 38 toner cartridge 40 toner cartridge 42 toner cartridge 72 wireless communication tag 82 Tag side antenna 96 cartridge attachment / detachment section 98 Cartridge attaching / detaching part 100 cartridge attachment / detachment section 102 cartridge attachment / detachment section 124 Main body side antenna 128 wireless communication system 130 wireless communication device (wireless communication unit) 134 CPU (communication / control unit) 136 Transmitter / receiver circuit (communication / control unit) 138 Power supply circuit (communication / control unit) 140 ROM (communication / control unit) 156 Central control unit (cartridge detection means)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 2H027 DA27 DD02 DE04 DE07 DE09                       EJ08 EJ09 GB03 GB07 GB09                       HA10 HB05 HB13 HB17 ZA09                 2H077 AA03 AA09 AA35 DA15 DA24                       DA32 DA57 DA58 DA86 DB10                       DB25 GA04 GA13                 2H300 EA01 EA05 EA06 EA07 EA10                       EA13 EA14 EA17 EA18 EB04                       EB12 EC05 ED11 EH16 EJ09                       EJ22 EJ24 EJ47 EJ56 EJ59                       FF01 GG01 GG02 GG03 GG04                       GG31 GG39 GG42 GG43 GG47                       HH02 HH32 QQ35 RR11 RR22                       RR49 TT03 TT04

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of cartridge attachment / detachment portions provided in the apparatus main body, and a plurality of toner cartridges provided with a toner tank portion for accommodating toner, and detachably attached to the cartridge attachment / detachment portions, respectively. A toner cartridge mounting state detection device applied to an image forming apparatus that forms an image using toner supplied from the toner cartridge, comprising: a tag side antenna attached to the toner cartridge; A wireless communication tag equipped with a communication / control unit that transmits or receives information via radio waves via a tag, and the tag-side antenna of the toner cartridge mounted on the cartridge attaching / detaching unit while being mounted on the apparatus main body A main body side antenna that is capable of transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from the main body side antenna is provided. A wireless communication unit that selectively communicates with one wireless communication tag via the wireless communication unit; and controls the wireless communication unit to sequentially communicate with the plurality of wireless communication tags, and the wireless communication unit communicates with the wireless communication unit. When it is possible to communicate with the one wireless communication tag selected previously, it is determined that the toner cartridge to which the wireless communication tag is attached is attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching portion, and the wireless communication is performed. When the one unit of the wireless communication tag selected as the communication destination is incommunicable, it is determined that the toner cartridge to which the wireless communication tag is attached is not attached to the cartridge attaching / detaching unit. A cartridge detecting unit, wherein the cartridge detecting unit is configured to attach the cartridge attaching / detaching unit at the time of the previous communication between the wireless communication unit and the plurality of wireless communication tags. When there is the toner cartridge for which the non-attached state is determined, the wireless communication tag of the toner cartridge is preferentially selected as the communication destination of the wireless communication unit, and the toner cartridge attached state detecting apparatus is characterized. . 2. The cartridge detecting means determines that the toner cartridges are attached to all of the cartridge attaching / detaching parts at the time of the previous communication between the wireless communication part and the plurality of wireless communication tags. In this case, the apparatus for detecting the mounting state of the toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication tag of the toner cartridge having a small amount of toner in the previous communication is preferentially selected as a communication destination of the wireless communication unit. . 3. The cartridge detecting means closes an outer door of the image forming apparatus for attaching / detaching the toner cartridge to / from the cartridge attaching / detaching portion when the main power source of the image forming apparatus is turned on. 3. The toner cartridge mounting state detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication section is controlled so as to sequentially communicate with the wireless communication tags of the plurality of toner cartridges.