JP2005164889A - Image forming apparatus and replacement unit - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus which realizes excellent communication with a replacement unit installed under various mechanism conditions. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 10 has a toner container 47 and an image forming unit 89 which are detachably provided to an image forming apparatus body 12, a 1st communication tag 470 provided to the toner container 47 and a 2nd communication tag 890 provided to the image forming unit 89, and a 1st main-body side antenna 110 which is provided to the image forming apparatus body 12 and receives a radio wave signal from the 1st communication tag 470 and a 2nd main-body side antenna 120 which receives a radio wave signal from the 2nd communication tag 890, and antenna characteristics of the 1st main-body side antenna 110 and 2nd main-body side antenna 120 are so adjusted that the signal intensity received by the 1st main-body side antenna 110 and the signal intensity received by the 2nd main-body side antenna 120 are nearly equal to each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that acquires information about an exchange unit by non-contact communication.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus that can read information on a replacement part on the image forming apparatus main body side by performing communication via radio waves between the replacement part and the image forming apparatus main body. .
Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus that rotates a rotary developing unit in which a developing device is accommodated so that a developing device provided with a non-contact information medium faces a reading unit.
JP 2002-62784 A JP 2003-98789 A

  The present invention has been made from the above-described background, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that realizes good communication with exchange units arranged in various mechanism conditions or communication environments. And

[Image forming apparatus]
In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is provided in an image forming apparatus main body, a plurality of replacement units detachably provided on the image forming apparatus main body, and each of the plurality of replacement units. A plurality of communication means, and a reception means provided in the image forming apparatus main body for receiving a signal from the communication means so as to adjust the intensity of the signal received from at least one of the communication means. did.

  Preferably, the receiving means receives radio wave signals from the communication means, and adjusts the antenna characteristics so that the strengths of signals received from the plurality of communication means are substantially the same.

  Preferably, at least one of the communication unit and the reception unit includes an antenna configured by a coil, and the coil diameter, the coil wire diameter, and the penetration are determined according to a distance between the transmission unit and the reception unit. At least one of the cores was adjusted.

  Preferably, the apparatus further includes a shielding member provided in the vicinity of the receiving means and prevents signal transmission, and the shielding member adjusts the strength of the signal received from at least one of the communication means. An opening is provided.

  Preferably, the shielding member is provided with an opening so that the intensity of signals received from the plurality of communication means is substantially the same.

  Suitably, the said shielding member is a metal member which comprises the said image forming apparatus main body.

Preferably, the shielding member is provided between the communication unit and the receiving unit.
Suitably, the said receiving means receives a signal from the said communication means via the opening provided in the said shielding member.

  Preferably, the shielding member is provided with an opening having an area such that the intensity of signals received by the receiving means is substantially the same.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming apparatus main body, an exchange unit provided detachably on the image forming apparatus main body, a communication unit provided on the exchange unit, and the image forming apparatus main body. A receiving unit that receives a signal from the communication unit; and a shielding member that is provided in the vicinity of the receiving unit and prevents signal transmission. The signal received by the receiving unit is included in the shielding member. An opening is provided to adjust the intensity of the light to a predetermined level.

  An exchange unit according to the present invention is an exchange unit configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body, and includes an exchange unit main body and communication means provided in the exchange unit main body, and the communication means includes a replacement unit. It has antenna characteristics corresponding to the communication distance of the communication means when the unit is mounted on the apparatus main body.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, good communication is realized between the communication means arranged in the exchange unit and the image forming apparatus main body.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below.
FIG. 1 shows an outline of an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 10 according to the embodiment includes an image forming apparatus main body 12, and an opening / closing cover 16 that is rotatable about a rotation fulcrum 15 is provided on the upper portion of the image forming apparatus main body 12. For example, a one-stage sheet feeding unit 18 is disposed below the forming apparatus main body 12.

  The paper feed unit 18 includes a paper feed unit main body 20 and a paper feed cassette 22 in which paper is stored. A feed roll 24 that feeds paper from the paper feed cassette 22 and a retard roll 26 that sprinkles the fed paper one by one are arranged in the upper vicinity of the rear end of the paper feed cassette 22.

  The conveyance path 28 is a sheet path from the feed roll 24 to the discharge port 30, and this conveyance path 28 is in the vicinity of the back side (right side surface in FIG. 1) of the image forming apparatus main body 12 and is described later from the sheet feeding unit 18. The fixing device 90 is formed substantially vertically. A secondary transfer roll 80 and a secondary transfer backup roll 72, which will be described later, are disposed on the upstream side of the fixing device 90 in the conveyance path 28, and the registration roll 32 is located upstream of the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72. Is arranged. In addition, a discharge roll 34 is disposed in the vicinity of the discharge port 30 of the conveyance path 28.

  Accordingly, the sheet fed from the sheet feeding cassette 22 of the sheet feeding unit 18 by the feed roll 24 is turned by the retard roll 26 and only the uppermost sheet is guided to the conveyance path 28 and temporarily stopped by the registration roll 32. The toner image is transferred between a secondary transfer roll 80 and a secondary transfer backup roll 72, which will be described later, and the transferred toner image is fixed by the fixing device 90, and the discharge port 34 discharges the discharge port 30. Are discharged to a discharge portion 36 provided on the upper portion of the opening / closing cover 16. The discharge portion 36 has a low discharge port portion and is inclined so as to gradually increase toward the front direction (left direction in FIG. 1). A side surface on the discharge port side of the discharge unit 36 is a wall surface common to the second storage unit 90, and is a surface on which the paper loaded on the discharge unit 36 abuts.

  In the image forming apparatus main body 12, for example, a rotary developing unit 38 is disposed at a substantially central portion. The rotary developing unit 38 includes developing units 42a to 42d that form toner images of four colors of yellow, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black in the developing unit main body 40, respectively. It rotates counterclockwise (counterclockwise in FIG. 1) about the rotary developer center 44. Each of the developing units 42a to 42d includes developing rolls 46a to 46d and toner containers 47a to 47d, and is pressed in the normal direction of the developing unit main body 40 by elastic bodies 48a to 48d such as coil springs.

The toner containers 47a to 47d are replacement units configured so that they can be easily replaced, and can be pulled out toward the front side of the sheet of FIG. In addition, the toner containers 47a to 47d have first communication tags 470a to 470d in the vicinity of the end in the depth direction of the sheet of FIG. The first communication tags 470a to 470d are information relating to the toner containers 47a to 47d (the color of the stored toner, the remaining amount, the amount of use up to now, the number of usable times or the usable period, or the toner container). Manufacturing ID, use start date and time, environmental conditions at the time of use, number of recycling, etc.) are stored, and information regarding these toner containers is transmitted to and received from the main body side control device 100 described later.
The entire developing devices 42a to 42d including the toner containers 47a to 47d may be configured to be replaceable by a replacement unit.

  The rotary developing unit 38 is arranged so that an image carrier 50 made of, for example, a photosensitive member is in contact therewith, and the developing rolls 46a to 46d are not in contact with the image carrier 50 and have a single outer periphery. The portion protrudes from the outer periphery of the developing device main body 40 in the radial direction, for example, 2 mm. Further, a tracking roll (not shown) having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the developing rolls 46a to 46d is provided at both ends of each of the developing rolls 46a to 46d so as to rotate coaxially with the developing rolls 46a to 46d. Yes. That is, the developing rolls 46a to 46d of the developing units 42a to 42d are arranged on the outer periphery of the developing unit main body 40 at intervals of 90 ° around the rotary developing unit center 44, and the tracking rolls of the developing rolls 46a to 46d are imaged. The toner is brought into contact with flanges (not shown) provided at both ends of the carrier 50 and is supplied from the toner containers 47a to 47d while forming a predetermined gap between the developing rolls 46a to 46d and the image carrier 50. The latent image on the image carrier 50 is developed using toner.

Below the image carrier 50, a charging device 52 made of, for example, a charging roll for uniformly charging the image carrier 50 is provided. An image carrier cleaner 54 is in contact with the image carrier 50 on the upstream side of the charging device 52 in the rotation direction of the image carrier 50. The image carrier cleaner 54 includes, for example, a cleaning blade 56 that scrapes off toner remaining on the image carrier 50 after primary transfer, and a toner collection bottle 58 that collects toner scraped off by the cleaning blade 56.
The back side (right side in FIG. 1) of the toner collection bottle 58 is formed with a rib or the like, and is curved so as to convey the paper smoothly, thereby constituting the conveyance path 28.

  Below the rotary developing unit 38, an exposure device 60 for writing a latent image on the image carrier 50 charged by the charging device 52 by a light beam such as a laser beam is disposed. Further, an intermediate transfer device 62 is provided above the rotary developing unit 38 to primarily transfer the toner image visualized by the rotary developing unit 38 at the primary transfer position and transport the toner image to a secondary transfer position described later.

The intermediate transfer device 62 includes, for example, an intermediate transfer member 64 such as an intermediate transfer belt, a primary transfer roll 66, a wrap-in roll 68, a wrap-out roll 70, a secondary transfer backup roll 72, a scraper backup roll 74, and a brush backup roll 76. Is done. The intermediate transfer body 64 has elasticity, for example, and is stretched substantially flat so as to have a long side and a short side above the rotary developing unit 38. The intermediate transfer member 64 includes a wrap-in roll 68 disposed upstream of the primary transfer roll 66 below the long side of the intermediate transfer member 64, and a wrap-out roll 70 disposed downstream of the primary transfer roll 66. The image carrier 50 has an image carrier wrap region that comes into contact with the image carrier 50 in a lap shape. The image carrier 50 is wound around the image carrier 50 by a predetermined range and is driven by the rotation of the image carrier 50. As described above, the intermediate transfer member 64 is primarily transferred by the primary transfer roll 66 while superimposing the toner images on the image carrier 50 in the order of, for example, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, and the primary transferred toner image will be described later. It is conveyed toward the secondary transfer roll 80.
Note that the wrap-in roll 68 and the wrap-out roll 70 are separated from the image carrier 50.

Further, a flat surface portion (short side) is formed on the back side (right side surface in FIG. 1) of the intermediate transfer body 64 by a wrap-out roll 70 and a secondary transfer backup roll 72, and this flat surface portion is subjected to secondary transfer. It faces the conveyance path 28 as a part.
In the secondary transfer portion, the wrap-out roll 70 is arranged so that the intermediate transfer body 64 and the conveyance path 28 are at an angle of 12 °, for example.

  The scraper backup roll 74 assists the scraper 84 described later to scrape off toner remaining on the intermediate transfer body 64 after the secondary transfer, and the brush backup roll 76 removes toner remaining on the intermediate transfer body 64 after the secondary transfer. A brush roll 86 to be described later assists in scraping.

  Above the long side of the intermediate transfer body 64, a sensor 78 such as a reflective photosensor is provided by being fixed to the back surface (inside) of the opening / closing cover 16. The sensor 78 reads a toner patch formed on the intermediate transfer body 64, detects the position of the intermediate transfer body 64 in the rotation direction, and detects the toner density.

  A secondary transfer roll 80 is opposed to the secondary transfer backup roll 72 of the intermediate transfer device 62 with the conveyance path 28 interposed therebetween. That is, the secondary transfer position in the secondary transfer portion is between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72, and the secondary transfer roll 80 is intermediate with the assistance of the secondary transfer backup roll 72. The toner image primarily transferred to the transfer body 64 is secondarily transferred onto the paper at the secondary transfer position. Here, the secondary transfer roll 80 is separated from the intermediate transfer body 64 while the intermediate transfer body 64 rotates three times, that is, while the toner images of three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan are transported. When the image is transferred, it comes into contact with the intermediate transfer member 64. In addition, a predetermined potential difference is generated between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72. For example, when the secondary transfer roll 80 is set to a high voltage, the secondary transfer backup 80 The roll 72 is connected to a ground (GND) or the like.

  An intermediate transfer body cleaner 82 is in contact with the intermediate transfer device 62 on the side opposite to the secondary transfer position. The intermediate transfer body cleaner 82 is, for example, a scraper 84 that scrapes and cleans toner remaining on the intermediate transfer body 64 after secondary transfer, and a brush roll 86 that scrapes off toner remaining after cleaning by the scraper 84, the scraper 84, and the brush roll The toner collecting bottle 88 collects the toner scraped off by the nozzle 86. The scraper 84 is made of, for example, a thin plate made of stainless steel and is applied with a predetermined voltage. The brush roll 86 is made of, for example, an acrylic brush that has been subjected to a conductive treatment. Further, while the intermediate transfer member 64 conveys the toner image, the scraper 84 and the brush roll 86 are separated from the intermediate transfer member 64 and come into contact with the intermediate transfer member 64 at a predetermined timing. Has been.

  A fixing device 90 is disposed above the secondary transfer position. The fixing device 90 includes a heating roll 92 and a pressure roll 94, fixes the toner image secondarily transferred to the sheet by the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72, and fixes the toner image to the discharge roll 34. Transport toward.

The image forming unit 89 is an exchange unit in which the intermediate transfer device 62, the image carrier 50, the charging device 52, the image carrier cleaner 54, and the intermediate transfer member cleaner 82 are integrated. The image forming unit 89 is disposed immediately below the discharge portion 36 of the opening / closing cover 16. For example, the intermediate transfer device 62 is disposed between the rotary developing device 38 and the fixing device 90 to open the opening / closing cover 16. It is attached and detached by.
In addition, the image forming unit 89 includes a second communication tag 890 in the vicinity of the end in the depth direction of the paper in FIG. The second communication tag 890 stores information related to the image forming unit 89 (manufacturing ID, use start date and time, usable time limit, usable number of times, environmental condition at the time of use or number of recycling, etc.), and control on the main body side described later. Data is transmitted to and received from the apparatus 100.

  The control device 100 is disposed inside the image forming apparatus main body 12 and controls the above-described components of the image forming apparatus 10. For example, the control device 100 receives a print instruction or the like via a user interface (not shown) configured with a touch panel or the like, and in response thereto, the rotary developing unit 38, the image carrier 50, the exposure device 60, and the intermediate transfer device. 62 and the fixing device 90 are controlled to perform a printing process. Further, the control apparatus 100 displays information indicating the state of the image forming apparatus 10 on the user interface. For example, the control device 100 determines the status of the replacement unit (the toner container 47 or the image forming unit 89) (the remaining amount of toner or the replacement timing, etc.) based on the information received from the first communication tag 470 or the second communication tag 890. ) Is displayed on the user interface.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.
When the image forming signal is sent, the image carrier 50 is uniformly charged by the charging device 52, and a light beam is emitted from the exposure device 60 to the charged image carrier 50 based on the image signal. Light rays from the exposure device 60 expose the surface of the image carrier 50 to form a latent image. The latent image on the image carrier 50 formed by the exposure device 60 is developed with yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner by the rotary developing unit 38 and is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer member 64. In the primary transfer, waste toner remaining on the image carrier 50 is scraped off and collected by the image carrier cleaner 54.

  On the other hand, the paper stored in the paper feed cassette 22 by a paper feed signal or the like is sent out by the feed roll 24, is turned by the retard roll 26, is guided to the transport path 28, is temporarily stopped by the registration roll 32, and the timing is reached. As a result, it is guided between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72. When the sheet is guided between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72, the toner image primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer body 64 is transferred to the sheet by the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72. Secondary transfer. Waste toner remaining on the intermediate transfer member 64 after the secondary transfer is scraped off and collected by the intermediate transfer member cleaner 82.

  The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred is guided to the fixing device 90, and the toner image is fixed by the thermal pressure of the heating roll 92 and the pressure roll 94. The sheet on which the toner image is fixed is discharged from the discharge port 30 to the discharge unit 36 by the discharge roll 34.

  In FIG. 2, the arrangement positions of the first communication tag 470 and the second communication tag 890 are illustrated. The image forming apparatus main body 12 includes a frame 13 made of metal (a material that shields radio waves) and an exterior member 14 that covers the outside of the frame 13. The exterior member 14 is formed by molding, for example, ABS resin. A first opening 132 a and a second opening 132 b are provided on the side surface of the frame 13 (the side surface positioned in the rotation axis direction of the rotary developing unit 38). The first opening 132 a is provided in the vicinity of the rotary developer 38, and the second opening 132 b is provided in the vicinity of the image forming unit 89. More preferably, the first opening 132a is provided in the vicinity of the first communication tag 470 provided in the rotary developing unit 38, and the second opening 132b is provided in the second communication provided in the image forming unit 89. Provided in the vicinity of the tag 890. Since the first communication tag 470 provided in the toner container 47 moves according to the rotation of the rotary developing unit 38, the first opening 132a is provided in the vicinity of the locus of movement of the first communication tag 270. .

  The first body-side antenna 102 is disposed in the first opening 132a, and the second body-side antenna 104 is disposed in the second opening 132b. The first main body side antenna 102 and the second main body side antenna 104 are constituted by, for example, a coil or the like, and the first attachment member 134a and the second attachment that are formed of a nonmetal (for example, synthetic resin). The members 134b are fixed in the vicinity of the first opening 132a and the second opening 132b, respectively.

The exterior surfaces of the toner containers 47a to 47d are made of, for example, a synthetic resin, and the first communication tags 470a to 470d are fixed to the exterior surfaces by the first tag attachment members 476a to 476d. In this example, the first communication tags 470a to 470d are disposed at the end portions of the toner containers 47a to 47d close to the frame side surfaces. The first communication tags 470a to 470d have tag side antennas 472a to 472d configured by coils and the like, and communication circuits 474a to 474d including a memory and the like, and are connected to the first main body side antenna 102. Wireless communication using radio waves.
Similarly, the exterior surface of the image forming unit 89 is made of synthetic resin or the like, and a second communication tag 890 is fixed to the exterior surface by a second tag attachment member 896. In this example, the second communication tag 890 is disposed at an end portion of the image forming unit 89 close to the frame side surface. The second communication tag 890 includes a tag-side antenna 892 formed of a coil or the like and a communication circuit 894 including a memory or the like, and wirelessly uses radio waves with the second main body-side antenna 104. Communicate.

  Here, “L1” shown in FIG. 2 represents the communication distance from the first communication tag 470 to the first main body antenna 102 (that is, the shortest distance between the tag side antenna 472 and the main body antenna 102). “L2” indicates a communication distance from the second communication tag 890 to the second main body antenna 104. As described above, the communication distances (“L1” and “L2”) may differ depending on the mounting position of the toner container 47 and the image forming unit 89, the shape of the frame 13, or the like. In addition, each radio wave environment is affected by the influence of the first communication tag 470, the second communication tag 890, the first main body antenna 102, the metal member disposed in the vicinity of the second main body antenna 104, and the like. May be different.

In FIG. 3, the functional configuration of the control device 100 is illustrated with a focus on the transmission unit 106 and the reception unit 108. The control device 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a transmission unit 106 that performs signal transmission processing, a reception unit 108 that performs signal reception processing, and a control unit 110 that controls each component of the image forming apparatus 10.
The transmission unit 106 generates a transmission frequency, puts a read signal instructing reading of information stored in the first communication tag 470 or the second communication tag 890 on the first main body side. Output to the antenna 102 and the second main body side antenna 104. In addition, the transmission unit 106 outputs a write signal that instructs the first communication tag 470 or the second communication tag 890 to write information to the first main body antenna 102 and the second main body antenna 104. . Transmission signals (read signals or write signals) input to the first main body antenna 102 and the second main body antenna 104 are transmitted to the first communication tag 470 and the second communication tag 890, respectively. . The first communication tag 470 and the second communication tag 890 that have received the read signal read information stored in the memory, respectively, and read the read information to the first main body antenna 102 and the second main body side. Transmit to the antenna 104.
The receiving unit 108 includes a resonance capacitor, a band elimination filter, a band pass filter, an amplifier, a detector, and the like. The reception signal received via the first main body side antenna 102 or the second main body side antenna 104 is subjected to removal of the signal in the transmission frequency band by the band elimination filter in the reception unit 108, and the reception frequency band by the band pass filter. Are extracted, amplified by an amplifier, and detected by a detector. The receiving unit 108 outputs the signal detected by the detector to the control unit 110 as received data.
The control unit 110 is configured by, for example, an ASIC, generates a control signal based on the reception data input from the reception unit 108, and outputs the generated control signal to each configuration of the image forming apparatus 10.

Thus, since the control apparatus 100 in this embodiment processes the signal received from the some communication tag by the one receiving part 108, each communication tag (The 1st communication tag 470 and the 2nd communication tag 890). It is desirable that the intensity of the signals received from (1) is substantially the same.
However, as shown in FIG. 2, the strength (level) of the signal received by the first main body antenna 102 depends on the communication distance (“L1” and “L2”) and the radio wave environment in each radio wave path. ) May be different from the signal received by the second main body antenna 104.

Therefore, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment cancels the difference in signal level due to the difference in communication distance or radio wave environment, the coil diameter (antenna diameter), coil wire diameter, or coil of the tag side antenna or the main body side antenna. By adjusting the penetrating core, good communication is realized.
Since the toner container 47 and the image forming unit 89 are replacement units, it is desirable that the communication tag attached to them is a common component. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment adjusts the transmission / reception characteristics (antenna characteristics) of the first main body side antenna 102 and the second main body side antenna 104.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the distance between the first main body antenna 102 and the first communication tag 470 is the distance between the second main body antenna 104 and the second communication tag 890. When the distance is larger than the distance between the first main body side antenna 102 and the second main body side antenna 104, a coil having a larger diameter is applied. In this case, the first main body side antenna 102 uses a through-core that has an antenna gain higher than that of the second main body side antenna 104.
As described above, according to the image forming apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the strength of the signal input to the receiving unit 108 without adjusting the signal strength at the receiving unit 108 for communication tags having different communication distances or radio wave environments. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size of the image forming apparatus 10 and to simplify the circuit configuration of the control apparatus 100. Therefore, the cost of the image forming apparatus 10 can be reduced.
Further, according to the image forming apparatus 10, the signal intensity is adjusted only by changing the antenna characteristics (changing the antenna diameter, the wire diameter, the penetrating core, etc.) to cope with the change of the antenna position or the change of the electromagnetic environment. Therefore, a design change of the image forming apparatus 10 can be performed at a low cost.

[Modification]
Next, a first modification will be described.
FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the opening 132 provided in the frame 13 (shielding member) and the electric field strength. In this manner, the electric field strength between the tag side antenna 472 (or 892) and the main body side antenna 102 (or 104) varies depending on the size of the opening 132. In view of this, the image forming apparatus 10 according to the present modification varies the state (size, position, shape, number, etc.) of the opening 132 provided in the frame 13 according to the communication distance, the radio wave environment, and the like. The intensity of the signal received by the main antenna is adjusted to be substantially the same.
Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the image forming apparatus 10 can be further reduced in size by disposing the main body antenna 102 (or 104) outside the frame 13.

The relationship between the size of the opening 132 provided in the frame 13 and the intensity (voltage) of the received signal will be described based on experimental results.
In FIG. 5, each variable in the signal strength measurement experiment is shown. Further, FIG. 6 shows a graph of experimental results of signal intensity measurement. In this signal strength measurement experiment, the signal strength (voltage) received by the main body antenna 102 was measured by changing the diameter D of the opening 132 from 50 millimeters to 75 millimeters every 5 millimeters. In this signal strength measurement experiment, the diameter d1 of the tag side antenna 472 is 23 millimeters, the communication distance L from the tag side antenna 472 to the body side antenna 102 is 15 millimeters, and the diameter d2 of the body side antenna 102 is 40 millimeters. The signal intensity was measured for the case (circle) and 60 mm (square).

In the graph shown in FIG. 6, the diameter of the opening 132 is the horizontal axis, and the signal intensity (voltage) received by the main body antenna 102 is the vertical axis. As shown in the graph, the rate of change in the signal intensity varies depending on whether or not the opening 132 of the frame 13 is 15 millimeters or more larger than the main body antenna 102. That is, when the diameter of the opening 132 is 15 millimeters or more larger than that of the main body antenna 102, the rate of change of the signal strength is small, and when the opening 132 is further increased, the signal strength is gradually saturated. Therefore, it is desirable that the diameter of the opening 132 provided in the frame 13 is 20 millimeters or more larger than the diameter of the main body antenna 102 and the tag antenna 472.
Further, when the case where the diameter d2 of the main body side antenna 102 is 40 millimeters (circle) and the case where the diameter d2 is 60 millimeters (square) is compared, the diameter of the opening 132 is 20 millimeters than the diameters of the main body side antenna 102 and the tag side antenna 472. When it is larger than this, the difference in signal strength is small. Therefore, in order to realize the downsizing of the image forming apparatus 10 and the exchange unit, it is desirable that the diameter of the main body antenna 102 is approximately 40 millimeters and the diameter of the opening 132 is approximately 60 millimeters.

As described above, according to the image forming apparatus 10 in the present modification, the intensity of the received signal can be adjusted by changing the size of the opening 132 and the like, so that the signal intensity can be adjusted at low cost. Can be realized. In particular, the main body antenna 102 (or 104) in this modification is disposed outside the frame 13, and therefore communicates with the communication tag 472 (or 892) through the opening 132, and the size of the opening 132 ( The influence due to the difference in the area can be efficiently reflected as a change in signal intensity.
Further, according to the image forming apparatus 10 in the present modification, the signal intensity can be adjusted only by changing the area of the opening 132, so that the adjustment is easy and can be realized at low cost. Further, by adjusting the signal intensity by the size of the opening 132 or the like, it is possible to make both the main body side antenna and the tag side antenna common parts, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the image forming apparatus 10. .

Next, a second modification will be described. In the above embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 adjusts the strength of the received signal by changing the characteristics of the antenna. However, the power of the signal output from the transmission unit 106, the first communication tag 470, or the second The intensity of the received signal may be adjusted by changing the internal power of the communication tag 890.
The first communication tag 470 and the second communication tag 890 in the above embodiment rectify radio wave signals received from the first main body side antenna 102 and the second main body side antenna 104, and each component of the communication tag. The power required for the operation is generated.
Therefore, the image forming apparatus 10 in the present modification changes the power generated by the first communication tag 470 or the second communication tag 890 by changing the strength of the radio signal generated by the transmission unit 106. As a result, the intensity of the reception signal received by the first main body side antenna 102 and the intensity of the reception signal received by the second main body side antenna 104 are made substantially the same.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the image forming apparatus 10 is configured to provide one main body antenna for one communication tag and process a signal received by a plurality of main body antennas with one control apparatus 100. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, one main body side antenna may be provided for a plurality of communication tags. In this case, the image forming apparatus 10 desirably adjusts the antenna characteristics of the communication tag or the opening of the frame 13 so that the intensity of the signal received by the main body antenna is substantially the same.
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the embodiment in which communication between the communication tag provided in the exchange unit and the control device 100 provided in the image forming apparatus main body is realized by the radio wave signal has been described as a specific example. However, the image forming apparatus 10 can apply a medium capable of non-contact communication such as sound waves or light. For example, when applying sound waves, the image forming apparatus 10 can adjust the intensity of sound waves by adjusting the size or direction of the opening 132 of the frame 13.

1 is a diagram showing an outline of an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which illustrates the arrangement position of the 1st communication tag 470 and the 2nd communication tag 890. FIG. It is a figure which illustrates the functional structure of the control apparatus 100 centering on the transmission part 106 and the receiving part. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the opening 132 provided in the flame | frame 13, and electric field strength. It is a figure which shows each variable in a signal strength measurement experiment. It is a figure which shows the graph of the experimental result of signal strength measurement.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Image forming apparatus 12 ... Image forming apparatus main body 13 ... Frame 18 ... Paper feed unit 28 ... Conveyance path 38 ... Rotary developing device 42a-42d ... Developing device 46a- 46d: developing rolls 47a to 47d: toner container (replacement unit)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 ... Image carrier 52 ... Charging device 54 ... Image carrier cleaner 60 ... Exposure device 62 ... Intermediate transfer device 64 ... Intermediate transfer member 80 ... Secondary transfer roll 82 ... Intermediate transfer member cleaner 89 ... Image forming unit (exchange unit)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 90 ... Fixing device 100 ... Control device 102 ... 1st main body side antenna 104 ... 2nd main body side antenna 132 ... Opening 470a-470d ... 1st communication tag 472a- 472d ... 1st tag side antenna 890 ... 2nd communication tag 892 ... 2nd tag side antenna

Claims (11)

An image forming apparatus main body;
A plurality of replacement units detachably provided in the image forming apparatus main body;
A plurality of communication means provided in each of the plurality of exchange units;
A receiving unit provided in the image forming apparatus main body and receiving a signal from the communication unit;
An image forming apparatus configured to adjust the intensity of a signal received from at least one of the communication means. The receiving means receives a radio signal from the communication means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the antenna characteristics are adjusted such that the strengths of signals received from the plurality of communication units are substantially the same. At least one of the communication means and the receiving means has an antenna constituted by a coil,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a coil diameter, a coil wire diameter, and a penetrating core is adjusted according to a distance between the transmitting unit and the receiving unit. A shielding member that is provided in the vicinity of the receiving means and prevents signal transmission;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the shielding member is provided with an opening so as to adjust an intensity of a signal received from at least one of the communication units. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the shielding member is provided with an opening so that the strengths of signals received from the plurality of communication units are substantially the same. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the shielding member is a metal member constituting the image forming apparatus main body. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the shielding member is provided between the communication unit and the receiving unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the receiving unit receives a signal from the communication unit through an opening provided in the shielding member. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the shielding member is provided with an opening having an area such that the intensity of signals received by the receiving unit is substantially the same. An image forming apparatus main body;
An exchange unit detachably provided in the image forming apparatus main body;
Communication means provided in the exchange unit;
A receiving unit provided in the image forming apparatus main body and receiving a signal from the communication unit;
A shielding member that is provided in the vicinity of the receiving means and prevents signal transmission;
An image forming apparatus, wherein the shielding member is provided with an opening so as to adjust the intensity of a signal received by the receiving means to a predetermined level. An exchange unit configured to be detachable from the apparatus body,
The exchange unit body,
Communication means provided in the exchange unit main body,
The communication unit has an antenna characteristic corresponding to a communication distance of the communication unit when the exchange unit is mounted on the apparatus main body.

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