JP2009128710A - Image forming apparatus and cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect that a cartridge is erroneously loaded, while suppressing the cost. <P>SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 includes the image forming apparatus body 3 having a cartridge loading part 35; the cartridge 33, that is attachably/detachably loaded to the cartridge loading part 35; a driving means 85 disposed in the image forming apparatus body 3; a member to be detected 81 that is disposed in the cartridge 33 and is moved irreversibly by the driving means 85, from an initial position to a terminal position; a detecting means 71 that outputs detection results that are different, according to the positions of the member to be detected 81; an old/new determining means 61 for determining whether the cartridge 3 is old or new, based on the detection result by the detecting means 71; and an erroneous loading determining means 61 for determining whether the cartridge is erroneously loaded, based on whether the detection result obtained by the detecting means 71, in a state where the member to be detected 81 is located, in at least one of the initial position and the terminal position coincides with the prescribed detection result. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a cartridge.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a color laser printer, each color toner is housed in a detachable cartridge so that the user can replace each cartridge when the remaining amount of toner is low. Yes. In such an image forming apparatus, there is a possibility that the user may make a mistake in the mounting position when mounting the cartridge on the cartridge mounting portion on the image forming apparatus main body side.
Therefore, conventionally, in order to prevent erroneous mounting of the cartridge, for example, in the one described in Patent Document 1, each cartridge is provided with a storage medium that stores information regarding the arrangement of the cartridge in the image forming apparatus main body, The storage device is configured to read the stored data and detect whether there is an error in the cartridge mounting position.
JP 2001-343883 A

  However, in the above-described configuration, there is a problem in that a storage medium and a configuration for reading information in the recording medium are necessary in order to prevent erroneous mounting, leading to an increase in cost.

  Such an erroneous mounting of the cartridge can also occur in a monochrome image forming apparatus having one cartridge. For example, there may be a cartridge for another model that can be physically mounted on a cartridge mounting unit of an image forming apparatus of a certain model but should not be mounted on the cartridge. Even in this case, it is necessary to detect erroneous cartridge mounting.

  The present invention has been completed based on the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to detect an erroneous mounting of a cartridge while suppressing cost.

As means for achieving the above object, an image forming apparatus according to a first invention includes an image forming apparatus main body having a cartridge mounting portion, a cartridge removable from the cartridge mounting portion, and the image forming apparatus. A driving means provided in the main body, a detection member provided in the cartridge and irreversibly moved from the initial position to the final position by the driving means, and detection for outputting different detection results depending on the position of the detection member And new / old judgment means for judging whether the cartridge is new or old based on a detection result by the detection means, and the detection means in a state where the detected member is at least one of the initial position and the final position. Incorrect mounting determination that makes an erroneous mounting determination of the cartridge based on whether or not the detection result by the sensor matches the specified detection result And, equipped with a.
Based on the detection result of the detection means, it is possible to determine whether the cartridge is new or old, and to determine whether the cartridge is erroneously installed based on the detection result when the member to be detected is at the initial position or the final position. As described above, since the cartridge mis-installation determination is also performed using the configuration for detecting a new cartridge, the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where a new configuration dedicated to the mis-installation determination is newly provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the cartridge mounting portions are provided side by side, and the type of cartridge to be mounted on each is determined, and between adjacent cartridge mounting portions. , The prescribed detection results corresponding to each are different.
There is a high possibility that mounting errors will occur between adjacent cartridge mounting portions. Therefore, as in the present invention, between adjacent cartridges, the corresponding detection results corresponding to each (the cartridge to be mounted in each cartridge mounting portion is mounted, and the detected member is in the initial position or the final position. It is preferable that the same value as the detection result by the detection means in (1) is a different value. In a configuration in which three or more cartridge mounting portions are provided, it is preferable that the value of the specified detection result is different between all adjacent cartridge mounting portions.

  According to a third aspect, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, three or more cartridge mounting portions are provided, and the prescribed detection results corresponding to each of the adjacent cartridge mounting portions are different.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the second or third aspect, at least one cartridge mounting portion among the cartridge mounting portions having the same prescribed detection result is mounted to another cartridge mounting portion. A prohibition unit for prohibiting the mounting of the cartridge to be installed.
According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress erroneous cartridge mounting between cartridge mounting portions having the same prescribed detection result.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the invention, the erroneous mounting determination unit is configured to detect the cartridge in the cartridge at both the initial position and the final position. It is configured to perform erroneous mounting determination, and a predetermined detection result used for erroneous mounting determination at the initial position and a predetermined detection result used for erroneous mounting determination at the final position are the same.
According to the present invention, erroneous cartridge mounting can be determined based on the same prescribed detection result whether the cartridge is new or old.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the detection result by the detection unit and the specified detection result are binary data on and off.
Since both the detection result by the detection means and the specified detection result are binarized data on / off, the member to be detected and the detection means can be configured simply. Also, false detection is unlikely to occur.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus of the sixth aspect of the invention, an even number of the cartridge mounting portions are provided, and the even number of cartridge mounting portions are equally divided into two groups. The corresponding specified detection result is data indicating ON, and the specified detection result corresponding to the cartridge mounting portion of the other group is data indicating OFF.
According to the present invention, erroneous mounting on each cartridge mounting portion can be determined with equal probability based on the binarized data.

  The cartridge according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is a plurality of cartridges that are detachably mounted on each cartridge mounting portion in the image forming apparatus main body having a detecting means, and each cartridge moves from an initial position to an end position. A detection member that outputs a detection result corresponding to the position to the detection means, wherein the one cartridge and the other cartridge are such that the detection member is at least one of the initial position and the final position. In this state, the detection results output by the detection means are different.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to detect an erroneous mounting of a cartridge while suppressing cost.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
(Entire printer configuration)
FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a printer 1 (an example of an image forming apparatus) according to the present embodiment. In the following description, the right side in FIG. The printer 1 is a color printer that forms a color image with colorants of four colors (black BK, yellow Y, magenta M, and cyan C). It is assumed that BK (black), Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) indicating each color are added to the end of the reference numerals of the component parts.

  The printer 1 includes a main body casing 3 (an example of an image forming apparatus main body), and a supply tray 7 on which sheets 5 serving as recording media are stacked is provided at the bottom of the main body casing 3. A paper feed roller 9 is provided above the front end of the supply tray 7, and the uppermost sheet 5 stacked in the supply tray 7 is sent out to the registration roller 11 as the paper feed roller 9 rotates. The registration roller 11 corrects the skew of the sheet 5 and then conveys the sheet 5 onto the belt unit 15 of the image forming unit 13.

The image forming unit 13 includes a belt unit 15, a scanner unit 17, a process unit 19, a fixing unit 21, and the like.
The belt unit 15 has a configuration in which a belt 25 made of polycarbonate or the like is stretched between a pair of front and rear belt support rollers 23 and 23. Then, the belt support roller 23 on the rear side is rotationally driven, whereby the belt 25 circulates counterclockwise on the paper surface, and the paper 5 on the upper surface of the belt 25 is conveyed backward. Further, on the inner side of the belt 25, transfer rollers 29 are provided at positions facing each photosensitive drum 27 of the process unit 19 to be described later across the belt 25, respectively.

The scanner unit 17 irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum 27 corresponding to each color with laser light L emitted from a laser light emitting unit (not shown).
The process unit 19 includes a frame 31 and a plurality of developing cartridges 33 (an example of 33BK, 33Y, 33M, and 33C cartridges) corresponding to the four colors mounted on the frame 31. Specifically, the frame 31 has four cartridge mounting portions 35 (35BK, 35Y, 35M, and 35C) arranged in the front-rear direction. Each cartridge mounting portion 35 is formed with a recess opening upward, and each developing cartridge 33 can be mounted in this recess. Further, a photosensitive drum 27 whose surface is covered with a positively chargeable photosensitive layer and a scorotron charger 37 are provided at the bottom of each cartridge mounting portion 35.
The frame 31 can be pulled forward by opening the front cover 3A provided on the front surface of the main body casing 3, and the developing cartridge 33 is exchanged while the frame 31 is pulled out.

  Each developing cartridge 33 is provided with a toner storage chamber 39 for storing toner of each color as a developer (coloring agent) on the inner upper side of a box-shaped casing, and a supply roller 41, a developing roller 43, and a layer thickness are provided on the lower side thereof. A regulation blade 45, an agitator 47, and the like are provided. The toner released from the toner storage chamber 39 by the agitator 47 is supplied to the developing roller 43 by the rotation of the supply roller 41, and is positively frictionally charged between the supply roller 41 and the developing roller 43. Further, the toner supplied onto the developing roller 43 enters between the layer thickness regulating blade 45 and the developing roller 43 as the developing roller 43 rotates, and is further sufficiently frictionally charged to have a constant thickness. It is carried on the developing roller 43 as a thin layer.

  At the time of image formation, the photosensitive drum 27 is rotationally driven, and accordingly, the surface of the photosensitive drum 27 is uniformly positively charged by the charger 37. The positively charged portion is exposed by high-speed scanning of the laser beam L from the scanner unit 17, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image to be formed on the paper 5 is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 27.

  Next, the electrostatic latent toner formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 27 when the positively charged toner carried on the developing roller 43 comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 27 by the rotation of the developing roller 43. Supplied to the image. As a result, the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 27 is visualized, and the surface of the photosensitive drum 27 carries a toner image with toner attached only to the exposed portion.

  Thereafter, the toner image carried on the surface of each photosensitive drum 27 is transferred to the transfer roller 29 while the sheet 5 conveyed by the belt 25 passes through each transfer position between the photosensitive drum 27 and the transfer roller 29. The images are sequentially transferred onto the paper 5 by the applied negative transfer voltage. The sheet 5 having the toner image transferred thereon is then conveyed to the fixing unit 21.

  The fixing unit 21 includes a heating roller 49 having a heat source and a pressure roller 51 that presses the paper 5 toward the heating roller 49, and heat-fixes the toner image transferred onto the paper 5 on the paper surface. The sheet 5 thermally fixed by the fixing unit 21 is conveyed upward and discharged onto a discharge tray 53 provided on the upper surface of the main body casing 3.

(Electrical configuration of printer)
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the electrical configuration of the printer 1. As shown in the figure, the printer 1 includes a CPU 61, a ROM 63, a RAM 65 and an NVRAM 67 (nonvolatile memory) as an example of a storage unit, and a network interface 69, and the image forming unit 13, the optical sensor 71, and the like described above. A display unit 73, an operation unit 75, and the like are connected.

  The ROM 63 stores a program for executing various operations of the printer 1 such as a positional deviation correction process described later. The CPU 61 stores the processing result in the RAM 65 or the NVRAM 67 according to the program read from the ROM 63. Each part is controlled. The network interface 69 is connected to an external computer 79 or the like via a communication line 77, thereby enabling mutual data communication.

  The display unit 73 includes a liquid crystal display, a lamp, and the like, and can display various setting screens and operation states of the apparatus. The operation unit 75 includes a plurality of buttons, and various input operations can be performed by the user.

(New and old judgments and configuration related to them)
The printer 1 has a function of determining whether each developing cartridge 33 is new or old. The new / old determination is used, for example, to determine the remaining amount of toner in each developing cartridge 33. Specifically, for example, the number of printed sheets from the time when the developing cartridge 33 of a new article (for example, a developing cartridge 33 that has been installed in the cartridge mounting unit 35 for the first time after purchase and has not yet used toner) is mounted is counted. The current toner remaining amount of each developing cartridge 33 may be obtained from the count value. In this case, it is determined whether the developing cartridge 33 attached to the cartridge attaching portion 35 is a new product (first new product, second new product) or an old product (a developing cartridge that has been installed in the printer 1 and has already used toner). There is a need to.

  For this purpose, the printer 1 includes a driving means provided on the main casing 3 side, a detection member provided in each developing cartridge 33, and irreversibly moved from the initial position to the final position by the driving means, Detecting means for outputting different detection results depending on the position of the detection member.

Hereinafter, specific description will be given with reference to the simplified diagrams showing the structures for new / old judgment shown in FIGS.
Each developing cartridge 33 is provided with an input gear 81 (an example of a member to be detected 81BK, 81Y, 81M, 81C) that can be rotated only in one direction (clockwise in FIG. 3 in this embodiment) on the side surface. Yes. Each input gear 81 is a missing tooth gear having a tooth missing portion (missing tooth portion 82), and a rib 83 (83BK, 83Y, 83M, 83C) having an arc shape along the rotation direction on its side surface. ) Is formed upright.

  On the other hand, on the main body casing 3 side, four detection means corresponding to the developing cartridges 33 are provided. This detection means uses a specific portion in the rotation path of the rib 83 when the input gear 81 rotates as a detection region, and in accordance with whether the rib 83 exists in this detection region, in other words, according to the rotation position of the input gear 81. On / off signals SBK, SY, SM, and SC are output.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the detection means is configured to include an optical sensor 71, and the optical sensor 71 includes a light emitting unit 72 and a light receiving unit 74, and the light emitting unit 72. And the light receiving portion 74 are fixedly arranged so that the rotation path of the rib 83 when the input gear 81 rotates is set as a detection region. FIG. 5 is a circuit configuration diagram of four optical sensors 71 (photosensors). If the rib 83 is present in the detection area, the light receiving portion 74 is in a light-shielding state and outputs high level off signals SBK, SY, SM, SC, while if the rib 83 is not present in the detection region, the light receiving portion 74 is The light enters, and low level ON signals SBK, SY, SM, and SC are output.

  Further, four driving gears 85 (an example of driving means) corresponding to each developing cartridge 33 are provided on the main body casing 3 side, and these driving gears 85 are provided from a driving motor (not shown) provided on the main body casing 3 side. It rotates counterclockwise by the driving force.

  When the developing cartridge 33 is a first new cartridge, the input gear 81 is in a first initial position (an example of an initial position) that meshes with the drive gear 85 as shown in FIG. In the case of a product, as shown in FIG. 4, the chipped portion 82 of the input gear 81 faces the drive gear 85, and the input gear 81 is in the final position where it does not mesh with the drive gear 85. That is, when the developing cartridge 33 is a first new cartridge, the input gear 81 rotates from the first initial position to the final position by rotating approximately half a circle.

  In the present embodiment, a plurality of ribs 83 are provided for each input gear 81 of each developing cartridge 33, and the plurality of ribs 83 are provided side by side along the circumferential direction of the rotation shaft of the input gear 81. . More specifically, a pair of ribs 83 is provided for each input gear 81 of each developing cartridge 33, and both ribs 83 have a circular arc shape symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis of the input gear 81. Here, the state of the developing cartridge 33 includes a second new product in addition to the first new product and the old product described above. The second new product is different from the first new product in the amount of toner contained in the developing cartridge 33 from the beginning of shipment. In the present embodiment, the first new article is a large capacity type, and the second new article is a small capacity type. In the present embodiment, as described later, the first new product, the old product, and the second new product are determined based on the number of appearance pulses in the waveform of the on / off signal of the optical sensor 71. For this reason, when the developing cartridge 33 is a second new cartridge, as shown in FIG. 6, the input gear 81 rotates to the second initial position (an example of the initial position) that reaches the final position by rotating substantially once. is there.

  In the present embodiment, the rib 83 of each input gear 81 is turned on / off signal of the optical sensor 71 during the movement from the first initial position or the second initial position to the final position in order to determine the wrong cartridge mounting described below. The shapes are different so that the waveforms (detection results by the detection means) are different from each other. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the developing cartridges 33 have the ribs 83 having different rotational lengths. In this embodiment, the rib 83BK of the black developing cartridge 33BK is the longest. Hereinafter, the rib 83M of the magenta developing cartridge 33M, the rib 83C of the cyan developing cartridge 33C, and the rib 83Y of the yellow developing cartridge 33Y are sequentially long. Is getting longer. As described above, the developing cartridges 33 have the same configuration except for the shape of the rib 83, particularly the outer shape of the casing and the like.

(Cartridge misloading determination and configuration related thereto)
The printer 1 has an erroneous mounting determination function for each developing cartridge 33. Each cartridge mounting portion 35 of the frame 31 must be mounted with a regular developing cartridge 33 (see FIG. 1 and the like) of a predetermined color. This is because the CPU 61 causes the image forming unit 13 to perform image formation on the assumption that the regular developing cartridge 33 is mounted on each cartridge mounting unit 35. For example, if the yellow developing cartridge 33Y is mistakenly attached to the black cartridge attaching portion 35BK and the black developing cartridge 33BK is erroneously attached to the yellow cartridge attaching portion 35Y, for example, black and yellow There arises a problem that an inverted error image is formed.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, in order to determine this wrong cartridge mounting, an erroneous cartridge mounting is determined using an on / off signal from the optical sensor 71 used to determine whether the developing cartridge 33 is new or old. More specifically, at each rotational position of the input gear 81, the detection value from the optical sensor 71 (an example of the detection result by the high-level / low-level binary data detection means) The cartridge misloading is determined based on whether or not the “value”) matches a specified detection value (an example of a high-level / low-level binarized data specified detection result).

  Next, the specified detection value will be described. FIG. 7 shows the on / off signal waveform from the optical sensor 71 when the input gear 81 is rotated from the initial position to the final position when the regular developing cartridge 33 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 35 of each color. It is shown.

  First, as shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 4, FIG. 6, when the input gear 81 is in any one of the first initial position, the second initial position, and the final position, it is for black and magenta. The optical sensors 71BK and 71M are shielded by the rib 83, and the on / off signals SBK and SM both show a high level, while the yellow and cyan optical sensors 71Y and 71C are in the light incident state, and the on / off signals SY, Both SCs indicate a low level. That is, between the cartridge mounting portions 35 adjacent to each other (specifically, between the black cartridge mounting portion 35BK and the yellow cartridge mounting portion 35Y, between the yellow cartridge mounting portion 35Y and the magenta cartridge mounting portion 35M, Between the magenta cartridge mounting portion 35M and the cyan cartridge mounting portion 35C), the corresponding on / off signal levels, that is, the prescribed detection values are different. Then, prescribed detection values at the first initial position, the second initial position, and the final position are stored in the RAM 65 or the NVRAM 67 in association with the cartridge mounting portion 35 for each color (see FIG. 8).

  Further, as described above, the developing cartridges 33 have the ribs 83 having different rotational lengths. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the on / off signal waveform in the process of rotating the input gear 81 from the second initial position to the final position is between the optical sensors 71BK and 71Y for black and yellow, and magenta. The on / off inversion pattern is reversed between the optical sensors 71M and 71C for cyan and cyan. Then, the pulse level (high / low level) and pulse width X, Y (hereinafter, “ (Referred to as “regulated pulse information”) is stored in the RAM 65 or the NVRAM 67 in association with the cartridge mounting portions 35 of the respective colors (see FIG. 8).

(New / old / misplacement judgment processing)
For example, when the front cover 3A is opened and closed again, the CPU 61 executes a new / old / wrong attachment determination process shown in FIGS. At this time, the CPU 61 functions as a new / old determination unit and an erroneous mounting determination unit.

(1) When the developing cartridge is a first new cartridge When the developing cartridge 33 is a first new cartridge, the input gear 81 is in the first initial position (see FIG. 3). The CPU 61 first tries “determination of wrong cartridge installation before new / old determination” at this point. Specifically, in S1, the optical sensor 71 is caused to perform a light projecting / receiving operation to acquire a detection value from the optical sensor 71, and a predetermined detection value is read from the RAM 65 or the like.

  Next, in S3, it is determined for each cartridge mounting portion 35 of each color whether the detection value from the optical sensor 71 matches the specified detection value. For example, if the black developing cartridge 33BK or the magenta developing cartridge 33M is mounted on the black cartridge mounting portion 35BK, the detection value from the optical sensor 71 matches the specified detection value at a high level. It is determined that no erroneous mounting has occurred due to the mounting of the yellow developing cartridge 33Y or the cyan developing cartridge 33C in the cartridge mounting portion 35BK. On the other hand, if the yellow developing cartridge 33Y or the cyan developing cartridge 33C is mounted on the black cartridge mounting portion 35BK, the detection value from the optical sensor 71 matches the specified detection value at the high level and the low level. Therefore, it is determined that the erroneous mounting due to the mounting of the yellow developing cartridge 33Y or the cyan developing cartridge 33C on the black cartridge mounting portion 35BK has occurred.

  If at least one cartridge mounting unit 35 determines that the detection value from the optical sensor 71 does not match the specified detection value (S3: NO), an error notification operation is performed in S5. For example, a message or the like for instructing the cartridge mounting unit 35 of the color that is determined to be erroneously mounted is displayed on the display unit 73, or is output by a sound device (not shown). Then, this process ends.

  On the other hand, when the CPU 61 determines that the detection value from the optical sensor 71 matches the specified detection value for all cartridge mounting portions 35 (S3: YES), next, “development” Attempts to determine whether the cartridge 33 is new or old or the type. Specifically, in S7, the drive motor is actuated to rotate the drive gear 85, the change in the detected value from the optical sensor 71 during the rotation is monitored, and a pulse whose level is inverted from that before the start of rotation appears. Is detected (S9). Whether the developing cartridge 33 is a new product or an old product is determined based on the presence or absence of the detected pulse.

  Here, since the developing cartridge 33 currently mounted in each cartridge mounting portion 35 is the first new article, the input gear 81 is engaged with the drive gear 85, and the input gear 81 is also rotated by the rotation of the drive gear 85. To do. Accordingly, the input gear 81 rotates from the first initial position (see FIG. 3) to the final position (see FIG. 4), and one pulse appears during this time (see FIG. 7).

  Therefore, the CPU 61 detects the appearance pulse (S9: YES), and then performs this “determination of cartridge mismounting based on the pulse”. Here, in the cartridge erroneous mounting determination before the new / old determination described above, for example, even when the magenta developing cartridge 33M is mounted in the black cartridge mounting portion 35, it is determined that no erroneous mounting has occurred. On the other hand, in the erroneous cartridge mounting determination based on this pulse, it is possible to determine in detail whether each cartridge mounting portion 35 has a corresponding regular developing cartridge 33 mounted.

  Specifically, the prescribed pulse information corresponding to each cartridge mounting unit 35 is read from the RAM 65 or the like in S11, and in S13, whether or not the prescribed pulse information matches the pulse level and pulse width of the appearing pulse. Determination is made for each color cartridge mounting portion 35. For example, if the black developing cartridge 33 is mounted on the black cartridge mounting portion 35, the pulse appearing in the detection value change from the black optical sensor 71 has its pulse level (low level) and pulse width ( X) matches the prescribed pulse information. On the other hand, when the magenta developing cartridge 33 is mounted on the black cartridge mounting portion 35, the pulse appearing in the detection value change from the black optical sensor 71 is pulse information whose pulse level and pulse width are defined. Will not match. Accordingly, it is possible to determine in detail whether or not each cartridge mounting portion 35 has a corresponding regular developing cartridge 33 mounted thereon.

  If it is determined that at least one cartridge mounting unit 35 does not have a regular developing cartridge 33 mounted (S13: NO), an error notification operation (similar to S5 above) is performed in S15, and this processing is performed. Exit.

  On the other hand, when the CPU 61 determines that the regular developing cartridge 33 is mounted in all the cartridge mounting portions 35 (S13: YES), the CPU 61, based on the number of appearance pulses detected in S9. It is determined whether the developing cartridge 33 is a first new product or a second new product.

  Specifically, in S17, it is determined whether or not there is one appearance pulse detected in S9. Since the developing cartridge 33 is the first new cartridge, one appearance pulse is detected (S17: YES). In S19, the currently installed developing cartridge 33 is determined to be the first new cartridge. The printed sheet count value for grasping the remaining amount of toner is initialized to zero, this process is terminated, and printing preparation is completed.

(2) When the developing cartridge is an old product When the developing cartridge 33 is an old product, the input gear 81 is at the end position from the beginning (see FIG. 4). First, as described above, the CPU 61 tries to determine whether the cartridge is erroneously installed before the new / old determination, and when the detection value from the optical sensor 71 matches the predetermined detection value for all cartridge mounting portions 35 (S3: YES), it is determined that no erroneous mounting has occurred, and then an attempt is made to determine whether the developing cartridge 33 is new or old. Here, even if the drive motor is operated and the drive gear 85 is rotated in S7, the input gear 81 does not rotate because the missing tooth portion 82 of the input gear 81 faces the drive gear 85. For this reason, even if the change in the detection value from the optical sensor 71 is monitored during this period, the appearance pulse cannot be detected (S9: NO), and the currently installed developing cartridge 33 is determined to be an old product. This processing is finished, and the preparation for printing is completed.

(3) When the developing cartridge 33 is a second new cartridge When the developing cartridge 33 is a second new cartridge, the input gear 81 is initially in the first initial position (see FIG. 3), and the input gear 81 is driven by the drive motor of S7. Two appearance pulses can be detected in the rotation process (S9: YES and S17: NO). Therefore, the CPU 61 can determine that the currently installed developing cartridge 33 is the second new product (S21), and ends this processing, thereby completing the printing preparation.

  In the above description, in order to simplify the description, the case where all the developing cartridges 33 are in the same state (first new product, old product, or second new product) has been described as an example. For example, the state may be different for each of the developing cartridges 33, for example, when some of the four developing cartridges 33 are the first new, other are the old, and the remaining part is the second new. In this case, the above processing is executed individually according to the status of each developing cartridge 33.

(Effect of this embodiment)
(1) According to the present embodiment, it is possible to determine whether the developing cartridge 33 is new or old based on the detection value from the optical sensor 71, and when the input gear 81 (rib 83) is in the initial position or the final position. Based on the detected value from the optical sensor 71, it is possible to determine whether the developing cartridge 33 is erroneously mounted. As described above, since the mis-installation determination of the developing cartridge 33 is also performed using the configuration for detecting the new product of the developing cartridge 33, the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where a configuration dedicated to the erroneous mounting determination is newly provided.

  (2) Further, since the detection value from the optical sensor 71 and the specified detection value are both on / off binarized data, the member to be detected and the detection means can be configured simply. In addition, erroneous detection due to subtle signal level difference determination is unlikely to occur.

(3) When the binarized data is used as described above, the pattern that can determine cartridge mismounting is restricted. Here, there is a higher possibility that a mounting error will occur between the adjacent cartridge mounting portions 35 than between the cartridge mounting portions 35 that are distant from each other. Focusing on this, in the present embodiment, the prescribed detection values are different between the cartridge mounting portions 35 adjacent to each other. In this way, it is possible to determine cartridge misloading efficiently under the restriction of using binarized data by determining cartridge misloading that is particularly likely to occur.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the four cartridge mounting portions 35 are equally divided into two groups, and the prescribed detection value corresponding to the cartridge mounting portion 35 of one group (for example, black, magenta) is at a high level, while the other The specified detection value corresponding to the cartridge mounting portion 35 of the group (for example, yellow, cyan) is low level. Therefore, it is possible to determine the erroneous mounting with respect to each cartridge mounting portion 35 with equal probability based on the binarized data.

(4) Since the cartridge erroneous mounting determination is performed at both the initial position and the final position, it is possible to determine whether the cartridge is erroneously mounted regardless of whether the developing cartridge 33 is new or old. Further, since the wrong cartridge mounting determination is performed at the initial position, it is possible to determine the wrong cartridge mounting before new / old determination, that is, before the input gear 81 is rotated, for the new developing cartridge 33.
In addition, since the specified detection value used for erroneous mounting determination at the initial position and the specified detection value used for erroneous mounting determination at the final position are the same (see FIG. 8), even if the developing cartridge 33 is new. Similarly, it is possible to determine whether the cartridge is erroneously installed based on the same prescribed detection result even in the old product.

  (5) Further, the outer shapes of the developing cartridges 33 are substantially the same as the ribs 83 have different rotational lengths. Accordingly, it is possible to share parts among the developing cartridges 33 for each color. Note that if the cartridge is not erroneously mounted based on the above-described pulse, the rib 83 can be shared by all the developing cartridges 33, and the rotational positions of the input gears 81 need only be different.

<Other embodiments>
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
(1) Unlike the above-described embodiment, the wrong mounting of the cartridge may occur even in a monochrome (monochrome) image forming apparatus including one cartridge. For example, there may be a cartridge for another model that can be physically mounted on a cartridge mounting unit 35 of an image forming apparatus of a certain model, but should not be mounted on the cartridge. Even in this case, it is necessary to detect erroneous cartridge mounting. Therefore, by applying the present invention to a monochrome image forming apparatus, it is possible to obtain an effect of detecting erroneous cartridge mounting while reducing costs.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the “detected member” is the input gear 81 having the rib 83, and the detection value in the optical sensor for each color varies depending on the presence or absence of the rib 83. However, the configuration is not necessarily limited to the rib, and for example, a slit may be provided in the input gear 81 so that the detection value in the optical sensor for each color varies depending on the presence or absence of the slit.

  (3) The “detecting means” is a transmissive optical sensor in the above embodiment, but may be a reflective optical sensor when the rib 83 is a light reflecting member, for example. Further, the sensor is not limited to the optical type, but may be a sensor of another type such as a magnetic type or a contact type.

  (4) In the above embodiment, by changing the shape (specifically, the length in the rotational direction) of the rib 83 provided in the input gear 81 of each developing cartridge 33, the first initial position or the second initial position is changed to the final stage. The on / off signal waveform of the optical sensor 71 in the process of moving to the position is configured to be different for each developing cartridge 33. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the number of ribs or the appearance timing of pulses is changed may be used. Further, the input gear of each developing cartridge has the same shape having a plurality of ribs or slits, and the initial position of the input gear differs for each developing cartridge, so that the optical sensor 71 in the process of moving from the initial position to the final position is provided. The ON / OFF signal waveform (number of appearing pulses) may be different. With this configuration, it is possible to share all the parts among all color developing cartridges.

  (5) Further, the detection value (on / off signal waveform) in the optical sensor 71 in the movement process from the first initial position or the second initial position to the final position is made the same in some or all of the four developing cartridges 33. Good. Even in this case, at least erroneous mounting between adjacent cartridge mounting portions 35 can be suppressed. In this case, of the cartridge mounting portions 35 having the same prescribed detection result, at least one cartridge mounting portion 35 is a prohibition portion that prohibits mounting of a cartridge to be mounted on another cartridge mounting portion 35. It is good also as a structure provided with. According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress erroneous cartridge mounting between cartridge mounting portions having the same prescribed detection result. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, a concavo-convex shape 91 (an example of a forbidden portion) that is fitted to each color developing cartridge 33 and the corresponding cartridge mounting portion 35 is provided. The positions of the concavo-convex shapes 91 in the left-right direction differ between the black developing cartridge 33BK and the cartridge mounting portion 35BK and the magenta developing cartridge 33M and the cartridge mounting portion 35M. The mounting portion 35Y is different from the cyan developing cartridge 33C and the cartridge mounting portion 35C, and the black developing cartridge 33BK and the cartridge mounting portion 35BK are the same as the yellow developing cartridge 33Y and the cartridge mounting portion 35Y. The same applies to the magenta developing cartridge 33M and the cartridge mounting portion 35M and the cyan developing cartridge 33C and the cartridge mounting portion 35C. With this configuration, it is possible to determine in detail whether or not a regular developer cartridge is mounted on the four-color cartridge mounting portion using two types of cartridges that differ in outer shape with respect to the position of the concavo-convex shape 91. There are only two types of molds.

  (6) In the above embodiment, the specified detection value used for erroneous mounting determination at the initial position and the specified detection value used for erroneous mounting determination at the final position are set to the same value. The configuration may be such that different specified detection values are different for each rotational position. However, with the configuration as in the above embodiment, there is an advantage that erroneous mounting of a cartridge can be determined efficiently based on the same specified detection result whether the developing cartridge 33 is new or old.

  (7) As the “image forming apparatus”, the laser printer 1 is shown in the above embodiment, but other electrophotographic printers (for example, LED printers) may be used. Also good. Further, even if it is not a direct transfer system, it can be applied to an intermediate transfer system printer, for example. Further, a printer having two, three, five or more colorants may be used.

  (8) In the above-described embodiment, the detection results corresponding to the respective cartridge mounting portions 35 adjacent to each other are different from each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration may be adopted in which the prescribed detection results are different from each other between adjacent cartridge mounting portions 35.

  (9) In the above embodiment, the detection result of the detection means and the specified detection result at the initial position and the final position are binary data at a high / low level. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an optical sensor for each color The rib shape may be changed so that the received light amount is different, and the cartridge mismounting determination may be performed based on the received light amounts of three or more levels.

1 is a side sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention. Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the printer Simplified diagram showing structure for new / old judgment (when first new developer cartridge) Simplified diagram showing structure for judgment of old and new (when using old developer cartridge) Electrical configuration diagram of the optical sensor 71 Simplified diagram showing the structure for new / old judgment (when the second new developer cartridge) Explanatory drawing which shows the correspondence of each rotation position of the input gear 81, and the ON / OFF signal waveform from each optical sensor 71 Explanatory diagram showing the recorded contents of the storage means Flow chart showing new / old / wrong attachment determination processing Schematic diagram showing the shape of the modified frame and developing cartridge

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Printer (image forming apparatus)
3. Main body casing (image forming apparatus main body)
33. Developing cartridge (cartridge)
35 ... cartridge mounting part 81 ... input gear (detected member)
85 ... Drive gear (drive means)
61 ... CPU (new / old judgment means, wrong mounting judgment means)
91 ... Uneven shape (prohibited part)

Claims (8)

An image forming apparatus main body having a cartridge mounting portion;
A cartridge removable from the cartridge mounting portion;
Drive means provided in the image forming apparatus main body;
A detected member provided in the cartridge and irreversibly moved from an initial position to an end position by the driving means;
Detection means for outputting different detection results depending on the position of the detected member;
New / old judgment means for judging whether the cartridge is new or old based on a detection result by the detection means;
Judgment of erroneous mounting of the cartridge based on whether or not the detection result by the detection means in a state where the detected member is at least one of the initial position and the final position matches a specified detection result. Erroneous attachment determination means for performing
An image forming apparatus comprising: The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
A plurality of the cartridge mounting portions are provided side by side, and the type of cartridge to be mounted on each is determined,
The prescribed detection results corresponding to the cartridge mounting portions adjacent to each other are different. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2.
Three or more cartridge mounting portions are provided,
The prescribed detection results corresponding to the cartridge mounting portions adjacent to each other are different. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2 or 3,
Of the cartridge mounting parts having the same prescribed detection result, at least one cartridge mounting part includes a prohibiting unit that prohibits mounting of a cartridge to be mounted on another cartridge mounting part. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
The erroneous mounting determination means is configured to perform erroneous mounting determination of the cartridge at both the initial position and the final position of the detected member.
The specified detection result used for erroneous mounting determination at the initial position is the same as the specified detection result used for erroneous mounting determination at the final position. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The detection result by the detection means and the specified detection result are binarized data of on / off. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6.
The even number of cartridge mounting portions are provided, and these even number of cartridge mounting portions are equally divided into two groups,
The specified detection result corresponding to the cartridge mounting portion of one group is data indicating ON, and the specified detection result corresponding to the cartridge mounting portion of the other group is data indicating OFF. A plurality of cartridges detachably mounted on each cartridge mounting portion in the image forming apparatus main body having a detection means,
Each cartridge has a detected member that moves from an initial position to an end position and outputs a detection result corresponding to the position to the detection means,
The one cartridge and the other cartridge are different in detection results to be output to the detection means in a state where the detected member is at least one of the initial position and the final position.

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