JP2022117328A - Image forming apparatus, circuit board, cartridge, and method for processing circuit board - Google Patents

Abstract

To achieve an image forming apparatus that can facilitate reuse of a circuit board of a cartridge.SOLUTION: A circuit board (33) has a memory circuit (34) that stores identification information and life information, and pieces of wiring (CZ1-CZ3) that each have a cuttable part between one end and the other end. One end of each of the pieces of wiring (CZ1-CZ3) outputs, to the memory circuit (34), a signal representing first information, the signal becoming a first electric potential when the cuttable part is not cut and becoming a second electric potential different from the first electric potential when the cuttable part is cut. When the identification information does not match the first information, a controller initializes the life information and updates the identification information to information matching the first information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, a circuit board, a cartridge, and a method of processing a circuit board.

2. Description of the Related Art In image forming apparatuses, cartridges for consumables such as toner and ink are provided with circuit boards. Such a circuit board has, for example, a memory that stores life information regarding the number of prints made by the cartridge under control from the main body side. The main body of the image forming apparatus can manage the consumption state of the cartridge by managing such life information.

JP-A-2000-137416

For example, in order to reuse the circuit board, it is necessary to initialize the life information stored in the memory. However, for example, it is difficult for an operator who does not have detailed knowledge to directly manipulate the memory to initialize it.

The present disclosure is made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to realize an image forming apparatus in which the circuit board of the cartridge can be easily reused.

In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a main body having a control unit and a power supply for outputting electric power, a cartridge mounted on the main body, comprising: a circuit board; a memory electrically connected to the control unit in a state in which the cartridge is attached to the main body, the memory comprising identification information capable of identifying the cartridge; life information relating to the life of the cartridge; and a cartridge provided with a circuit board having wiring, the wiring having a cuttable portion between one end and the other end, wherein the one end of the wiring is When the cartridge is attached to the main body, the electric power output from the power supply is set to the first potential when the cuttable portion is not cut, and the cuttable portion is cut when the cuttable portion is cut. outputting a signal representing first information having a second potential different from the first potential to the memory; and initializing the life information stored in the memory, and updating the identification information to match the first information.

According to the above configuration, an operator such as a dealer who refills the cartridge can change the first information of the circuit board by cutting the predetermined wiring of the circuit board. Then, the identification information stored in the memory of the circuit board does not match the first information. In this case, the control unit of the image forming apparatus main body initializes the life information stored in the memory and updates the identification information stored in the memory to match the first information. When the identification information matches the first information, the control section of the image forming apparatus main body can continue to update the life information as usual according to the usage history of the cartridge so that the remaining life of the cartridge becomes shorter. can.

In this way, the service life information stored in the memory can be initialized without directly manipulating the inside of the memory of the circuit board by a dealer who refills the cartridge, and the circuit board can be reused. Therefore, an image forming apparatus is realized in which the circuit board of the cartridge can be easily reused.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein the memory responds to the instruction when receiving from the control unit an instruction to which the same address information as the first information is attached. The control unit may determine that the specific address information is the first information when a response from the memory to the instruction with specific address information is obtained.

According to the above configuration, the control section of the image forming apparatus main body can acquire the first information of the circuit board.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein the memory, upon receiving a command to acquire the first information from the control unit, instructs the control unit to You may respond with the first information.

According to the above configuration, the control section of the image forming apparatus main body can acquire the first information of the circuit board.

A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first aspect to the third aspect, wherein the life information includes the cumulative number of pages formed by the image forming apparatus, the cumulative number of pages formed by the image forming apparatus, and At least one of the number of dots and the cumulative number of revolutions of a developing roller included in the image forming apparatus may be included.

According to the above configuration, the life information can more appropriately represent the consumption state of the cartridge. A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the history information is initialized. may include processing for resetting at least one of the cumulative number of image forming pages, the cumulative number of formed dots, and the cumulative number of rotations to an initial value or a factory shipment value.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to initialize the life information that can appropriately represent the consumption state of the cartridge.

A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the image forming apparatus according to the fourth aspect, wherein the initialization of the history information includes at least A process of resetting one to 0 may be included.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to reset to 0 the life information that can appropriately represent the consumption state of the cartridge.

A circuit board according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is a circuit board provided in a cartridge mounted on a main body of an image forming apparatus, and in a state in which the cartridge is mounted on the main body, a controller of the image forming apparatus and A memory that is electrically connected and that stores identification information that can identify the cartridge and life information about the life of the cartridge; and wiring that is cut between one end and the other end. a wiring having a cuttable portion, wherein the one end of the wiring is cut at the cuttable portion by electric power supplied from the main body to the circuit board in a state in which the cartridge is attached to the main body. A signal representing first information is output to the memory, having a first potential when the cuttable portion is not cut and a second potential different from the first potential when the cuttable portion is cut.

According to the above configuration, an operator such as a company that reuses the circuit board can change the first information of the circuit board by cutting the cuttable wiring of the circuit board. As a result, the main body of the image forming apparatus is configured to initialize the life information stored in the memory of the circuit board when it detects that the first information of the circuit board has been changed. Therefore, it is possible to realize an image forming apparatus that can easily reuse the image.

An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the circuit board according to the seventh aspect, wherein the cuttable portion of the wiring may consist of a conductor formed on the surface of the circuit board.

According to the above configuration, an operator such as a company that reuses circuit boards can easily cut the wiring with a cutter or the like.

A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the circuit board according to the seventh aspect or the eighth aspect, wherein the cuttable portion of the wiring is made of a conductor formed in a through hole provided in the circuit board. may

According to the above configuration, a trader or the like who reuses the circuit board can easily cut the wiring by destroying the through hole with a drill or the like.

A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is the circuit board according to any one of the seventh to ninth aspects, comprising a pair of first and second electrodes for receiving the power from the main body, The one end of the wiring may be electrically connected to the first electrode via a resistor, and the other end of the wiring may be electrically connected to the second electrode.

According to the above configuration, a circuit that generates the first information can be realized.

A cartridge of the eleventh aspect of the present disclosure comprises the circuit board of any one of the seventh to tenth aspects.

According to the above configuration, an operator such as a company that reuses the circuit board can change the first information of the circuit board by cutting the cuttable wiring of the circuit board. As a result, when the main body of the image forming apparatus detects that the first information of the circuit board has been changed, the life information stored in the memory of the circuit board is initialized. An image forming apparatus that can be easily reused can be realized.

A method for processing a circuit board according to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for processing a circuit board provided in a cartridge mounted on a main body of an image forming apparatus, wherein the cartridge is mounted on the main body, and the image is a memory electrically connected to a control unit of a forming apparatus, the memory storing identification information for identifying the cartridge and life information about the life of the cartridge; When the cartridge is attached to the main body, the electric power supplied from the main body to the circuit board brings the cuttable portion to the first potential when the cuttable portion is not cut, and the cuttable portion is cut. The cuttable portion of the wiring of the circuit board is cut to output a signal representing first information to the memory, which is at a second potential different from the first potential when the wiring is present.

According to the above configuration, an operator such as a company that reuses the circuit board can change the first information of the circuit board by cutting the cuttable wiring of the circuit board. As a result, when the main body of the image forming apparatus detects that the first information of the circuit board has been changed, the life information stored in the memory of the circuit board is initialized. An image forming apparatus that can be easily reused can be realized.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to realize an image forming apparatus in which the circuit board of the cartridge can be easily reused.

1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure; FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a main part of an image forming apparatus; FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a configuration of a main part of an image forming apparatus; FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a configuration example of a surface of a circuit board included in the image forming apparatus; FIG. 4 is a table showing an example of write protect operation in a memory circuit of a circuit board included in the image forming apparatus; 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation of the image forming apparatus; 5 is a table showing an example of a specific relationship between the number of address searches in a memory circuit of a circuit board included in the image forming apparatus and address information attached to an instruction in step S2; 4 is a flowchart for explaining a write operation to a memory circuit of a circuit board included in the image forming apparatus; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main configuration of a circuit board included in an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure; 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 9;

[Embodiment 1]
An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. In this embodiment, as an example, a case where the image forming apparatus is a laser printer will be described. However, the image forming apparatus 1 may be a printer other than a laser printer. For example, the image forming apparatus 1 may be an inkjet printer.

<<Schematic Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus>>
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 also shows a server 40 that communicates with the image forming apparatus 1 . The server 40 is an example of a management device that manages the operating state of the image forming device 1 .

The image forming apparatus 1 is an electrophotographic printer. An example of the image forming apparatus 1 is an LED printer.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a main housing 10, a cover 11, a transfer belt 70, and a controller 80 as an example of a control section. Further, the image forming apparatus 1 is equipped with a drum cartridge 20 and a toner cartridge 30 as an example of a cartridge.

Note that the image forming apparatus 1 is provided with four drum cartridges 20 and four toner cartridges 30 in order to form a full-color image, for example. However, the number of drum cartridges 20 and toner cartridges 30 installed in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present disclosure is not limited. For example, in the case of an image forming apparatus that forms monochrome images, one drum cartridge and one toner cartridge may be provided.

The image forming apparatus 1 includes a light source unit 50 corresponding to each drum cartridge 20 . That is, the image forming apparatus 1 has four light source units 50 . The toner cartridge 30 is integrated with the drum cartridge 20 by being attached to the drum cartridge 20 . That is, the toner cartridge 30 is attached to the main housing 10 together with the drum cartridge 20 while the toner cartridge 30 is attached to the drum cartridge 20 .

The main housing 10 is formed in, for example, a rectangular box shape. The four drum cartridges 20, the four toner cartridges 30, the transfer belt 70, and the controller 80 are accommodated in the main housing 10. As shown in FIG. The body housing 10 has four cartridge holding portions 13 . The cartridge holding portion 13 is formed in a concave shape and has an opening. The drum cartridge 20 and the toner cartridge 30 are attached to the main housing 10 by being held by the cartridge holding portions 13 respectively.

A display unit such as a liquid crystal display or a lamp, and an input unit such as a button may be provided on the outer surface of the main body housing 10 . The liquid crystal display may be configured to function as an input section by being configured integrally with the touch panel.

The cover 11 opens and closes an opening 10A provided at the upper end of the main housing 10. As shown in FIG. The cover 11 rotates about a rotation shaft 11A extending in the first direction between an open position that opens the opening 10A indicated by the solid line in FIG. 1 and a closed position that closes the opening 10A indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. It is movable (movable). The "first direction" indicates the direction in which the rotation center axis (development axis) of the developing roller in the toner cartridge extends. When the cover 11 is arranged at the open position, each opening of the cartridge holding portion 13 is opened. When the cover 11 is arranged at the closed position, each opening of the cartridge holding portion 13 is covered with the cover 11 .

The body housing 10 is provided with a cover sensor 7 at the opening 10A. The cover sensor 7 is a sensor that detects that the cover 11 is in the closed position. The cover sensor 7 may be, for example, a contact sensor or an optical sensor.

The body housing 10 is provided with a power supply V (for example, a DC power supply that outputs DC power) that supplies power to the electrical components provided in the body housing 10 . The power source V also supplies power to the circuit board 33 of the toner cartridge 30 when the toner cartridge 30 is attached to the main housing 10 .

The circuit board 33 can perform two-way communication with the controller 80 when the toner cartridge 30 is attached to the main housing 10 . Further, the circuit board 33 is provided with a memory circuit 34 as an example of a memory. The configuration of the circuit board 33 will be described later in detail.

The drum cartridge 20 has a cartridge housing that can be attached to the body housing 10 . The cartridge housing includes a photosensitive drum 21 as a component used for image formation. The photoreceptor drum 21 is a replacement part that needs to be replaced because deterioration such as wear of the surface occurs with use. Photoreceptor drum 21 is a cylindrical photoreceptor extending in the first direction. The photoreceptor drum 21 is rotatable around a drum shaft extending in the first direction. The outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 21 is covered with a photosensitive material.

The toner cartridge 30 has a cartridge housing capable of accommodating a developing roller 31 and a developer, such as toner, which is an example of a printing material. The cartridge housing can be attached to the body housing 10 . The four toner cartridges 30 contain developers of different colors (eg, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) as materials used for image formation. The developer is a consumable item that disappears with use. The developing roller 31 is a cylindrical member extending in the first direction, and is rotatable around a developing shaft extending in the first direction. When the toner cartridge 30 is attached to the drum cartridge 20 , the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 21 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the developing roller 31 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the drum cartridge 20 and the toner cartridge 30 are attached to the main housing 10 with the cover 11 positioned at the open position. In this state, the drum cartridge 20 and the toner cartridge 30 are inserted into the cartridge holding portion 13 through the opening 10A.

Four light source units 50 are attached to the inner surface of the cover 11 . The light source unit 50 is arranged to face the surface of the photosensitive drum 21 with the drum cartridge 20 attached to the main housing 10 and the cover 11 at the closed position. Also, the light source unit 50 has a plurality of light sources arranged in the first direction. The light source can irradiate the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 21 with light. The light source is, for example, an LED (Light Emitting Diode).

The light source unit 50 is electrically connected with the controller 80 . The controller 80 causes the plurality of light sources of the light source unit 50 to emit light according to the input image data. Thereby, the light source irradiates light toward the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum 21 . As a result, the photosensitive material on the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 21 is exposed according to the image data.

The transfer belt 70 is a component that transfers the developer (for example, toner) on the surface of the photosensitive drum to the printing paper. The transfer belt 70 is a replacement part that needs to be replaced due to wear and other deterioration of its surface as it is used. The transfer belt 70 is a belt that can come into contact with the photosensitive drum 21 and has a ring shape (endless belt). The outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 21 can come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the transfer belt 70 . During the printing process, printing paper is conveyed between the transfer belt 70 and the photosensitive drum 21 .

The transfer belt 70 is stretched between a driving roller 71 and a driven roller 72 . A drive roller 71 drives the transfer belt 70 . The controller 80 rotates the drive roller 71 . The driven roller 72 rotates as the transfer belt 70 moves as the drive roller 71 is driven.

The controller 80 has, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The controller 80 is electrically connected to the body memory 15 and the communication section 81 provided in the body housing 10 . The controller 80 causes the image forming apparatus 1 to perform print processing and associated processing by executing various types of processing.

Note that the controller 80 may include a processor such as a CPU. In this case, a control program that implements the image forming control method may be stored in the main memory, and controller 80 may cause image forming apparatus 1 to perform print processing by causing the processor to operate according to the control program.

Also, the controller 80 may include a computer-readable recording medium storing a control program. As a recording medium, a "non-temporary tangible medium" such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a magnetic disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, or the like can be used. Alternatively, a RAM (random access memory) for expanding the control program may be used. Also, the control program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium (communication network, broadcast wave, etc.) capable of transmitting the control program.

The main body memory 15 is a memory from which information can be read and written. The main body memory 15 is, for example, a flash ROM or an EEPROM (registered trademark). The body memory 15 stores information in common with the memory circuit 34 provided in the toner cartridge 30, for example.

The communication unit 81 is a communication interface that performs communication between the image forming apparatus 1 and the server 40 . The communication unit 81 outputs the request received from the server 40 to the controller 80 . A “request” is a request for requesting state data from the image forming apparatus 1 .

The communication unit 81 transmits state data input from the controller 80 to the server 40 . The "status data" is data relating to the operating status of the image forming apparatus 1, and includes at least printer identification information and the number of new product detection times. In this embodiment, the status data includes at least the printer ID, the number of new drum detections, and the number of new toner detections. The status data may also include information such as the cumulative number of printed sheets in the image forming apparatus 1 and the number of printed sheets after each cartridge replacement.

≪Main part configuration of controller and circuit board≫
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the main configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the main configuration of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration example of the surface of a circuit board included in the image forming apparatus.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the circuit board 33 has a memory circuit 34 .

3, the circuit board 33 is provided with a terminal portion T1 having a contact terminal Vcc, a contact terminal GND, a contact terminal SCL, a contact terminal SDA, and a contact terminal WP. The contact terminal Vcc, the contact terminal GND, the contact terminal SCL, the contact terminal SDA, and the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T1 are flat plates provided on the surface 33a on the front side of the circuit board 33, as illustrated in FIG. It consists of a shaped contact surface.

Further, the contact terminal Vcc, the contact terminal GND, the contact terminal SCL, the contact terminal SDA, and the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T1 are connected to the back surface of the circuit board 33 via through holes TH1, TH2, TH3, TH4, and TH5, respectively. It is connected to an installed memory circuit 34 .

The contact terminal Vcc and the contact terminal GND of the terminal portion T1 are a pair of electrodes for receiving DC power from the DC power supply V on the main body housing 10 side. The contact terminal Vcc and the contact terminal GND of the terminal portion T1 are examples of a first electrode and a second electrode, respectively, for receiving power from the main body.

The memory circuit 34, as shown in FIG. 3, has terminals A0, A1, and A2 for inputting signals corresponding to potentials representing first information described later, a terminal GND for inputting a reference voltage (for example, 0 V), and a terminal Vcc for inputting a power supply voltage (for example, a DC voltage of 3.3V). The memory circuit 34 also has a terminal WP for inputting a write protect signal (write disabling signal), a terminal SCL for inputting a serial clock signal, and a terminal SDA for inputting/outputting serial data.

The terminal A0 is connected to one end of the wiring CZ1 and is electrically connected via the wiring CZ1 to the contact terminal GND of the terminal portion T1 connected to the other end of the wiring CZ1. Also, the terminal A0 is electrically connected to the contact terminal Vcc of the terminal portion T1 via a resistor R7.

The terminal A1 is connected to one end of the wiring CZ2 and is electrically connected to the contact terminal GND of the terminal portion T1 connected to the other end of the wiring CZ2 via the wiring CZ2. Also, the terminal A1 is electrically connected to the contact terminal Vcc of the terminal portion T1 via a resistor R8.

The terminal A2 is connected to one end of the wiring CZ3 and is electrically connected via the wiring CZ3 to the contact terminal GND of the terminal portion T1 connected to the other end of the wiring CZ3. Also, the terminal A2 is electrically connected to the contact terminal Vcc of the terminal portion T1 via a resistor R9.

For the memory circuit 34, for example, a circuit marketed as an IC (Integrated Circuit) named EEPROM (registered trademark) can be applied.

The wirings CZ1 to CZ3 are provided with pattern cut zones for reuse, which are enclosed by dotted lines CZ in FIG. That is, the wirings CZ1 to CZ3 are wirings configured to be cuttable. The terminals A0 to A3 are set to the first potential by the power supplied from the main housing 10 to the circuit board 33 when the cuttable portions of the wirings CZ1 to CZ3 are not cut, and the cuttable portions are cut. A signal representing first information is input, which is at a second potential different from the first potential when the first potential is set.

For example, in the wiring CZ1, if the pattern cut zone is not cut, the one end of the wiring CZ1 connected to the terminal A0 has substantially the same potential as the contact terminal GND, and the potential is low (low potential). On the other hand, if the pattern cut zone is cut, the one end of the wiring CZ1 connected to the terminal A0 has substantially the same potential as the contact terminal Vcc, and the potential is high. The same applies to the wirings CZ2 and CZ3.

Further, the wirings CZ1 to CZ3 are cut off by an operator such as a manufacturer or a reusing agent when the toner cartridge 30 is refilled with toner and the circuit board 33 is reused. It's like Thereby, the first information input to the terminals A0 to A3 of the circuit board 33 can be changed.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, on the front side surface 33a of the circuit board 33, the wirings CZ1 to CZ3 are easily cut by an operator with a cutter or the like between the contact terminals GND and the through holes TH6 to TH8, respectively. pattern cutting zone is provided. The pattern cut zone may be configured to be provided on the wirings CZ1 to CZ3 on the back surface of the circuit board 33. FIG.

Alternatively, other than this explanation, for example, the conductors formed in the through holes TH6 to TH8 can be used as places where the wiring can be cut. In this case, the operator can easily cut the wires CZ1 to CZ3 by destroying the through holes TH6 to TH8 with a drill or the like.

A terminal Vcc and a terminal GND of the memory circuit 34 are electrically connected to the contact terminal Vcc and the contact terminal GND of the terminal portion T1, respectively. The memory circuit 34 operates by receiving DC power from the DC power supply V on the main housing 10 side through the terminals Vcc and GND.

The terminal WP is electrically connected to the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T1 through a wiring provided with a resistor R6. Also, the terminal WP is electrically connected to the contact terminal Vcc of the terminal portion T1 through a wiring provided with a diode D and a resistor R5. A connection point TP2 between the resistors R5 and R6 is grounded through a capacitor C. The connection point TP2 has the same potential as the terminal WP.

The terminal SCL is electrically connected to the contact terminal SCL of the terminal portion T1 via wiring. The terminal SDA is electrically connected to the contact terminal SDA of the terminal portion T1 via wiring.

As shown in FIG. 2, the memory circuit 34 has a circuit-side communication interface 34a and a storage area 34b.

The circuit-side communication interface 34 a receives the serial clock signal SCL from a controller-side communication interface 80 a provided in the controller 80 . Also, the circuit-side communication interface 34a transmits and receives serial data SDA to and from the controller-side communication interface 80a.

The storage area 34b has a first area 34b1 and a second area 34b2 for storing information about the toner cartridge 30. As shown in FIG. Identification information for identifying the toner cartridge 30 is stored in the first area 34b1. The first area 34b1 is, for example, a storage area defined as having a memory address of 0 in the storage area 34b. The storage area 34b stores life information regarding the life of the toner cartridge 30 in a second area 34b2.

The life information includes, for example, at least one of the cumulative number of pages formed by the image forming apparatus 1, the cumulative number of dots formed by the image forming apparatus 1, and the cumulative number of rotations of the developing roller 31 included in the image forming apparatus 1. there is In other words, the life information can more appropriately represent the consumption state of the toner cartridge 30 .

The memory circuit 34 reads whether the potential applied to each terminal A0, A1, A2 is high (high potential) or low (low potential). The memory circuit 34 recognizes the read 3-bit signal as information indicating a unique address of the memory circuit 34 . In this embodiment, 3-bit information represented by potentials applied to terminals A0, A1, and A2 is referred to as first information.

It should be noted that such information specifying the unique address of the memory circuit 34 is not limited to 3 bits, and may be of any other number of bits.

The memory circuit 34 is a functional block that manages whether writing of information stored in the storage area 34b is permitted or not according to a write protect signal, which is a signal applied to the terminal WP. For example, when the signal input to the terminal WP is high (high potential), the memory circuit 34 disallows writing of information to the storage area 34b. That is, the circuit board 33 is write-protected. When the signal input to the terminal WP is low (low potential), the memory circuit 34 permits writing of information to the storage area 34b.

The body housing 10 is provided with a terminal portion T2 having a contact terminal Vcc, a contact terminal GND, a contact terminal SCL, a contact terminal SDA, and a contact terminal WP. The contact terminal Vcc, the contact terminal GND, the contact terminal SCL, the contact terminal SDA, and the contact terminal WP of the terminal section T2 are connected to the contact terminal Vcc, the contact terminal GND, the contact terminal SCL, the contact terminal SDA, and the contact terminal WP of the terminal section T1. Like the WP, it consists of a flat contact surface (not shown). When the toner cartridge 30 is attached to the main housing 10, the contact terminal Vcc, the contact terminal GND, the contact terminal SCL, the contact terminal SDA, and the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T2 are connected to the contact terminal Vcc, the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T1, respectively. It is electrically connected to the contact terminal GND, the contact terminal SCL, the contact terminal SDA, and the contact terminal WP. Thereby, the controller 8 and the circuit board 33 are electrically connected.

The controller 80, as shown in FIG. 2, has a controller-side communication interface 80a. The controller 80 also has ports P1, P2, P3, and P4, as shown in FIG.

The controller-side communication interface 80a transmits the above-described serial clock signal through port P1. The port P1 is electrically connected to the contact terminal SCL of the terminal portion T2. The controller-side communication interface 80a transmits or receives the above-described serial data SDA through port P2. The port P2 is electrically connected to the contact terminal SDA of the terminal portion T2.

Controller 80 controls port P3 in one of the following three states. The controller 80 outputs either High or Low signal to the port P3.

Furthermore, the controller 80 can set the output impedance of the port P3 to a high impedance state (Hi-Z). The state (Hi-Z) in which the output impedance of the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T2 is made high may be a state in which the port P3 is open on the controller 80 side.

The controller 80 detects the open/closed state of the cover 11 according to the signal applied to the port P4. A method for detecting the open/closed state of the cover 11 by the controller 80 will be described later. A contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T2 is electrically connected to the port P3 via the cover sensor 7 and the resistor R3.

Further, the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T2 is electrically connected to the port P3 via the cover sensor 7. As shown in FIG. Further, the contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T2 is installed via a resistor R4. The cover sensor 7, the resistor R3, and the resistor R4 are electrically connected at the connection point TP1. The connection point TP1 is at the same potential as the port P4.

DC power from a power source V is supplied between the contact terminal Vcc of the terminal portion T2 and the contact terminal GND. The power supply V outputs, for example, 3.3V DC power. A contact terminal GND of the terminal portion T2 is grounded.

The controller 80 compares the identification information acquired from the circuit board 33 and the first information to determine whether they match. Moreover, matching in the controller 80 is not limited to the case where the numerical values contained in the identification information and the first information to be compared are the same, but also includes the case where they uniquely correspond.

Also, in order to acquire the first information, the controller 80 uses the number of address searches and the number of address discoveries to create an instruction with address information specifying an address in the memory circuit 34, and send it to the memory circuit 34. Send.

The controller 80 instructs initialization of the life information stored in the memory area 34b of the memory circuit 34 when the identification information does not match the first information as a result of the above comparison.

The controller 80 instructs to update the identification information stored in the storage area 34b of the memory circuit 34 when the initialization of the life information is instructed.

The controller 80 determines whether the toner cartridge 30 is being used by the user or has not yet been used, based on the comparison results described above.

<<Write protect operation of memory circuit and operation of cover open/close detector>>
FIG. 5 is a table showing an example of write protect operation in the memory circuit of the circuit board included in the image forming apparatus.

When the cover 11 is open, the cover sensor 7 is blocked (switch is open). The contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T2 is electrically disconnected from the port P3 of the controller 80, and no signal from the port P3 of the controller 80 can be input. Since the terminal WP and the connection point TP2 of the memory circuit 34 are connected to the contact terminal Vcc of the terminal portion T2 through the resistor R5 or the like, they become High, disabling writing of information to the storage area 34b of the memory circuit 34. It will be write protected.

As described above, when the cover 11 is open, the write protection state is set, so that the write state can be prevented from becoming an error due to the removal of the toner cartridge 30 while information is being written to the memory circuit 34. can do.

When the cover 11 is closed, the cover sensor 7 becomes conductive (switch closed), and a signal from the port P3 of the controller 80 is input to the terminal WP of the memory circuit 34 and the connection point TP2. In this case, according to the instruction of the controller 80, write protection is executed or canceled.

When the controller 80 outputs a High signal to the port P3, the terminal WP and the connection point TP2 of the memory circuit 34 also become High, and the memory circuit 34 becomes write protected. When the controller 80 outputs a low signal to the port P3, the terminal WP and the connection point TP2 of the memory circuit 34 also become low, and the memory circuit 34 becomes writable.

On the other hand, the controller 80 detects the open/closed state of the cover 11 as follows. The controller 80 controls the output impedance of the port P3 to a high impedance state (Hi-Z). The contact terminal WP of the terminal portion T2 is connected through the circuit board 33 to the contact terminal Vcc of the terminal portion T2.

When the cover 11 is closed, the cover sensor 7 becomes conductive (switch closed), and a High signal is applied to the port P4 of the controller 80 and the connection point TP1. When the cover 11 is open, the cover sensor 7 is blocked (switch is opened), and a Low signal is applied to the port P4 and the connection point TP1. This is because the port P4 and the connection point TP1 are grounded through the resistor R4. The controller 80 can detect the open/closed state of the cover 11 depending on whether the port P4 is High or Low. Even when the toner cartridge 30 is not attached to the main housing 10, the input to the port P4 is the same as when the cover 11 is open.

<Processing by Image Forming Apparatus 1>
FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 7 is a chart showing an example of a specific relationship between the number of address searches in the memory circuit of the circuit board included in the image forming apparatus and the address information attached to the command in step S2. In the diagram, A0 to A2 represent 3-bit binary numbers. FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining the write operation to the memory circuit of the circuit board included in the image forming apparatus.

6 and 7, a processing procedure of the image forming apparatus 1 including processing related to reuse of the circuit board 33 will be described. The processing procedure described here is an example of a control method for controlling the image forming apparatus 1 by the controller 80 .

As shown in FIG. 6, first, the controller 80 sets the value of the address search count N to 1, sets the address discovery count M to 0, and creates an instruction with address information specifying the address of the memory circuit 34. (S1).

Subsequently, the controller 80 attempts communication to the address specified in step S1 by transmitting the command created in step S1 to the circuit board 33 (S2).

The controller 80 determines whether or not there is a response to the command from the circuit board 33 (S3). If the controller 80 does not receive a response from the circuit board 33 (NO in S3), the controller 80 moves to step S5.

Further, if the controller 80 receives a response from the circuit board 33 (YES in S3), the controller 80 increases the value of the address discovery count M by one. In this case, the first information input from the terminals A0 to A2 to the circuit board 33 is the same as the address information attached to the command transmitted in step S2. The controller 80 acquires the address information according to FIG. 7 as the first information in the circuit board 33 (S4).

In this way, the memory circuit 34 is a circuit that responds to an instruction when it receives from the controller 80 an instruction with the same address information as the first information. Further, when the controller 80 obtains a response from the memory circuit 34 to the command to which the specific address information is attached, the controller 80 determines that the specific address information is the first information. Thereby, the controller 80 can acquire the first information of the circuit board 33 .

Next, the controller 80 increases the value of the address search count N by 1 (S5).

Subsequently, the controller 80 determines whether or not the value of the address search count N has exceeded the upper limit (S6). Specifically, in this embodiment, three wirings CZ1 to CZ3 are provided as wirings having cuttable portions, so that the upper limit value of the number of times N of address searches is 8 (=2 ³ ) value is set.

7 shows the specific relationship between the value of the address search count N and the signal values of the terminals A0 to A2 in the first information A. As shown in FIG. That is, for example, when the value of the address search count N is 1, the signal values of the terminals A0 to A2 included in the first information A are all 0. Further, for example, when the value of the address search count N is 8, the signal values of the terminals A0 to A2 included in the first information A are all 1. FIG.

When the controller 80 determines that the value of the address search count N does not exceed the upper limit value (NO in S6), the flow moves to step S2.

On the other hand, when the controller 80 determines that the value of the address search count N exceeds the upper limit value (YES in S6), the controller 80 determines whether or not the address discovery count M is 1. (S7). When the controller 80 determines that the value of the address discovery count M is not 1 (NO in S7), the controller 80 determines that an error has occurred (S8).

On the other hand, when the controller 80 determines that the value of the address discovery count M is 1 (YES in S7), the controller 80 causes the identification information D to be read from the first area 34b1 of the storage area 34b (S9).

Next, the controller 80 determines whether or not the identification information D has been successfully read (S10). When the controller 80 determines that the reading of the identification information D has not succeeded (NO in S10), the controller 80 determines that an error has occurred (S11).

On the other hand, when the controller 80 determines that the identification information D has been successfully read (YES in S10), the controller 80 holds the read identification information D (S12).

Next, the controller 80 compares whether or not the read identification information D and the first information A match (S13).

When the controller 80 determines that the read identification information D matches the first information A (YES in S13), the controller 80 determines that the toner cartridge 30 is in use (S14).

On the other hand, when the controller 80 determines that the read identification information D and the first information A do not match (NO in S13), the controller 80 determines that the toner cartridge 30 has not yet been used. Further, the controller 80 instructs the memory circuit 34 to initialize the life information stored in the second area 34b2 of the storage area 34b (S15).

As a result, in the memory circuit 34, at least one of the cumulative number of image formation pages, the cumulative number of formed dots, and the cumulative number of revolutions stored as the life information in the second area 34b2 of the storage area 34b is stored. Processing to reset to initial values or factory defaults is performed. As a result, it becomes possible to initialize the life information that can appropriately represent the consumption state of the toner cartridge 30 .

Specifically, in the memory circuit 34, as a reset process, for example, the cumulative number of image forming pages, the cumulative number of formed dots, and the cumulative number of rotations stored as life information in the second area 34b2 of the storage area 34b are reset. A process is performed to reset the value of at least one of the numbers to zero. As a result, it is possible to reset the life information, which can appropriately represent the consumption state of the toner cartridge 30, to zero.

After that, the controller 80 instructs the memory circuit 34 to set the first information A as the identification information D. FIG. As a result, the identification information D is updated to match the first information A in the first area 34b1 of the storage area 34b.

In FIG. 8, a processing procedure by the image forming apparatus 1 including processing related to write protection in the memory circuit 34 will be described. The processing procedure described here is an example of a control method for controlling the image forming apparatus 1 by the controller 80 .

The controller 80 controls the output impedance of the port P3 to a high impedance state (Hi-Z) (S20).

Next, the controller 80 determines whether the signal of the port P4 is High (S21). When the controller 80 determines that the signal of the port P4 is not High (NO in S21), the controller 80 determines that the cover 11 is open and stops communication with the circuit board 33. FIG.

On the other hand, when the controller 80 determines that the signal of the port P4 is High (YES in S21), the controller 80 outputs a Low signal to the memory circuit 34 (S22).

Then, the controller 80 waits until a preset write protection release time elapses (S23). Specifically, the controller 80 stops communication with the circuit board 33 until the signal input to the terminal WP of the memory circuit 34 is changed from High to Low by discharging the capacitor C.

Next, when the controller 80 determines that the write protection release time has elapsed, the controller 80 transmits a write command to the circuit board 33 via the controller-side communication interface 80a (S24).

After that, the controller 80 determines whether or not the communication through the controller-side communication interface 80a is completed (S25). If the controller 80 determines that the communication through the controller-side communication interface 80a has not been completed (NO in S25), it enters a standby state.

On the other hand, if the controller 80 determines that the communication by the controller-side communication interface 80a is completed (YES in S25), the controller 80 controls the output impedance of the port P3 to a high impedance state (Hi-Z). (S26).

Next, the controller 80 determines whether or not a communication error has occurred in communication through the controller-side communication interface 80a (S27). If the controller 80 determines that no communication error has occurred in the communication through the controller-side communication interface 80a (NO in S27), the controller 80 determines that the communication through the controller-side communication interface 80a has been completed normally, and terminates the process. do.

On the other hand, if the controller 80 determines that a communication error has occurred in the communication through the controller-side communication interface 80a (YES in S27), the controller 80 determines whether the signal from the cover sensor 7 is High. (S28). If the controller 80 determines that the signal from the cover sensor 7 is not High (NO in S28), the controller 80 determines that the cover 11 is open and stops communication with the circuit board 33. FIG.

On the other hand, if the controller 80 determines that the signal from the cover sensor 7 is High (YES in S28), the controller 80 determines that communication by the controller-side communication interface 80a has failed, and returns to step S22. , the communication with the memory circuit 34 is retried.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the operator such as a company who refills the toner cartridge 30 disconnects the predetermined wirings CZ1 to CZ3 of the circuit board 33, thereby removing the circuit board 33 from the circuit board 33. The first information can be changed. Then, the identification information stored in the memory circuit 34 of the circuit board 33 does not match the first information.

In this case, the controller 80 initializes the life information stored in the memory circuit 34 and updates the identification information stored in the memory circuit 34 to match the first information. When the identification information matches the first information, the controller 80 can continue to update the life information as usual according to the usage history of the toner cartridge 30 so that the remaining life of the toner cartridge 30 is reduced. .

As a result, in the present embodiment, the service life information stored in the memory circuit 34 can be initialized without directly manipulating the inside of the memory circuit 34 of the circuit board 33 by a vendor or the like who refills the toner cartridge 30 . Thus, the circuit board 33 can be reused. Therefore, the image forming apparatus 1 is realized in which the circuit board 33 of the toner cartridge 30 can be easily reused.

[Embodiment 2]
Other embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. For convenience of description, members having the same functions as those of the members described in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a main configuration of a circuit board included in an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. The configuration and operation of the memory circuit 34 are different from those of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 9, the circuit board is configured using an IC circuit 90 as a memory. This IC circuit 90 comprises a security function circuit 91 , a non-volatile memory 92 and an external input interface 93 .

The IC circuit 90 receives the power supply voltage Vcc, the reference voltage GND, the write protect signal WP, and the serial clock signal (CLOCK) from the controller 80 in the same manner as the memory circuit 34, and receives serial data (DATA) from the controller 80. bi-directional communication between

Signals IN0 to IN2 corresponding to the signals input to the terminals A0 to A2 in the first embodiment are also input to the IC circuit 90 . In the second embodiment, signals IN0-IN2 represent the external input value G. FIG. The external input value G is the first information in the first embodiment.

In the IC circuit 90, a security function circuit 91 manages the first information. That is, the security function circuit 91 reads whether each potential of the signals IN0 to IN2 is high (high potential) or low (low potential). The security function circuit 91 also recognizes the read 3-bit signal as the first information indicating the unique address of the IC circuit 90 . In addition, the security function circuit 91 manages whether writing of information stored in the nonvolatile memory 92 is permitted or not according to the write protect signal WP. A non-volatile memory 92 functions as the storage area 34b. Also, the external input interface 93 functions as the circuit side communication interface 34a.

<Processing by Image Forming Apparatus 1>
FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining an example of the operation of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

In FIG. 10, a processing procedure by the image forming apparatus 1 including processing related to reuse of the IC circuit 90 will be described. The processing procedure described here is an example of a control method for controlling the image forming apparatus 1 by the controller 80 .

As shown in FIG. 10, the controller 80 performs authentication control of the IC circuit 90 when the IC circuit 90 is activated (S30).

Next, the controller 80 acquires the value of the external input value G corresponding to the first information A from the IC circuit 90 (S31).

At this time, when the IC circuit 90 receives a command to acquire the value of the external input value G (first information) from the controller 80 , the value of the external input value G is returned to the controller 80 .

Subsequently, the controller 80 acquires the value of the external input value F corresponding to the identification information D from the non-volatile memory 92 of the IC circuit 90 (S32), similarly to step S9.

Next, similarly to step S13, the controller 80 compares the value of the external input value G and the value of the external input value F to determine whether or not they are the same (S33).

If the controller 80 determines that the value of the external input value G and the value of the external input value F are the same (YES in S33), the controller 80 determines that the toner cartridge 30 is in use, as in step S14. (S34).

On the other hand, if the controller 80 determines that the value of the external input value G and the value of the external input value F are not the same (NO in S33), the controller 80 replaces the toner cartridge 30 before use as in step S15. judge there is. Further, the controller 80 instructs the IC circuit 90 to initialize the life information stored in the nonvolatile memory 92 (S15).

As a result, the IC circuit 90 resets at least one of the cumulative number of image forming pages, the cumulative number of formed dots, and the cumulative number of revolutions stored as life information in the nonvolatile memory 92 to 0. is done.

After that, the controller 80 instructs the IC circuit 90 to set the value of the external input value G to the identification information stored in the nonvolatile memory 92, as in step S16. As a result, the value of the external input value F is updated to match the value of the external input value G in the nonvolatile memory 92 .

With the above configuration, the same effects as those of the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment are obtained.

(Modification 1)
The developing roller 31 of the first embodiment may be provided in the toner cartridge 30 or may be provided in the drum cartridge 20 as long as the functions described in the first embodiment can be realized. Further, in the first embodiment, the toner cartridge 30 is inserted into the opening of the cartridge holding portion 13 together with the drum cartridge 20 while being attached to the drum cartridge 20 . That is, in Embodiment 1, the toner cartridge 30 and the drum cartridge 20 are separate cartridges. However, the toner cartridge 30 and the drum cartridge 20 may be configured integrally as one cartridge.

(Modification 2)
The image forming apparatus 1 may be an inkjet printer. When the image forming apparatus 1 is an inkjet printer, an ink cartridge is mounted in the cartridge holding section 13 of the image forming apparatus 1 instead of the drum cartridge 20 and the toner cartridge 30 described in the first embodiment. The number of ink cartridges to be installed in the image forming apparatus 1 is not particularly limited. For example, the image forming apparatus 1 may be equipped with a total of four ink cartridges corresponding to the four colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, or only the ink cartridge corresponding to one color, black. may be

An ink cartridge includes a cartridge housing filled with ink, which is a consumable item, and an ink memory in which ink cartridge information is stored. The ink cartridge information includes an ink ID and the remaining amount of ink. The ink ID is identification information of the ink cartridge, and the remaining amount of ink is information indicating the remaining amount of ink in the ink cartridge.

The cartridge housing of the ink cartridge may be provided with an agitator for agitating the ink. The agitator operates according to instructions from the controller 80 when the ink cartridge is mounted in the image forming apparatus 1 .

Even if the image forming apparatus 1 is an inkjet printer, the flow of each process shown in each flowchart described in the first embodiment is the same. The image forming apparatus 1 of this modified example has the same effects as the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment.

(Modification 3)
The printing material of the image forming apparatus 1 is not limited to paper. For example, the print substrate may be tape. When the printing base material is a tape, the image forming apparatus 1 is equipped with a tape cassette for supplying the tape. The image forming apparatus 1 prints on a tape conveyed from a tape cassette. In this case, the image forming apparatus 1 may be a thermal printer, a laser printer, or an inkjet printer.

(Modification 4)
Further, the image forming apparatus 1 may be an MFP (Multi Function Printer) having other functions such as a scanner or a facsimile. Even if the image forming apparatus 1 is an MFP, the image forming apparatus 1 may perform various processes described in the first embodiment in the same manner as the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 of this modified example has the same effects as the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment.

The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in different embodiments is also included in the technical scope of the present disclosure.

1 image forming apparatus 10 main housing (main body)
30 toner cartridge (cartridge)
33 circuit board 34 memory circuit (memory)
80 controller (control unit)
V Power supply CZ1 to CZ3 Wiring AO to A2 Terminal Vcc (circuit board) contact terminal (first electrode)
GND (circuit board) contact terminal (second electrode)

Claims (12)

a main body having a control unit and a power supply that outputs electric power;
A cartridge attached to the main body,
A circuit board,
A memory electrically connected to the control unit when the cartridge is attached to the main body, the memory storing identification information for identifying the cartridge and life information regarding the life of the cartridge. When,
a cartridge provided with a circuit board having wiring, the wiring having a cuttable portion between one end and the other end;
When the cartridge is attached to the main body, the one end of the wiring is set to the first potential by the power output from the power source when the cuttable portion is not cut, and the cuttable portion is set to the first potential. outputting to the memory a signal representing first information that, when disconnected, has a second potential different from the first potential;
The control unit
if the identification information stored in the memory does not match the first information,
An image forming apparatus that initializes the life information stored in the memory and updates the identification information to match the first information. The memory is
a circuit that responds to the command when receiving from the control unit a command to which the same address information as the first information is attached,
The control unit
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said specific address information is determined to be said first information when a response from said memory to a command with specific address information is obtained. The memory is
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein upon receiving a command to acquire said first information from said control section, said first information is responded to said control section. 3. The life information includes at least one of a cumulative number of pages formed by the image forming apparatus, a cumulative number of dots formed by the image forming apparatus, and a cumulative number of rotations of a developing roller provided in the image forming apparatus. 4. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 3. 5. The initialization of the life information includes resetting at least one of the cumulative number of image forming pages, the cumulative number of formed dots, and the cumulative number of revolutions to an initial value or a factory shipment value. The image forming apparatus according to . 6. The image forming method according to claim 5, wherein said life information initialization includes processing for resetting at least one of said accumulated image forming page number, said accumulated formed dot number, and said accumulated rotation number to 0. Device. A circuit board provided in a cartridge mounted on a main body of an image forming apparatus,
a memory electrically connected to a control unit of the image forming apparatus in a state in which the cartridge is attached to the main body, the memory comprising identification information capable of identifying the cartridge; life information relating to the life of the cartridge; a memory for storing
a wiring having a cuttable portion between one end and the other end,
When the cartridge is attached to the main body, the one end of the wiring is set to the first potential by power supplied from the main body to the circuit board when the cuttable portion is not cut. A circuit board that outputs a signal representing first information to the memory, which becomes a second potential different from the first potential when the cuttable portion is cut. 8. The circuit board according to claim 7, wherein said cuttable portion of said wiring comprises a conductor formed on the surface of said circuit board. 9. The circuit board according to claim 7, wherein said cuttable portion of said wiring comprises a conductor formed in a through hole provided in said circuit board. comprising a pair of first and second electrodes for receiving the power from the main body,
the one end of the wiring is electrically connected to the first electrode via a resistor;
10. The circuit board according to claim 7, wherein said other end of said wiring is electrically connected to said second electrode. A cartridge comprising the circuit board according to any one of claims 7 to 10. A method for processing a circuit board provided in a cartridge mounted in a main body of an image forming apparatus, comprising:
a memory electrically connected to a control unit of the image forming apparatus in a state in which the cartridge is attached to the main body, the memory comprising identification information capable of identifying the cartridge; life information relating to the life of the cartridge; a memory for storing
When the cartridge is attached to the main body, the one end of the wiring is set to the first potential by power supplied from the main body to the circuit board when the cuttable portion is not cut. outputting a signal representing first information to the memory, which becomes a second potential different from the first potential when the cuttable portion is cut, of the circuit board, the cuttable portion of the wiring; A method of processing a circuit board by cutting.

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