JP4365203B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is a copying machine, a facsimile, to communications an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge such as a printer, a communication an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge having a management chip that particular store management information of the process cartridge.

  In recent years, since environmental protection and resource saving have been screamed, efforts for environmental problems have become more important issues. Therefore, various OA equipments used in offices are also required to cope with them. For example, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a printer, a developing device or a fixing device is provided as a detachable unit from the image forming apparatus main body. Only that unit can be replaced. In this case, even when one unit breaks down or reaches the end of its service life, it is not necessary to replace the entire apparatus so that the apparatus can be used effectively. Further, if only the process cartridge with the remaining life can be removed from the old image forming apparatus and reused, resources can be effectively used.

  However, in a conventional image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge can be attached and detached, there is no problem if the user has a process cartridge for replacement when the unit breaks down or reaches the end of its service life. If it is not available or if it is not easy to replace it, it is necessary to order a process cartridge for replacement or call a service person. As a result, the unusable period of the image forming apparatus becomes longer, which hinders business execution.

  In order to prevent this, there is a method of replacing the process cartridge before the process cartridge breaks down or before reaching the end of its life, but in this case, the process cartridge that still has the end of life is replaced, and this reverses the effective use of resources. To do.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 proposes an image forming apparatus and a management system thereof that can make an accurate maintenance plan and can promote the reuse of a process cartridge.
JP-A-7-104616

  Patent Document 1 predicts the service life of each process cartridge after a predetermined period by storing the use status of each process cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus in a storage unit included in the process cartridge. The forming device needs to be able to communicate with the storage means of the process cartridge. However, in a situation where the image forming apparatus cannot communicate with the storage means of the process cartridge, the life of the process cartridge cannot be predicted.

  Further, when the process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, when the process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus without removing the sealing seal that prevents leakage of the toner attached to the process cartridge, the process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus. There is a problem that the image is defective.

  Therefore, the present invention provides the process cartridge with an ID, the image forming apparatus confirms the ID, and has a function of blocking communication between the main body and the unit by a seal seal or the like, thereby removing the seal seal. The purpose is to realize forgetting and prevention of wrong set at the same time.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is detachable , and the process cartridge is a non-volatile recording in which at least one of usage information of the process cartridge or an ID of the process cartridge is stored. A communication means for enabling communication between the medium, the recording medium and the image forming apparatus; and the communication means interrupts communication with the image forming apparatus when the process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus. A seal member that is removable from the process cartridge, and the image forming apparatus is capable of communicating with the process cartridge by the detecting unit that detects whether the image forming apparatus is communicable with the process cartridge. Receiving means for receiving the usage information when A setting change unit that changes the setting of the image forming apparatus based on usage information; and a display unit that displays a state of the image forming apparatus to a user. The detection unit detects that communication with the process cartridge cannot be performed. The image forming apparatus is prohibited from being used, and a message indicating that the process cartridge is not set correctly is displayed on the display means .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect , when the detection unit detects that the communication with the process cartridge is possible, the reception unit receives the ID from the process cartridge; Comparing means for comparing the ID received from the process cartridge and the ID stored in the image forming apparatus, the ID received from the process cartridge matches the ID stored in the image forming apparatus When the receiving unit receives the usage information, the setting changing unit changes the setting and then returns to a normal operation, and the ID received from the process cartridge and the ID stored in the image forming apparatus are identical. If not, use of the image forming apparatus is prohibited and the process cartridge is set correctly. Not that the message and displaying on the display means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the first or second aspect , the communication unit performs non-contact communication.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect , the communication unit is an IC tag.

  The present invention provides a seal seal for preventing toner leakage from a process cartridge by using a management chip and a blocking means for blocking communication between the management chip and the image forming apparatus for each process cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus. Forgetting to peel off and erroneous setting of the process cartridge can be prevented.

  According to the present invention, a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus includes a management chip in which each mounted process cartridge stores a use status and the like, and a seal seal that blocks communication between the management chip and the image forming apparatus. Further, the image forming apparatus has means for detecting whether or not communication with the management chip of the process cartridge is possible, and means for reading information stored in the management chip, so that image formation is always performed under optimum conditions. Can be executed.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. The copying machine 100 includes an intermediate transfer belt 10, support rollers 14 to 16, a cleaning device 17, an image forming device 18, an image forming device 20, a laser exposure device 21, a secondary transfer device 22, a roller 23, and a secondary transfer belt 24. , Fixing device 25, fixing belt 26, pressure roller 27, sheet reversing device 28, document table 30, contact glass 32, first carriage 33, second carriage 34, imaging lens 35, CCD 36, photoconductor drum 40, feed Paper roller 42, paper bank 43, paper feed cassette 44, separation roller 45, paper feed path 46, transport roller 47, paper feed path 48, registration roller 49, paper feed roller 50, manual feed tray 51, separation roller 52, paper feed Path 53, switching claw 55, discharge roller 56, discharge tray 57, primary transfer device, image forming device 200, scanner 300, and automatic document transport Apparatus (ADF) consists 400.

  There is an intermediate transfer belt 10 which is an endless belt in the center of the printer 100 of the copying machine. As the intermediate transfer belt 10, a multi-layer belt in which an elastic layer is provided on a base layer made of a material that hardly stretches, such as a fluororesin that has little elongation, a rubber material that has a large elongation, and a canvas. The elastic layer used was a fluorine-based resin or acrylonitrile / butadiene copolymer rubber surface coated with a fluorine-based resin to form a smooth coating layer. The intermediate transfer belt 10 is wound around three support rollers 14 to 16 and is driven to rotate clockwise. To the left of the second support roller 15 is an intermediate transfer body cleaning device 17 that removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 10 after image transfer. Above the intermediate transfer belt 10 located between the first support roller 14 and the second support roller 15, black (K), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and There is an image forming apparatus 20 including image forming units (image forming process devices) of cyan (C). Each color image forming unit is individually unitized for replacement and is detachable from the printer 100.

  Each color image forming unit includes an image-related device 18 including a photosensitive drum 40, a charger that charges the photosensitive drum 40, a developing device that develops a latent image, a cleaning device, and other peripheral devices. Above the image forming device 20, there is a laser exposure device 21 that irradiates each photosensitive drum 40 of each color image forming unit (process cartridge) with laser light for image formation. The laser exposure device 21 is also an image forming process device similar to the image forming unit, and is detachable from the printer 100.

  Below the intermediate transfer belt 10 is a secondary transfer device 22 that is an image forming process device and is detachable. The secondary transfer device 22 is arranged so that a secondary transfer belt 24 that is an endless belt is stretched between two rollers 23, and the intermediate transfer belt 10 is pushed up and pressed against the third support roller 16. . The secondary transfer belt 24 transfers the image on the intermediate transfer belt 10 onto a sheet.

  Next to the secondary transfer device 22, there is a fixing device 25 for fixing the transferred image on the paper, and the paper on which the toner image is transferred is fed. The fixing device 25 is also an image forming process device and is detachable. The fixing device 25 heats the fixing belt 26 that is an endless belt. The heated fixing belt 26 is pressed against the pressure roller 27.

  Below the secondary transfer device 22 and the fixing device 25, there is a sheet reversing device 28 for reversing and feeding the paper immediately after the image is formed on the front surface to form the image on the back surface. The sheet reversing device 28 is also an image forming process device and is detachable from the printer 100.

  As described above, the respective color image forming units (four types K, Y, M, and C) of the image forming device 20 of the printer 100 shown in FIG. 1, the laser exposure device 21, the registration roller 49, the intermediate transfer belt 10, and the secondary. The transfer belt 24, the fixing device 25, and the sheet reversing device 28 are each unitized as an image forming process device so as to be detachable from the printer main body.

  Next, an image forming operation of the copying machine will be described. When the start switch of the copying machine is pressed, a document is transported from the automatic document feeder (ADF) 400 onto the contact glass 32. When there is no document on the ADF 400, the operator himself sets the document on the contact glass 32. When the document is set on the contact glass 32, the scanner 300 is immediately driven, and the first carriage 33 and the second carriage 34 start reading the document. Specifically, light is emitted from the light source on the first carriage 33 to the contact glass. The reflected light from the document surface is reflected by the first mirror on the first carriage 33 and directed to the second carriage 34. The reflected light directed to the second carriage is directed to the imaging lens 35 by a mirror on the second carriage. The reflected light that has passed through the imaging lens 35 is imaged on a CCD 36 that is a reading sensor and converted into an image signal. Then, each color recording data of K, Y, M, and C is generated based on the image signal.

  When the start switch of the copying machine is pressed, the intermediate transfer belt 10 is rotationally driven and the image forming preparation / image forming sequence of each image forming unit of the image forming apparatus 20 is started. When an exposure laser modulated based on each color recording data is projected onto each color image forming unit, each color toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 10 as one image by each color image forming process. When the leading edge of the toner image enters the secondary transfer device 22, the paper is sent to the secondary transfer device 22 at the same time, and the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 10 is transferred to the paper. The sheet on which the toner image is transferred is sent to the fixing device 25, and the toner image is fixed on the sheet. The sheet is selectively rotated by driving one of the sheet feeding rollers 42 of the sheet feeding table 200, and the sheet is fed out from one of the sheet feeding cassettes 44 that the paper bank 43 includes in multiple stages. Only one sheet fed from the sheet feeding cassette 44 is separated by the separation roller 45 and enters the sheet feeding path 46. The sheet that has entered the sheet feeding path 46 is guided to the sheet feeding path 46 in the printer 100 by the conveying roller 47 and abuts against the registration roller 49. The sheet that has struck the registration roller 49 is sent to the secondary transfer device 22 at the same time as the leading edge of the toner image enters the secondary transfer device 22. It is also possible to feed the paper by inserting it on the manual feed tray 51. When paper is being inserted into the manual feed tray 51, the printer 100 rotates the paper feed roller 50, separates the sheets on the manual feed tray 51 one by one, draws them into the paper feed path 53, and strikes the registration rollers 49. Hit it.

  The sheet discharged after receiving the fixing process by the fixing device 25 is guided to the discharge roller 56 by the switching claw 55 and stacked on the discharge tray 57. Further, when images are transferred on both sides of the sheet, the switching claw 55 guides the sheet to the sheet reversing device 28. The sheet guided to the sheet reversing device 28 is reversed and guided again to the transfer position. The sheet guided to the transfer position has the image transferred thereon and is discharged to the discharge tray 57 by the discharge roller 56.

  Residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 10 after image transfer is removed by the intermediate transfer body cleaning device 17 to prepare for the next image forming operation. In general, the registration roller 49 is often used while being grounded, but it is also possible to apply a bias voltage to remove paper dust from the paper. For example, a bias is applied using a conductive rubber roller. A conductive NBR rubber having a diameter of 18 mm and a surface of 1 mm is used for the conductive rubber roller to which the bias is applied. The electrical resistance is about 109 ohm cm in volume resistance of the rubber material.

  The sheet surface after passing through the registration roller 49 to which a bias is applied is slightly charged on the minus side. Accordingly, in the transfer from the intermediate transfer belt 10 onto which the toner image has been transferred to the paper, the transfer conditions change compared to the case where no bias is applied to the registration roller 49, and therefore it is necessary to change the image forming conditions. . For example, a voltage of about −800 V is applied to the intermediate transfer belt 10 on the toner transfer side (front surface), and a voltage of about +200 V is applied to the back surface side. In general, in the intermediate transfer system, paper dust does not easily move to the photoconductor, so that it is not necessary to consider the influence of paper dust transfer and may be grounded. Although there is a method of applying a DC bias as the applied voltage, an AC voltage having a DC offset component for charging the sheet more uniformly can also be used.

  Next, a specific role of each mechanism will be described with reference to a block diagram of each mechanism included in the copier shown in FIG. The copying machine includes a system controller 630, an operation board 610, a color document scanner 300, a color printer 100, a paper feed bank 200, and an ADF 400. The system controller 630 includes a work memory 600, a frame memory 601, an NVRAM 602, a RAM 603, a ROM 604, a CPU 605, an external device communication control 606, a system I / F 607, a FIFO 608, a FIFO 609, a memory controller 610, and bus controls 611 to 613. The operation board 610 includes an input device 614, a display device 615, a ROM 616, a CPU 617, a RAM 618, and a bus control 619. The color printer 100 includes a reader / writer module B70, transmission / reception circuits 81 to 84, a process controller 131, a RAM 132, a ROM 133a, a nonvolatile memory 133b, a writing I / F 134, an image forming unit 135, and an I / O. The color document scanner 300 includes a reading unit 11, an output I / F, SBU, and bus control. A reading unit 11 that optically reads a document of the color document scanner 300 scans the document with a document illumination light source, and forms a document image on a CCD 36 of an SBU (sensor board unit). Specifically, an original image (reflected light of light irradiation on the original) is photoelectrically converted by the CCD 36 to generate an RGB image signal, and converted to RGB image data and shading correction on the SBU. The image data converted into RGB image data and shading corrected on the SBU is sent to an image data processor IPP (Image Processing Processor) via an image data bus at an output I / F (interface) 12. The IPP is a programmable arithmetic processing means for performing image processing, separation generation (determination of whether an image is a character area or a photographic area: image area separation), background removal, scanner gamma conversion, filter, color correction, scaling, image Processing, printer gamma conversion, and gradation processing are performed. Image data transferred from the scanner 300 to the IPP is corrected for signal deterioration (signal deterioration of the scanner system) accompanying the quantization of the optical system and the digital signal by the IPP, and is written in the frame memory 601.

  The system controller 630 has a plurality of application functions such as a scanner application, a facsimile application, a printer application, and a copy application, and controls the entire system. The operation panel is a device that decodes the input of the operation board 610 and displays the settings of the system and the contents of the state. The image data bus / control command bus is a bus through which image data and control commands are transferred in a time division manner.

  The CPU 605 of the system controller 630 controls the system controller 630. In the ROM 604, a control program for the system controller 630 is recorded. A RAM 603 is a working memory used by the CPU 605. The NVRAM 602 is a nonvolatile memory and stores information on the entire system. The external device communication control 606 is a communication control with an external device (for example, the same type of copier, image scanner, personal computer, printer, facsimile, etc.) that requests image reading, image storage, and image printing, or a management server of the management center. And physical I / F for connecting to the network. When the external device communication control 606 connected to the network receives data from the network, the content of the communication data is transmitted to the system I / F 607 by an electrical signal. The I / F 607 that has received the communication data logically converts the received data in accordance with a prescribed protocol and sends it to the CPU 605. The CPU 605 determines and processes the logically converted received data. When the CPU 605 transmits data to the network, the transmission data is transmitted to the system I / F 607 and the external device communication control 606 in the reverse order of reception, and is transmitted as an electric signal on the network. The system I / F 607 controls transfer of document reading data, facsimile reception data, and personal computer document data (printing commands) processed in the system according to a command from the CPU 605, and print data (printing data) of personal computer document data. ).

  The work memory 600 is a working memory that performs image development (conversion from document data to image data) used in the printer. The frame memory 601 is a working memory that temporarily stores image data of a read image and a written image that are printed immediately while power is being supplied. The HDDC 650 is a hard disk HDD used as an image database for storing system application programs, an application database for storing device activation information of image forming process devices of the printer 100, image data (read images and write images), and document data. It is a controller. Image data and document data include encoded data and dot images.

  The FIFO buffer memory 609 performs data transfer rate conversion when writing an input image to the frame memory 601. Temporary accumulation is performed to correct a difference in timing between data transmission at the transfer source and data reception at the transfer destination, a difference in data amount between transfer units, a difference in transfer speed, and the like. That is, the FIFO buffer memory 609 receives data at the transfer source timing and speed, and transmits data at the transfer destination timing and speed. Similarly to the FIFO buffer memory 609, the FIFO buffer memory 608 also performs speed conversion when transferring image data of the frame memory 601 as an output image.

  The memory controller 610 controls input / output of images between the frame memory 601 and the HDDC 650 and the bus 611 without being controlled by the CPU 605. In addition, the memory controller 610 uses the frame memory 601 in accordance with commands received by the input device 614 of the operation board 610 to edit, process, or combine images stored in the HDDC 6. Further, the memory controller 610 reads image information from the HDD of the HDDC 650 to the work memory 600 or the frame memory 601, changes the print direction of the image on the transfer paper by the image data address change operation, rotates the image, edits the image combination, Various image data are processed and edited by density conversion by addition / subtraction / division / division of set values with respect to image data, and writing of image information processed by image trimming and synthesis by logical product operation or logical sum operation of image data to the HDD. The image reading unit performs image reading scaling, and the image writing unit performs printing scaling. The CPU 617 performs input / output control of the operation board 610. Controls input reading and display output of the operation board 610. In the ROM 616, a control program for the operation board 610 is recorded. A RAM 618 is a working memory used by the CPU 617. The input device 614 is an input device in which the user inputs system settings by operating the input keys and the input panel of the operation board 610. The display device 615 is provided on the operation board 610 and displays the setting contents and status of the system to the user. Note that the display device 615 includes an indicator lamp and a display panel. The basic magnification adjustment for main scanning and sub-scanning is performed by measuring the magnification using the sample image in the system adjustment process, and is set by the operation panel control device. Further, in the adjustment of the magnification without the four borders in the main scanning and the sub scanning, the user or the maintenance person confirms the occurrence of the image missing and the blank from the printed image, and the magnification adjustment value for suppressing them is set on the operation board 610. Is done.

  FIG. 3 shows an outline of the management data transmission system of the transmission / reception circuits 81 to 84 and the system controller 630 incorporated in the image forming process unit (hereinafter referred to as process cartridge). The management data transmission system of the transmitting / receiving circuits 81 to 84 and the system controller 630 includes a reader / writer module B70, a controller 71, a communication circuit 72, an on / off switch 73, an AC voltage generator 74, a selective connection circuit 76, and feeding coils 77a to 77c. , Transmission / reception terminals 78a to 78d, transmission / reception circuits 81 to 84, power reception coil 91, rectifying and smoothing circuit 93, constant voltage circuit 94, management chip 95, communication circuit 96, read / write circuit 97, management memory 98, transmission / reception terminal 99, process It comprises a controller 131, an I / O 136, and a system controller 630.

  The transmitter / receiver circuit 81 includes a micro wireless management chip 95, a power receiving coil 91 that supplies operation power to the micro wireless management chip 95, a rectifying / smoothing circuit 93, and a constant voltage circuit 94. The power receiving coil 91 is on the end face of the image forming process unit, and is wound around a magnetic core so that the magnetic coupling with the power feeding coil 77 on the printer main body side is dense. A rectifying / smoothing circuit 93 is connected to the power receiving coil 91. In the printer main body, a power feeding coil 77a is arranged at a position where the power receiving coil 91 faces when the process cartridge equipped with the transmitter / receiver circuit 81 is mounted. The power feeding coil 77a is opposed at a short distance such that the power receiving coil 91 is in contact therewith.

  Other image forming process units are provided with transmission / reception circuits 82, 83, 84... Having the same specifications as the transmission / reception circuit 81. Further, when the image forming process unit is mounted on the printer main body, the feeding coils 77b, 77c, 77d... Are arranged at positions facing the receiving coils of the respective transmitting / receiving circuits. The power feeding coils 77a, 77c, 77d,... Are connected to the first to Npd input / output ports of the selective connection circuit. When the system controller 630 instructs the process controller 131 to read the state, the process controller 131 closes the open / close switch 73. The selective connection circuit 76 is switched to voltage output from the input / output port 0 to the first port, and data is transferred to the transmitting / receiving circuit 81 of the unit coupled to the first port. When the data transfer to the transmission / reception circuit 81 is completed, the voltage output to the second port is switched to transfer the data to the transmission / reception circuit 82. When the data transfer to the transmitting / receiving circuit 82 is completed, the voltage is switched to the voltage output to the third port and the data is transferred to the transmitting / receiving circuit 83. When the data transfer to all the transmitting / receiving circuits is completed, the open / close switch circuit 73 is opened.

  While the open / close switch circuit 73 is closed, an AC voltage generated by the AC voltage generator 74 is generated in the first power supply coil 77a to generate an AC magnetic field. By this AC magnetic field, an AC current is induced in the power receiving coil 91 of the transmitter / receiver circuit 81 and the smoothing capacitor of the rectifying and smoothing circuit 93 is charged. When the charging voltage of the smoothing capacitor reaches a predetermined value, the constant voltage circuit 94 starts voltage application to the management chip 95. The transmission / reception circuits 81, 82, 83... Have a transmission / reception end 99 in which a light emitting diode for transmission of communication signals and a reception phototransistor are integrated, and a power reception coil 91 adjacent to the transmission / reception end 99. The printer main body has a transmission / reception end 78a and a power transmission coil 77a corresponding thereto. The transmission / reception end 99 of the process cartridge and the transmission / reception end 78a on the printer main body constitute two pairs of photocouplers for transmission and reception, and perform optical communication that is wireless communication.

  The process controller 131 transmits a read command or a write command to the management chip 95. In response to the read command, the management chip 95 reads the data in the management memory 98 that is the internal nonvolatile memory and transmits the data to the process controller 131. In response to the write command, the data sent by the process controller 131 is updated and written in the management memory 98. When the process controller 131 finishes reading / writing the management data to / from the unit that is communicatively coupled to the first port, the process controller 131 switches the selection connection circuit 76 to the voltage output and data transfer connection from the first port to the second port, and the transmission / reception circuit Data is transmitted to and received from 82. A management memory 98 (nonvolatile memory) included in the management chip 95 records process cartridge IDs, usage information, and the like.

  A schematic view of a process cartridge 1 to which the present invention is applied is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the process cartridge 1 to which the present invention is applied includes a photoreceptor 3, a charging unit 4, a developing unit 2, a cleaning unit 5, and an RFID 6. Further, a sealing seal member 7 for preventing leakage of toner from the process cartridge is attached between the receiving unit 8 of the printer to which the process cartridge 1 is mounted and the RFID included in the process cartridge.

  Next, operations performed by the printer main body when the process cartridge 1 shown in FIG. 4 is mounted on the printer main body will be described with reference to FIG. When the process cartridge 1 is mounted on the printer main body, the printer main body checks whether or not communication with the process cartridge 1 is possible (step S1). When the seal sticker 7 attached to the process cartridge 1 is peeled off, communication is established between the printer body and the RFID 6 (step S1 / YES). When communication is established between the printer main body and the RFID 6, it is recognized that the process cartridge 1 has been mounted, and the ID and usage information of the process cartridge 1 are read from the RFID 6 (step S2). Here, if the ID read from the process cartridge 1 does not match the ID stored in the printer main body, that fact is displayed on the operation unit as an erroneous set.

  In particular, in a tandem type color printer, since four colors of toner are used, there is a possibility that the process cartridges of the respective colors are set in the wrong place. However, by storing the ID for each color in the printer main body and the process cartridge, erroneous setting of the process cartridge can be prevented.

  When the ID stored in the printer main body matches the ID of the process cartridge 1, the read characteristic information is set in the printer main body (step S3), and the normal operation of the printer main body is returned (step S4). On the other hand, when the seal seal 7 of the process cartridge is not peeled off and communication is not established between the printer main body and the process cartridge 1 (step S1 / NO), the process cartridge 1 is not attached or the seal seal 7 Is displayed on the operation unit (step S5). In this embodiment, an RFID that is a non-contact type ID tag is used as a communication unit between the image forming apparatus and the process cartridge. However, a contact type ID tag can also be used.

1 is a diagram showing an outline of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. 1 is a block diagram of a mechanism constituting a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. It is a block diagram which shows the outline | summary of the management data transmission system of the transmission / reception circuit and system controller incorporated in the process cartridge to which this invention is applied. It is a figure which shows the outline of the process cartridge to which this invention is applied. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation executed when a process cartridge is mounted in a copying machine to which the present invention is applied.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Process cartridge 2 Developing means 3 Photoconductor 4 Charging means 5 Cleaning means 6 RFID
7 Seal seal 8 Receiver

Claims (4)

  An image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is detachable,
  The process cartridge is
  A non-volatile recording medium storing at least one of usage information of the process cartridge or an ID of the process cartridge;
  Communication means for enabling communication between the recording medium and the image forming apparatus;
  A seal member removable from the process cartridge that blocks communication with the image forming apparatus by the communication means when the process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus.
  The image forming apparatus includes:
  Detecting means for detecting whether or not communication with the process cartridge is possible;
  Receiving means for receiving the usage information when it is detected by the detecting means that communication with the process cartridge is possible;
  Setting changing means for changing the setting of the image forming apparatus based on the usage information;
  Display means for displaying the state of the image forming apparatus to the user,
  When the detection unit detects that communication with the process cartridge cannot be performed, the use of the image forming apparatus is prohibited, and a message indicating that the process cartridge is not set correctly is displayed on the display unit. Image forming apparatus.   Receiving means for receiving the ID from the process cartridge when it is detected by the detecting means that communication with the process cartridge is possible;
  Comparing means for comparing the ID received from the process cartridge with the ID stored in the image forming apparatus;
  When the ID received from the process cartridge matches the ID stored in the image forming apparatus, the receiving unit receives the usage information, and the setting changing unit changes the setting and then returns to normal operation. ,
  When the ID received from the process cartridge does not match the ID stored in the image forming apparatus, the use of the image forming apparatus is prohibited, and a message indicating that the process cartridge is not set correctly is displayed. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus displays the image on a display unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit performs contactless communication. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the communication unit is an IC tag.

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