JP5463277B2 - Image forming apparatus and replacement parts - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine that uses a replacement part such as a cartridge or a unit for storing consumables, which is detachable from the apparatus main body and stores unique part information. It also relates to the replacement part.

  In recent years, many electrical appliances use replacement parts such as cartridges and units that can be attached to and detached from the apparatus body and store consumables. Similarly, some image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, and facsimiles include replacement parts for storing consumables. Examples of replacement parts of the image forming apparatus include a toner cartridge and a toner container that store toner (developer) as a consumable, a developing unit that stores a photosensitive drum as a consumable, and the like.

  These replacement parts include a data carrier such as an IC chip in which unique part information is stored. In recent years, unauthorized use has occurred in which the component information of this data carrier is copied and used as it is. The duplicated part information is written and used on a non-genuine product data carrier different from the original product. Non-genuine replacement parts are often sold at lower prices than genuine parts. However, there is a concern that the use of non-genuine products may not cause proper performance inherent in the device, and may cause serious problems in the device body.

  An example of an image forming apparatus capable of detecting a non-genuine product, that is, an improper replacement component with respect to such an unauthorized use of a replacement component can be seen in Patent Document 1. In the image forming apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a cartridge in which a consumable item is stored is detachably mounted. If the same identification information as the cartridge is found in the apparatus main body memory by ID verification of the cartridge, the used information is further checked. If there is used information, the cartridge is determined to be an inappropriate cartridge. A method for detecting a replacement part is described.

JP 2004-227010 A

  However, since the above-described detection method of an improper replacement part described in Patent Document 1 first searches an ID number in the image forming apparatus main body memory to perform ID number (identification number) verification, ID number verification May take a relatively long time. As a result, there is a concern that the standby time after the replacement part is mounted on the image forming apparatus until the apparatus becomes in a normal operable state may be prolonged. As a result, the operating efficiency of the image forming apparatus may be lowered, and the user may be uncomfortable.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides an image forming apparatus capable of quickly determining that a replacement part that is detachable from the apparatus main body is a non-genuine product of the apparatus. With the goal. It is another object of the present invention to provide a replacement part that can be detachably attached to the apparatus main body and that can quickly determine that the replacement part itself is a non-genuine product of the apparatus.

  In order to solve the above problems, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a replacement part that is detachable from the apparatus main body and stores unique part information, and a main body that reads or stores the part information of the replacement part. An image forming apparatus provided with a communication unit and a main body storage unit for storing an identification number of a replacement part, wherein the replacement part is the non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus as the part information. The component information stored in the component storage unit using the main body communication unit, the component storage unit storing non-genuine product information added when it is determined that And determines whether the replacement part is a non-genuine part based on the non-genuine part information. If the replacement part is not a non-genuine part, the identification number of the replacement part is the main body storage unit. Remembered If the identification number of the replacement part is not stored in the main body storage unit, the identification number is stored in the main body storage unit, and the identification number of the replacement part is stored in the main body storage unit. Is stored in the information storage unit, the replacement part is determined to be a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus, and the non-genuine product information is added and stored in the component storage unit using the main body communication unit. A processing unit is provided.

  According to this configuration, the image forming apparatus first determines whether or not the replacement part is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus based on the non-genuine product information of the replacement part without performing search and verification of the identification number. . When the replacement part is not a non-genuine product, it is checked against the identification number stored in the main body storage unit. If the identification number is not stored in the main unit storage unit, the replacement part is stored as a genuine product in the main unit storage unit, and if the identification number is stored in the main unit storage unit, the replacement part component Non-genuine product information indicating that the storage unit itself is a non-genuine product is added and stored. Therefore, if the part information of this replacement part is illegally copied, the replacement part is determined to be a non-genuine part based on the non-genuine part information immediately without being searched and verified for the identification number when it is used next time. Determined.

  In the image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration, the component storage unit stores, as the component information, history information added as a use history when the replacement part is first used in the image forming apparatus, The information processing unit reads the component information stored in the component storage unit using the main body communication unit, and if the information is not a non-genuine product based on the non-genuine product information, the replacement based on the history information The presence / absence of a component usage history is determined. If there is no replacement component usage history, the main body communication unit is used to add a usage history to the history information in the component storage unit, and then identify the replacement component. It was decided whether or not the number was stored in the main body storage unit.

  According to this configuration, when the replacement part is not a non-genuine part, there is a usage history based on the history information before collating the identification number of the replacement part with the identification number stored in the main body storage unit. Is excluded. Thereby, it is considered that the replacement part may have been taken out during use.

  Further, the present invention is a replacement part that is detachable from the device main body, a component storage unit that stores unique component information, and a component communication unit that outputs the component information in response to a read request from the device The component storage unit adds a non-genuine product as the component information when the replacement part is determined to be a non-genuine product of the device after responding to the read request as the component information. The information and the identification number of the replacement part are stored.

  According to this configuration, it is immediately determined whether or not the replacement part is a non-genuine product of the device by using the non-genuine product information without searching for and collating the identification number.

  In the replacement part having the above-described configuration, the part storage unit adds, as the part information, a use history when the replacement part is first used in the image forming apparatus. It is assumed that the history information for determining is stored.

  According to this configuration, for example, it is possible to exclude a replacement part having a use history based on history information, so that it is considered that the replacement part may have been taken out during use.

  According to the configuration of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus that can quickly determine that a replacement part that is detachable from the apparatus main body is a non-genuine product of the apparatus. Further, it is possible to provide a replacement part that can be quickly determined that the replacement part itself is a non-genuine product of the apparatus, as a replacement part that is detachable from the apparatus main body.

1 is a schematic vertical sectional front view of an image forming apparatus using a toner container (replacement part) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating configurations of an image forming apparatus and a toner container in FIG. 1. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation related to determination of a non-genuine product of a toner container in an image forming apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this case, a device provided with a detachable replacement part is assumed to be an image forming apparatus, and a toner container for storing toner, which is a consumable used in the image forming apparatus, will be described as an example of a replacement part of the present invention. And

  First, an image output operation of an image forming apparatus using a toner container according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described while explaining the outline of the structure with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional front view of an image forming apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image forming apparatus and a toner container. In FIG. 1, solid arrows indicate the paper conveyance path and conveyance direction, and alternate long and short dash arrows indicate the laser beam L.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a paper feed cassette 3 is disposed below the inside of the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1. The paper feed cassette 3 stores and accommodates paper P such as cut paper before printing. The sheets P are separated and sent one by one toward the upper left of the sheet feeding cassette 3 in FIG. The paper feed cassette 3 can be pulled out horizontally from the front side of the main body 2.

  A first paper transport unit 4 is provided in the main body 2 and on the left side of the paper feed cassette 3. The first paper transport unit 4 is formed substantially vertically along the left side surface of the main body 2. Then, the first paper transport unit 4 receives the paper P sent out from the paper feed cassette 3 and transports it to the transfer unit 5 vertically upward along the left side surface of the main body 2.

  A manual paper feed unit 6 is provided above the paper feed cassette 3 and on the right side, which is the side opposite to the left side of the main body 2 where the first paper transport unit 4 is formed. In the manual paper feed unit 6, paper that is not contained in the paper feed cassette 3, thick paper, or OHP sheets that are to be fed manually one by one are placed.

  A second paper transport unit 7 is provided on the left side of the manual paper feed unit 6. The second paper transport unit 7 is located immediately above the paper feed cassette 3, extends substantially horizontally from the manual paper feed unit 6 to the first paper transport unit 4, and joins the first paper transport unit 4. The second paper transport unit 7 receives the paper fed from the manual paper feed unit 6 and transports it to the first paper transport unit 4 substantially horizontally.

  On the other hand, a document conveying device 8 is mounted on the upper surface of the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, and an image reading unit 9 is mounted in the main body 2 below the main body 2. When a user copies an original, an original on which images such as characters, figures, and patterns are drawn is stacked on the original conveying device 8 or placed on a contact glass (not shown) on the upper surface of the image reading unit 9. To do. The document feeder 8 separates the documents one by one and sends the documents, and the image reading unit 9 reads the images. An image is read by scanning light on the contact glass on the image reading unit 9.

  Reading of a document image and start of printing are executed using an operation panel 10 provided on the front side of the image reading unit 9 at the top of the main body 2. The operation panel 10 accepts settings such as printing conditions such as the type and size of paper P used for printing by the user, the number of copies, enlargement / reduction, and presence / absence of double-sided printing, and notifies the user of precautions and error messages. To do.

  Information on the image data of the original is sent to the exposure unit 11 disposed above the second paper transport unit 7 and in the center of the main body 2. The exposure unit 11 irradiates the image forming unit 12 with laser light L controlled based on the image data.

  An image forming unit 12 and a transfer unit 5 are provided above the first paper transport unit 4 and to the left of the exposure unit 11. In the image forming unit 12, an electrostatic latent image of a document image is formed by the laser light L emitted from the exposure unit 11, and a toner image is developed from the electrostatic latent image. The toner is supplied to the image forming unit 12 from a toner container 30 provided above the exposure unit 11. The toner image formed by the image forming unit 12 is transferred by the transfer unit 5 to the pre-printing paper P sent in synchronization by the first paper transport unit 4.

  A fixing unit 13 is provided above the transfer unit 5. The sheet P carrying the unfixed toner image in the transfer unit 5 is sent to the fixing unit 13 where the toner image is heated and pressed by a heat roller and a pressure roller to be fixed.

  A paper guide unit 14 is provided above the fixing unit 13. When the duplex printing is not performed, the paper P discharged from the fixing unit 13 is discharged from the paper guide unit 14 to a cylinder paper discharge unit 15 provided in the upper cylinder of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The discharge port portion from which the paper P is discharged from the paper guide portion 14 toward the in-body paper discharge portion 15 functions as a switchback portion 16. When performing duplex printing, the switchback unit 16 switches the transport direction of the paper P discharged from the fixing unit 13. Then, the sheet P passes through the sheet guide unit 14, is sent downward through a double-sided printing sheet conveyance path 17 provided on the left side of the fixing unit 13 and the left side of the transfer unit 5, and again the first sheet conveyance unit 4. And then sent to the transfer section 5.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a main control unit 18 composed of a CPU 19 and other electronic components (not shown) in the main body 2 as shown in FIG. The main control unit 18 uses a CPU 19 and an image processing unit 20 which are central processing units, and the image reading unit 9, the exposure unit 11, and the image forming unit 12 based on programs and data stored and input in the main body storage unit 21. A series of image forming operations are realized by controlling components such as the fixing unit 13. The image processing unit 20 performs image processing on the image data of the original read by the image reading unit 9. The main body storage unit 21 can also store image data of a document read by the image reading unit 9.

  The toner container 30 described above is a replacement part that is detachable from the main body 2. The toner container 30 includes a component storage unit 31 and a component communication unit 32.

  The component storage unit 31 is a data carrier that stores unique component information configured by, for example, an IC chip. The component communication unit 32 includes, for example, an antenna, and outputs component information specific to the toner container 30 in response to a reading request from the outside, that is, a main body communication unit 22 of the main body 2 described later. The component storage unit 31 stores non-genuine product information, history information, and an identification number as component information.

  The non-genuine product information is information indicating whether the toner container 30 itself is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus 1. For example, the toner container 30 that is first installed in the image forming apparatus 1 does not store non-genuine product information in the component storage unit 31. However, the non-genuine product information is stored in the component storage unit 31 of the toner container 30 having the component information used in the past in the image forming apparatus 1 and illegally copied.

  The history information includes information on the presence / absence of usage history of the toner container 30 itself with respect to the image forming apparatus 1. When the toner container 30 is first used in the image forming apparatus 1, the fact that the toner container 30 has been used is added to the history information as a usage history.

  The identification number is a unique individual number of the toner container 30. Regarding the identification number of the toner container 30, the main body storage unit 21 stores the identification number of the toner container that has been used in the image forming apparatus 1 in the past.

  On the other hand, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a main body communication unit 22 that reads or stores component information of the toner container 30. The main body communication unit 22 is composed of, for example, an IC chip reader / writer, and is provided at a location where component information can be communicated to the component communication unit 32 of the toner container 30 attached to the main body 2.

  The main body communication unit 22 makes a component information reading request to the component communication unit 32 based on a command from the main control unit 18, or causes the component storage unit 31 to store the component information. That is, the main body communication unit 22 reads the non-genuine product information, history information, and identification number of the toner container 30 from the component storage unit 31 via the component communication unit 32. When the image forming apparatus 1 determines that the toner container 30 is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus 1, the main body communication unit 22 adds non-genuine product information to the component storage unit 31 via the component communication unit 32. To remember. In this way, the main control unit 18 functions as an information processing unit regarding the component information of the toner container 30.

  Next, the operation related to the determination of the non-genuine product of the toner container 30 in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described along the flow shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation related to the non-genuine product determination of the toner container 30 in the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image forming apparatus 1 executes non-genuine product determination of the toner container 30 when the toner container 30 is attached to the main body 2 or when the apparatus is activated.

  When the image forming apparatus 1 performs the non-genuine product determination of the toner container 30 (start of FIG. 3), the main control unit 18 that is an information processing unit related to the toner container 30 sends a command to the main body communication unit 22, and the toner container 30 The component information is read from the component storage unit 31 (step # 101 in FIG. 3). The main body communication unit 22 reads non-genuine product information, history information, and an identification number as component information in the component storage unit 31.

  Subsequently, the main control unit 18 determines whether the toner container 30 is a non-genuine product based on the non-genuine product information (step # 102). When the toner container 30 is a non-genuine product (Yes in Step # 102), the main control unit 18 recognizes that the toner container 30 is a non-genuine product (Step # 103) and determines the non-genuine product of the toner container 30. The operation flow related to is terminated (END in FIG. 3).

  When the toner container 30 is not a non-genuine product (No in Step # 102), the main control unit 18 determines the presence / absence of the usage history of the toner container 30 based on the history information (Step # 104). When there is a usage history of the toner container 30 in the image forming apparatus 1 (Yes in Step # 104), the main control unit 18 ends the operation flow related to the non-genuine product determination of the toner container 30 (End in FIG. 3).

  When there is no usage history of the toner container 30 in the image forming apparatus 1 (No in Step # 104), the main control unit 18 adds the usage history to the history information of the component storage unit 31 of the toner container 30 using the main body communication unit 22. (Step # 105).

  Subsequently, the main control unit 18 determines whether or not the identification number obtained from the component storage unit 31 of the toner container 30 is stored in the main body storage unit 21 (step # 106). When the identification number of the toner container 30 is not stored in the main body storage unit 21 (No in Step # 106), the main control unit 18 stores the identification number in the main body storage unit 21 (Step # 107), and the toner container 30 The operation flow related to the determination of the non-genuine product is terminated (END in FIG. 3).

  On the other hand, when the identification number of the toner container 30 is stored in the main body storage unit 21 (Yes in step # 106), the main control unit 18 determines that the toner container 30 is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus 1. Then, the non-genuine product information is added and stored in the component storage unit 31 of the toner container 30 using the main body communication unit 22 (step # 108). Then, the main control unit 18 recognizes that the toner container 30 is a non-genuine product (step # 103), and ends the operation flow relating to the non-genuine product determination of the toner container 30 (end of FIG. 3).

  Note that the step # 104 for determining the presence / absence of the usage history of the toner container 30 based on the history information and the step # 105 for adding the usage history can be omitted. However, when the toner container 30 is not a non-genuine product, by excluding those having a use history based on the history information before collating the identification number with the identification number stored in the main body storage unit 21, It is possible to consider that the toner container 30 may have been removed during use. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unnecessary identification numbers from being searched and collated.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 first determines whether or not the toner container 30 is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus 1 based on the non-genuine product information of the toner container 30 without searching for and checking the identification number. Determine. If the toner container 30 is not a non-genuine product, after checking the usage history, it collates with the identification number stored in the main body storage unit 21 of the main body storage unit 21. When the identification number of the toner container 30 is not stored in the main body storage unit 21, the identification number is stored as a genuine product in the main body storage unit 21, and when the identification number is stored in the main body storage unit 21. Non-genuine product information indicating that it is a non-genuine product is added to and stored in the component storage unit 31 of the toner container 30. Therefore, when the parts information of the toner container 30 is illegally copied, the toner container 30 is determined to be a non-genuine product based on the non-genuine product information immediately without being searched for and collated with an identification number when next used. It is determined that there is.

  According to the configuration of the above embodiment, it is possible to provide the image forming apparatus 1 that can quickly determine that the toner container 30 that is detachable from the main body 2 is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus 1. it can. In addition, in the toner container 30 that is detachable from the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus 1, the toner container 30 that can quickly determine that the toner container 30 itself is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus 1 is provided. can do.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the toner container 30 has been described as an example of the replacement part of the present invention. However, the replacement part is not limited to the toner container 30, and a developing unit (not shown) of the image forming unit 12 is not limited. Other parts such as) may be used as replacement parts. Further, the replacement part is not limited to a part used in the image forming apparatus, and may be a part used in another device.

  In the above-described embodiment of the present invention, the image forming apparatus for monochrome printing using only black toner as the image forming apparatus 1 has been described as an example. However, the image forming apparatus to which the invention is applied is described above. It is not limited to the model, and may be a tandem type or rotary type image forming apparatus for color printing that includes an intermediate transfer belt and can superimpose a plurality of colors to form an image.

  The present invention can be used in an image forming apparatus that uses a replacement part that is detachable from the apparatus main body and stores unique part information.

1 Image forming apparatus 18 Main control unit (information processing unit)
21 Main unit storage unit 22 Main unit communication unit 30 Toner container (replacement part)
31 Component storage unit 32 Component communication unit

Claims (1)

A replacement part that is detachable from the apparatus main body and stores unique part information;
A main body communication unit that reads or stores the part information of the replacement part;
A main body storage unit for storing the identification number of the replacement part;
An image forming apparatus provided with
The replacement part stores, as the part information, non-genuine product information added when it is determined that the replacement part is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus, and an identification number of the replacement component. Part
The component storage unit stores, as the component information, history information added as a use history when the replacement component is first used in the image forming apparatus,
The component information stored in the component storage unit is read using the main body communication unit, and it is determined whether or not the replacement part is a non-genuine product based on the non-genuine product information. If it is not a non-genuine product, the presence / absence of the usage history of the replacement part is determined based on the history information. If the usage history of the replacement part is not present, the history of the part storage unit is determined using the main body communication unit. After adding a use history to the information, it is determined whether or not the replacement part identification number is stored in the main body storage unit, and the replacement part identification number is not stored in the main body storage unit Stores the identification number in the main body storage unit, and when the replacement part identification number is stored in the main body storage unit, determines that the replacement part is a non-genuine product of the image forming apparatus. Using the main body communication unit An image forming apparatus comprising the further comprising an information processing unit to be added to store the non-genuine information to serial component storage unit.

Images