JPH063388Y2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine.

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a copier or the like, the number of image formations, that is, the number of copies is counted by a mechanical total counter in order to check the life of the machine. In recent years, members around the photoconductor are detachably attached to the apparatus main body as an image forming unit such as a photoconductor unit. Therefore, in order to know the life of the photoconductor,
The number of times of image formation is counted by a mechanical automatic reset counter which is reset by the replacement set of the image forming unit.

For example, there is a laser beam printer as shown in FIGS. This is because the developing drawer 2 is provided with respect to the printer body 1 so as to be freely drawn and opened.
The OPC cartridge 3 as an image forming unit is detachable and replaceable with the developing drawer 2 opened. That is, the OPC cartridge 3
Is a replacement part. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, when a new OPC cartridge 3 is installed in the developing drawer 2 and the developing drawer 2 is housed in the main body 1, the reset lever 5 of the internal OPC counter 4 causes the OPC cartridge 4 to reset. The OPC counter 4 is pressed by the third folding claw 6 to reset and initialize the OPC counter 4. At this time, the folding claw 6 is missing, and unless a new OPC cartridge 3 is set,
Even if only the developing drawer 2 is pulled out for replenishing the developing solution, the reset lever 5 does not interfere and the OPC counter 4 is not reset. Further, a stopper 7 is provided for the reset lever 5. Furthermore,
A main body 1 is equipped with a total counter 8 separately from the OPC counter 4.

However, such a mechanical counter is not sufficient in terms of reliability, cost, size and function.

Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-195854, the image forming number indicator on the main body side is reset and exchanged in association with the attachment / detachment and exchange of a process kit (image forming unit) which is detachably attachable to the apparatus main body. There is also a counter adapted to display the number of times of image formation by the set process kit. However, in this case, when the nonvolatile RAM is installed on the process kit side, it is necessary to newly install a connector for connecting the RAM or RAM and the main body side CPU on the process kit side. As a result, the cost of the process kit is increased and the reliability is also fixed due to the contact failure of the connector. On the other hand, the configuration in which the reset trigger switch and the manual reset circuit connection switch are provided on the apparatus body side is inconvenient because the automatic reset cannot be executed except when power is supplied. Further, when the manual switch is used, there is an erroneous operation, and an appropriate reset cannot be performed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image forming apparatus that is small in size, low in cost, and capable of highly reliable initialization of image forming number information.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus in which an image forming unit is detachably attached to an apparatus main body, a mechanical switch for sequentially holding a plurality of states, and the image forming unit. An operation member for activating the switch, a rewritable and non-volatile storage unit for storing the state of the switch and the number of times of image formation, and the number of times of image formation for managing the image forming operation. When the state of the switch is detected and the state of the detected switch is changed from the state of the switch stored in the storage unit, the initialization of the image formation number information stored in the storage unit is performed. And rewriting the state of the switch stored in the storage means to the state of the switch after the change. The switch has its state switched by the contact with the operating member in association with the mounting of the image forming unit on the apparatus main body, and maintains the state until the operating member comes into contact next. The actuating member actuates the switch when the image forming unit is attached to the apparatus body for the first time, and activates the switch when the same image forming unit is attached to the apparatus body for the second time or later. If the image forming unit is replaced when the power is not turned on,
After the power is turned on, the state of the switch is detected by the processing means.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 are designated by the same reference numerals. First, in this embodiment, the OPC counter 4 and the reset lever 5 are provided in the main body 1.
Instead of, the reversing switch 9 which is a push-type switch
Is provided, and is configured to be pushed by the folding claw (which becomes an operating member) 6 when the OPC cartridge 3 as the image forming unit is attached / detached and replaced. More specifically, it is reversed every time it is pushed and released by the folding claw 6 and recursively holds two states alternately. That is, generally, a plurality of states are recursively held in order. This will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 1. The contact of the reversing switch 9 is reversed every time the OPC cartridge 3 is replaced and set, and the contact is reversed from the + B state to the GND state or the G state.
The output changes from the ND state to the + B state. Then, the folding claw 6 is broken by pressing the reversing switch 9. Therefore, even if only the developing drawer 2 is pulled out after the OPC cartridge 3 has been replaced and set, the state of the reversing switch 9 is not reversed.

FIG. 1 shows the block configuration of this embodiment mounted on the printer body 1. First, a CPU 10 is provided which is connected to the reversing switch 9 and serves as a processing means. The CPU 10 has an image forming operation detecting means 11
In addition to the input of the signal from, the RAM 12 serving as a rewritable nonvolatile storage means is connected, and the display 13 is connected to the output side.

Here, the state of the reversing switch 9 (+ B output or GND
Any one of the outputs) is read by the CPU 10 and the R
It is stored in AM12. Further, during the printing operation, the signal from the image forming operation detecting means 11 is read and counted by the CPU 10 every time printing is performed, and the data of the number of times of image forming is stored in the total counter area and the reset counter area of the RAM 12.

In such a configuration, the reset operation and the like are controlled according to the flowchart of FIG. First, the CPU 10 checks the state of the reversing switch 9. That is,
It is checked whether the status output of the reversing switch 9 read by the CPU 10 matches the switch status data stored in the RAM 12. Here, since the state of the reversing switch 9 is not normally changed, the two coincide with each other,
A normal counting operation of the number of times of image formation is performed for each copy operation.

When the OPC cartridge 3 is replaced and set, the reversing switch 9 is reversed to a different state. As a result, the CPU 10 reads different output from the reversing switch 9. Therefore, in this case, the state output of the reversing switch 9 and the switch state data stored in the RAM 12 are different. In this way, the CPU 10 causes the OPC cartridge 3
Is determined to have been replaced and set, and the image formation number information stored in the reset counter area in the RAM 12 is cleared and initialized. Then, the changed state data of the reversing switch 9 is also rewritten in the switch data area of the RAM 12. After such initialization, each time the printing operation is completed, 1 is added to the count data of each of the total counter area and the reset counter area in the RAM 12 to execute the counting operation. At this time, the reset counter area becomes data of the number of times of image formation by the exchange-set OPC cartridge 3. Such count information is sent to the RAM 12 by the CPU 10 when necessary.
Read out from and displayed on the display unit 13.

As described above, according to this embodiment, first, since the reversing switch 9 is a mechanical switch, even if the printer body 1 is not energized, the OPC cartridge 3 must be replaced before being set. It is inverted and held in a state different from the state. And such an inversion switch 9
The state before is stored in the nonvolatile RAM 12.
Therefore, even if there is a replacement set without turning on the power, if the power is turned on for printing operation, the RAM
The reset initialization operation of the image formation number information in the reset counter area in 12 is surely performed, and the reliability is high. This is highly reliable in that no RAM or the like is mounted on the OPC cartridge 3 side and a connector or the like with the CPU 10 side is not required, and it is mechanically simple and low cost. Will be things.

By the way, a reset data storage area and a reset execution count storage area are also provided in the RAM 12, and the previous data in the reset counter area is stored as it is at the time of resetting by replacement set of the OPC cartridge 3, and the OPC cartridge 3 that has been replaced is stored. If new count data is started in another storage area, OPC
The replacement history of the cartridge 3 can be stored. Then, by reading out such data through the CPU 10, it is possible to obtain more detailed data regarding the usage status. In this way, the CPU 10 and the RAM 12
By using, the range of application as a counter is expanded and it is easy to achieve high functionality.

In addition, when it is desired to reduce the number of times of writing to the nonvolatile RAM 12, the normal R is read from the RAM 12 immediately after the power is turned on.
Data is transferred to AM, this normal RAM is used during operation, and this normal R is used just before power-off.
The AM data may be written in the nonvolatile RAM 12.

Effect A mechanical switch for sequentially holding a plurality of states, an operating member provided in the image forming unit for operating the switch, and a rewritable and non-volatile memory for storing the state of the switch and the number of times of image formation. The storage means and the image forming operation are managed, the number of times of image formation is written in the storage means, the state of the switch is detected, and the detected switch state is changed from the state of the switch stored in the storage means. And a processing unit that initializes the image formation count information stored in the storage unit and rewrites the state of the switch stored in the storage unit to the state of the switch after the change. The switch is turned off by contact with the operating member in conjunction with mounting of the image forming unit on the apparatus main body. The operation member is maintained in that state until it is replaced, and the operation member operates the switch when the image forming unit is attached to the apparatus main body for the first time, and the same image forming unit is operated. The switch is not operated by the second and subsequent attachments to the apparatus main body, and if there is a replacement device for the image forming unit when the power is off, the state of the switch is changed by the processing means after the power is turned on. Since only the switch is used as the mechanical part, the structure can be simplified, and since the mechanical switch and the non-volatile storage means are used, the power is turned on. Even if the image forming unit is replaced and set in a state where it does not come into contact, reset initialization can be reliably performed and reliability is high. In which it can be of a type and cost of the counter mechanism.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic side view around a reversing switch, FIG. 3 is a flow chart, FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional example, and FIG. 5 is a drawer. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the state, and FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the switch mechanism. 1 ... Printer main body (apparatus main body), 3 ... OPC cartridge (image forming unit), 6 ... Folding claw (operating member), 9
... Inversion switch (switch), 10 ... CPU (processing means), 12 ... RAM (storage means)

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-59-93466 (JP, A) JP-A-60-76765 (JP, A) JP-A-60-136757 (JP, A) JP-A-60- 229049 (JP, A) JP 62-200366 (JP, A) JP 62-198879 (JP, A) Actually opened 60-135747 (JP, U) Actually opened 62-79258 (JP, U) JP-B 59-3742 (JP, B2) JP-B 56-37550 (JP, B2) JP-B 1-41987 (JP, B2) JK 2-38290 (JP, Y2) J-P 2-8295 (JP, Y2) Actual Public Flat 2-3560 (JP, Y2) Actual Public Flat 1-21311 (JP, Y2)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An image forming apparatus in which an image forming unit is detachably attached to an apparatus main body, and a mechanical switch for sequentially holding a plurality of states, and the switch provided in the image forming unit to operate the switch. An actuating member for operating, a rewritable and non-volatile storage means for storing the state of the switch and the number of times of image formation, and managing the image forming operation to write the number of times of image formation in the storage means and of the switch. When the state of the switch is detected and the detected state of the switch is changed from the state of the switch stored in the storage means, the image forming number information stored in the storage means is initialized and stored in the storage means. And a processing unit that rewrites the stored state of the switch to the state of the switch after the change. The state is switched by the contact with the actuating member in association with the mounting of the image forming unit on the apparatus main body, and the state is maintained until the actuating member comes into contact next, and the actuating member is The switch is activated when the image forming unit is attached to the apparatus body for the first time, and the switch is not activated when the same image forming unit is attached to the apparatus body for the second time or later. An image forming apparatus, wherein when the image forming unit is replaced and attached at the time of turning on, the state of the switch is detected by the processing means after turning on the power.