JPH09120235A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inform a controller of information stored in a memory without increasing a new signal conductor by transmitting information stored in the memory by using a status signal. SOLUTION: An engine control part 234 reads in total printing information written in a storage part 240 through an interface part between the storage part 240 and the control part 234, and printing number information for one sheet is added and written in the storage means 240 every time printing operation is performed. The printing number information transmitted from the control part 234 is encoded in a video interface part 233, and transmitted to a printer controller 236 by utilizing a status/command signal. The controller 236 roughly knows how many sheets printing can be performed to by using a loaded cartridge further by subtracting the present number of copies transmitted by the status signal from the number of printing feasible times previosly stored.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an interface between a controller and an engine control unit of an image forming apparatus in which a storage means is mounted on a process cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 8 and 9 show the construction of a laser beam printer which is an example of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The image forming operation of the laser beam printer will be described with reference to this drawing. 101 is an image signal (VDO signal)
Then, it is input to the laser unit 102. Reference numeral 103 is a laser beam which is on-off modulated by the laser unit 102. A scanner motor 104 causes the rotary polygon mirror (polygon mirror) 105 to rotate steadily. An imaging lens 106 focuses a laser beam 107 deflected by a polygon mirror onto a photosensitive drum 108 which is a surface to be scanned.

Therefore, the laser beam 107 modulated by the image signal 101 is horizontally scanned (scanned in the main scanning direction) on the photosensitive drum 108. Reference numeral 109 is a beam detection port that takes in a beam from a slit-shaped entrance. The laser beam entered through this entrance is the optical fiber 110.
It is guided to the photoelectric conversion element 111 through the inside. The laser beam converted into an electric signal by the photoelectric conversion element 111 is
After being amplified by an amplifier circuit (not shown), it becomes a horizontal synchronizing signal.

Reference numeral 112 denotes a transfer paper, which is the photosensitive drum 108.
The latent image wave formed on the surface of the transfer paper 112 is visualized by the developing device 123 and becomes a toner image.
Is transferred to The transfer paper 112 to which the toner image has been transferred is fixed by a fixing device 121 having a halogen heater built therein, and ejected from a paper ejecting section 122.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of a control configuration of the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Transmission and reception of control signals inside the laser beam printer will be described with reference to FIG. A printer controller 132 forms the video signal 101 based on a data code 135 from an external device 131 such as a personal computer. Also, a video interface signal 136 including the video signal 101.
Is used to communicate with the video interface unit 133 in the printer engine 130, and the printer engine 1 is always
Monitor and control 30 states. Printer engine 13
When 0 is printable, the video signal 101 indicates the video interface unit 133 and the printer engine control unit 134.
The laser beam is guided to the laser unit 102 via the, and image formation is performed as described above.

The video interface signal 136 can be roughly divided into two. One is status /
In the command signal 137, the status is serial data transmitted by the printer engine, and the command is serial data transmitted by the printer controller. Many of the current laser beam printers have this status / command signal, and the command signal from the controller controls the transition or return to the low power consumption mode or the switching of the resolution of the image formed by the laser beam printer. There is.

The other one is a signal 138 for executing a print sequence. Each one of the signals is a predetermined one
It corresponds to each of the three functions, and image formation is possible with these signals even if there is no status / command signal.

Reference numeral 145 is a / PRINT signal, which is one of the signals for executing the print sequence, and is sent from the printer controller 132 to the engine controller 134.

The / PRINT signal is a signal for the printer controller 132 to instruct the printer engine 130 to start or continue printing.

Further, 146 is a / RDY signal, which is sent from the printer engine 130 to the printer controller 132. The / RDY signal 146 is a signal indicating that printing can be started or continued by receiving a / PRINT signal from the printer controller 132. The printer controller 132 constantly monitors the / RDY signal 146, and when the printer engine 130 cannot print,
The printer engine 130 / RDY signal is output as "Hi" level.

[0011]

The conventional process cartridge does not have a storage means such as a memory.

Therefore, in the cartridge having the memory, a new communication means for notifying the controller of the information written in the memory via the engine control unit is required.

Further, conventionally, when the toner in the cartridge is low, it is unclear how much printing can be performed. Therefore, even when the toner is low, it is possible to print only by displaying it on the panel or the like. I was trying.

Therefore, when there is not enough toner for printing, a recording paper having an image defect may be output.

An object of the present invention is to send information stored in a memory provided in a process cartridge by using an existing signal (status signal) so that the information can be stored in the memory without adding a new signal line. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of notifying a controller of stored information.

Another object of the present invention is to accurately notify the number of printable sheets by using the process cartridge currently in use, and to prevent the formation of a white image due to lack of toner. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing the above.

[0017]

In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is an image forming apparatus having storage means mounted in a cartridge, and the information stored in the storage means is stored in a video interface. The means for notifying the controller using the above status signal, the means for notifying the user of the printable number based on the total print number of the cartridge sent to the controller by the status signal, and the printable number became 0 In some cases, it has means for stopping the printing operation.

[0018]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(Embodiment 1) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows a storage section 240 of the cartridge 241.
2 shows an example in which the above information is sent to the printer controller 236. FIG. 2B shows the video interface unit 23.
3 is an example of a status data bit sent from the printer 3 to the printer controller 236. FIG. 2A shows an example in which the number of printed sheets is coded. Reference numeral 241 denotes a process cartridge 241 (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge) containing an image carrier and toner, and a storage unit 240 such as a readable / writable memory is mounted on the exterior thereof. The information stored in the storage unit 240 is the total number of prints printed by the cartridge 241, the remaining toner amount, time information, and the like.

Based on these pieces of information, the printer controller 232 and the engine control section 234 perform control for improving the quality of the printer.

In the following, the notification of the total number of prints of the cartridge to the printer controller 236 will be described as an example.

The engine control unit 234 reads the total print number information written in the storage unit 240 via the interface unit 239 with the storage unit 240. Further, the engine control unit 234 adds and writes the print number information for one sheet to the storage unit 240 for each print operation.

The number of prints is written by the printer controller 236 to the printer engine 230 for each print operation, and the print command signal / PRINT signal 245 is sent.
Should be performed when the engine receives.

The print number information sent from the engine control section 234 is coded in the video interface section 233 as shown in FIG. 2A, for example, and using several bits of the 8 bits of the status / command signal 237. ,
It is transmitted to the printer controller 232.

The printer controller 232 stores in advance how many sheets can be printed with the toner contained in the unused cartridge. From the number of prints X, the current number of prints sent by the status signal (for example, 1
By subtracting Y (in units of 000 sheets), the printer controller 236 can roughly know how many more sheets can be printed with the cartridge.

FIG. 2B shows an example of the status data bit in the case of sending information of about 4000 printed sheets. In the example, since 4 bits are used for the print number information, the remaining 2 bits may be used for transmitting other information.

The reason why the print number information is coded is as follows.

The amount of toner accommodated in each cartridge varies depending on the printing speed of the printer and the usage condition, but is usually an amount capable of printing at least several thousand sheets.

The number of bits that can be used for information transmission by the status / command signal is normally up to 6 bits.

That is, when the number of printed sheets is sent to the printer controller 236 by using the status signal, only 6 bits, that is, up to 64 sheets of information can be sent at one time.

Therefore, if 1000 sheets are used as one unit and coded as shown in FIG. 2A, the total number of printed sheets of the cartridge can be sent to the controller 236 at one time.

(Embodiment 2) A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. FIG. 1 shows an example in which information in the storage unit 140 of the cartridge 241 is sent to the printer controller 236. FIG. 3 shows the flowchart of FIG. 4C and 4D show the video interface unit 233 to the printer controller 23.
6 is an example of the status data bit sent to S6.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are examples in which the number of printed sheets is coded.

The total number of prints on the cartridge is
The notification to the printer controller 236 will be described as an example.

The engine control section 234 reads the total print number information written in the storage means via the interface 239 with the storage section 240. Further, the engine control unit 234 adds and writes the information about the number of printed sheets for one sheet to the storage unit 240 for each printing operation.

When the number of printed sheets is sent to the printer controller using the status signal, only 6 bits, that is, up to 64 sheets of information can be sent at a time.

Therefore, the information on the number of printed sheets sent from the engine control unit is stored in the video interface unit 233.
Number of status / command signal 237 coded bi
It is transmitted to the printer controller using t.

The difference from the first embodiment is that it has two encoding methods and sends them as separate bit data of the status signal.

One is a method of coding 1000 sheets as one unit as shown in Table 1.

The other is a method of counting down and coding each time a predetermined number of sheets, for example, 1000 to 10 sheets are printed (FIG. 4B).

Since the former method uses 1000 sheets,
When the toner in the cartridge is running low, it is difficult for the printer controller 236 to accurately grasp how many sheets can be printed later.

Therefore, in order to detect the printable sheet number more accurately than in the first embodiment, in addition to the data coded as shown in FIG. 4A, the data coded as shown in FIG. Send with different status 1 and 2. FIG. 4C shows an example of the status 1 data bit when sending the information on the number of printed sheets of 4000 sheets. Further, FIG. 4D shows an example of the data bit of status 2 when sending information of 101 or more printable sheets.

When the toner remaining amount detecting means 242 detects that the toner is low, the printer controller 23
In step S6, the print number information sent in status 2 is selected.

As described above, when the toner in the cartridge 241 is low, the controller 236 can grasp the remaining printable sheet number more accurately than in the first embodiment.

Further, in this embodiment, 4 bits are used for coding the number of printed sheets, so that the status is divided into two and sent. This is because the number of bits that can be used in the status is 6 bits, and thus it is not possible to send two 4-bit data (8 bits).

4A and 4B, if the data code is combined so as to be 6 bits or less, one status signal can be sent at the same time.

(Embodiment 3) A third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. As in the above-described embodiment, FIG. 1 shows an example in which the information in the storage unit 140 of the cartridge 241 is sent to the printer controller 236.
Is an example of status data bit sent from the video interface unit 233 to the printer controller 236. FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of the control unit 234 of FIG.

The difference from the second embodiment is that FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b)
One of the methods of the two types of codes shown in (1) is selected and sent as bit data of one status signal.

The video interface section 233 selects one of the above two encoding methods according to the remaining amount of toner. That is, when the toner remaining amount is large, the former code (FIG. 4A) is selected, and when the detection unit 242 detects that the toner is small, the latter code is used.
Select (b) and send it to the printer controller 236 using the status signal.

With the configuration of this embodiment, for example, FIG.
The data bit shown in (b) indicates that when the toner remaining amount is large, the total number of printed sheets is about 4000 sheets, while when the toner remaining amount is small, it indicates that about 40 sheets can be printed later. It becomes information.

In this embodiment, the amount of data sent by using the status signal is half that of the second embodiment, so the load on the printer controller 236 and the engine control section 234 is reduced.

(Embodiment 4) In this embodiment, the printer controller 236 and the cartridge 2 are used in the embodiment 2 or 3.
Since the process after the information 41 of the number of printed sheets is sent is different from that of the second or third embodiment, the difference will be described.

When the toner remaining amount detecting means determines that the toner remaining amount is less than the determined amount, the printable number is displayed on the display unit 247 such as a panel attached to the outside of the printer or the host computer. It is displayed on the external device 231 such as, and notifies the user. After that, the user repeats printing, and when the number of printable sheets becomes 0, the display section 247 displays that "printing is not possible because there is no toner". Further, at that time, the engine control unit 234 is / RD
The Y signal 246 is set to "Hi" level and sent to the printer controller 236 to stop the printing operation.

According to this embodiment, the user can know how many more sheets can be printed with the cartridge currently in use. Further, when the number of printable sheets becomes 0, by stopping the printing operation, it is possible to prevent an image defect such as a blank image (which occurs when there is not enough toner for printing).

(Embodiment 5) A fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 6 and 7. FIG. 1 shows an example in which information in the storage section 240 of the cartridge 241 is sent to the printer controller 236. FIG. 6 is a timing chart of the video interface signal. Further, FIG. 7 shows a flow of a method of writing to the storage section 240 of the cartridge.

In the above embodiment, the printer engine 230 is used.
An example has been described in which, when the printer receives / PRINT 245, one print is added to the storage unit 240 of the cartridge and written.

In this embodiment, an example of writing at another timing will be described.

The printer engine 230 sends a / RDY signal 246 to the printer controller 232 when the printer engine 230 is ready for printing. In this state, the controller 232 / PR
An INT signal 245 is sent to instruct printing. As a result, the printer engine 230 rotates a drum (not shown) housed in the cartridge 241, feeds paper, and prepares for printing. When the printer engine 230 completes the preparation for printing, it sets the / VSREQ signal to "Low" and requests the controller 232 for the / VSYNC signal. The controller 232 detects that the / VSREQ signal has become "Low", and outputs the / VSYNC signal to "Low" if the video signal is ready to be sent.

However, depending on the print image, it may take a long time (several tens of seconds) to develop the image information into the video signal in the printer controller 232.

At this time, the printer engine 230 waits for a long time while rotating the drum. For example, when this standby state continues for about 10 seconds or more, the drum is in the same state as one sheet is printed. Therefore, in order to accurately grasp the life of the drum, the engine 230 measures the time T from when the / VSREQ signal is sent to when the / VSYNC signal is sent, and the time is
For example, in the case of 10 seconds (Ta) or more, the number of printed sheets for one sheet is added and written in the storage unit 240 of the cartridge.

That is, for one printing operation, T> T
In the case of a, two sheets are additionally written in the storage unit 240, and in the case of Ta> T, one sheet is additionally written in the storage unit 240.

[0061]

As described above, by using the present invention, a new signal line is provided by sending the information stored in the memory of the cartridge by using the existing signal (status signal). Instead, the information in the memory can be notified to the controller.

Further, it is possible to notify the user of the number of printable sheets of the currently used cartridge with good accuracy. It is possible to prevent an image defect such as a blank image that appears when the toner is insufficient.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining second and third embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing an operation example of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a general image forming apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a general image forming apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an electrical configuration example of the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

[Explanation of symbols]

 230 printer engine 236 printer controller 237 command / status signal 240 cartridge 241 storage unit 242 toner remaining amount detection unit

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. A first control means for expanding image data from an external device into an image signal of dot data; an image forming means for forming an image based on the image signal by using an electrostatic recording method; Second control means for controlling the image forming means, communication means for communicating between the first control means and the second control means, the first control means or the second control means An image forming apparatus having a detachable process cartridge equipped with a storage unit that is read and written by the second control unit in order to determine an operating condition or an operating state. An image forming apparatus, which informs the control means of the information of the storage means. 2. The communication means according to claim 1, further comprising a first conversion means for encoding the information in the storage means based on a predetermined law. Image forming apparatus. 3. The communication means according to claim 1, wherein the communication means has a plurality of information conversion means for encoding the single information in the storage means based on a predetermined law. The image forming apparatus described. 4. The communication means according to claim 1, further comprising a first notifying means for notifying the information converted by the information converting means according to claim 2. Image forming apparatus. 5. The communication means according to claim 1 has a plurality of notifying means for notifying a plurality of information converted by a plurality of information converting means according to claim 3, respectively. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 6. A second notification in which the communication means according to claim 1 selects and notifies a plurality of information converted by a plurality of information conversion means according to claim 3 based on a predetermined condition. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means. 7. The image formation according to claim 1, wherein the information written in the storage means according to claim 1 is a total number of printed sheets printed using a cartridge having the storage means. apparatus. 8. One of the plurality of information converting means according to claim 3 is a second converting means for expressing the total number of printed sheets by adding a predetermined number of sheets. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus comprises: 9. One of the plurality of information conversion means according to claim 3 is a third number which is represented by subtracting a predetermined number of sheets from a predetermined number of sheets based on the total number of printed sheets. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a converting unit. 10. The notification means according to claim 5, wherein one of the notification means is a third notification means for notifying the information converted by the second conversion means. 1. The image forming apparatus according to 1. 11. The fourth notifying means for notifying the information converted by the third converting means, wherein one of the plurality of notifying means according to claim 5 is the fourth notifying means. 1. The image forming apparatus according to 1. 12. The second notification means according to claim 6, wherein the detection means for detecting the remaining amount of toner contained in the cartridge has a toner remaining amount less than a predetermined range including a predetermined amount. When detecting the, the third conversion means,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in other cases, the information converted by the second conversion unit is notified. 13. The first control means according to claim 1, when the detection means detects a toner remaining amount less than a predetermined range including a predetermined amount, a fourth notification means, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information converted by the third notifying unit is selected in other cases. 14. The first control means according to claim 1, estimates the printable sheet number based on the received total print sheet number information, and notifies the printable sheet number information to the outside of the machine. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is characterized in that. 15. The first control means according to claim 1, estimates the printable sheet number based on the received total information of the print sheet number, and when the printable sheet number becomes zero, The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing operation is stopped. 16. The image according to claim 1, wherein the total information of the number of printed sheets according to claim 1 is additionally written in the storage means at a determined timing or a determined condition. Forming equipment. 17. The predetermined condition according to claim 15, is the time from when the second control means requests the vertical synchronization signal to when the vertical synchronization signal is returned from the first control means. The time is measured by the time measuring means included in the second control means, and when this time is longer than a predetermined time set in advance,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of printed sheets information is counted as one sheet.