JPH11231734A - Controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely preserve variable control information to be changed based on control operation contents or the like in an easily renritable state. SOLUTION: A display part 23 is formed at one part of the side face of a toner storage part 21 of a toner cartridge freely attachably and detachably mounted on the main body of copy machine. The display part 23 is composed of reversible thermosensible materials using known leuco coloring matters. Concerning this reversible thermosensible recording material, when a heat coloring image is rapidly cooled, a coloring state is fixed and when this image is gradually cooled, colors disappear. Therefore, by selectively performing quick cooling or gradual cooling after heating through a method for using a thermal head for the display part 23 or through hot stamping, information on the said toner cartridge or information on toners 24 can be written and erased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control device for executing a control operation based on control information of one or a plurality of detachable units.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a control device for executing a control operation based on control information specific to a single or a plurality of units which are detachably provided, all or a part of a process unit for performing an image forming process by an electrophotographic method is used. There is an image forming apparatus that is detachable. In this image forming apparatus, a process unit integrally configured with a developing device or a photosensitive drum having a predetermined service life, or a developer cartridge containing a developer consumed in an image forming process is detachably attached. Based on control information such as the number of uses of these units and the type of developer stored in the cartridge,
Process conditions such as a developing bias voltage in the image forming process are controlled.

Therefore, in order to properly set process conditions in an image forming apparatus, it is necessary to recognize control information of a process unit or a developer cartridge mounted on the apparatus. If the user inputs a setting, not only the setting input operation becomes complicated, but also a control failure may occur due to mounting of a process unit or a developer cartridge having control information different from the setting content.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 4-62564 has provided an instruction means for setting an operation state of an image forming apparatus on a toner cartridge detachably mountable to the image forming apparatus. A configuration is disclosed in which the operation state of the image forming apparatus is set based on the result of the determination.

[0005] With this configuration, control information such as the type of toner stored in the toner cartridge can be set from the toner cartridge itself mounted on the apparatus, and an operation for setting and inputting control information can be eliminated. In addition, it is possible to prevent a control failure from occurring.

[0006]

However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, there is no image forming apparatus capable of easily rewriting control information unique to a unit or the like which is attached to and detached from the apparatus. For this reason, when the process conditions are changed in accordance with the change in the deterioration state of the developer according to the number of times of image formation,
Alternatively, the control information displayed on each unit cannot be easily changed corresponding to the case where each unit is reused after a predetermined recycling process due to environmental problems or a request for cost reduction.

In this case, it is conceivable that control information such as the number of times of image formation is stored in the main body of the image forming apparatus. However, when an abnormality occurs in the operation of the main body of the apparatus, the stored contents of the control information are damaged. There is a problem that the control information may not be accurately stored due to loss or loss.

These problems occur not only in an image forming apparatus but also in a general control apparatus that executes a control operation using control information unique to a detachable unit or a plurality of units. .

An object of the present invention is to display variable control information of a detachable apparatus body or unit on the apparatus body or unit by using a reversible thermosensitive recording material.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device capable of reliably storing variable control information that is changed according to control operation contents and the like in an easily rewritable state.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control device having a single unit or a plurality of units having variable control information which is detachably provided. Providing a display unit for displaying the variable control information on the reversible thermosensitive recording material, performing a processing operation of the variable control information related to the control operation on the display unit, and executing the control operation based on the variable control information. Features.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the variable control information of each unit related to the control operation is reversibly displayed on the display unit of the apparatus main body or a single or a plurality of units detachably attached to the apparatus main body. A processing operation such as a reading process or a writing process of variable control information displayed on the thermosensitive recording material and related to the control operation is performed on the display unit, and a control operation is performed based on the variable control information.
The recording state of the reversible thermosensitive recording material is reversibly changed by a heat change. Therefore, the variable control information whose contents change in association with the control operation is reliably stored in the display unit of the apparatus main body or the unit in a state in which it can be easily rewritten by the heat change.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the variable control information displayed by the display unit is information on an apparatus main body or a unit contained in a unit which is a contained body.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the apparatus main body or the unit detachably attached to the apparatus is a container housing the contents, the information on the contents is stored in the apparatus main body by the reversible thermosensitive recording material. Alternatively, it is displayed on the display unit of the unit. Therefore, information on the contents that change in association with the control operation is reliably stored in the apparatus main body or the unit in a state where the information can be easily rewritten by the heat change.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the variable control information displayed by the display unit is information relating to a reuse process of the apparatus main body or the unit.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the apparatus main body or the unit detachably attached to the apparatus is reused after a predetermined recycling processing, information relating to the recycling processing that changes in connection with the control operation is stored. The reversible thermosensitive recording material is displayed on the display unit of the apparatus body or unit. Therefore, the information on the reuse process that changes in association with the control operation is reliably stored in the apparatus main body or the unit in a state where it can be easily rewritten by the heat change.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the variable control information displayed by the display unit is information relating to an external temperature history of the apparatus main body or the unit.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, information relating to the external temperature history of the apparatus main body or the unit detachably attached to the apparatus is displayed on the display section of the apparatus main body or unit by using a reversible thermosensitive recording material. Therefore, the recording state of the reversible thermosensitive recording material changes according to the history of the external temperature of the apparatus body or the unit, and the external temperature history of the apparatus body or the unit is recognized from the display state of the display unit of the apparatus body or the unit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the display unit displays the variable control information as visible information.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the variable control information is displayed as visible information on the display unit of the apparatus main body or the unit by using a reversible thermosensitive recording material. Therefore, the variable control information displayed on the display unit of the apparatus main body or the unit is visually recognized, and the variable control information is used not only for the control operation in the apparatus but also for the determination of the content of the manual processing.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a control device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described using a copying machine as an image forming apparatus as an example. FIG. 1 is a schematic front sectional view showing a configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. The copier 100 has a document table 110 arranged on the upper surface, and an optical system unit 1
02, a process unit 112 is provided in the center of the inside, a paper feed unit 113 is provided on the right side of the inside, and an intermediate tray 111 is provided below the inside. The process unit 112 includes the photosensitive drum 101
Are supported, and the charging charger 106 and the developing device 1
04, a transfer charger 114, a cleaner 107, and the like are arranged facing the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 101. The paper feeding unit 113 has a paper feeding cassette 103 mounted on the right side of the copying machine 100, and a paper discharge tray 109 mounted on the left side of the copying machine 100.

An optical system unit 102 exposes and scans an image of a document placed on a document table 110 via a lamp unit, and reflects light reflected by the lamp unit on the document image surface onto the surface of the photosensitive drum 101. Distribute light. Prior to the distribution of the reflected light, the surface of the photoconductor drum 101 is uniformly charged with a single-polarity charge by the charging charger 106, and the surface of the photoconductor drum 101 is statically charged by the photoconductive action of the distribution of the reflected light. An electrostatic latent image is formed. Toner is supplied from the developing device 104 to the surface of the photosensitive drum 101 on which the electrostatic latent image has been formed, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image.

The paper fed from the paper feed cassette 103 prior to the rotation of the photosensitive drum 101 is the photosensitive drum 1
The toner image carried on the surface of the photoconductive drum 101 is transferred to the surface of the paper via the transfer charger 114 by being guided between the photoconductive drum 101 and the transfer charger 114 in synchronization with the rotation of the photoreceptor drum 101. The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 108 and heated and pressed, so that the toner image is melted and fixed on the surface of the sheet. The sheet on which the toner image has been fixed on one side is discharged to the sheet discharge tray 109 in the one-sided copy mode, conveyed to the intermediate tray 111 in the two-sided copy mode or the combined copy mode, and then guided to the process unit 112.

Photosensitive drum 1 after transfer of developer image
The surface of No. 01 is subjected to the removal of the residual developer by the cleaner 107 and the removal of the residual charge by the discharging lamp, the application of a charge of a single polarity by the charging charger 106, the distribution of the reflected light from the optical system unit 102, Then, the toner is supplied from the developing device 104 and is repeatedly used in the copying process. A toner cartridge 105 for replenishing the toner consumed in the copying process into the developing device 104 is detachably mounted on the developing device 104. The unique variable control information is stored in the toner cartridge 10.
Reference numeral 5 designates information for specifying toner type compatibility information, color compatibility information, manufacturing lot number, manufacturer, process control information, and the like.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a toner cartridge detachably mounted on the copying machine. The toner cartridge 105 is a unit having unique variable control information of the present invention, and includes a toner storage section 21 and a flange section 22.
Consists of The toner storage unit 21 stores the toner 24 inside, and the display unit 23 is formed on a part of the side surface. The flange portion 22 is used when the toner cartridge 105 is mounted on the copying machine 100.

The display section 23 is made of, for example, fluorans, diarylphthalides, polycarbinols, leuco-auramines, acylauramines, aryl-auramines, rhodamine B lactams, indolines or spiropyrans. JP-A-6-34017 using leuco dye
It is composed of a reversible thermosensitive material disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. In this reversible thermosensitive recording material, the color development state is fixed when the thermochromic image is rapidly cooled, and the color is erased when the thermochromic image is gradually cooled. Therefore, the display unit 23 is selectively quenched or gradually cooled after being heated by a method using a thermal head or a hot stamping method, so that the toner cartridge 105
And information on the toner 24 can be written and erased.

The display section 23 may be formed by directly applying a reversible thermosensitive recording material to the side surface of the storage section 21 or by applying a sheet material such as paper or a plastic film coated with the reversible thermosensitive recording material to the storage section 21. It is configured by sticking on the side. The display unit 23 displays information about the toner cartridge 105 and information about the toner 24 by character information as shown in FIG. 3A, or a toner cartridge by bar code as shown in FIG. 3B. Information about the toner 105 and information about the toner 24 can be displayed.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit of the copying machine. The control unit of the copying machine 100 has a ROM 3
2 and a CPU 33 having a RAM 33, a scanner unit-related load device 34, a process unit-related load device 35,
A paper transport system load device 36 and an information reading / writing unit 37 are connected. The scanner unit-related load devices 34 include an exposure lamp, a motor, and a clutch included in the scanner unit 102. The process unit related load device 35 includes a charging charger 106, a transfer charger 114, and a developing device 10 included in the process unit 112.
4 includes a voltage circuit for applying a high voltage, a motor, a clutch, and the like. The intermediate conveyance tray 1 is supplied from the paper feeding unit 113 via the process unit 112 to the paper conveyance system load device 36.
11 and a clutch and a solenoid that are used when a sheet is transported in a sheet transport path to the paper discharge tray 109.

The information reading / writing section 37 includes a CCD sensor 41 and a thermal head 42 which face the display section 203 of the toner cartridge 105 mounted on the copying machine 100. The information reading / writing unit 37 includes a CCD sensor 41
In addition to reading information displayed on the display unit 203 via the CPU, erasing information displayed on the display unit 203 via the thermal head 42 and writing new information are performed.

Information read from the display unit 203 of the toner cartridge 105 by the information reading / writing unit 37 via the CCD sensor 41 is input to the CPU 31. CPU3
Reference numeral 1 denotes information input from the information reading / writing unit 37, for example, the model number and lot number of the toner cartridge 105, the composition and lot number of the toner contained in the toner cartridge 105, and the like. It is determined whether or not to perform the process, and control signals for the scanner unit related load device 34, the process unit related load device 35, and the paper transport system load device 36 are output according to the determination result.

For example, the toner cartridge 105 or the toner stored in the toner cartridge 105
If it does not conform to 00, the CPU 31 outputs an operation stop command to each load device. When the toner stored in the toner storage unit 21 of the toner cartridge 105 is compatible with the copying machine 100, the CPU 31 determines the information input from the information reading / writing unit 37, for example, the toner stored in the toner cartridge 105. Based on the color of the
Charger 1 for load device 35 related to process section
06, setting data of process conditions such as a charging voltage to be applied is output. As described above, the control unit of the copying machine 100 controls each load device of the copying machine 100 based on the toner cartridge 105 or the variable control information of the toner read from the display unit 23, so that the toner unsuitable for the copying machine 100 can be obtained. It is possible to reliably prevent a copying operation using toner whose quality has deteriorated due to the elapse of the specified life or the like, and to prevent the deterioration of a copied image.

The CPU 31 further includes a thermal head 4
The variable control information on the copying machine side, such as the total number of copies and the number of recycles, related to the use of the toner cartridge 105 is written to a predetermined writing position of the display unit 23 via the display unit 2. In the writing process, the CPU 31 first controls the information reading / writing unit 37 so that the temperature of the heating elements on the entire surface of the thermal head 42 gradually decreases from the high temperature state to the temperature is displayed on the display unit 23. After erasing the accumulated number of copies and the number of recycles, the information reading / writing unit 37 is controlled so that the temperature of the heating element corresponding to the display content on the thermal head 42 rapidly drops from a high temperature state to a low temperature.

As described above, the variable control information on the copying machine side such as the total number of copies in the copying machine 100 is periodically written in the display unit 23 provided in the toner cartridge 105, so that the contents stored in the control unit of the copying machine 100 are stored. Even if is deleted or rewritten due to an operation abnormality or the like, the processing operation of the control unit of the copying machine 100 can be continuously executed based on the display contents of the display unit 23.

Note that the information reading / writing section 37 reads information on the toner cartridge 105 and the toner on the display section 23 and writes the recycling number of the toner cartridge 105 on the display section 23 with the toner. Immediately after the cartridge 105 is mounted, the process of writing the total number of copies to the display unit 23 is executed at a predetermined timing until the toner cartridge 105 is removed from the copying machine 100.

Further, the CC included in the information reading / writing section 37 is provided.
Each of the D sensor 41 and the thermal head 42 faces the entire reading range and writing range of the display unit 23, or faces a part of each of the reading range and writing range of the display unit 23. The display unit 23 can be moved so as to face the entire reading range and writing range of the display unit 23 during the reading process and the writing process.

Further, it is detachable from the copying machine 100,
The present invention can be similarly implemented when the unit having unique variable control information is a process unit including the photosensitive drum 101, the charging charger 106, the developing device 104, and the like.

In addition, when the unit is a recycle unit that is reused through a predetermined recycle process, a process of reading / writing variable control information unique to the unit can be executed in the recycle process.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature and the color density of the reversible thermosensitive recording material constituting the display unit of the control device according to another embodiment of the present invention. The reversible thermosensitive recording material constituting the display unit of the control device according to this embodiment is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-40660, and exhibits the highest color density C2 in a color-developed state. When the temperature is increased from an arbitrary temperature T1, the color density starts to decrease rapidly at the temperature T3, and shows the lowest color density C1 in the decolored state at the temperature T3 '. On the other hand, when the temperature is lowered from an arbitrary temperature T4 showing the lowest color density C1, the color density starts to increase sharply at the temperature T2, and shows the highest color density C2 which is a color developing state at the temperature T2 '.

Therefore, this reversible thermosensitive recording material is:
A color-developed state or a decolored state is displayed between the temperature T2 and the temperature T3, depending on whether it has a history of a low-temperature environment equal to or lower than the temperature T2 'or a history of a high-temperature environment equal to or higher than the temperature T3'. Therefore, by providing the display unit made of the reversible thermosensitive recording material in the control device itself or in a unit mounted on the control device, the display unit can be mounted on the control device itself or the control device in which the limit value of the environmental temperature is determined. It is possible to display the history of the environmental temperature of the unit.

For example, the limit temperature of the environmental temperature of the image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and the unit mounted on the image forming apparatus is 5 ° C. to 35 ° C. during operation, and −20 ° C. during transportation or storage. The temperature is set to C to 50 ° C., and if an image forming process is performed using an image forming apparatus or a unit which exceeds these environmental temperatures during operation, transportation or storage, the image forming state deteriorates. Therefore, by providing a display unit configured using a reversible thermosensitive recording material having a relationship between temperature and color density shown in FIG. 5 in an image forming apparatus or unit, based on the color development or decoloring state of the display unit It is possible to recognize the history of the environmental temperature of the image forming apparatus or the unit, and easily determine whether or not an appropriate image forming state can be obtained using the image forming apparatus or the unit.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display state of the display unit of the control device according to this embodiment. In the display section using the reversible thermosensitive recording material having the relationship between the temperature and the coloring state shown in FIG. 5, the ambient temperature is equal to or lower than the temperature T2 'or the temperature T.
When the temperature falls outside the limit temperature range of 3 'or more, FIG.
(A) changes from colorless to colored, as shown in FIG. 6 (B), changes from colored to colorless, as shown in FIG. 6 (C), changes from colored to another colored, FIG. 6 (D) Or display characters are erased as shown in FIG. 6 (E). Once the environmental temperature of the apparatus main body or the unit is out of the limit temperature range, the changed state is maintained on the display unit even if the environmental temperature subsequently falls within the limit temperature range.

As described above, by changing the display state of the display section when the environmental temperature of the apparatus main body or the unit such as the image forming apparatus is out of the limit temperature range, the history of the environmental temperature can be changed from the display state of the display section. , It is possible to easily determine whether or not the apparatus main body or the unit is in a usable state.

Further, by providing two display portions on the high temperature side and the low temperature side using the two reversible thermosensitive recording materials having different relations between the temperature and the coloration state in the apparatus main body or unit, respectively. Even when the environmental temperature of one apparatus main body or unit exceeds the limit temperature range on both the high temperature side and the low temperature side, the history of the environmental temperature can be accurately displayed.

That is, when a single display unit made of a reversible thermosensitive recording material is provided, if the ambient temperature once exceeds the upper or lower limit of the limit temperature range and then exceeds the lower or upper limit of the limit temperature range, The display state of the display unit returns to an appropriate state, and it cannot be displayed that the environmental temperature has exceeded the limit temperature range.

Therefore, the high-temperature side display portion made of the first reversible thermosensitive recording material having the relationship between the temperature and the coloration state shown by the solid line in FIG. 7, and the temperature and the coloration state shown by the broken line in FIG. By providing the low-temperature side display unit composed of the second reversible thermosensitive recording material having the relationship with the above, even when the environmental temperature exceeds both the upper limit and the lower limit of the limit temperature range, the environment of the apparatus body or the unit Abnormal temperature status can be displayed accurately. The reversible thermosensitive recording material constituting the high temperature side display portion and the low temperature side display portion can be obtained by appropriately selecting the composition according to the limit temperature range to be set.

By providing the display unit in the visible portion of the apparatus main body or the unit, an operator operating the control device can easily judge whether or not the use of the control device or the unit is appropriate by looking at the display unit. .

Further, as shown in FIG.
By covering the display unit 204 with a transparent cover 207, it is possible to prevent erroneous recognition of display contents due to contamination of the display unit. The same applies to the case where the display content of the display unit is read by the reading unit provided in the control device. In particular, when the unit including the display unit is a container such as a developing cartridge having a sealing member that seals a container such as a developer, as shown in FIG. The display unit 204 can be formed integrally with the body 203. In this case, even after the sealing body 203 is removed from the container 201, the sealing body 20 is removed.
3 can recognize variable control information such as the history of the environmental temperature.

Further, the reading process of the history of the environmental temperature from the display section made of the reversible thermosensitive recording material can be performed when the unit is mounted on the apparatus main body. In the case of a container to be stored, the control condition in the process using the stored object may be changed according to the history of the environmental temperature of the container read from the display unit.

For example, when the container is a developer and the ambient temperature of the developing unit as a container exceeds the high temperature side of the limit temperature range, the stirring time in the developing unit is lengthened. Control of process conditions, such as reducing the amount or adjusting the surface potential of the photosensitive drum, can be considered. Further, when the environmental temperature of the developing unit exceeds the low temperature side of the limit temperature range, the toner supply amount is increased,
Alternatively, control of process conditions such as adjusting the surface potential of the photosensitive drum can be considered.

As shown in FIG. 10, before the unit 201 such as a developer cartridge is mounted at a predetermined position of the control device main body, the display contents of the display unit 204 are read by the reading unit 206.
(See FIG. 10A), and the display unit 204
Is retracted so that the unit 201 can be mounted at a predetermined position only when the display unit 204 is displaying a normal state (see FIG. 10B), and when the display unit 204 displays an abnormal state. Unit 2 by stopper 209
01 can not be mounted at a predetermined position.

In addition, the display unit made of the reversible thermosensitive recording material is detachably configured from the apparatus main body or the unit, and the display unit is removed when the apparatus main body or the unit is recycled. The control information may be deleted. In addition, variable control information such as the history of the environmental temperature can be deleted by heating or cooling the display unit to a temperature exceeding the limit temperature range during the recycling process. In particular, the display unit is detachable from the apparatus body or unit. In this case, only the display unit can be heated or cooled alone, and the recycling process is simplified.

In this process, when the display unit is heated to a high temperature to erase the display contents, a heating pen, a hot stamp, or a heating element of a thermal head controlled to a predetermined temperature is brought into contact with the display unit, or the display unit is heated in an oven. It is conceivable to cool the display unit by lowering the temperature of the display unit to cool the display contents, or to apply cool air to the display unit or store it in a refrigerator to cool it.

In each of the above embodiments, a copying machine as an image forming apparatus has been described as an example of the control device.
The present invention can be similarly implemented in a general control device that performs a control operation using control information unique to a detachable single unit or a plurality of units.

[0053]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the variable control of each unit related to the control operation is provided on the display unit of the apparatus main body or the single or plural units detachably mounted on the apparatus main body. Displaying information with a reversible thermosensitive recording material, performing processing operations such as reading and writing of variable control information related to control operations on the display unit, and performing control operations based on the variable control information. Thereby, the variable control information whose contents change in association with the control operation can be reliably stored in the display unit of the apparatus main body or the unit in a state where it can be easily rewritten by a heat change.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the case where the apparatus main body or the unit detachably attached to the apparatus is a container that stores the contents, the information on the contents is recorded on the apparatus by using the reversible thermosensitive recording material. By displaying the information on the display unit of the main body or the unit, the information on the contents that change in association with the control operation can be reliably stored in the main body or the unit in a state where it can be easily rewritten by a heat change.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the apparatus main body or the unit detachably attached to the apparatus is reused after the predetermined recycling processing, the information on the recycling processing that changes in connection with the control operation is changed. Is displayed on the display unit of the apparatus main body or unit using a reversible thermosensitive recording material, so that the information relating to the reuse process, which changes in relation to the control operation, can be easily written on the apparatus main body or unit in a state where it can be easily rewritten by heat change. Can be saved.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the information relating to the external temperature history of the apparatus main body or the unit detachably attached to the apparatus is displayed on the display section of the apparatus main body or unit by using a reversible thermosensitive recording material. The recording state of the reversible thermosensitive recording material changes according to the history of the external temperature of the apparatus body or the unit, and the external temperature history of the apparatus body or the unit can be easily recognized from the display state of the display section of the apparatus body or the unit. .

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the variable control information is displayed on the display section of the apparatus main body or the unit as visible information using the reversible thermosensitive recording material, so that the variable control information is displayed on the display section of the apparatus main body or the unit. The variable control information can be visually recognized, and the variable control information can be used not only for the control operation in the apparatus but also for the determination of the content of the manual processing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front sectional view showing a configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external view of a toner cartridge detachably mounted on the copying machine.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display state of a display unit provided in the toner cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control unit of the copying machine.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature and the color density of a reversible thermosensitive recording material constituting a display unit provided in a control device or unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a change in a display state of the display unit.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between the temperature and the color density of the reversible thermosensitive recording material constituting each of the high-temperature side display unit and the low-temperature side display unit provided in the control device or unit according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an arrangement state of a display unit in the control device or the unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another arrangement state of the display unit.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a mounted state of a unit in the control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 21-Toner storage unit 24-Toner (containment) 23-Display unit 100-Copier (control device) 105-Toner cartridge (unit serving as container) 112-Process unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tetsu Ogawa 22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Inside (72) Inventor Hitoshi Nagahama 22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka (72) Inventor Junichi Saito Inside 22-22 Nagaikecho, Abeno-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A control device having a detachable single or plural units having variable control information, wherein the variable control information is displayed on the apparatus main body or each of the single or plural units by a reversible thermosensitive recording material. A control device comprising: a display unit; performing a processing operation of variable control information related to a control operation on the display unit; and performing a control operation based on the variable control information. 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the variable control information displayed by the display unit is information relating to an object contained in the device body or the unit which is a container. 3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the variable control information displayed by the display unit is information relating to a reuse process of the device main body or the unit. 4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the variable control information displayed by the display unit is information relating to an external temperature history of the device body or the unit. 5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit displays the variable control information as visible information.