KR20030042054A - Apparatus and method for judgment of the time for replacing process cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus and a method for judging an appropriate time for changing a process cartridge are provided to change the process cartridge before the printing quality falls by outputting a change message. CONSTITUTION: A record tape(20) is installed at one side of a process cartridge(10), and records a specific number of the process cartridge and the limit number of printed pieces. A record tape recognizing unit(30) recognizes items recorded at the record tape. A counter(50) counts the number of printed pieces. A control unit(40) receives data of the record tape recognizing unit for judging whether a process cartridge with a new specific number is mounted. If so, the control unit controls to count the number of printed pieces. If the control unit judges that the counted number of the printed pieces is over the limit number, the control part outputs a warning signal. A display unit(60) receives the warning signal for displaying a warning message.

Description

Apparatus and method for judgment of the time for replacing process cartridge}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus, and more particularly, a process cartridge for informing a user of an appropriate replacement time such as a photosensitive drum cartridge, a developing cartridge, and a toner cartridge (hereinafter referred to as "process cartridge") which are periodically replaced. The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for determining replacement time.

BACKGROUND ART Image recording apparatuses, such as printers, copiers, fax machines, and multifunction printers, which use electrophotographic technology, generally include a process cartridge as an important part for forming an image. A process cartridge is composed of a developing unit, toner, a photosensitive drum, and the like. Each part constituting the process cartridge may be aged by use and require replacement. In other words, if the photoreceptor or toner carrier is worn out or the amount of toner is insufficient, the print quality is deteriorated and the cartridge needs to be replaced. By the way, the cartridge is an integral cartridge that each component is integrally configured to replace the entire when replaced; There is a removable cartridge that can be replaced for each component such as developing cartridge, toner cartridge and drum cartridge.

In the method of detecting the life of the process cartridge as described above, there is a method of detecting the remaining amount of toner by installing a photosensor on one side of the process cartridge. The toner remaining detection method is mainly used for a process cartridge in which a toner cartridge and a drum cartridge are integrally formed.

The configuration of the image developing apparatus in which the toner remaining amount detection method is used is as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in the drawing, in the process cartridge, the charging means 11, the developing means 13, the cleaning means 16, and the like are arranged around the photosensitive drum 12 forming the electrostatic latent image in a circumferential manner. A toner chamber 15 for storing the toner is formed in a portion of the developing unit 70 including the means 13. In the toner chamber 15, toner of a designated weight is introduced into the process cartridge. A photo sensor is installed outside the chamber 15 to detect the remaining amount of toner. The photosensor is composed of a light emitting portion 81 and a light receiving portion 82, it is installed to detect the remaining amount of toner through a transparent window formed on the wall of the toner chamber 15.

In the process cartridge 10 configured as described above, a toner having a designated weight when the cartridge is manufactured is introduced into the toner chamber 15, and the photosensors 81 and 82 are installed at one side of the toner chamber 15 so as toner amount. Will be detected. When the process cartridge 10 is installed in the image recording apparatus and performs a printing operation, the toner is depleted, and when the photosensors 81 and 82 detect that the remaining amount of toner reaches a limit value, the end of the cartridge life is indicated to the user. You will be notified.

The warning of the replacement time of the process cartridge 10 by detecting the remaining amount of toner is effective for the integrated cartridge method in which the toner cartridge, the developing cartridge, and the photosensitive cartridge are integrally formed. However, when the photosensitive cartridge and the toner cartridge are separately configured, and the cartridges have different lifespans, it is difficult to detect the correct lifespan only by detecting the remaining amount of toners. In addition, when the toner cartridge can be used by replenishing the toner, the toner remaining detection method cannot identify the replacement cartridge and the photosensitive cartridge due to aging of the photoreceptor or toner carrier, resulting in a deteriorated print quality. However, it is difficult for a user to determine which cartridge to replace.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for determining a replacement time of a process cartridge which can warn a user of a replacement time of a process cartridge before print quality is deteriorated. It is.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a conventional process cartridge;

2 is a schematic view showing a process cartridge according to the present invention;

3 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a process cartridge replacement time determining apparatus according to the present invention;

4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method of determining a replacement time of a process cartridge according to the present invention.

* Description of symbols on the main parts of the drawings *

10; Process cartridge 11; Vehicle

12; Photosensitive drum 13; Developing means

14a, b; Feed roller 15; Toner chamber

16; Cleaning means 20; Unique Information Record

30; Unique Information Recognition Unit 40; Control

50; Print Count Counter 60; Display

70; Developing means unit 81; Light emitting part

82; Receiver

An apparatus for determining a replacement time of a process cartridge according to the present invention for achieving the above object includes a unique information recording unit installed on one side of a process cartridge by recording a unique number of a process cartridge and a limit number of prints; A unique information recognition unit for recognizing the matter recorded in the unique information recording unit and outputting corresponding data; A print number counter for counting the number of prints; A controller which receives the data of the unique information recognition unit and counts the number of prints when it is determined that the process cartridge of the new unique number is installed and outputs a warning signal when it is determined that the counted number of prints is greater than or equal to the received limit print number; And a display unit for receiving a warning signal and displaying a warning message.

The unique information recording unit may be configured as a magnetic recording tape, and the unique information recognition unit may be configured as a read-write head of the magnetic recording tape.

On the other hand, the method of determining the replacement time of the process cartridge according to the present invention, the unique information, such as the unique number, the limit print number on the one side of the process cartridge, and prints if the unique number is different from the stored unique number by recognizing the unique information The number of sheets is started, and if the counted number of prints is determined to be greater than or equal to the stored limit print number, a warning signal is output.

In addition, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining a replacement time of a process cartridge may include: initializing a unique number and a print quantity of the process cartridge; Reading a unique number and a limit print number recorded in the unique information recording unit; Determining whether the read unique number is a new unique number; Storing the read unique number and starting to count the number of prints when the new unique number is determined to be new; Determining whether the counted number of prints is greater than or equal to the limit number of prints; Outputting a warning signal when it is determined that the counted number of prints is greater than or equal to the limit print number; And continuing the print quantity count if it is determined that the counted print quantity is not more than the limit print quantity.

According to the present invention, when the process cartridge is manufactured, the unique information on the product can be read and written to be recorded, and the replacement time of the process cartridge can be determined using this.

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings will be described the present invention in more detail. In the description of the present invention, the configuration of the process cartridge is the same as that of Fig. 1, which is a description of the prior art, and the detailed description thereof will be omitted and the same reference numerals as in Fig. 1 will be cited.

2 shows a process cartridge according to the present invention, and as shown in the drawing, the process cartridge 10 is composed of a developing means unit 70, a charging means 11, and a photosensitive drum 12 to record an image. As installed in the apparatus, the process cartridge 10 according to the present invention is provided with a unique information recording section 20 in which a unique number and a limit print number are recorded on one side. At the position corresponding to the unique information recording section 20, a unique information recognition section 30 for recognizing data recorded in the unique information recording section 20 is provided.

The photosensitive drum 12 forms an electrostatic latent image in which a charging means 11, a developing means 13, a cleaning means 16, and the like are arranged in a circumferential shape, and a developing means including a developing means 13. In the unit 70, a toner chamber 15 for storing toner is formed. The toner chamber 15 is filled with toner having a designated weight at the time of manufacturing the process cartridge.

The unique information recording unit 20 may be configured by installing a magnetic recording tape on one side of the process cartridge 10. The unique information recording unit 20 stores a unique number corresponding to each product at the time of manufacturing the process cartridge, and a limit number of prints of each of the photosensitive cartridge and the toner cartridge constituting the process cartridge. The limit print quantity is set to the number of prints that can maintain the print quality for each part by experiment. The unique number may record a separate unique number for each part to be replaced, and in the case of an integrated cartridge, one unique number is recorded.

The unique information recognition unit 30 is installed at a position corresponding to a position to which the unique information recording unit 20 installed on one side of the process cartridge 10 is attached, and a magnetic recording tape recognition device (read-wright head) Can be used. The unique information recognition unit 30 recognizes unique information such as a unique number and a limit print number recorded in the unique information recording unit, and outputs the unique information to the control unit 40. The number of print counter 50 initializes the number of prints when a new cartridge is installed, counts the number of prints printed by the image recording apparatus, and outputs a signal corresponding to the number of prints to the controller 40.

The control unit 40 receives a signal corresponding to the unique number of the cartridge recognized by the unique information recognition unit 30 and the limit number of prints, and receives the number of prints from the print number counter 50 to limit the number of prints. When it reaches to warn the replacement of the cartridge 10 via the display unit 60. When the process cartridge 10 can be separated into a photosensitive cartridge and a developing means cartridge as a separate cartridge, the limit print count is recorded in the unique information recording section 20 for each cartridge, and the counted print count is counted in the limit print count of each cartridge. If applicable, print a replacement message for each cartridge.

The display unit 60 may display a warning message through a display window or may display a warning lamp by lighting it, and may display a cartridge replacement message by using a sound.

The process cartridge replacement time determination method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the control unit 40 initializes the stored number of the unique number and the number of print counters stored (S10). When the cartridge 10 is installed, the unique information recognition unit 30 recognizes the matter recorded in the unique information recording unit 20 and transmits a signal corresponding to the unique number of the cartridge 10 installed and the limit number of prints to the controller 40. Output and store (S20, S30). If it is determined in step S30 that the unique number stored in the control unit 40 is a value initialized in step S10, and it is determined that a new cartridge is input, the print quantity counter 50 starts counting the number of prints (S40, S50). It is determined whether the number of counted prints is greater than or equal to the limit number of prints (S60). If it is determined that the number of sheets is greater than or equal to the limit print number, the display unit 60 outputs a warning message (S60).

In the case of a detachable cartridge, the limit print quantity of each photosensitive cartridge and the developing means cartridge is recorded in the unique information recording section 20. When the limit print quantity reaches each limit print cartridge, the replacement information of the cartridge reaching the limit print quantity is transferred to the display unit 60. To be printed.

According to the present invention, when the print number reaches the number of prints that can be printed for each cartridge by counting the number of prints, a replacement message of the cartridge is output, so that the cartridge can be replaced before the print quality is reduced. In addition, if one of the cartridges of the photosensitive cartridge or the developing means cartridge is replaced, the print quality is deteriorated. Instead of replacing both cartridges, only the cartridge for which the message is printed is replaced, thereby maximizing the use of each cartridge and maintaining good print quality. It becomes possible.

In the above described and illustrated with respect to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the specific preferred embodiment described above, in the technical field to which the invention belongs without departing from the spirit of the invention claimed in the claims Various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art, and such changes are within the scope of the claims.

Claims (4)

A unique information recording unit installed on one side of the process cartridge by recording the unique number of the process cartridge and the limit print number; A unique information recognition unit for recognizing the matter recorded in the unique information recording unit and outputting corresponding data; A print number counter for counting the number of prints; A control unit which receives the data of the unique information recognition unit and counts the number of prints when it is determined that the process cartridge of the new unique number is installed and outputs a warning signal when it is determined that the counted number of prints is greater than or equal to the received limit print number; And And a display unit for receiving the warning signal and displaying a warning message. The method of claim 1, And said unique information recording portion is composed of a magnetic recording tape. Record unique information such as a unique number and a limit print number on one side of the process cartridge, and start counting the number of prints when the unique number is determined to be a new number, and a warning signal when the counted number of prints is equal to or larger than the limit number of prints. Determination of the replacement time of the process cartridge, characterized in that by telling the cartridge replacement time by sending. Initializing a unique number of the process cartridge and the number of prints; Reading a unique number and a limit print number recorded in the unique information recording unit; Comparing the read unique number with the stored unique number and determining whether the new unique number is new; Storing the read unique number and starting to count the number of prints when the new unique number is determined to be new; Determining whether the counted number of prints is greater than or equal to the limit number of prints; Outputting a warning signal when it is determined that the counted number of prints is greater than or equal to the limit print number; And If it is determined that the counted number of prints is not more than the limit number of prints, continuing the number of print counts; Method of determining the replacement time of the process cartridge comprising a.