JP2006201486A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine whether the characteristic of consumables can be guaranteed when the purchased consumables are attached to an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus is equipped with; a process cartridge 2 equipped with a non-volatile memory 22 in which the code information of the usable image forming apparatus 1 is stored, and attached to/detached from the image forming apparatus; a non-volatile memory 61 in which the code information of the apparatus itself is stored and which is attached to the apparatus; and a determination part 41 comparing and discriminating suitability based on the code information stored in the non-volatile memory 22 and the code information stored in the non-volatile memory 61. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a function of determining whether or not a detachable part is mounted.

  In image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, and facsimiles, in addition to a developer cartridge such as ink and toner, a photosensitive member as an image carrier, a transfer roller for transferring an image on the photosensitive member to a transfer material, a photosensitive member A charging device for charging the body, a cleaning device for cleaning the photosensitive member, or a process cartridge containing at least two of them in a housing are provided as consumables so that the user can freely replace them. It has become. Particularly in recent years, a plurality of types of consumables are sold in one apparatus, and recycled products and toner-filled products are sold as process cartridges.

  Since manufacturers of image forming apparatuses cannot guarantee all consumables in combination with the apparatus, compatibility with limited types of consumables is evaluated. In other words, characteristics cannot be guaranteed for consumables that have not been evaluated. Therefore, inconvenience arises when the user can unconsciously obtain only insufficient characteristics using consumables whose suitability has not been evaluated.

Therefore, for example, in Patent Document 1, an information tape with initial information such as a manufacturing number, a model number, and a manufacturing date is attached to a detachable process unit such as a developing cartridge, and information on the information tape is attached to the image forming apparatus. A reading unit for reading the image and a memory for storing the fitting information related to the mounting unit, etc., and whether the mounting unit suitable for the image forming apparatus is attached in comparison with the initial information of each mounting unit recognized by the reading unit. Discriminating is disclosed.
JP 2003-233277 A

  However, in Patent Document 1, it is only determined whether or not the mounted mounting unit is compatible with the image forming apparatus. Even if the mounting unit can be mounted, the initial information of the mounted unit is stored in the memory of the image forming apparatus. Unless it is stored, a notification of nonconformity will be made.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a state of the art, and an object of the present invention is to make it possible to determine whether or not characteristics can be guaranteed when a purchased consumable is attached to the apparatus. That is.

  In order to achieve the above object, the first means comprises storage means for storing its own code information and a nonvolatile memory for storing the code information of the usable device, and is stored in the nonvolatile memory of a removable consumable item. The image forming apparatus includes a determination unit that compares and determines suitability based on the code information stored and the code information stored in the storage unit.

  The second means is characterized in that order information of the consumables is stored in the nonvolatile memory in the first means.

  The third means is characterized in that the non-volatile memory in the first or second means is provided with non-contact communication means for reading / writing stored information.

  The fourth means includes a web server function means for transmitting information of the non-volatile memory and the storage means to an external personal computer to any one of the first to third means, and a conformity determination result of the determination means And a discriminating storage means for storing.

  The fifth means is the fourth means, further comprising control means for transferring the ordering information stored in the nonvolatile memory to the web server function means.

  In a sixth means, the consumable in the first to fifth means is a process cartridge provided with at least one of an image carrier for image formation, a developing means, a charging means, and a developing means. It is characterized by.

  In the embodiment described later, the nonvolatile memory is designated by reference numeral 22, the consumable tooth process cartridge 2, the storage means is designated by the storage part 6, the discrimination means tooth discrimination part 41, and the non-contact communication means is designated by the non-contact communication device 23. The personal computer corresponds to the reference numeral 200, the web server function means corresponds to the WEB server function section 81, the discrimination storage means corresponds to the nonvolatile memory 61, and the control means corresponds to the control section 4.

  According to the present invention, since it is possible to determine the suitability of the consumables to the apparatus, the consumables can be used after knowing the suitability.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described.

  4 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image processing apparatus, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a process cartridge mounted on the image processing apparatus of FIG. Note that the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is specifically a printer.

  The image forming apparatus 1 includes a writing optical unit 1a for writing image information with a laser beam, a process cartridge 2 for transferring an image to the recording paper 3 according to the optical writing information from the writing optical unit 1a, and a transfer to the recording paper 3. A fixing device provided with a fixing roller 1e for fixing the printed image, a paper feeding cassette 1c for storing the recording paper 3, a paper feeding roller 1b for feeding the recording paper 3 of the paper feeding cassette 1c to the process cartridge 2, etc. It is roughly composed. The writing optical unit 1a is a known unit including a polygon motor, a polygon mirror, an Fθ lens, a laser diode, a mirror, and the like, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The process cartridge 2 is mounted in a detachable manner by opening a door (not shown) on the side of the printer 1. The process cartridge 2 is composed of a charging roller 2a, a developing unit and a toner storage unit 2b, a cleaning unit and a waste toner collecting unit 2C, a photoconductor 2d as an image carrier, and the like (AIO). Is contained. As shown in FIG. 2, a nonvolatile memory 22 is mounted on the casing 21 of the process cartridge 2. The nonvolatile memory 22 includes information necessary for controlling the photosensitive unit (process cartridge unit), cartridge ID, date of manufacture, date of start of use, number of times of recycling, number of copies, current date, remaining amount of toner. Information on the remaining amount of toner obtained from a sensor (not shown) is stored. Instead of the nonvolatile memory 22, a printed board on which an IC chip is mounted or a printed board on which a non-contact type IC chip is mounted may be mounted.

  The outline of the operation of the printer 1 having the above-described configuration is as follows. The recording paper 3 stored in the paper feeding cassette 1c is conveyed to the photosensitive member 2b in the process cartridge 2 by the paper feeding roller 1b. The photosensitive member 2b is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction. At this time, the photosensitive member 2b is charged by the charging roller 2a and irradiated with a laser beam from the writing optical unit 1a to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive member 2d. The electrostatic latent image is visualized by toner as a developer when passing through the developing unit and the toner storage portion 2b. The visible image is transferred to the recording paper 3 conveyed to the photosensitive member 2b by the transfer roller 1d, and conveyed to the fixing roller 1e. The visible image on the recording paper 3 is fixed, and is transferred to the outside of the image forming apparatus 1. Discharged.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of the image forming apparatus described above. The image forming apparatus includes a control unit 4, a storage unit 6, a communication unit 8, a recording unit 5, and a display unit 9. Each part is connected to the system bus 7, and the control part 4 controls the whole. The recording unit 5 includes the process cartridge 2 described above, and a suitable device code is recorded in the nonvolatile memory 22 of the process cartridge 2. The storage unit 6 is also provided with a nonvolatile memory 61, and the nonvolatile memory 61 stores the device code of the device itself. The control unit 4 includes a determination unit 41 that reads a compatible device code from the nonvolatile memory 22 of the process cartridge 2 and compares it with its own device code to determine whether the process cartridge 2 is compatible with the present device. The result of determination is stored in the nonvolatile memory 61 of the storage unit 6.

  The communication unit 8 is connected to a LAN, and the control unit 4 performs communication control such as notification of device information. The communication unit 8 includes a WEB server function unit 81. When accessed from a WEB browser of a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC) connected to the LAN, the communication unit 8 sends device information to the WEB browser. In response to a request from the communication unit 8, the control unit 4 transfers the consumables compatibility determination result, consumable ordering information, and the like stored in the storage unit 6 to the communication unit 8. The display unit 9 is controlled by the control unit 4 and displays a status of the apparatus and a warning at the time of abnormality.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining connection at the time of reading / writing of the process cartridge 2 to the nonvolatile memory 22. The process cartridge 2 including the non-volatile memory 22 includes a non-contact communication device 23. In response to an instruction from the PC 12, the reading / writing device 10 performs reading / writing to the nonvolatile memory 22 via the non-contact communication device 11. When reading / writing to / from the non-volatile memory 22 in accordance with an instruction from the PC 12, in the case of a contact communication device, the reading / writing of the packaged process cartridge to the non-volatile memory 22 must be performed after opening. However, by providing the process cartridge 2 with the non-contact communication device 23 as in this embodiment, it is possible to read / write desired information to the non-volatile memory 22 of the packaged process cartridge.

  In this embodiment, the consumable is taken as an example of a process cartridge 2 including a charging roller 2a, a developing unit and a toner storage unit 2b, a cleaning unit and a waste toner collecting unit 2C, a photoconductor 2d as an image carrier. However, the target consumables are not limited to the process cartridge as described above, but the charging roller 2a, the developing unit and toner storage unit 2b, the cleaning unit and waste toner collecting unit 2C, and the photosensitive member 2d as an image carrier. Any one or a plurality of the above may be used, and the present invention can also be applied to components that are configured to be replaceable, such as a fixing unit and an optical writing unit.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of connection between the image forming apparatus and the PC. The image forming apparatus 1 is connected to the PC 200 via a LAN, and accesses the WEB server function unit 81 of the image forming apparatus 1 from a WEB browser of the PC. Accordingly, it is possible to confirm from the PC 200 whether or not the consumables mounted on the image forming apparatus 1 are compatible products, and purchase information such as the model number and purchase destination of the consumables.

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating an example of a device code stored in the storage unit 6 of the image forming apparatus 1, and FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating an example of a compatible device code stored in the process cartridge 2. The image forming apparatus 1 stores one device code 71. On the other hand, in the nonvolatile memory 22 of the process cartridge 2, a code of an image forming apparatus that can be adapted to the process cartridge 2 is stored as an adapted apparatus code 72. If the apparatus code 71 is included in the compatible apparatus code 72 of the process cartridge 2, it means that the process cartridge 2 is a consumable product whose characteristics are guaranteed for use in the image forming apparatus. . In addition, the compatible device code stored in the process cartridge 2 is stored.
FIG. 7 is an example when the determination result and ordering information of the process cartridge 2 are viewed from the WEB browser of the PC 200. In the case of conformity, as shown in (a), the fact that the process cartridge is suitable, the model number of the process cartridge, ordering information at the time of replacement, and the like are displayed. If the cartridge is not suitable, as shown in (b), the fact that the process cartridge is incompatible, the result of the ordering of the cartridge, and the like are displayed. The process cartridge ordering information may be described in an instruction manual of the apparatus or a description of the process cartridge itself. However, some users may lose or discard these at the time of replacement of the process cartridge, resulting in inconvenience that the order information must be searched. In this embodiment, since the order information is displayed, it is possible to check the order information when the consumables are exhausted or cannot be used, thereby preventing the above inconvenience. it can.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a procedure for the controller 4 to determine whether the process cartridge 2 is compatible. First, the control unit 4 reads the device compatibility code stored in the nonvolatile memory 22 of the process cartridge 2 (step S101), reads the code of the image forming apparatus itself from the nonvolatile memory 61 of the storage unit 6 (step S102), and the device. The compatible code and the device code are compared (step S103). That is, it is checked whether or not the code of the apparatus itself is included in the compatible code of the process cartridge 2 that is a consumable (step S104). If there is a matching code, it is recorded that the consumable is a conforming product (step S105), and if there is no matching code, it is recorded that the consumable is a nonconforming product (step S1406).

  In the above-described embodiment, the process cartridge has been described as an example, but it is needless to say that the present invention can also be applied to an ink cartridge. Further, although the printer is taken as an example of the image forming apparatus, the present invention can also be applied to a copier, a facsimile machine, a scanner, or a multifunction machine having these functions including a printer.

1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the connection at the time of the reading / writing to the non-volatile memory of a process cartridge. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a connection between an image forming apparatus and a PC. 1 is a side view illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a process cartridge attached to the image forming apparatus of FIG. 4. FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of a device code stored in a storage unit of the image forming apparatus, and FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating an example of a compatible device code stored in a process cartridge. The determination result of the process cartridge and the ordering information are examples when viewed from the WEB browser of the PC. (A) shows the case of conformance and (b) shows the case of nonconformity. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure for a controller to determine whether a process cartridge is compatible;

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 1a Writing optical unit 2 Process cartridge 2a Charging roller 2b Development unit and toner storage part 2c Cleaning unit and waste toner collection | recovery part 2d Photoconductor 4 Control part 5 Recording part 6 Storage part 8 Communication part 9 Display part 11, 23 Non-contact communication device 22, 61 Non-volatile memory 41 Discrimination unit 81 WEB server function unit

Claims (6)

Storage means for storing its own code information;
A discriminating means comprising a non-volatile memory storing code information of a usable device, and comparing and discriminating compatibility based on the code information stored in the non-volatile memory of the removable consumable and the code information stored in the storage means When,
An image forming apparatus comprising:   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory stores ordering information for the consumables.   3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory is provided with non-contact communication means for reading / writing stored information.   The web server function means for transmitting information of the non-volatile memory and the storage means to an external personal computer, and a discrimination storage means for storing the suitability judgment result of the discrimination means. The image forming apparatus according to any one of 1 to 3.   5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising control means for transferring order information stored in the nonvolatile memory to the web server function means.   6. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the consumable is a process cartridge including at least one of an image carrier for image formation, a developing unit, a charging unit, and a developing unit. The image forming apparatus described in 1.

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