JP2010211071A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a small image forming apparatus which inexpensively performs contactless communication between the image forming apparatus and a component information storage element which is attached to replacement components. <P>SOLUTION: In the image forming apparatus 1, RFID tags 3K-3Y which load planar coils 11K-11Y and tag chips 12K-12Y which store component information are attached to a surface on which mutually adjacent toner cartridges 2K and 2M, mutually adjacent toner cartridges 2C and 2Y face each other among the loaded toner cartridges 2K-2Y, antennas 4a, 4b are arranged between the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M, and between the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y, the antennas 4a, 4b are driven by an RFID control unit 30 to be selectively communicated with the opposite RFID tags 3K-3Y. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus that performs non-contact communication with a component information storage element attached to a replacement part in a small size and at low cost.

  In image forming apparatuses such as printers, copiers, and composite apparatuses, replacement parts such as various consumables that need to be replaced at a predetermined time are mounted. For example, image forming that performs image formation by electrophotography In the apparatus, a toner cartridge for storing toner, a process cartridge in which a photosensitive member, a developing unit, and the like are integrated, and other replacement parts are mounted and replaced at an appropriate time as necessary. ing.

  In order to properly manage the parts information necessary for the management of the replacement time of such replacement parts and the management of failure etc. for each replacement part, a part conventionally provided with a storage element and a non-contact communication unit for performing non-contact communication A management tag is attached to a replacement part, and a communication unit that performs non-contact communication with the communication unit of the component management tag on the image forming apparatus to exchange part information, a communication control unit that controls the communication unit, and based on the part information And a control unit for managing replacement parts.

  In such an image forming apparatus, conventionally, an RFID (Radio Frequency-Identification) tag composed of a planar coil and a memory function unit (IC chip) is used as a component management tag, and is attached to the image forming apparatus side. In addition, a communication unit including an antenna is provided, and component information is transmitted and received between the coils of the RFID tag using electromagnetic waves.

  However, in the conventional image forming apparatus, an antenna is provided on a one-to-one basis with an RFID tag, and contactless communication is performed for each RFID tag using an antenna provided for the RFID tag. It is necessary to provide the same number of antennas, and there is a need for improvement in order to reduce the size and cost of the image forming apparatus.

  Therefore, conventionally, image formation provided with a loop antenna having directivity to cover communication with non-contact communication IC tags attached to all image forming cartridges mounted in the image forming apparatus main body. An apparatus has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

  That is, in this prior art, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, a plurality (two are shown in FIG. 8) of toner cartridges 101a and 101b are mounted as replacement parts in the image forming apparatus. The RFID tags 102a and 102b are attached as one part of the toner cartridges 101a and 101b as component information management means, and are attached to the one-way ends of the toner cartridges 101a and 101b. A loop antenna 103 serving as a main body side non-contact communication unit having a size over a region facing all of the RFID tags 102a and 102b is disposed in the image forming apparatus.

  In this prior art, it is possible to communicate with the two RFID tags 102 a and 102 b with one loop antenna 103. Therefore, as described in Patent Document 1, when there are three toner cartridges, the RFID tags attached to the three toner cartridges are provided with a loop antenna having a size that covers the entire area facing each other. .

  However, in the prior art described in the above publication, an RFID tag is attached to one end of each of the plurality of toner cartridges, and a loop antenna having a size over a region facing all of these RFID tags is provided. Due to the arrangement, there is a problem that the antenna is enlarged, the image forming apparatus is enlarged, and the price is high. In this case, if the output from the antenna is increased in order to reduce the size of the antenna, the energy of the emitted electromagnetic wave increases, and there is a possibility that the EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) standard regulated in each country may not be satisfied. is there.

  Therefore, the present invention suppresses the size and output of the main body side non-contact communication means, while reducing the size and output of the main body side non-contact communication means at a low cost and appropriately with a plurality of replacement parts. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that communicates with contact communication means in a non-contact state.

  In order to achieve the above object, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is arranged on a surface facing a central position where a plurality of replacement parts are opposed to a plurality of adjacent replacement parts among mounted replacement parts. A component information management unit is mounted that includes a non-contact communication unit that communicates in a non-contact state and a non-volatile storage unit that stores component information regarding the replacement component, and is attached to a plurality of adjacent replacement components. A main body side non-contact communication means for communicating in a non-contact state with a plurality of the non-contact communication means is disposed at the central position facing the non-contact communication means, and the main body side non-contact communication means is a communication control means. To communicate with a plurality of the non-contact communication means facing each other.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention mounts a plurality of adjacent replacement parts in a state where the non-contact communication unit of the part information management unit attached to the replacement part faces the central position. A component mounting portion may be provided.

  Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the communication control unit controls the driving of the main body side non-contact communication unit to selectively communicate with the non-contact communication unit of the plurality of component information management units opposed to each other. This may be a feature.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, both the replacement component of the same type and the component mounting portion on which the replacement component is mounted are provided with a specific mechanism unit that mutually identifies the replacement component and the component mounting portion. This may be a feature.

  According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, component information that is inexpensively and appropriately attached to a plurality of replacement parts with a small amount of non-contact communication means on the main body side while suppressing the size and output of the non-contact communication means on the main body side. It is possible to communicate with the non-contact communication means of the management means in a non-contact state.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a toner cartridge portion in the image forming apparatus to which the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a side view of a toner cartridge portion in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram of a main part of the image forming apparatus in FIG. 1. The flowchart which shows the communication process accompanied by an anti-collision process. FIG. 6 is a main part circuit configuration diagram of another example in the image forming apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a main part circuit configuration diagram of still another example of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of a main part of an image forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a top view of an RFID tag and an antenna attached to a toner cartridge of a conventional image forming apparatus.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, since the Example described below is a suitable Example of this invention, various technically preferable restrictions are attached | subjected, However, The range of this invention is unduly limited by the following description. However, not all the configurations described in the present embodiment are essential constituent elements of the present invention.

  1 to 6 are views showing a first embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a top view of the main part of the image forming apparatus 1 to which the first embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied. FIG.

  In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 1 is a printer apparatus, a copying apparatus, a composite apparatus or the like that forms a color image by an electrophotographic method, and is a tandem type image forming apparatus, which is along a conveyor belt or in the middle. An image forming unit for forming an image of each color of black (K), magenta (M), cyan (C), and yellow (Y) is disposed along the transfer belt. In the image forming apparatus 1, in each color image forming unit, a laser modulated by the image data of each color is irradiated on the photoconductor from the writing unit to form an electrostatic latent image. The toner of each color is supplied from the developing unit to the photoreceptor on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, and a toner image of each color is formed. The image forming apparatus 1 forms a color image by sequentially superimposing and transferring the toner images on the photoconductors of the respective colors onto a transfer sheet or an intermediate transfer belt conveyed on a conveyance belt. In the case of the method of transferring to the intermediate transfer belt, the image forming apparatus 1 transfers the color image on the intermediate transfer belt onto the transfer paper conveyed from the paper feeding unit by the transfer roller.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, toner cartridges (replacement parts) 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y for the respective colors are arranged in a row at predetermined intervals in the image forming unit, and the toner cartridges 2K and 2M are arranged. 2C and 2Y respectively store the corresponding color toners and supply the toners to the corresponding developing units.

  Each toner cartridge 2K, 2M, 2C, 2Y is provided with RFID tags (component information management means) 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y, respectively. The RFID tag 3K attached to the toner cartridge 2K and the RFID tag 3M attached to the toner cartridge 2M are arranged so that the toner cartridge 2K and the toner cartridge 2M face each other, and the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M face each other. The RFID tag 3C attached to the toner cartridge 2C and the RFID tag 3Y attached to the toner cartridge 2Y are disposed on the surface where the toner cartridge 2C and the toner cartridge 2Y face each other. 3C and RFID tag 3Y are attached in a state of facing each other.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, between the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M, an antenna (main body side non-contact communication means) 4a for communicating with each of the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M has a frame of the image forming apparatus 1. The antenna (main body side non-contact communication means) 4b for communicating with each of the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y is provided between the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y. Are disposed on the frame of the image forming apparatus 1 or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y are mounting members 5K, 5M, 5C, and 5Y that do not rotate among the members constituting the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y. In addition, when the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are attached to the image forming apparatus 1, the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are securely attached to the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y. Mechanical keys 6K, 6M, 6C, and 6Y are provided to prevent erroneous mounting in the mounting position and mounting direction of 2M, 2C, and 2Y, respectively. In the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y of this embodiment, the mechanical keys 6K, 6M, 6C, and 6Y are provided on the attachment members 5K, 5M, 5C, and 5Y. When 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are mounted, a component mounting portion (not shown) on which the mounting members 5K, 5M, 5C, and 5Y are mounted is disposed. Although not shown in the drawings, the component mounting portion is provided with a manufacturer key (specific mechanism portion) that specifies the other party with the mechanical keys 6K, 6M, 6C, and 6Y. That is, a mechanical key (not shown) that engages only with the mechanical keys 6K, 6M, 6C, and 6Y of the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y that is permitted to be mounted is formed in the component mounting portion. The mechanical keys 6K, 6M, 6C, and 6Y and the mechanical keys of the component mounting unit are used only when the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M and the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y face each other. This is a mechanism for mounting 2C and 2Y on the component mounting portion of the image forming apparatus 1.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, each of the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y includes planar coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y and tag chips 12K, 12M, 12C, and 12Y, as shown in FIG. , Tag chips 12K, 12M, 12C, and 12Y are parts information necessary for managing the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y, for example, IDs of toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y, lifespan, usage history information, etc. It has a nonvolatile memory (nonvolatile storage means) for storing information. The antennas 4a and 4b are formed in the antenna portions 20a and 20b together with the analog circuits 21a and 21b, respectively. The analog circuit units 21 a and 21 b are connected to an RFID control unit 30 provided on the control unit (not shown) side of the image forming apparatus 1 by digital lines DLa and DLb. The RFID control unit 30 is connected to the image forming apparatus 1. The digital signal is exchanged through the analog circuits 21a and 21b of the antenna units 20a and 20b and the digital lines DLa and DLb to control the operation of the antenna units 20a and 20b and exchange the component information. Do.

  The antenna 4a selectively communicates by non-contact communication (wireless communication) using electromagnetic waves between the planar coil 11K of the RFID tag 3K and the planar coil 11M of the RFID tag 3M to exchange component information. 4b communicates selectively between the planar coil 11C of the RFID tag 3C and the planar coil 11Y of the RFID tag 3Y by non-contact communication (radio communication) using electromagnetic waves to exchange component information.

  The analog circuits (conversion means) 21a and 21b modulate / demodulate signals to perform non-contact communication between the antennas 4a and 4b and the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y, and receive analog components received by the antennas 4a and 4b. Digital conversion of information and analog conversion of component information received from the RFID control unit 30 are performed. That is, the analog circuits 21a and 21b exchange analog signals with the antennas 4a and 4b, and exchange digital signals with the RFID control unit 30.

  The RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y may be passive type tags that operate using radio waves from the antenna units 20a and 20b as energy sources, or active type tags that have built-in batteries and emit their own radio waves. There may be. As a method for transmitting electromagnetic waves between the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y and the antenna units 20a and 20b, coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y of the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y and the antenna unit 20a are used. , 20b may be an electromagnetic induction method in which energy and signals are transmitted by magnetically coupling the antennas 4a and 4b of the antennas 20b, and the coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y of the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y and the antenna unit. A radio wave system in which electromagnetic waves are exchanged between the antennas 4a and 4b of 20a and 20b to transmit energy and signals may be used, or another method may be used.

  The antenna 4a is disposed between the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M facing each other and selectively performs non-contact communication, and the antenna 4b is disposed between the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y. Non-contact communication. Therefore, the antennas 4a and 4b can be small, have a small output, and can be inexpensive.

  Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, two small and inexpensive antennas 4a and 4b selectively communicate with two RFID tags 3K and 3M, and an RFID tag 3C and an RFID tag 3Y to exchange component information. To do.

  That is, in the image forming apparatus 1, four toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are mounted so as to be replaceable, and the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are attached to the mounting members 5K and 5M that are non-rotating members. Positioned by the mechanical keys 6K, 6M, 6C, 6Y provided on 5C, 5Y and the mechanical key of the component mounting portion on the main body side, the image forming apparatus 1 is mounted. The attachment members 5K, 5M, 5C, and 5Y of the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are a pair of the toner cartridge 2K and the toner cartridge 2M, and the attachment member 5K and the attachment member 5M of the toner cartridge 2C and the toner cartridge 2Y, respectively. The mounting member 5C and the mounting member 5Y are attached to the image forming apparatus 1 in a state of facing each other. The RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M are attached to the mounting member 5K and the mounting member 5M facing each other, respectively, and the mounting member 5C and the mounting member 5Y facing each other are respectively facing each other. An RFID tag 3C and an RFID tag 3Y are attached.

  An antenna 4a is disposed at an intermediate position between the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M facing each other, and an antenna 4b is disposed at an intermediate position between the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y facing each other.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, the RFID control unit 30 operates under the control of the control unit, and exchanges digital signals through the analog circuits 21a and 21b of the antenna units 20a and 20b and the digital lines DLa and DLb. Operation control of the antenna units 20a and 20b and transmission / reception of component information are performed. The antenna 4a performs modulation / demodulation of a signal by the analog circuit 21a, and selectively communicates between the planar coil 11K of the RFID tag 3K and the planar coil 11M of the RFID tag 3M by non-contact communication to exchange component information. The antenna 4b selectively communicates by non-contact communication between the planar coil 11C of the RFID tag 3C and the planar coil 11Y of the RFID tag 3Y to exchange component information.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the RFID control unit 30 controls the operation of the analog circuits 21a and 21b, and the RFID tags 3K and 3M, the RFID tag 3C, and the RFID tag 3Y are connected to the antennas 4a and 4b. The communication process with the anti-collision process is performed between them, and the parts information is exchanged. That is, the RFID control unit 30 first collides with the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y when starting non-contact communication between the antenna units 20a and 20b and the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y. Time slot data (for example, IDs of RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y) is designated (step S101), and the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, By communicating with 3Y, one RFID tag 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y responding to each antenna 4a, 4b is checked (step S102). That is, the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y send back only when the time slot data from the antenna units 20a and 20b corresponds to itself.

  If the number of responding RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y is not one in step S102, the RFID control unit 30 determines that a collision has been detected (step S103), and designates another data as time slot data. In step S104, communication is performed with the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y by the antennas 4a and 4b, and one RFID tag 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y responding to each antenna 4a and 4b is checked. (Step S102). In step S102, when the number of responding RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y is not one, the RFID control unit 30 sets another data as time slot data and communicates with the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y. The process is repeated until only one RFID tag 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y responds (steps S102 to S104).

  When only one RFID tag 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y responds in step S102, the RFID control unit 30 performs all the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y other than the responding RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y. Are sequentially subjected to sleep processing (step S105), and component information is exchanged (data transmission / reception) to one RFID tag 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y that has not been subjected to sleep processing (step S106).

  After that, the RFID control unit 30 performs a process of causing each of the other RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y to wake up individually and sequentially, and causing the remaining RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y to sleep, Only the waked RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y sequentially transmit / receive component information (data transmission / reception) (step S107). When the RFID control unit 30 finishes sending / receiving the component information (data transmission / reception) with all the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y, it cancels the sleep state of all the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y and performs processing. Is finished (step S108).

  As described above, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y that are mounted replacement parts, and the adjacent toner cartridge 2K, toner cartridge 2M, toner cartridge 2C, and toner cartridge. 2Y, a plurality of toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y adjacent to each other, that is, a surface that faces a central position where the toner cartridge 2K and the toner cartridge 2M and the toner cartridge 2C and the toner cartridge 2Y face each other (in this embodiment) Non-volatile storage means for storing component information relating to the planar coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y and the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y that are non-contact communication means that are arranged on the opposite surfaces) and communicate in a non-contact state. Tag chips 12K, 12M, 12C, 12 RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y, which are component information management means, are mounted, and planar coils 11K, 11M, attached to a plurality of adjacent toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, 2Y, Antennas 4a and 4b, which are body-side non-contact communication means that communicate with the plurality of planar coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y in a non-contact state, are disposed at a central position that faces 11C and 11Y. Thus, the antennas 4a and 4b are driven to communicate with a plurality of opposing planar coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y.

  Accordingly, the RFID tags 3K, 3M, and 3C attached to the plurality of toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are inexpensively and appropriately attached with a small number of antennas 4a and 4b while suppressing the size and output of the antennas 4a and 4b. It is possible to communicate with the 3Y planar coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y in a non-contact state. Moreover, the output of the antennas 4a and 4b can be suppressed, and EMI can be appropriately handled.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of adjacent toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y and RFID tags 3K, 3M, and 3C attached to the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y. A component mounting portion is mounted for mounting in a state where the 3Y planar coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y face each other.

  Therefore, when reading component information from the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y of the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y, the planar coils 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y of the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y are used as antennas. It is not necessary to perform an initial operation at a position facing in the 4a and 4b directions, and a more inexpensive and simple configuration can be achieved.

  Furthermore, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the RFID control unit 30 controls the driving of the antennas 4a and 4b, and the planar coils of the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y facing the antennas 4a and 4b. Anti-collision in non-contact communication with 11K, 11M, 11C, and 11Y is appropriately performed to selectively communicate.

  Therefore, even when a plurality of RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y are recognized at the same time, it is possible to appropriately prevent a malfunction and a reading error of component information, and perform information management with high accuracy. be able to.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y and the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y, and the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y. Toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y mechanical keys 6K, 6M, 6C, and 6Y, which are specification mechanisms for mutually specifying 2Y and the component mounting portion, and a mechanical key for the component mounting portion are provided.

  Therefore, when the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are mounted, it is ensured that the other toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are erroneously mounted at the mounting positions or the mounting direction is wrong. In addition, when reading component information from the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y of the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y, the planar coils 11K and 11M of the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y are read. , 11C and 11Y do not need to be initially operated at positions facing the antennas 4a and 4b, and can be configured to be much cheaper and simpler.

  Furthermore, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes analog circuits 21a and 21b that perform digital-analog conversion of signals near the antennas 4a and 4b, and the analog circuits 21a and 21b are connected to the antennas 4a and 4b. Analog signals are exchanged, and digital signals are exchanged with the RFID control unit 30.

  Therefore, the existing components in which the antennas 4a and 4b and the analog circuits 21a and 21b are integrated can be used, and the cost can be further reduced.

  In the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, even when the RFID control unit 30 operates under the control of the engine control unit 40 that controls the operation of the image forming unit of the image forming apparatus 1. Good. In this case, the RFID control unit 30 includes an RFID control CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31, the engine control unit 40 includes an engine control CPU 41, and the engine control CPU 41 and the RFID control CPU 31 are digital lines. Connected by DLc. The engine control CPU 41 controls the operation of the image forming unit, and the RFID control CPU 31 controls the operation of the antenna units 20a and 20b under the control of the engine control CPU 41, so that the antennas 4a and 4b are connected to the RFID tag 3K. The RFID tag 3M and the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y are subjected to a communication process including an anti-collision (collision prevention) process to exchange component information.

  In this way, the existing RFID unit having a CPU as the RFID unit can be used to make the price even cheaper, and the engine control unit 40 controls the operation of the image forming unit. The burden on the CPU 31 can be reduced, and the operation can be stabilized and the processing speed can be increased even more inexpensively.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the antenna units 20a and 20b are connected to the engine control CPU 41 of the engine control unit 40 by digital lines DLa and DLb. May control the operation of the antenna units 20a and 20b.

  In this way, using an existing RFID unit that does not include a CPU as the RFID unit, the price can be further reduced, the circuit configuration can be simplified, and the size and cost can be further reduced. Can be.

  FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram showing the principal part of the image forming apparatus 50 to which the second embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is applied.

  The present embodiment is applied to an image forming apparatus similar to the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment. In the description of the present embodiment, the same configuration as the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment is used. Parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. Also for parts not shown in the drawings, the same constituent parts are described by using the reference numerals used in the first embodiment as they are as necessary. To do.

  In FIG. 7, in the image forming apparatus 50, the antenna units 51 a and 51 b have only the antennas (main body side non-contact communication means) 4 a and 4 b, and the RFID control unit 61 and the analog circuit 62 are provided on the RFID control board 60 on the control side. It is installed. The antenna units 51a and 51b and the RFID control board 60 are connected by analog lines ALa and ALb. The analog line ALa and the antenna unit 51a, and the analog line ALb and the antenna unit 51b are connected by connection units CPa and CPb, respectively. ing. The connection parts CPa and CPb connect the analog line ALa and the antenna part 51a and the analog line ALb and the antenna part 51b in a state where it is difficult to remove them by soldering or special connectors. Further, the analog line ALa and analog line ALb and the RFID control board 60 are connected by a connection part CPc, and the connection part CPc is difficult to be removed by soldering or a special connector. And the RFID control board 60 are connected.

  The analog circuit 62 of the RFID control board 60 performs modulation / demodulation of signals under the control of the RFID control unit 61, and the antenna 4a of the antenna unit 51a and the antenna 4b of the antenna unit 51b and the RFID tags 3K, 3M, 3C, and 3Y. In addition to performing non-contact communication, digital conversion of analog component information received by the antennas 4a and 4b and sent through the analog lines ALa and ALb and analog conversion of digital component information received from the RFID control unit 30 are performed.

  The RFID control unit 61 operates under the control of the control unit of the image forming apparatus 50, exchanges digital signals with the analog circuit 62, and controls operation of the analog circuit 62 and the antenna units 51a and 51b and exchanges component information. Do.

  In the image forming apparatus 50, similarly to the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the antenna unit 51a is disposed at an intermediate position between the RFID tag 3K of the toner cartridge 2K and the RFID tag 3M of the toner cartridge 2M that face each other. The antenna unit 51b is disposed at an intermediate position between the RFID tag 3C of the toner cartridge 2C and the RFID tag 3Y of the toner cartridge 2Y that face each other.

  In the image forming apparatus 50 of this embodiment, as in the image forming apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the RFID control unit 61 controls the operation of the analog circuit 62 as shown in FIG. 4a and 4b perform communication processing including anti-collision processing between the RFID tag 3K and the RFID tag 3M and between the RFID tag 3C and the RFID tag 3Y, and exchange parts information.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus 50 according to the present embodiment, since the antenna units 51a and 51b include only the antennas 4a and 4b, the existing antenna unit that includes only the antenna as the antenna unit is used as a replacement part. It can be used and can be made even cheaper.

  Further, in the image forming apparatus 50 of the present embodiment, the connection portions CPa and CPb and the connection portion CPc are connected in a state where it is difficult to remove them by soldering or special connectors.

  Therefore, careless replacement of the antenna portions 51a and 51b can be prevented, and component management can be made appropriate.

  Also in this embodiment, the analog circuit 62 is controlled not only by the RFID circuit unit 61 under the control of the main body side control unit, but also under the control of the engine control unit as shown in FIG. The RFID circuit unit 61 may control the analog circuit 62, or the engine control unit may control the analog circuit unit 62 as shown in FIG.

  In each of the above embodiments, the replacement parts of the image forming apparatuses 1 and 50 are applied when the toner cartridges 2K, 2M, 2C, and 2Y are used. However, the replacement parts are not limited to the toner cartridges, and other parts. Appropriate replacement parts, and a plurality of replacement parts can be applied to adjacent parts. In this case, the adjacent replacement parts are not limited to the same type of replacement parts, for example, toner cartridges. For example, the same applies when the toner cartridge and other replacement parts are adjacent to each other. Can do.

  Furthermore, the cartridge is not limited to a toner cartridge, and may be a process cartridge in which a developing unit, a toner storage unit, a photoconductor, and the like are integrated.

  In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the component information management unit is applied to an RFID tag using RFID is described. However, the component information management unit is not limited to the RFID tag.

  The invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described based on the preferred embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to that described in the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. It goes without saying that it is possible.

  The present invention can be used for an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying apparatus, or a composite apparatus that exchanges part information with an RFID tag or the like attached to a replacement part by non-contact communication.

1 Image forming apparatus 2K, 2M, 2C, 2Y Toner cartridge 3K, 3M, 3C, 3Y RFID tag 4a, 4b Antenna 5K, 5M, 5C, 5Y Mounting member 6K, 6M, 6C, 6Y Mechanical key 11K, 11M, 11C, 11Y Planar coil 12K, 12M, 12C, 12Y Tag chip 20a, 20b Antenna part 21a, 21b Analog circuit DLa, DLb, DLc Digital line 30 RFID control part 31 RFID control CPU
40 Engine control unit 41 Engine control CPU
50 Image forming apparatus 51a, 51b Antenna unit 60 RFID control board 61 RFID control unit 62 Analog circuit ALa, ALb Analog line CPa, CPb, CPc Connection unit

JP 2001-22230 A

Claims (5)

In an image forming apparatus that forms an image by mounting a plurality of replacement parts,
A plurality of replacement parts adjacent to each other among the replacement parts are arranged on a surface facing a central position where the plurality of replacement parts face each other and store non-contact communication means that communicates in a non-contact state and stores part information related to the replacement parts. The component information management means for mounting the non-volatile storage means is attached,
A main body side non-contact communication means arranged in the central position facing the non-contact communication means attached to a plurality of adjacent replacement parts and communicating with the plurality of non-contact communication means in a non-contact state;
Communication control means for driving the main body side non-contact communication means to communicate with a plurality of opposed non-contact communication means;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus includes a component mounting unit that mounts a plurality of adjacent replacement parts in a state where the non-contact communication unit of the component information management unit attached to the replacement part faces the central position. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:   The said communication control means controls the drive of the said main body side non-contact communication means, and makes it selectively communicate with the said non-contact communication means of the said some component information management means which opposes. Item 3. The image forming apparatus according to Item 2.   The replacement part is a replacement part of the same type, and a specific mechanism unit for specifying the replacement part and the component mounting part is provided in both of the replacement part and the part mounting part to which the replacement part is mounted. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a conversion unit that is disposed near the body-side non-contact communication unit and converts a signal from digital to analog,
5. The conversion unit according to claim 1, wherein the conversion unit transmits / receives an analog signal to / from the main body side non-contact communication unit and transmits / receives a digital signal to / from the communication control unit. The image forming apparatus according to any one of the above.

Images