A cleaning device includes a separation and contact mechanism that separates a web from a conveyance roller and brings the web into contact with the conveyance roller, and a controller. The controller includes a conveyed sheet number determination unit and a separation and contact control unit. The conveyed sheet number determination unit monitors a conveyed sheet number of both-surface image forming sheets where image forming processing is applied to both a first surface and a second surface with respect to the sheets conveyed by the conveyance roller, and determines whether or not a cumulative value of the conveyed sheet number has reached a predetermined threshold value. The separation and contact control unit controls the separation and contact mechanism so as to allow the web to be pressed to the conveyance roller by a pressing roller when the cumulative value of the conveyed sheet number has reached the threshold value.

According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a post-processing apparatus includes a stapling unit which includes a cartridge for containing a staple used for stapling processing, a moving unit configured to move the stapling unit between a first stapling position, a second stapling position and a replacement position, a detection unit configured to detect presence or absence of a staple in the cartridge, and a control unit configured to make the stapling unit stand ready at the second stapling position in a case where the presence of a staple in the cartridge is detected by the detection unit, and to make the moving unit move the stapling unit to the replacement position in a case where the absence of a staple in the cartridge is detected by the detection unit.

A supply item has toner for use in an imaging device. A chip has memory storing quanta indicating allowed usage of the supply item over its lifetime and a multiplier correlating the quanta to toner mass. The imaging device requires quanta to conduct imaging operations and loads the quanta and multiplier by way of a certificate stored in the memory. The imaging device retrieves quanta from the chip over time and both devices keep tally. Initialization between the supply item and imaging device includes providing encrypted and unencrypted instances of firmware versions and certificates from the supply item that the imaging device can compare for security. Alternatively, the supply item defines a fuser assembly, imaging unit, intermediate transfer member, or other component installed for use in the imaging device.

An image forming apparatus includes a unit group including a specific unit having a specific component that performs an operation necessary for notification of paper remaining on a mounting surface; and a processor configured to control supply of power to the unit group at a return from a sleep state based on a return event, in which the processor is configured to in a case where there is no paper on the mounting surface at a transition to the sleep state, perform first control to supply power to a specified power supply destination corresponding to the return event at the return from the sleep state, and in a case where there is a paper on the mounting surface at the transition to the sleep state, perform second control to supply power to the specific unit at the return from the sleep state even in a case where the specific unit is not included in the specified power supply destination of the unit group.

An image forming device includes: an image former that executes image forming processing to form an image on a sheet; a primary controller; a secondary controller that controls the image former; a sensor that detects a state of the image former and transmits sensor data indicating the state to the secondary controller; a first transmission path between the secondary controller and the primary controller; and a second transmission path different from the first transmission path. The primary controller instructs the secondary controller to execute the image forming processing. Data related to the execution of the image forming processing is transmitted through the first transmission path. The secondary controller generates diagnostic data for failure diagnostics from the sensor data and life prediction relating to the image forming device and transmits the diagnostic data to the primary controller via the second transmission path.

An image forming apparatus includes a developing roller, a motor, a motor control portion configured to control the motor, a drive switching unit configured to switch between transmission and non-transmission of the rotational driving force of the motor relative to the developing roller, a current detection portion configured to detect a current value of a current to the motor, and an acquisition unit configured to acquire information relating to a rotation amount of the developing roller. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire the information relating to the rotation amount of the developing roller on the basis of a transmission timing at which the rotational driving force is allowed to be transmitted to the developing roller by the drive switching unit and a non-transmission timing at which the rotational driving force is prevented from being transmitting to the developing roller by the drive switching unit.

An image forming apparatus including a motor, a photosensitive drum, a developing roller, a main memory, and a controller. The controller is configured to perform storing a first rotation number and a second rotation number in the main memory. The first rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a first state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller is stopped. The second rotation number is the rotation number of the photosensitive drum rotated in a second state where the photosensitive drum rotates and the developing roller rotates. The controller is further configured to perform, in a case where the photosensitive drum rotates, determining a total deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum which is a cumulative deterioration quantity of the photosensitive drum based on the first rotation number and the second rotation number.

An apparatus controller performs: updating a number of mounting stored in an apparatus memory when a new consumable is mounted on an image processing apparatus; updating a life stored in the apparatus memory in response to execution of image processing; and transmitting, at a particular timing, the number of mounting and the life to a server. A server controller performs: in response to receiving the number of mounting and the life, not placing an order for the new consumable when the number of mounting is larger than a number of orders or the life is longer than or equal to a particular value, and placing the order for the new consumable when the number of mounting is smaller than or equal to the number of orders and the life is shorter than the particular value; and when the order is placed, updating the number of orders in a server memory.

The present disclosure provides a consumable chip, a consumable, and a communication method between the image forming apparatus and the consumable chip. The consumable chip is capable of being installed on the consumable, and the consumable is capable of being detachably installed on the image forming apparatus. The consumable chip includes a first storage unit and a chip control unit. The first storage unit is configured to store first fixed data representing attribute information of the consumable. The chip control unit is configured to receive an authentication request sent by the image forming apparatus, obtain the first fixed data and first variable data representing consumption information of the consumable, generate authentication data by performing a calculation on the first fixed data and the first variable data according to a first preset algorithm, and send the authentication data for determining whether the consumable meets expectation to the image forming apparatus.

A reading apparatus includes a reading device and processing circuitry. The reading device reads a recording medium. The processing circuitry outputs maintenance information based on read information read by the reading device.