Patent classifications
G03G2221/1823
IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS PERFORMING REWRITING PROCESS TO REWRITE IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION STORED IN CARTRIDGE
An image forming apparatus includes a main casing, a cartridge, and a controller. The cartridge is attachable to the main casing. The cartridge includes a cartridge memory configured to store identification information. The controller is configured to perform a rewriting process to rewrite the identification information to information indicating that the cartridge is the normal cartridge, in a case where the controller receives a cancellation instruction to instruct to cancel the service contract and the identification information, which is stored in a cartridge memory of the cartridge attached to the main casing, indicates that the cartridge is the contract cartridge.
IMAGE FORMING DEVICE, PROCESS CARTRIDGE, AND DEVELOPER CARTRIDGE
A developer cartridge according to one aspect is attachable to a photoconductor unit that comprises a photoconductive drum. The developer cartridge may comprise a main body having an opening, the main body comprising an electric circuit, a front cover configured to move to an opening position in which the opening of the main body is exposed and to a closing position in which the opening of the main body is closed, a first terminal electrically connected to the electric circuit, a photosensitive drum, and a developer cartridge comprising a developing roller, developing frame having a pressed portion, memory unit and second terminal. The front cover may include a pressing portion configured to press the pressed portion of the developing frame in a direction from the developing roller toward the photosensitive drum, and wherein the second terminal faces to the front cover when the front cover is in the closed position.
DRUM CARTRIDGE INCLUDING MOVABLE HOLDER HAVING HOLDER TERMINAL, AND RELAY ELECTRODE ELECTRICALLY CONNECTABLE TO HOLDER TERMINAL AND MEMORY OF DEVELOPING CARTRIDGE ATTACHED TO DRUM FRAME
A drum cartridge includes a drum frame, a photosensitive drum rotatable about a drum axis extending in a first direction, a drum electrical contact surface, a relay electrode, and a holder holding the drum electrical contact surface. A developing cartridge including a developing roller and a memory is attachable to the drum frame. The drum electrical contact surface is positioned at one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction. The relay electrode is electrically connected to the memory in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame. The holder is positioned at the one end portion of the drum frame in the first direction and is movable relative to the drum frame. The holder has a holder terminal electrically connected to the drum electrical contact surface and electrically connectable to the relay electrode.
DRUM CARTRIDGE INCLUDING ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACE POSITIONED AT OUTER SURFACE OF DRUM FRAME
A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; a photosensitive drum; and a first storage medium. The drum frame has one end portion and another end portion spaced apart from the one end portion in a first direction. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about a first axis extending in a second direction and is positioned at the one end portion of the drum cartridge. The first storage medium includes a first electrical contact surface. The first storage medium is positioned at an outer surface of the drum frame, the outer surface being exposed in a state where the developing cartridge is attached to the drum frame.
Drum cartridge including electrical contact surface movable relative to drum frame
A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a memory having an electrical contact surface; and a resilient member positioned between the electrical contact surface and the drum frame. The resilient member is configured to expand and compress in a second direction crossing the electrical contact surface between a first state and a second state, the resilient member having a shorter length in the second state than in the first state. A distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the second state is smaller than a distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the first state.
Information storage system including a plurality of terminals
A toner container includes a container body, an opening, a cover, a toner discharge port, a shutter, a cylindrical structure, protrusions, and an identifier. The shutter is attached to the cover and includes a main shutter covering the toner discharge port. The main shutter moves between a closed position to close the toner discharge port and an open position to open the toner discharge port. The protrusions are on both sides of the cover and protrude in a direction orthogonal to a toner container mounting direction. The identifier is on the cover to indicate a toner color. The cylindrical structure's leading end is downstream of leading ends of the protrusions in the mounting direction. The main shutter's leading end is downstream of the protrusions' leading ends in the mounting direction when the main shutter is in the closed position. The protrusions are downstream of the identifier in the mounting direction.
DRUM CARTRIDGE INCLUDING ELECTRICAL CONTACT SURFACE MOVABLE RELATIVE TO DRUM FRAME
A drum cartridge includes: a drum frame to which a developing cartridge is attachable; a photosensitive drum rotatable about an axis extending in a first direction; a memory having an electrical contact surface; and a resilient member positioned between the electrical contact surface and the drum frame. The resilient member is configured to expand and compress in a second direction crossing the electrical contact surface between a first state and a second state, the resilient member having a shorter length in the second state than in the first state. A distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the second state is smaller than a distance between the drum frame and the electrical contact surface in the second direction when the resilient member is in the first state.
Image forming apparatus including controller capable of determining whether developing cartridge, drum cartridge and belt unit are reached their lifetimes
An image forming apparatus includes a developing cartridge, a main memory and a controller. The controller is configured to perform determining whether the developing cartridge is reached a lifetime on a basis of: at least one of s developing maximum printable number of sheets which corresponds to developing identification information, a maximum developing roller rotation number which corresponds to the developing identification information, and a maximum dot count which corresponds to the developing identification information; and at least one of a developing cumulative number of printed sheets, a cumulative developing roller rotation number and a cumulative dot count.
Image forming apparatus having drum cartridge, toner cartridge and memory with stored information to determine drum rotation continuation operation
A memory of an image forming apparatus is configured to store drum cartridge information and toner cartridge information. The drum cartridge information includes at least a number of drum printed sheets or a number of drum rotations. The toner cartridge information includes at least a number of toner printed sheets, a number of development rotations, or a toner dot count. A controller updates the drum cartridge information and the toner cartridge information stored in the memory in association with execution of image formation. The controller performs a rotation continuation operation of continuing rotations of a photosensitive drum and a development roller until a rotation continuation time elapses after a last sheet in a print job passes the photosensitive drum. The rotation continuation time is determined based on the drum cartridge information and the toner cartridge information.
IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND CARTRIDGE SET
An apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus has a first mounting portion for mounting a first toner cartridge, the first mounting portion having a first terminal that electrically contacts a first cartridge contact surface, and a second mounting portion for mounting a second toner cartridge, the second mounting portion having a second terminal that electrically contacts a second cartridge contact surface. When viewed in a direction parallel to a mounting direction, a first electric substrate has the same shape as a second electric substrate, and a first attachment portion has the same shape as a second attachment portion. An angle at which the first electric substrate is attached to the first attachment portion is different from an angle at which the second electric substrate is attached to the second attachment portion.