G03G21/1878

STORAGE COMPONENT DISASSEMBLY TOOLING

Discloses herein is a storage component disassembly tooling, for disassembling a storage component on a process cartridge, the process cartridge comprising a housing and a storage component mounting bracket on the housing for supporting the storage component, the storage component disassembly tooling comprising: a drilling portion, and a positioning portion; wherein the positioning portion is configured to position the storage component disassembly tooling on the housing of the process cartridge, and the drilling portion is configured to move relative to the positioning portion to destroy at least a part of the storage component mounting bracket.

Image forming apparatus capable of selecting either display or not display remaining amount of toner
11340548 · 2022-05-24 · ·

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a display, a consumable cartridge and a controller. The consumable cartridge is attached to the apparatus body. The consumable cartridge includes a housing and a consumable product memory. The housing accommodates consumable material therein for use in image formation. The consumable product memory stores a first flag. The first flag indicates whether consumable material information indicating that an amount of the consumable material is reduced to a level equal to or less than a first threshold value is displayed or not displayed on the display. The controller is configured to execute a first display process for determining whether the consumable material information is displayed on the display in accordance with indication of the first flag stored in the consumable product memory.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAP ABLE OF CONTROLLING EXTENSION OF USE OF DRUM CARTRIDGE

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body, a toner cartridge, a replaceable part, a controller and an apparatus body memory. An operating mode of the controller is set to one of a subscription mode and a normal mode. The controller is configured to perform processes in accordance with the set operating mode. The apparatus body memory is configured to store life information indicating a remaining life of the replaceable part attached to the apparatus body. The controller is configured to switch a control between: a control for allowing an extended use of the replaceable part; and a control for restricting the extended use of the replaceable part, according to the set operating mode. The extended use is defined as use of the replaceable part even after the replaceable part exceeds the remaining life indicated by the life information stored in the apparatus body memory.

Cartridge and image forming apparatus

A cartridge includes a drum unit and a development unit. The drum unit includes a photosensitive drum, a frame, a transfer roller, and a cleaning member. The development unit includes a development roller, and a memory. The cleaning member is configured to come into contact with the photosensitive drum at a region between a development nip portion and a transfer nip portion in a circumferential direction of the photosensitive drum and at an end portion of the photosensitive drum in a direction of the rotational axis. The frame has an exposing hole through which the memory is exposed from the frame, and a recessed portion that is adjacent to the exposing hole in the direction of the rotational axis, and stores foreign matters removed from the photosensitive drum by the cleaning member.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF DETERMINING WHETHER TO ORDER NEW DRUM CARTRIDGE TOGETHER WITH NEW TONER CARTRIDGE

An image forming apparatus includes: a main body; a drum cartridge and a toner cartridge those attachable to the main body; a main memory; and a controller. The controller is configured to perform: determining a number of sheets printable using the toner cartridge attached to the main body; determining a number of sheets printable using the drum cartridge attached to the main body; determining a number of sheets printable using a new toner cartridge; and when determining that a sum of the number of sheets printable using the toner cartridge attached to the main body and the number of sheets printable using a new toner cartridge is greater than or equal to the number of sheets printable using the drum cartridge attached to the main body, transmitting to a server a signal for ordering a new drum cartridge together with a new toner cartridge.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS, METHOD, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM FOR PREVENTING FAILURES AND ERRORS IN DRUM MEMORY AND BELT MEMORY DUE TO HOT-SWAPPING

An image forming apparatus includes a main body, a drum cartridge removably attached to the main body, and a belt unit removably attached to the main body. The main body includes a drum power supply, a belt power supply, and a controller configured to start supplying power from the drum power supply to a drum memory of the drum cartridge, start supplying power from the belt power supply to a belt memory of the belt unit, stop supplying the power from the drum power supply to the drum memory after starting supplying the power from the drum power supply to the drum memory, and stop supplying the power from the belt power supply to the belt memory after starting supplying the power from the belt power supply to the belt memory.

Cartridge including holder that facilitates recycling of storage medium

A cartridge includes: a housing; a storage medium having an electrical contact surface; and a holder movable relative to the housing. The holder includes a first holder member and a second holder member movable relative to the first holder member. The first holder member includes at least one pawl and holds the electrical contact surface at one end surface of the first holder member in a first direction crossing the electrical contact surface. The second holder member includes at least one corner part engageable with the at least one pawl to provide an engaging portion therebetween. The second holder member has a through-hole that is open at another end face of the second holder member in the first direction. The engaging portion is accessible from an outside of the holder through the through-hole.

METHOD FOR REMOVING AND ATTACHING FIRST HOLDER MEMBER RELATIVE TO SECOND HOLDER MEMBER SUPPORTED BY HOUSING IN CARTRIDGE

Provided is a method for removing a first holder member from a second holder member in a cartridge. The cartridge includes: a housing; the first holder member holding an electrical contact surface; and the second holder member supported by the housing. The first holder member includes a pawl, and the second holder member includes a corner part engageable with the pawl of the first holder member. The electrical contact surface is held at one end surface of the first holder member in a first direction crossing the electrical contact surface. The method includes: disengaging the pawl from the corner part; and separating the housing and the second holder member from the first holder member in the first direction away from the one end surface of the first holder member.

IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

A memory holder cover holds a memory holder so as to be movable with respect to the memory holder cover. An electrical contact contacts an electrical contact surface of a memory from above in a state where a cartridge is located at an attached position at which the cartridge is attached to a main housing. The main housing includes a guide groove having upper and lower guide surfaces. The upper guide surface guides movement of a memory holder from above when the cartridge is attached and detached. The lower guide surface guides movement of the memory holder from below when the cartridge is attached and detached. In a state where the cartridge is located at the attached position, the electrical contact surface is parallel to at least part of the upper guide surface or at least part of the lower guide surface.

Method to prevent cloning of electronic components using public key infrastructure secure hardware device

An electronic component includes a processor and a memory. The electronic component has a secure platform capable of storing at least one dual key pair and a corresponding digital signature. There is also a system including a host machine and an electronic component capable of being operated by the host machine. The electronic component has a processor, a memory, and a secure platform capable of storing at least one dual key pair and a corresponding digital signature. Another aspect describes a method, which includes reading a public key from an electronic component by a host machine, verifying the public key against a stored key in the host machine, digitally signing data using a private key from the electronic component, verifying the signed data against the stored key, and using the electronic component by the host machine only if the signed data and the public key are verified.