JPH05333626A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out collection of information against the image forming device at an interval for exchange of a printing cartridge by providing a storage element where the electrified time of a primary electrifying device is accumulated and stored. CONSTITUTION:A print cartridge A is constituted of an image carrier and a cleaner and this print cartridge A is freely loaded and unloaded on the device. When the new print cartridge A is inserted for exchange within the device main body, the total energized time of the primary electrifying device is written in the storage element 39 provided in this print cartridge A from CPU on the device main body side as a batch. Then, the energized time of the primary electrifying device after that is written in the storage element 39 of the print cartridge A as well as in the CPU on the device main body side. Therefore by collecting and analyzing the storage element 39 of the print cartridge A which has been taken out by exchange, the information on the image forming device at the time of the exchange of this print cartridge A can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention has an image carrier and a cleaner integrated with each other, and a print cartridge in which residual toner collected by cleaning with the cleaner is stored inside the image carrier is detachable from the main body of the apparatus. And an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an image forming apparatus, an image forming apparatus such as a primary charging device, an image exposing section, a developing device, a transfer charging device, and a cleaner is arranged around an image carrier, and the image is carried by the primary charging device. After uniformly charging the surface of the body, it is imagewise exposed to form an electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is developed into a visible image with a developing machine, and the visible image is transferred onto a sheet with a charger. It is known that after the transfer, the sheet is sent to a fixing device to be fixed, and the residual toner adhering to the image carrier is cleaned with a cleaner. Since the image bearing member and the image forming device in the image forming apparatus have a limited life, they need to be regularly inspected and repaired or replaced when they reach the end of their life. In addition, it has been proposed that the print cartridge, in which the residual toner collected by cleaning with a cleaner is stored inside the image carrier, is detachable from the main body of the apparatus to facilitate inspection / repair work and replacement work. .. In an image forming apparatus using such a print cartridge, since the image carrier has a life, the life of the image carrier is set by the number of image forming operations, that is, the number of prints, and the actual number of prints becomes the set number of prints. Sometimes I try to replace the print cartridge. In addition, a sensor that detects that the toner inside the image carrier is full, for example, the fact that the auger that conveys the collected toner into the image carrier becomes large when the load is nearly full, is used to set the auger drive torque to the set value. The torque limiter method is used to detect that the print cartridge has become larger, and the print cartridge is replaced based on the detection signal.

[0003]

As described above, in an image forming apparatus in which this type of print cartridge is detachably attached to the apparatus main body, the print cartridge is replaced according to the instruction of the above detection signal. The used print cartridge is simply discarded after that, and the operation information of the image forming apparatus in which the print cartridge is used is not stored therein. Therefore, it is not possible to collect the used process cartridge and know the operation information of the image forming apparatus in which it has been used, for example, the total energization time of the charge corotron of the image forming apparatus.

The above-mentioned conventional replacement of the print cartridge indicates the replacement of the print cartridge when the number of image forming operations reaches the set number and when the toner is full in the image carrier. The device may become unusable at the same time as it is displayed, the user must immediately replace the print cartridge, and if the user has not prepared a new print cartridge, it will take time before the user can prepare a new print cartridge. I need
During that time, printing efficiency cannot be achieved because printing cannot be performed.
Further, there has been proposed a means for detecting the toner recovery amount by an optical sensor provided in the toner recovery device of the cleaning device, but in this case as well, there is a problem in accuracy because it has to be provided at a place where it is easily soiled.

The present invention has been conceived in view of the above, and its first object is to provide a cartridge storage element (EEP).
ROM) is mounted, and when the print cartridge is replaced, the total energization time of the primary charger of the image forming apparatus is provided in the storage element (FFPROM) in the image forming apparatus.
A memory element (EEPROM) of a used print cartridge, so that the data is collectively written from the PU and the total energization time of the primary charger thereafter is written and saved.
By collecting and analyzing, it is possible to accurately grasp the total number of revolutions of the image carrier (photosensitive drum) and the discharge time of the corotron of the image forming apparatus that used this used print cartridge, An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of collecting information with respect to the image forming apparatus at intervals of print cartridge replacement.

A second object is that, in addition to the effects of the first invention, irradiation can detect that the image carrier 2 is nearing the end of its life and the time to replace the print cartridge is approaching. A print cartridge is prepared and can be replaced immediately when it reaches the end of its life, and the image forming apparatus is stopped when the image carrier 2 reaches the end of its life. Since the display prompting the replacement of the print cartridge is performed depending on the capacity of the toner storage portion 15 of the carrier 2, the image carrier 2 is discharged before the life of the image carrier 2 such as when printing with a high image density is performed. When the toner storage section 15 is full of toner, the print cartridge can be replaced before the toner storage section 15 is full, and when the toner storage section 15 is full, the main body of the apparatus can be replaced. It is intended to provide an image forming apparatus capable of stopping.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is directed to an image carrier 2 and a primary charger 3, a developing device 4, a pre-transfer charger around the image carrier 2. 5, transfer charger 6, separation charger 7, image carrier 2
A print cartridge A is provided with a cleaner 8 configured to clean and collect the residual toner on the upper side and store the collected toner in a toner storage portion in the image carrier, and the image carrier 2 and the cleaner 8 constitute a print cartridge A. In the image forming apparatus in which A is detachable, CP for integrating the energization time of the primary charger 3 in the apparatus body 1 of the image forming apparatus
By incorporating U into the print cartridge A and inserting the print cartridge A into the apparatus main body 1, the total energization time of the primary charger 3 accumulated in the CPU in the apparatus main body 1 can be collectively written. A storage element 39 is provided so that the subsequent energization time of the primary charger is cumulatively stored. In addition to the configuration of the first aspect of the invention, the second aspect of the invention includes, on the apparatus main body side 1 of the image forming apparatus, means for accumulating the number of image forming operations and a toner supply section for supplying toner to the developing machine. Means for integrating the driving time, and means for outputting a first signal when the integrated number of times of image forming operation is substantially equal to the number of times of image forming operation based on the life of the image carrier 2, and outputting a second signal when the times are equal. Means for outputting a first signal when the drive time of the integrated toner supply unit is substantially equal to the drive time corresponding to the capacity of the toner storage unit 15 of the image carrier, and a second signal when the drive time is equal, A display means is provided for prompting replacement of the print cartridge by a signal, and a means for stopping the image forming apparatus by the second signal.

[0008]

[Operation] In the first aspect of the invention, when a new print cartridge A is inserted into the apparatus body by replacement, the storage element 39 provided in the print cartridge A
The total energization time of the primary charger 3 is written in batch from the CPU of the apparatus main body side. And the subsequent primary charger 3
The energization time is written in the memory element 39 of the print cartridge A together with the CPU on the apparatus main body side. Therefore, by collecting and analyzing the storage element 39 of the print cartridge A taken out by the replacement, it is possible to know the information of the image forming apparatus when the print cartridge is replaced. Further, in the second invention, in addition to the above-mentioned action, since the display prompting the replacement before the image carrier reaches the end of its life is displayed, the user does not have to replace the print cartridge when the image carrier is near the end of its life. Since it is possible to detect the nearness, you can prepare a new print cartridge in advance and replace it immediately when it reaches the end of its life, which can shorten the down time of the image forming apparatus and improve work efficiency.
When the image bearing member reaches the end of its life, the image forming apparatus is stopped, so if the display prompting the replacement is ignored and used, and even if it is used for a while, next time in order to prevent damage to the inside of image forming. By performing a display meaning to stop, it is possible to prevent printing after the end of its life, and furthermore, the display prompting the replacement of the print cartridge is also performed depending on the capacity of the toner storage portion 15 of the image carrier 2. If the toner storage unit 15 of the image carrier 2 is full of toner before the image carrier 2 reaches the end of its life, such as when printing with a high image density, before the toner is full. Ready to replace the print cartridge,
The device itself can be stopped when it is full.

[0009]

[Examples] FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory view of an image forming apparatus. An image carrier 2 is provided in a main body 1 of the apparatus, and a primary charger 3, a developing device 4, and a pre-transfer device are provided around the image carrier 2. A charging device 5, a transfer charging device 6, a separation charging device 7, a cleaner 8 and the like are sequentially arranged, and the surface of the image carrier 2 is uniformly charged by the primary charging device 3 and then image exposure is performed by the image exposure mechanism 9. To form an electrostatic latent image, the developing device 4 develops the electrostatic latent image into a visible image, and the paper in the paper tray 10 is conveyed toward the image carrier 2 by the paper feeding mechanism 11 to be visualized. Image transfer charger 6
The image is transferred to a sheet by means of, and the sheet is sent to the fixing device 12 to be fixed, thereby making a copy. The image exposure mechanism 9 is a laser system including a laser oscillator, a rotating mirror, and a plurality of mirrors, and is configured to receive image information from an office automation device such as an external computer or a word processor and perform image exposure on an image carrier. is there. The image carrier 2, the primary charger 3, and the cleaner 8 are attached to a housing 13 to form a print cartridge A, and the housing 13 can be inserted and pulled out along a guide rail 14 provided in the apparatus main body 1. The print cartridge A can be pulled out from the apparatus main body 1 and inserted.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway plan view of the print cartridge A. A storage element (EEPROM) 39 is provided at the rear end of the print cartridge A. 1, the terminal portion of the CPU is inserted and connected to the end portion of the CPU on the apparatus body 1 side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the image carrier 2 has a drum shape and is rotatably supported by the housing 13 and has a toner accommodating portion 15 therein. The cleaner 8 has a cleaning member 16 for scraping off and cleaning the residual toner on the image carrier 2 and a toner receiving portion 17 for receiving the collected toner, and the toner in the toner receiving portion 17 is a toner such as an auger. The carrying means 18 carries and stores the toner in the toner storage portion 15 of the image carrier 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the developing machine 4 is provided with a developing roll 20 in a developing machine housing 19, and the developing roll 20 is rotated by a developing machine motor 21 to perform a developing operation. Toner is replenished from the toner replenishing unit 22. The toner supply unit 22 supplies the toner in the toner box 23
The toner supplying means 24 is driven by a toner replenishing motor 25 and the toner box 23
Toner empty sensor 26 that detects the state where there is no toner inside
Is equipped with.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the apparatus main body 1 side and the print cartridge A of the image forming apparatus in which the print cartridge A is replaceable. The image forming operation counting means, for example, the number of printed sheets counting means 30 is provided on the apparatus main body 1 side. A toner replenishment time integration means 31 and a primary charger discharge time integration means 32 are provided, and the number of printed sheets counted by the number of printed sheets counting means 30 is calculated by a comparator 34.
Is compared with the number of prints set by the setter 35, and the toner replenishment integrated time accumulated by the toner replenishment time accumulating means 31 is compared by the comparator 36 with the set toner replenishment time by the setter 37. Further, the primary charger discharge time integration means 32 integrates and measures the total discharge time of the primary charger of the image forming apparatus.
The print number counting means 30 and the toner replenishment time integration means 31 are connected to a storage element 39 provided in the print cartridge A to store the number of prints and the toner replenishment integration time. And both means 30,
The integrated value of 31 is reset when the print cartridge A is replaced. On the other hand, the integrated value of the primary charger discharge time integration means 32 is the storage element 3 of the print cartridge A when the print cartridge A is replaced.
9 is written in batch, and thereafter, the integrated value is written in the storage element 39 as it is. The value is stored in the storage element 39. The operation of the image forming apparatus is controlled by a main controller 40 in a predetermined process.
Is driven only during printing, and the toner supply motor 25 can be driven only when the developing device motor 21 is driven. Setting device for the number of prints 35
Includes a first set print number N ₁ corresponding to the life of the image carrier 2 and a slightly smaller second set print number N ₂
And a slightly smaller third set print number N ₃ is set and compared with the counted print number N _{0. When} N ₀ = N ₃ , the first warning signal is output and N ₀ =
The second warning signal is output at N ₂ , and the stop signal and the exchange signal are output at N ₀ = N ₁ . The toner replenishment cumulative time setting device 37 has a first set toner replenishment time corresponding to the capacity of the toner storage portion 15 in the image carrier 2, a second set toner replenishment time T ₂ slightly shorter than that, and The slightly smaller third set toner replenishment time T ₃ is set and compared with the integrated toner replenishment time T ₀ , the first warning signal is output when T ₀ = T ₃ , and the second warning signal is output when T ₀ = T ₂ . Output, T
_A stop signal and an exchange signal are output at ₀ = T ₁ . The output signals of both the setting devices 35 and 37 are sent to the priority circuit 41 so that the second warning signal has priority over the first warning signal,
The stop / replacement signal has priority over the second warning signal, and the display unit 3
Sent to 3. When the first warning signal is input, the display unit 33 displays the preparation for replacing the print cartridge, when the second warning signal is input, the device stop is displayed, and when the replacement signal is input, the print is displayed. At the same time that the replacement of the cartridge is displayed, a stop signal is output to the main controller 40 to stop the apparatus.

With the above configuration, the total charging time of the primary charger of the image forming apparatus is integrated by the primary charger discharge time integrating means 32 in the apparatus body 1 of the image forming apparatus. When the print cartridge A is replaced and a new print cartridge A is inserted into the apparatus main body 1,
The total energization time of the primary charger is collectively written in the storage element 39 of the print cartridge A, and thereafter, the same integrated value as that of the integrating means 32 is stored in this storage element 39. Therefore, when the print cartridge A reaches the end of its life by the operation described later and is taken out from the apparatus main body 1, the storage element 39 of the print cartridge A is
The total energization time of the primary charger of the image forming apparatus up to this time is stored, and after taking out from the apparatus main body 1, the storage element 39 of this is collected and analyzed, so that when the print cartridge is replaced. It is possible to grasp the number of operation cycles of the image carrier 2 of the image forming apparatus, the replacement time of the ozone filter, the prediction of wear data of the image carrier 2, and the like.

In the replacement display operation based on the life of the image carrier 2, the number of prints is integrated, and when the guaranteed life of the image carrier is reached, the apparatus is stopped to disable it. By the end of the product's life, it will indicate that the replacement time has expired and will prompt you to make preparations, and if you continue to use it, it will indicate that it is almost time to stop the device. In addition, the toner storage unit 15 of the image carrier 2
In the replacement display operation based on the internal capacity, the ON time of the drive motor for toner replenishment is integrated, and the device is stopped at the integrated time that seems to come soonest under the worst conditions considering the various variations described above. In this case as well, in this case, a display prompting replacement with a certain value of the accumulated time until the device is stopped and a display prompting that it is approaching time to stop the device at the next accumulated time Give out. Further, the operation based on the life of the image carrier and the operation based on the capacity of the toner storage portion of the image carrier are usually arranged so that the number of prints is prioritized, but in the unlikely event that the image density is abnormally large, The latter function works when the toner is replenished frequently and is likely to fill up faster than the guaranteed number of image carriers. The above operation is shown in a flowchart of FIG.

[0015]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the storage element (EEPROM) 39 is mounted on the cartridge A, and when the print cartridge A is replaced, the storage element (EEPR) is replaced.
In OM), the total energization time of the primary charger 3 of the image forming apparatus is collectively written by the CPU equipped in the image forming apparatus, and the total energizing time of the subsequent primary charger 3 is written and saved. By collecting and analyzing the storage element (EEPROM) 39 of the used print cartridge A, the used print cartridge A
The current amount of rotation of the image carrier (photosensitive drum) 2 and the discharge time of the corotron of the image forming apparatus using the printer can be accurately grasped, and information for the image forming apparatus can be obtained at intervals of the replacement of the print cartridge A. Collection can be done.

According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the above-mentioned function and effect, other function and effect, that is, the image carrier 2
The display prompts you to replace it before it reaches the end of its life.
Since the user can sense that the image carrier 2 is nearing the end of its life and the time to replace the print cartridge will soon be reached, a new print cartridge can be prepared in advance, and can be replaced immediately at the end of its life. The work efficiency can be improved by shortening the time. Further, since the image forming apparatus is stopped when the image carrier 2 reaches the end of its life, it is possible to prevent printing after the end of its life. Further, since the display prompting the replacement of the print cartridge is displayed depending on the capacity of the toner accommodating portion 15 of the image carrier 2, the image carrier can be carried before the life of the image carrier 2 such as when printing with a high image density is performed. When the toner storage portion 15 of the body 2 is full of toner, the print cartridge can be replaced before the toner is full, and the apparatus main body can be stopped when it is full. In addition, since a sensor for detecting that the battery is full is not necessary, there is a secondary effect that the cost is reduced and the number of parts is reduced, resulting in higher reliability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a main part of a device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial partial view of an operation flowchart of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial view of another portion of the operation flowchart of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory diagram of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway plan view of the print cartridge.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a developing machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Device body, 2 ... Image carrier, 8 ... Cleaner, 15 ...
Toner storage unit, 30 ... Print number counting means, 31
... toner replenishment time integration means, 33 ... display unit, 32 ... charge corotron discharge time integration means, 39 ... storage element, A
… Print cartridges.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G03G 21/00 111

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image carrier 2, and a primary charger 3, a developing device 4, a pre-transfer charger 5, around the image carrier 2.
A transfer charger 6, a separation charger 7, and a cleaner 8 configured to clean and collect residual toner on the image carrier 2 and store it in a toner storage unit in the image carrier 2, and In an image forming apparatus in which a print cartridge A is composed of the image carrier 2 and the cleaner 8 and the print cartridge A is detachable, the energizing time of the primary charger 3 is set in the apparatus main body 1 of the image forming apparatus. CPU to accumulate
By incorporating the print cartridge A into the apparatus main body 1 in the print cartridge A, the total energization time of the primary charger 3 accumulated in the CPU in the apparatus main body 1 is collectively written, and An image forming apparatus comprising a storage element 39 configured to cumulatively store the energization time of the primary charger thereafter. 2. An image carrier 2 and a primary charger 3, a developing device 4, a pre-transfer charger 5, around the image carrier 2.
A transfer charger 6, a separation charger 7, and a cleaner 8 configured to clean and collect residual toner on the image carrier 2 and store it in a toner storage unit in the image carrier 2, and Print cartridge A with image carrier and cleaner 8
In the image forming apparatus in which the print cartridge A is detachable, a CPU for accumulating the energization time of the primary charger 3 is built in the apparatus main body 1 of the image forming apparatus, and the print cartridge A By inserting this print cartridge A into the device body 1,
A storage element 39 is provided in which the accumulated energization time of the primary charger 3 is collectively written in the CPU in the apparatus main body 1 and the energization time of the subsequent primary charger is cumulatively stored. Means for accumulating the number of image forming operations on the apparatus main body 1 side, means for accumulating the driving time of the toner supply unit for replenishing the developing device with toner, and the accumulated number of image forming operations are based on the life of the image carrier 2. Means for outputting the first signal when the number of image forming operations is substantially equal to the number of times the image forming operation is performed, and means for outputting the second signal when the number of times is the same, and the driving time of the integrated toner supply unit corresponding to the capacity of the toner storage unit 15 of the image carrier Means for outputting a first signal when they are substantially equal to each other, and a second signal when they are equal to each other, a display means for performing a display prompting replacement of the print cartridge by the first signal, An image forming apparatus characterized in that a means for stopping the image forming apparatus by a signal.