EP0699978A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Image forming apparatus with detachable process unit
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-08-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-08-29
Abstract
Abstract An image forming apparatus such as a copier with a detachable process cartridge (39) is provided with a first memory (102) for storing the number of copying operations; a count renewing unit for increasing the count of the first memory and a second memory (104) in the process cartridge, at each copying operation, a comparator for comparing the counts in the first and second memories, and a controller (101) for determining a process condition specific to the process cartridge in case the counts do not mutually coincide. The service life of the process cartridge (39) can be more precisely judged, and the process condition can be more appropriately determined for each process cartridge.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuki Miyamoto
- 👤 Naoyuki Ohki
- 👤 Masaki Nakano
- 👤 Takahiro Ushiro
- 👤 Yasuo Fukazu
- 👤 Atsushi Chaki
- 👤 Shinichi Takata
- 👤 Kazuhiro Ohyoshi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:59
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G21/00; G03G21/16; G03G21/18; G03G21/1875; G03G21/1878; G03G21/1889; G03G15/55; G03G15/553; G03G21/1882; G03G2221/00; G03G2221/16; G03G2221/1663; G03G2221/18; G03G2221/1823; G03G2221/183; G03G2221/1838
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
An image forming apparatus for executing image formation with a detachable process cartridge mounted thereon, provided with: a first memory for storing the number of image formations; and renewal means for renewing the number of image formations stored in a second memory provided in said process cartridge and the number of image formations stored in said first memory, in response to the execution of an image forming operation; characterized in having: comparator means for comprising, when a power supply to said image forming apparatus is turned on, the number of image formations stored in said first memory with the number of image formations stored in said second memory; and control means adapted, when the number of image formations stored in said first memory and the number of image formations stored in said second memory do not mutually coincide, to effect a first determining operation for determining an image forming condition specific to said process cartridge.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first determining operation includes an operation for repeating measurement for determining the image forming condition and averaging the determined plural image forming conditions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the number of image formations stored in said first memory coincides with the number of image formations stored in said second memory, said control means is adapted to execute a second determining operation for determining an image forming condition specific to said process cartridge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second determining operation includes an operation for effecting a measurement for determining the image forming condition and taking an average of a result of said measurement with plural image forming conditions determined in the past.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in further comprising: inhibition means for inhibiting an image forming operation utilizing said process cartridge when data in an unused area of said second memory is not a predetermined value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
81 words
An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in further comprising: second comparator means for comparing the number of image formations stored in said first memory with the number of image formations stored in said second memory, after an entry of an instruction for starting image formation and before an operation of said renewal means; and inhibition means for inhibiting an image forming operation utilizing said process cartridge when the comparison by said second comparator means indicates absence of coincidence.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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