JPH06102759A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of clearly grasping the replacement time of a supply unit. According to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including a main body 2 for forming an image on an image forming medium by using a developing unit, and a detachable replenishing unit for replenishing the developing unit with a developer. Is a communication unit 74 capable of communicating information with the main body 2, a storage unit 72 storing a preset developer limit amount, the developer limit amount and the communication unit 74.
And a developer management unit 75 for calculating the remaining amount information of the developer based on the usage amount of the developer from the main body 2 sent through the main body 2. The main body 2 includes the developer management unit. It has a display means for displaying the developer remaining amount information from 75. With this configuration, the remaining amount information of the developer is displayed on the display unit, the clear understanding of the replacement time of the replenishment unit improves the workability, and avoids the situation of copying interruption when forming a large number of images. it can.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus,
More specifically, for example, image formation in a copying machine or the like in which a toner cartridge as a replenishing means for replenishing the developer (toner) is replaceable with respect to a developing means for developing an electrostatic latent image with a developer. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a copying apparatus in which a toner cartridge is mounted on a developing means and toner is supplied from the toner cartridge has been put into practical use.

In such a copying apparatus, a toner cartridge is detachable, and a new toner cartridge is replaced when the toner in the toner cartridge disappears.

Normally, in this type of copying apparatus, the toner cartridge itself does not have a function of managing the remaining amount of toner, and the remaining amount of toner in the toner cartridge is detected by the main body of the copying apparatus and the remaining amount of toner is detected. When it is lost, the copy is disabled and a warning message is displayed on the display. Therefore, there is a problem in that the operator of the copying apparatus cannot determine how many copies the toner cartridge currently in use will carry out. That is, when a large number of copies is set, copying on a sheet is started, and when the user once leaves the copying apparatus and then returns to the copying apparatus,
There is a situation in which copying is interrupted halfway because the remaining toner amount is zero.

Further, the operator of the copying machine cannot recognize the fact until the remaining toner amount becomes zero, and then the toner cartridge is replaced, which is inefficient in terms of workability. There was also.

Further, in the case of the conventional copying machine, since the suitability of the toner cartridge is not judged, the inappropriate toner cartridge is attached to the developing means or the toner cartridge is not attached at all. In this case, the toner motor that supplies toner in accordance with the copy start instruction also operates, resulting in meaningless noise generation, toner scattering, and image quality deterioration.

For example, there has been a problem that a toner cartridge containing red toner is attached to a developing means using black toner to cause color mixing.

[0008]

As described above, conventionally, various problems have been involved due to insufficient management of the developer of the replenishing means.

Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to properly manage the developer of the replenishing means, improve copying efficiency, prevent meaningless noise generation, and prevent toner scattering and image quality deterioration. An object is to provide a possible image forming apparatus.

[0010]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In an image forming apparatus having a main body for forming an image on an image forming medium by using a developing means and a detachable replenishing means for replenishing the developing means with a developer, the replenishing means is provided between the main body and Communication means capable of communicating with each other, a storage unit that stores a preset developer limit amount, and development based on the developer limit amount and the developer usage amount from the main body sent through the communication means. The main body is provided with a developer management unit including a calculation unit that obtains the developer remaining amount information, and the main body has a display unit that displays the developer remaining amount information from the developer management unit.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus having a main body for forming an image on an image forming medium by using a developing means, and a detachable replenishing means for replenishing the developing means with a developer. The replenishing means is a communication means capable of communicating information with the main body, a storage section storing preset replenishing means identification information and the number of image-formable parts, and a main body sent via the communication means. And a developer management unit configured to calculate a developer remaining amount information on the basis of the image formation quantity of the image formation quantity and the image formation possible quantity stored in the storage unit,
The main body determines whether the replenishment means identification information stored in the storage section of the replenishment means is appropriate or not, and the developer remaining amount information obtained by the calculation section. When the amount is small, it has a judging means for instructing to stop the supply of the developer from the supplying means.

[0012]

The effects of the above-mentioned inventions will be described below.

According to the image forming operation, the main body of the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect sends the developer usage amount to the developer managing means through the communication means of the replenishing means. The calculation unit of the developer management unit obtains the remaining amount information of the developer based on the developer limit amount stored in the storage unit and the developer usage amount from the main body, and sends it to the display unit of the main body via the communication unit. As a result, the developer remaining amount information is displayed on the display unit, and the developer remaining amount information makes it clear that the replacement timing of the replenishing unit is clear, which improves workability and enables a large amount of image formation. It is possible to avoid a situation in which copying is interrupted when performing.

The main body of the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect sends the image forming quantity to the developer managing means of the replenishing means via the communication means of the replenishing means each time the image forming operation is performed. The arithmetic unit of the developer management means obtains the remaining amount information of the developer based on the image formation quantity from the main body and the image formable quantity stored in the storage section, and sends it to the main body via the communication means.

The determination means of the main body determines the developer remaining amount information obtained by the calculation portion, and when the developer remaining amount is small, commands the developer replenishment stop from the replenishing means.

Further, the judging means of the main body communicates with the storage section of the replenishing means via the communication means, judges the suitability of the replenishing means identifying information stored in this storing section, and when the replenishing means identifying information is unsuitable. Instruct to stop the developer replenishment from the replenishing means.

As a result, when the remaining amount of the developer in the replenishing means is small or the replenishing means is inappropriate, the replenishment of the developer is stopped, and meaningless noise is prevented, It is possible to prevent the scattering of the developer and the deterioration of the image quality.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a copying apparatus 1 as an image forming apparatus of this embodiment.

A copying machine (PPC) 1 has an original placing table (transparent glass plate) 1 on which an original is placed on an upper portion of a main body 2.
0, an upper cover 10b that covers the mounting table 10, and a document cover 12 that is provided to be openable and closable with respect to the main body 2 and that holds a document on the mounting table 10.

An operation panel 1 on which operation signals and the like are input by an operator (user) operation on the upper cover 10b.
8 (described later) are provided.

Inside the mounting table 10, that is, inside the main body 2, a lamp 22 for illuminating the original, a reflector 24 for converging the illumination light emitted from the lamp 22 onto the original, and a reflected light from the original are provided. A first carriage 20 having a reflecting first mirror 26 and a second carriage 30 having a second mirror 32 and a third mirror 34 that further reflect the reflected light from the document by the first carriage 20 are arranged. .

The first carriage 20 is arranged movably in parallel with the mounting table 10 by a pulse motor (not shown) via a toothed belt (not shown).

The second carriage 30 is the first carriage 2.
It is movably arranged via a toothed belt or the like (not shown) that drives 0, is driven by the first carriage 20, and moves at a speed of ½ with respect to the first carriage 20. .

Below the first carriage 20, and
The inner surface including the optical axis of the reflected light reflected by the second carriage 30 is movably provided by a driving mechanism (not shown) to give the reflected light from the second carriage 30 a converging property. An image forming lens 36 is provided which forms an image of the reflected light at a desired magnification by moving.

Further, this reflected light is further reflected to form an image at a desired position on the photoconductor 40, and in order to correct the variation of the focal length due to the movement of the imaging lens 36, the light is driven by a driving mechanism (not shown). A fourth mirror 38 is arranged which is movable along the axis.

Below the image forming lens 36 and near the center of the main body 2, there is arranged a photosensitive member 40 on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by forming an image of the reflected light guided by the fourth mirror 38. ing.

Around the photoconductor 40, charging means 42 for charging the photoconductor 40 with a predetermined electric charge, and the photoconductor 4 are provided.
Developing means 44 for making the electrostatic latent image formed on the image 0 visible with a developer (hereinafter also referred to as "toner"), and the photoconductor 4
The charge characteristic of the photoconductor 40 is eliminated by removing the charge distribution in the transfer unit 46 and the photoconductor 40, which transfers the electrostatic latent image formed on the paper 0 to the paper P as an image forming medium supplied from a paper feeding device described later. To the initial state, and cleaning means 48 for scraping off the residual toner are sequentially arranged.

The developing means 44 is detachably provided with a toner cartridge (details of which will be described later) 45 as a replenishing device for accommodating the toner and replenishing the consumed toner.

The transfer means 46 integrally has an AC voltage application means 46a for separating the paper P after transfer from the photoconductor 40.

The electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor 40 is
It is converted into a toner image by the developing means 44, whereby the image information contained in the original is copied as a toner image and is visibly formed on the paper P.

At the right side of the main body 2, that is, at the position corresponding to the upstream side in the rotation direction of the photoconductor 40, the paper cassette 14
A plurality of slots 50a and 50b into which a and 14b are inserted
Is formed.

On the other hand, on the left side surface of the main body 2, the photosensitive member 4
A discharge tray 16a is arranged on which the toner image formed on the sheet No. 0 is transferred and the fixed and copied sheet P is stocked.

Inside the main body 2, at a position corresponding to the upstream side of the photoconductor 40, the first and second paper feed rollers 5 for drawing out the papers P one by one from the paper cassettes 14a and 14b.
1a and 51b are provided. Further, a pair of first and second conveying rollers 52a and 52b for feeding the pulled-out sheet P toward the photoconductor 40 is provided at the tip of the first and second sheet feeding rollers 51a and 51b. There is.

Further, the first and second conveying roller pairs 52
Feeding paths 53a and 53b are provided at the ends of a and 52b, respectively. Then, the inclination of the paper P is corrected immediately before the photoconductor 40, the leading edge of the image on the photoconductor 40 is aligned with the leading edge of the paper P, and the paper P is rotated at the same speed as the rotation speed of the photoconductor 40.
A pair of timing rollers 54 for feeding the paper are arranged.

Further, the toner image on the photoconductor 40 is transferred to the position corresponding to the downstream side of the photoconductor 40 of the main body 2,
A conveyance unit 56 that conveys the sheet P in which the toner is electrostatically attached is provided. Further, a fixing unit 58 is arranged ahead of the conveying unit 56.

The fixing means 58 is a hollow cylinder, and internally houses a heater lamp 58b for heating itself, and in order to melt and fix the toner image transferred to the paper P, the outer periphery of the photoconductor 40 is fixed. The heat roller 58a driven at the same outer peripheral movement speed as the surface movement speed, and the heat roller 58a pressed against the heat roller 58a.
And a pressure roller 58c for applying pressure to the paper P and fusing and fixing the toner image.

In front of the fixing means 58, there is provided a pair of discharge rollers 16 for discharging the copied sheet P having the toner image fixed by passing through the fixing means 58 to the outside of the main body 2. There is.

FIG. 2 shows the operation panel 18 provided on the upper cover 10b.

On the operation panel 18, a print key 18a for inputting a copy start signal, numeric keys (ten keys) 18b of "0" to "9" used for setting the number of copies and inputting a data signal, and copy. It includes a clear key 18c for interrupting the operation and resetting the data being input to "0", an all clear key 18d for stopping all copying operations and returning the set copy mode to the initial state.

The input data (for example, the number of copies and the copy magnification) can be displayed on the operation panel 18, and at the same time, the operation procedure of the main body 2, the paper P or toner replenishment timing, or the error message. Message display section 18e using a liquid crystal (LCD) for displaying
A monitor LED 18 for displaying the operating state of the main body 2, for example, the position of the selected cassette or paper jam
f, a remaining amount display portion 18g for displaying the remaining toner amount display by a change in the number of lit LEDs is integrally assembled.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the toner cartridge 45.

The toner cartridge 45 is detachable from the developing means 44, and is replaced with a new one when the toner T accommodated inside is attached.

The toner cartridge 45 has a hopper portion (case body) 45a for accommodating the toner T for replenishment, and a replenishing port (not shown) for attaching to the developing means 44.
And a bottom portion 45b having. This hopper part 4
5a and the bottom portion 45b are firmly adhered by an adhesive or the like after the toner is filled in the hopper portion 45a.

The bottom portion 45b has a control P as shown in FIG.
The C plate 45c is integrally provided with a predetermined filler while maintaining airtightness. As a result, the integrated circuit 45e mounted on the upper part of the toner T is protected from damage and malfunction due to the toner T.

Four lead pins 45d project downward from the rear side of the control PC board 45c, so that when the toner cartridge 45 is mounted on the developing means 44, the control PC board 45c and The main body 2 is electrically connected.

Next, a control system for managing toner between the main body 2 and the toner cartridge 45 will be described with reference to FIG.

The main body 2 is a main CPU 61 for controlling the whole.
And a control means 60 including a program memory 62 storing an operation program. The main CPU 61 has a toner motor 63 connected to the toner cartridge 45 for replenishing the toner T, and a toner in the toner cartridge 45. The toner sensor 64 for detecting the amount, each key group of the operation panel 18, the message display portion 18e, the remaining amount display portion 18g, etc. are connected. In addition, the main CPU 61
When the toner cartridge identification information is not suitable and the toner cartridge identification information stored in the storage unit 72 of the toner cartridge 45 is determined, and the remaining toner amount information determined by the calculation unit 73 of the toner cartridge 45 is determined. When the remaining amount is small, a judgment means 65 for instructing to stop the replenishment of the toner T from the toner cartridge by the toner motor 63, and a main body communication means 66 for communicating between the communication means 74 provided in the toner cartridge 45, A flag memory 67 for storing a flag 0 or 1 for toner empty (the remaining amount of toner is zero or a small amount) is provided.

The integrated circuit 45e in the toner cartridge 45 includes a cartridge CPU 71 for controlling the toner cartridge 45, a communication means 74 capable of communicating information with the main body 2, and a toner preset in the manufacturing or shipping stage. The storage unit 72 using the BC-RAM storing the limit amount (full amount) and the toner limit amount and the toner usage amount (rotation amount of the toner motor 63) from the main body 2 sent via the communication unit 74 are shown. A developer management unit 75 including a calculation unit 73 that obtains toner remaining amount information on the basis thereof is provided.

Next, the operation of the image forming apparatus 1 having the above-described structure will be described mainly in the case of managing the toner T of the toner cartridge 45 and with reference to FIGS.

It is assumed that the storage limit 72 of the integrated circuit 45e of the toner cartridge 45 stores the toner limit amount at the shipping stage.

As shown in FIG. 6, the main CPU 61 executes the main CPU 61 every time it is necessary to replenish the toner from the toner cartridge 45 (S1), that is, every time the toner motor 63 needs to be rotated, in the copying step for the paper P. The on-time of the toner motor 63, which means the toner usage amount, is set (S2), and the on-time is sent to the cartridge CPU 71 via the main body communication means 66 and the communication means 74 (S3). And the main CP
Under the control of U61, the toner motor 63 rotates for the on time (S4).

Next, information processing of the toner cartridge 45 will be described with reference to FIG.

The cartridge CPU 71 processes the on-time information of the toner motor 63 into the toner amount as needed (S5), and stores the toner amount information up to the previous time stored in the storage unit 72 every time it is sent. Is added to (S6), and this toner amount information is updated (S7).

Next, the calculation section 73 of the developer management means 75.
Compares the toner limit amount stored in the storage unit 72 with the updated information on the toner amount, and obtains the toner remaining amount information which is the difference (S8).
1, to the main CPU 61 of the main body 2 via the communication means 74 (S9).

The main CPU 61 sends the remaining toner amount information sent from the developer managing means 75 to the remaining amount display section 18g. As a result, the remaining amount display portion 18g turns on the number of LEDs corresponding to the remaining toner amount information as shown in FIG. 8 (S1).
0).

Further, when the toner remaining amount information becomes less than a certain value (S11), the main CPU 61 displays on the message display section 18e based on the operation program.
For example, a message "There is little toner left" is sent and provided for display (S12).

As a result, the operator who sees the display of the remaining amount display portion 18g and the display of the message display portion 18e can clearly grasp the replacement time of the toner cartridge 45, the workability is improved, and the remaining amount display portion 18g is displayed. Of the toner cartridge 4 or the message display portion 18e.
By exchanging 5 as appropriate, it is possible to avoid a situation where the copying is interrupted when a large number of copying is performed.

Next, the management of the toner T according to the suitability of the toner cartridge 45 and the number of copies will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the main CPU 61 of the main body 2 increments a power-on counter (not shown) (S2
1), information on the number of copies is loaded (S22), each element of the main body 2 is initialized (S23), and the toner cartridge 45 is loaded.
The cartridge CPU 71 is communicated with (S24), and a heater (not shown) of the main body 2 is turned on to warm up (S25).

Then, when the preparation of the main body 2 is completed (S26), the main CPU 61 of the main body 2 determines whether the toner cartridge 45 is appropriate based on the communication with the toner cartridge 45 in step 24 (S27). That is, the main CPU 61 sends a predetermined cryptographic code to the storage unit 72 of the toner cartridge 45, fetches a response corresponding to the toner cartridge identification information stored in advance from the storage unit 72, and the response corresponds to the cryptographic code. For example, it is determined that the toner cartridge 45 is appropriate, the answer is fetched, and if the answer is incompatible with the encryption code, it is determined that the toner cartridge 45 is inappropriate.

If the main CPU 61 determines that the toner cartridge 45 is appropriate, the main CPU 61 permits the rotation of the toner motor 63 and sets the flag F = 1 in the flag memory 67 (S28).

When the main CPU 61 determines that the toner cartridge 45 is an inappropriate one (including the case where the toner cartridge 45 is not attached), the main CPU 61 prohibits the rotation of the toner motor 63 and also the flag memory 67. Flag F = 0 is set (S29).

Next, the main CPU 61 uses the toner sensor 64.
When it is determined that the toner empty level is reached based on the detection result of (S30), the toner motor 63 is driven and the toner supply routine shown in FIG. 10 is executed (S31). That is, the flag F = in the flag memory 67
When 1 is set (S36), the main CPU 61 drives the toner motor 63 for a predetermined time to drive the toner cartridge 4
The toner T is supplied from 5 to the developing means 44 (S37).

Next, the main CPU 61 executes a copying operation (S34) when the print key 18a in the key group is pressed (S33).

The copying operation is executed by the routine shown in FIG.

That is, the main CPU 61 activates the main motor and each copy mode (S41, 42), determines the suitability by communication with the toner cartridge 45 (S43), and determines whether the predetermined number of copies has been reached. Is determined (S
44). Further, the main CPU 61 uses the developer management means 75.
If the toner remaining amount information is determined in accordance with the increase in the number of copies obtained by the calculation unit 73, and the toner is empty, a message indicating that the remaining amount of the toner T is low is displayed as in step 12 described above. It is sent to the message display section 18e (S45).

Next, when the copy mode ends, the toner motor 45 is stopped after executing a copy operation for a predetermined number of sheets (S46).

By this operation, when the toner amount in the toner cartridge 45 is small or the toner cartridge 45 is inappropriate, the rotation of the toner motor 45 is stopped and the toner replenishment is stopped. It is possible to prevent meaningless generation of noise and prevent toner from scattering and image quality from deteriorating.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 12 to 14, the toner empty determination process for the toner cartridge 45 will be described.

In this case, the storage unit 72 is made to store the toner empty flag 1 indicating the toner empty determination (empty toner cartridge 45) or the toner empty flag 0 indicating the toner empty undetermined, and the main body. 2 is provided with a toner empty counter.

First, the main CPU 61 controls the developer management means 7
If the toner empty flag is not 1 (S51), the toner empty counter is set to a predetermined number of times (S52). Further, the main CPU 61
Drives the toner motor 63 to supply toner (S
53) When the toner sensor 64 detects that the toner is empty (S54), the value of the toner empty counter is decremented by 1 (S55). And
When the value of the toner empty counter becomes 0 (S5
6), the main CPU 61 sends the information of the toner empty flag 1 to the cartridge CPU 71 (S57, 58).

The cartridge CPU 71 is the main CPU 61.
It is determined that the toner empty flag has been determined based on the information of the toner empty flag 1 from (S59), and the toner empty flag 1 is set in the storage unit 72 (S60).

The cartridge CPU 71 is the main CP.
When communicating with the U61, transmission information is created as shown in FIG. 14 (S61). At this time, when the toner empty flag 1 of the storage unit 72 is set (S62), the transmission information is set to the toner empty flag 1. (S63), when the toner empty flag 0 in the storage unit 72 is 0, the toner empty flag 0 is also set in the transmission information (S6).
4). Such information is transmitted from the cartridge CPU 71 to the main CPU 61 (S65).

By such an operation, even if the toner cartridge 45 whose toner empty has been determined once is refilled with the toner T of another model, the rotation of the toner motor 63 can be prohibited, and the use of the different toner T is avoided and the color mixing is performed. It is possible to eliminate machine trouble.

The present invention can be variously modified within the scope of the invention in addition to the above-described embodiments.

[0077]

According to the present invention described above, the following effects are obtained.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the developer remaining amount information is displayed on the display means, and the developer remaining amount information makes it clear that the replacement time of the replenishing means is clear and the workability is improved. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of avoiding a situation in which copying is interrupted when a large number of images are formed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the replenishment of the developer is stopped when the remaining amount of the developer in the replenishing means is small or the replenishing means is improper, which is meaningless. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing noise from being generated and preventing scattering of a developer and deterioration of image quality.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an operation panel of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a toner cartridge of an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a control P provided in the toner cartridge shown in FIG.
C plate perspective view

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a toner replenishing operation of the apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the toner cartridge side of the apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of remaining amount display of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing the operation of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of toner replenishment of the apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a copying operation of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of toner empty processing of the apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of information reception processing on the toner cartridge side of the apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of information transmission processing on the toner cartridge side of the apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Copier 2 Main body 18 Operation panel 45 Toner cartridge 61 Main CPU 63 Toner motor 65 Judgment means 67 Flag memory 71 Cartridge CPU 72 Storage section 73 Computing section 75 Developer management means

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus comprising: a main body for forming an image on an image forming medium by using developing means; and a detachable replenishing means for replenishing the developing means with a developer.
The replenishing means is a communication means capable of communicating information with the main body, a storage section storing a preset developer limit amount, and a main body sent via the developer limit amount and the communication means. A display unit for displaying the developer remaining amount information from the developer managing unit, the developer managing unit including a calculation unit for obtaining the developer remaining amount information based on the developer usage amount from the developer managing unit. An image forming apparatus comprising: 2. An image forming apparatus comprising: a main body for forming an image on an image forming medium by using a developing means; and a detachable replenishing means for replenishing the developing means with a developer.
The replenishing means is a communication means capable of communicating information with the main body, a storage section storing preset replenishing means identification information and the number of image-formable parts, and a main body sent via the communication means. Of the image forming quantity and the image forming quantity stored in the storage section, and a calculating section for obtaining the remaining amount information of the developer based on the image forming quantity, and the main body is stored in the storage section of the replenishing means. Judge whether the replenishment means identification information is appropriate or not, and judge the developer remaining amount information obtained by the arithmetic unit. When the replenishment means identification information is not suitable or the developer remaining amount is small, stop the replenishment of developer from the replenishing means. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a determination unit that issues a command.